LUKE 6:17-19

Pastor Scott Andrews | May 5, 2024

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Luke 6:17-19

Makarios is one of my favorite Greek words. The Bible often calls it blessed. We call it happy. But happy seems so cheap – so shallow. You see, it’s much more. It’s a higher and better possession than mere fleeting happiness. So much more, that when the word was first used among the Greeks in the 8^th Century BC, the poet Homer said only the gods could truly be makarios, because you see, they weren’t human, mere mortals. They were removed from this earthly existence with its pains and struggles and sorrows. Don’t miss that – if you have pains and struggles, you can’t be makarios, making it dependent on circumstances. So maybe it is just happy. But is it?

Later, Greeks thought makarios could be found by humans after all. Sophocles, early in the 5^th Century BC, wrote in Oedipus Tyrannus:

From hence the lesson learn you,

To reckon no man happy (makarios) till you witness

The closing day; until he pass the border

Which severs life from death, unscathed by sorrow.

That’s encouraging. Sophocles said you could be makarios, only after you die. Thoughts of achieving this elusive happiness went through further changes with the Greek philosophers. It began with Socrates in the late 5^th Century who thought it came with knowledge. Therefore, only the learned, the educated, could truly be makarios. About a hundred years later, Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, taught makarios was attained by reason. Of course, you may know within Stoicism, that achievement came with the high price of a total repression of passion and emotion. True happiness, Zeno taught, came from living a Spock-like existence.

Finally, turning our attention to Israel, at the turn of the millennium from BC to AD, when Jesus walked the earth, there were four main factions under the umbrella of Judaism. They each thought themselves right. And they each had their own ideas about how makarios, fulfillment, contentment was achieved.

The Pharisees tried to find it in the Law of Moses, as they defined it in tradition and legalism. For them, obeying the tradition of the elders would bring this elusive goal.
The Sadducees thought makarios was found in the present – in modernism – chuck the old – the tradition and legalism of the Pharisees – in with the new, and you’ll find it.
The Essenes thought true blessedness was to be found in separation, literally. They’re the ones who moved to Qumran where they wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. They geographically separated from society, thinking they would be free from outside influences to find this inner happiness – this makarios.
Lastly, the Zealots thought it could be achieved through political revolution – knock off Rome, then we’ll be free – we’ll be blessed. They, along with many others, thought that’s what Messiah would do when He finally came.

But let’s roll the clock forward a couple thousand years to our present day. We find makarios is still sought by most. Within the text of our own Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of makarios – happiness.” From that, we begin to perceive this makarios is more than mere external happiness – it’s more like inward contentment, even joy.

As he examined western civilization, the late Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer said in his book, How Should We Then Live? that westerners try to achieve happiness through affluence – namely, material acquisitions, financial success – you know, the man who dies with the most toys wins. And so, for many it’s:

Happy is the go-getter – the ambitious – the one who knows where he’s going and how to get there. Who looks out for number one. You only go around once in life, go for the gusto.
The guy who pushes everyone out of his way to get to the top.
Happy is the guy who gets what he wants, when he wants it, where he wants it, and how he wants it.
Happy are the rich, the famous, the noble, the popular. After all, they never produced a show, lifestyles of the poor and unknown.

But now today, this affluence or influence seems to be pursued in a cause – like social justice. Of protesting, even violently, any actions we deem unjust. Of course, the trouble is, those who make it their life’s ambition to be rich, famous, popular on one side or even noble on the other, might make it only to find something’s terribly wrong. They aren’t happy. People have always sought contentment, happiness, makarios in ways of their own devising. But Jesus came along and in the greatest sermon ever preached, and said, you’re all wrong.

Homer, you’re wrong – people can be happy, not just the gods.
Sophocles, you’re wrong – people can be happy in this life; they don’t have to die.
Socrates, you’re wrong – happiness is not found necessarily in knowledge.
Zeno, you’re wrong – it’s not found in self-sufficiency and repression of emotion.
Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, you’re all wrong – it’s not found in legalistic ritual, in humanistic philosophy, in social separation, or in political activism.

And He says, 21^st century American – 21^st century student – you’re wrong – it’s not found in affluence or personal gain or social activism. The man who dies with the most toys might just lose. Rather, Jesus says blessedness, true happiness is found:

in those who are poor.
in those who are hungry.
in those who weep.
in those who are persecuted.

