Healing, Then Preaching – Luke 6

A text – Luke 6:17-26

¹⁷ He came down with them and stood on a level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸ They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

²⁰ Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹ “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

²² “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you^[a] on account of the Son of Man. ²³ Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
²⁵ “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶ “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

A reflection:

This gospel story comes in two parts. This first part has Jesus coming down from the mountain and onto a plain with a great crowd waiting to listen to him and waiting to be cured. What does Jesus do? He lets himself be touched, lets God’s power flow through him to heal the people. “Power came out from him and healed all of them,” Luke says. The people were from everywhere. Some might have been rich and full and laughing when they came, but most of them were sick, disabled, and poor, and Jesus changed their situation. They were healed and overwhelmed. And they stayed for the preaching.

First Jesus embodies this generosity of God to the poor and sorrowing by healing them; then he teaches them. Jesus teaches them that God loves the poor and hungry and sorrowful, and God blesses them. God loves people who believe in the Son of Man even though it costs them respect and position. Whatever they lose, they will more than gain back in the Kingdom of God.

And Jesus teaches them that the rich, satisfied, laughing people are already having their reward. People may respect them because of their wealth, but wealth isn’t what God loves. God loves faithfulness in relationship. But it is easy to become distracted from relationship with God by good food, happiness, and wealth; not spending time thinking about and talking with God will cost them everything.

This doesn’t mean that wealth and happiness keep God away from us automatically. It means that we humans need to be sure our relationship with God is central to our life in both good times and bad. If we remember each morning who we belong to and how to honor our Creator with our lives, we will be blessed as God’s own children And God promises also to bless those who don’t have enough, those who suffer.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for Jesus, your Son, who gave everything of himself in his earthly walk to live out your love in concrete ways among your people. Thank you that Jesus continues to be our salvation. Help us to remember you every morning and live out your love to others.  Amen.