Our reward comes when we leave this world
by Robin A. Holstein
As we continue our discussion of the Sermon on the Mount we look at Luke’s recounting of the teaching. Luke uses the word “plain” instead of “mount.” Some scholars believe it is a different lecture. It could well be a different day, even location. A professor who gives lectures on nuclear war to campuses across the nation gives the same basic lecture. There will be some differences based on the audience, but the message will remain the same.
Luke 6:20-24
20: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21: Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22: Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23: Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Verses 20, and 21 are speaking to the spiritual condition as much as a physical condition. The earth’s poor and the hungry will be rich and filled when they enter the kingdom.
We have to remember, during these times the general population did not have a book to check when they had spiritual questions. Job couldn’t Google, “Why is God letting this happen?” They had to seek out an educated person and hope they gave you good information.
We can often recognize those around us who are financially struggling, and physically hungry. Someone struggling spiritually may not be as easily noticed. That is why we are commanded to share the Gospel to everyone. Let them know there is a solution and where to find it.
A person starving for salvation may be as rich as Elon Musk on this earth, but grasping at every religion trying to fill the emptiness. Jesus tells us to believe on Him for salvation. When we then reach the kingdom of God we will be rich and full, and happy.
Then we come to verses 22, and 23. Jesus is telling us how we, as believers, are to expect to be treated by the world, and how we are to respond.
22: Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Non-believers will hate us, exclude us, and call us evil. We are to rejoice, though. Our reward is in heaven, not on earth.
Why are we hated? Why are we excluded? Why are we called evil?
Followers of Christ believe in right and wrong. We have rules, morals, about how we are to worship, and live. Sometimes our neighbors disapprove of our rules. They may live much differently that we do. We are commanded to love our neighbor. We are not commanded to approve of their life choices. I often use a food related example when discussing this.
Imagine you are at a social event where there are two different main dishes presented, one is beef liver, the other ribeye. I choose the liver, my neighbor chooses ribeye. A conversation may go like this:
“Why the **** would you eat liver?”
“There are benefits to liver that ribeye does not have.”
“Really? Tell me more about these benefits.”
The conversation might also go like this:
“Why the **** would you eat liver?”
“There are benefits to liver that ribeye does not have.”
“Oh! Are you ****** saying I’m not healthy? That I don’t care about my body?”
“No. I’m just saying I’m choosing liver because I believe it is more nutritious.”
“Who are YOU to tell ME how to live?”
I know that over the centuries many who call themselves Christians have done some really bad things in the name of Christ. I believe they were wrong. I believe if you read the words of Christ you will see he did not preach war, hate, or intolerance. He did set down some rules His followers are to abide by. Many non-believers feel threatened by these rules because they don’t believe.
Christ tells us here that by following His rules we will be treated poorly by the world. The world shows us this everyday. There are still countries, in 2022, that kill or imprison Christians. Jesus does not teach bigotry or racism. Yet, followers are automatically classified as such by those who disagree with our rules.
23: Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
We are to remember that our reward comes when we leave this world. Sometime after this lecture Jesus shows us just how far we may have to go in this life to reap those rewards, when he is tried, convicted, and eventually crucified.
Robin A Holstein is proprietor of Holstein House Bed and Breakfast, in Diamond, WV. She is a licensed minister, and life coach through Christian Leaders Alliance. She holds a BS in Business. Robin was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Universal Life Church. She is a contributing columnist on spirituality for Two Lane Renaissance. You may reach her at robin [at] robinholstein.com
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