But wait – those are the things we try to avoid at all costs, right? But Jesus said it when preached this most famous sermon. Blessed are the poor, hungry, weeping, persecuted. Sounds like a bunch of losers. It’s as if Jesus came to the display window of life and switched all the price tags on the merchandise – the things we thought valuable, high priced, are worthless. And the things we thought worthless are of great value. Right out of the chutes, in this His first extended message – oh, we’ve seen Him say a few things, but generally in response to questions and accusations – in this sermon, Jesus strikes a blow right to the heart of prideful, self-serving humanity and all that we pursue – all we think will make us happy.

You want to be happy? Have you tasted the things this life has to offer and found it bitter? You want to be content to the very depths of your soul? This is the path to makarios. And while I’ve been calling it happiness, I’m really talking about something much deeper. Human happiness comes and goes, because it is dependent on circumstances, on the chances and changes of life. It’s something life may give, or life may destroy. Christian happiness, makarios, is something completely different. It’s unassailable, untouchable. It’s an eternal, internal joy that no one can take or touch. And Jesus says we can have it now – in part – and in fullness later. But we can taste it now. One author says it this way:

“The world can win its joy, and the world can equally lose its joy. A change in fortune, a collapse in health, the failure of a plan, the disappointment of an ambition, even a change in the weather, can take away the fickle joy the world can give. But the Christian has the serene and untouchable joy which comes from walking forever in the company and presence of Jesus Christ.” (William Barclay)

That’s makarios. You want to be happy, really joy-filled? You want to experience the blessings of the kingdom – of the life Jesus came to give? This is the way it comes. We have before us the greatest message ever preached by the greatest man who ever lived – the God-man, Jesus the Christ. It’s called the Sermon on the Plain.

Now as we begin, you may be thinking of the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7. That was a long sermon, the first of five extended discourses Jesus gave in that book. Some suggest that sermon and this sermon I’m calling the Sermon on the Plain are the same sermon – given to the same people at the same time. That’s possible – you see, when Luke says, Jesus came down from the mountain and stood on a level place – that word isn’t technically a plain – it could refer to a plateau on the side of the mountain. So, it’s possible this is also the famed Sermon on the Mount.

Further, a lot of what Jesus says in Luke 6 is found in Matthew 5-7 – only much shorter. But others suggest these are two different sermons given to different people at different places, and, there are enough differences to support that. Some say, for example, the similarities are because when someone preaches a good sermon, he may preach it again at a different time and place – I’ve done that. I’m not going to make a big deal about all that – I don’t think deciding whether it’s the same sermon or not makes that much difference. But there are enough differences we should probably take note, and enough similarities that we will allow the longer Sermon on the Mount to inform our understanding of this sermon. But it’s also possible Jesus has a different theological emphasis.

Now again, the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and the Sermon on the Plain or level place in Luke are, in both books, His first extended sermon – and they’re both amazing. We need to remember the context of this sermon. We’ve been studying Luke for a while now. If you’ve been with us, you know Luke is determined to prove Jesus is the, Christ, the Son of God. We’ve already seen all kinds of evidence of that – there can be no denying Jesus is the Christ. From His miraculous, virgin birth heralded by an angelic choir to His baptism when the Spirit of God descended on Him and the Father declared Him to be His beloved Son, to His battle against the prince of darkness, to His incredible teaching and amazing miracles.

You see, the proofs continued in His authoritative words and His miraculous works. Luke gives us a brief summary of those words and works in our text today. The opposition against Jesus was rising dramatically, but so was His popularity. People came from all over – north, south and east, to see Him, to hear Him, to be healed by Him. In three short verses, Luke gives us an overview of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. Look at it with me, Luke 6:17-19.

This is a summary of what Luke is now going to spend the next few chapters elaborating upon – His authoritative teaching and healing miracles. Again, we see people came from all over – and He taught and healed them all. Notice, it didn’t matter what malady the people had – Jesus was able to heal everyone completely and immediately. The kingdom had come, and it had come with great power.

