Passing on the Mercy We Ourselves Depend Upon

We can’t come to Jesus with a cup full of our own righteousness. Rather, we come to Jesus with empty hands and find quickly that his mercy is bountiful enough both for our own needs, and the needs of others. In this Sunday’s passage (Luke 6.37-42) we consider some our Lord’s most well-known but little practiced instructions. We are in Luke’s ‘Sermon on the Plain’. Jesus has introduced his vision of the kingdom of God by way of the Nazareth manifesto. He has launched his ministry at Capernaum and provided a kingdom pattern to follow. Now in Luke 6 he appoints the Twelve, his messengers, and proceeds to instruct them in the practicalities of living out the reign of God. They must both model and speak the kingdom. Key to that modelling is to pass on the mercy Christ offers. There is great wisdom needed as the disciple must hold together three responses: 1. come to Jesus with an empty cup, rather than filled with our own righteousness; 2. cultivate a true picture of one’s own life rather than be self-deceived; 3. now with a clear vision, be open to help others grow.

 

Reflection Questions 

1. Why is it significant that Jesus addresses the Twelve in the first instance, in Luke’s version of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ Luke 6.12-49?

2. How is the capacity to be merciful when wronged, a sign of an authentic walk with Jesus (Luke 6.37-38)? 

3. Read Matthew 18.21-35 and then answer question 2 above, again. Do you have any further insight now?

4. What does Jesus actually mean in practice when he says ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged’? (Luke 6.37).  How  might we hold this together with other commands like to exhort a brother or sister respectfully  when they wrong us (Matthew 18.15), or make moral distinctions (Luke 10.27), or honour judges and the courts Romans 13.1-5)?