The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany (CL)

Luke 6:12-26

¹² In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. ¹³ And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 

¹⁷ And 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 and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. 

²⁰ And he lifted up his eyes on 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 shall be satisfied. 

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 

²² “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! ²³ Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to 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 shall be hungry. 

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 

²⁶ “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. 

The blessings and curses of Jesus, are very different from the beatitudes of Matthew. These parallel with each other, those who are hungry will be satisfied and the satisfied one will become hungry. It is easy to turn this into their is a time and season for every situation. But Jesus is reminding us that if you want to be first you must be last. 

When you read through the list of Apostles, who steps out to you. Which of the Apostles is your favorite? Is it Peter who is thought to be chief? Is it Judas who would become the traitor? Maybe it is Bartholomew, because he has a really cool name? But do remember which of these Apostles was spoken well of? Do you remember which one was rich? Or how about which one would think of people's stomach?

Everyone speaks well of John. Matthew was the rich tax collector. Philip is the name recorded in John 6 wondering where they will get enough food. Blessed are those who are in need, because God will provide for them. Those who are not in need often times do not thank God for what they have.

The lesson is very simple, you are in need of something. You are in need of salvation. You are in need of healing. You are in need of Life. Jesus Christ is your light, life, healer, savior and redeemer. (Not it is not condemned are, but woe to you, Look to Christ!)