And in that age of unchecked disease and ineffective medicine, is it any wonder news about Him spread like wildfire? The people were dry, thirsty, broken, hapless, helpless. So, they came from all over to see and experience the miracle worker and to taste the kingdom. Now think about that, Jesus could have proved His deity in a number of ways. He could have created some stars; He could have split the Sea of Galilee; He could have wipe out Rome, like Egypt. But He demonstrated His deity by showing compassion and healing people of all disease. He proved it by fulfilling Isaiah 61, the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, to preach the gospel to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind, free the oppressed.

They came from throughout Galilee, from Syria, north of Galilee, from Decapolis Matthew tells us, east of Galilee, and from Jerusalem and Judea, south of Galilee. They came from every direction. His popularity went through the ceiling. People were excited. All kinds of amazing things were going on. They’d found a winner in this Jesus. They were excited about the power of the kingdom – they were excited to get what they wanted. They were looking forward to what Jesus was going to do – for them. Maybe He’d even throw off Rome once and for all. Later, after He had fed them physically, made their bellies full, they came to make Him king by force.

And it was in this context we read the first extended sermon of Jesus. Up till this point, we’ve heard very little from Him. Yes, He read some Scripture in Nazareth and applied it to Himself. And He’d answered all kinds of questions and accusations from the scribes and Pharisees. And we know He was teaching – but now, we find out what He was teaching. To be clear, this is perhaps the most famous of all of Jesus’ speeches – the Sermon on the Plain, along with the Sermon on the Mount. You see, I believe we have before us the gospel of the kingdom Jesus taught and preached. A kingdom that is not entirely future, but a kingdom that is here and now. A kingdom that requires, if we profess Jesus, that we live this way.

There have been volumes of books written on these two sermons (or one sermon if they’re the same) – in the three chapters of Matthew that make up His Sermon on the Mount, and this one chapter that makes up the Sermon on the Plain. Lots of interpretations as to what Jesus was saying. Some say Jesus was setting up a kind of unattainable New Testament Law – you thought the Ten Commandments were bad – that’s nothing – try these on for size. You thought not committing adultery was tough? Try not looking at a woman with an impure thought. You thought not committing murder was hard? Try not being angry with your neighbor. These seem like impossible demands.

Others think Jesus was giving instructions for life in the future – in the Millennial Kingdom. But certainly not now – because there’s no way you can possibly live like this now. He says things like, “Be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” He says if you don’t forgive others, you won’t be forgiven. Certainly, that’s not the gospel Paul taught, is it?

Still others, and I include myself, believe Jesus is giving us a standard of living for you and me, today. Yes, it is a high, ethical standard, but as believers who have experienced the grace of God, by His grace, we can live this way, and find joy. But let me tell you at the outset, it comes through the brokenness of the beatitudes. The bad news this morning is the demands of the kingdom cannot be met through your own strength, through your own abilities, through your own self-effort, self-righteousness and religiosity. The good news is it comes freely by His grace through brokenness; by realizing you have nothing to offer, and He has everything to give. Blessed are the poor, the hungry, the weeping, the persecuted. You see, they get the kingdom, they will be satisfied, they will laugh, and they will get the reward.

Remember the context. Things were going well – extremely well. News was spreading. People were flocking from all over. The word began to spread – maybe this was the long-awaited Messiah. God has ended His silence. There was an air of excitement – anticipation was building to a frenzied pitch.

In this setting, Jesus came down from the mountain, having named His twelve apostles. He’s gathering His army, right? We’re going to see some things happen now, right? His newly-named Twelve gathered around. We read there was also a large crowd of His disciples who came. These disciples were also His followers. Yes, we’ll find they weren’t all convinced – but they liked what they had seen and heard so far. So they were following Him – disciples, as it were. Later, when He feeds them with a boy’s lunch, they’re even more excited. But then, He says some strange words – unless you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you have no life. What is that? Eat flesh, drink blood? And we find many disciples walked away, and followed Him no longer. Because the way of Christ is demanding. But at this point, they’re following – impressed with what He could do for them. So, blessed are the rich and satisfied. There was much laughing and joy with this Jesus. We got a winner.

Oh, and there was a third group beyond the apostles and somewhat convinced disciples. There was a great throng of people from all over. From Judea – that’s probably all Palestine; from Jerusalem – the political and religious capital; from the coastal region up north – Tyre and Sidon – why, that’s largely Gentile territory. Coming from every direction, why? They were intrigued. His popularity was soaring. No one taught like this man.

And don’t forget the miracles. The healings. He was healing everyone – didn’t matter what they had. Leprosy, lameness, paralysis, muteness, deafness, blindness – eventually even raising the dead. They came to get some. He was even driving out demons – those with unclean spirits were being cured. People pressed in around Him, trying to touch Him – because healing power was coming from Him – if I can just touch Him, I can be healed. It was a major bandwagon effect. Why, they hadn’t seen anything like this since the days of Elijah and Elisha.

And Matthew says, when He saw the crowds, He sat down, taking the position of a teacher, opened His mouth, and began to teach them, saying…The Sermon on the Mount. Luke says, turning His gaze to His disciples – probably the Twelve, He began to say, the Sermon on the Plain. And He starts with those words that had to blow them away. It’s not what you think. My kingdom is not found in popularity, in strength, in riches, in throwing off the Roman yoke, in success, in whatever this world strives after. My kingdom is not found in the externals, in having all the creaturely comforts of life. My kingdom starts here, and is primarily concerned with the heart. It’s concerned not with political, physical and material wealth, but spiritual and moral riches. Yes, there’s power in my kingdom, but it doesn’t come the way you expect.

It’s found in poverty, in hunger, in weeping, in persecution. You see, we live in a broken world – and this rising opposition will be yours, too. Matthew adds, it’s found in mourning, in gentleness, in mercy, in purity of heart, in peacemaking. Blessed, happy, makarios are those kinds of people. Will you let those words sink in just a bit. You see, those words sound odd – a little out of place. Truth is, many of us have been raised in church. We’ve heard the beatitudes before. We know it’s happy are the sad, blessed are the poor, full are the hungry. But if we’re honest, we know it’s not the way we live.

I’m not happy if I’m broken. I’m not happy if I’m mourning, weeping. I’m not satisfied if I’m hungry and thirsty. We’ve been taught all our lives to be ambitious – to strive for success – to be all that we can be – to look out for number one. We even want to look good in the church – to put on a happy face, a spiritual façade, like we’ve got it all together. And Jesus starts by saying, you don’t get it. These are not the attitudes of gospel people.

He comes along, in the midst of kingdom excitement and kingdom power, rising popularity, everyone jumping on the bandwagon, and says – there are some things you need to understand. Before we can move into gospel life, there are some kingdom attitudes we need to pursue. And He gives us some of the most life-changing words ever spoken.

And I believe these words are for us today. Because things are happening. Good things. Just like they were happening in Galilee of the Gentiles. We’re post Covid, numbers are up – why people are flocking in from all around us. We’re doing well. Finances are good. And lest we think we’ve made it, Jesus has some words for us over the next few weeks. There are some attitudes we need to have if we really want to experience His life and His kingdom – if we want to build His kingdom, and not just another large, earthly gathering called church. His kingdom is about glory; it is about authority; it is about power. But it doesn’t come to the powerful, to those with authority. It comes to and through the downtrodden and the weak. It is the way the broken.

Some of you this morning are unhappy, and you’ve thought Christianity has failed you. You’ve been miserable for weeks, months, maybe even years. And you’ve tried to find happiness in the external things life has to offer. You’ve tried to find it in escape through drugs or alcohol. You’ve tried to find it through achievement, in grades or money or success or recognition. You’ve tried to find it through what I call a sitcom lifestyle – all fun and frivolity, with no real meaning and reality. And the jokes have become empty, the cuts have become personal and deep.

You’ve tried to find it in relationships – in friends, boyfriends, girlfriends – you’ve given everything you have, thinking if you just give it all, you’ll be happy. Sin never brings makarios – joy. You’ve only come away feeling dirty and used. Some of you have tried to find happiness in your relationship with your spouse – your husband or your wife. And I want to tell you – there’s nothing like a great marital relationship. But even that will only take you so far.

There’s only one way to achieve true blessedness – and it’s through the path of humiliation that Jesus describes for us at the beginning of the Sermon on the Plain. It’s going to counter everything you see on TV or hear in music – even much of today’s Christian music. It’s different from everything you see on Facebook or Instagram with their fake lives. In short, it’s different than everything the world tells you. I want to invite you to join us as we wander down that path over the next few weeks – as we sit at the feet of Jesus to learn from Him. Come prepared with an open heart and an open mind. Come prepared to find true, spiritual, permanent bliss – eternal and internal joy.