Luke 6
6On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them.G1161G1096G1722G1207G4521G1207G846G1279G1223G4702G2532G846G3101G5089G4719G2532G2068G5597G54952Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?"G1161G5100G5330G2036G846G5101G4160G3739G1832G3756G1832G4160G1722G45213But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry?G2532G2424G611G4314G846G2036G314G3761G314G3761G5124G3739G1138G4160G3698G846G3983G2532G3588G5607G3326G8464How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."G5613G1525G1519G3624G2316G2532G2983G2532G5315G740G4286G2532G1325G2532G3326G846G3739G1832G3756G1832G5315G1508G2409G34415Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in charge."G2532G3004G846G3754G5207G444G2076G2962G2532G45216On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand.G1161G1096G2532G1722G2087G4521G846G1525G1519G4864G2532G1321G2532G1563G2258G444G2532G846G1188G5495G2258G35847The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.G1161G1122G2532G5330G3906G846G1487G2323G1722G4521G2443G2147G2724G8468He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did.G1161G846G1492G846G1261G2532G2036G444G3588G2192G3584G5495G1453G2532G2476G1519G3319G1161G450G24769Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"G3767G2036G2424G4314G846G1905G5209G5101G1832G4521G15G2228G2554G4982G5590G2228G62210He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out—it was as good as new!G2532G4017G846G3956G2036G444G1614G4675G5495G1161G4160G3779G2532G846G5495G600G5199G5613G24311They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.G1161G846G4130G454G2532G1255G4314G240G5101G302G4160G242412At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God.G1161G1096G1722G5025G2250G1831G1519G3735G4336G2532G1273G2258G1722G4335G231613The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles:G2532G3753G1096G2250G4377G846G3101G2532G575G846G1586G1427G3739G2532G3687G65214Simon, whom he named Peter, Andrew, his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,G4613G3739G2532G3687G4074G2532G406G846G80G2385G2532G2491G5376G2532G91815Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon, called the Zealot,G3156G2532G2381G2385G3588G256G2532G4613G2564G220816Judas, son of James, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.G2455G2385G2532G2455G2469G3739G2532G1096G427317Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon.G2532G2597G3326G846G2476G1909G3977G5117G2532G3793G846G3101G2532G4183G4128G2992G575G3956G2449G2532G2419G2532G3882G5184G2532G4605G3739G2064G191G846G2532G2390G575G846G355418They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed.G2532G3791G5259G169G4151G2532G232319Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed!G2532G3956G3793G2212G680G846G3754G1831G1411G3844G846G2532G2390G395620Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding.G2532G846G1869G846G3788G1519G846G3101G3004G3107G4434G3754G5212G2076G932G231621You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.G3107G3983G3568G3754G5526G3107G2799G3568G3754G107022"Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable.G3107G2075G3752G444G3404G5209G2532G3752G873G5209G2532G3679G2532G1544G5216G3686G5613G4190G5207G444G175223You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.G5463G1722G1565G2250G2532G4640G1063G2400G5216G3408G4183G1722G3772G1063G2596G5024G4160G846G3962G439624But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get.G4133G3759G5213G4145G3754G568G5216G387425And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.G3759G5213G1705G3754G3983G3759G5213G1070G3568G3754G3996G2532G279926"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.G3759G5213G3752G3956G444G2036G2573G5209G1063G5024G2596G4160G846G3962G557827"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.G235G3004G5213G3588G191G25G5216G2190G4160G2573G3588G3404G520928When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person.G2127G2672G5213G2532G4336G5228G1908G520929If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it.G5180G4571G1909G4600G3930G2532G243G2532G575G142G4675G2440G2967G3361G5509G253230If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.G1161G1325G3956G154G4571G2532G575G142G4674G523G3361G52331"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!G2532G2531G2309G2443G444G4160G5213G4160G5210G2532G846G366832If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that.G2532G1487G25G25G5209G4169G5485G2076G5213G1063G268G2532G25G25G84633If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that.G2532G1437G15G15G5209G4169G5485G2076G5213G1063G268G4160G2532G84634If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.G2532G1437G1155G3844G3739G1679G1679G618G4169G5485G2076G5213G1063G268G2532G1155G268G2443G618G2470G61835"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.G4133G25G5216G2190G2532G15G2532G1155G560G3367G560G2532G5216G3408G2071G4183G2532G2071G5207G5310G3754G846G2076G5543G1909G884G2532G419036Our Father is kind; you be kind.G1096G3767G3629G2531G5216G3962G2532G2076G362937"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.G2532G2919G3361G2532G2919G3364G2919G2613G3361G2532G2613G3364G2613G630G2532G63038Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."G1325G2532G1325G5213G2570G3358G4085G2532G4531G2532G5240G1325G1519G5216G2859G1063G846G3358G3739G3354G488G5213G48839He quoted a proverb: "'Can a blind man guide a blind man?' Wouldn't they both end up in the ditch?G1161G2036G3850G846G3385G1410G5185G3594G5185G297G3780G297G4098G1519G99940An apprentice doesn't lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher.G3101G2076G3756G5228G846G1320G1161G3956G2675G2071G5613G846G132041"It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.G1161G5101G991G2595G1722G4675G80G3788G1161G2657G3756G1385G1722G2398G378842Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.G2228G4459G1410G3004G4675G80G80G863G1544G2595G1722G4675G3788G991G846G991G3756G1385G1722G4675G3788G5273G1544G4412G1385G1537G4675G3788G2532G5119G1227G1544G2595G1722G4675G80G378843"You don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree.G1063G2570G1186G2076G4160G3756G4160G4550G2590G3761G4160G4550G1186G4160G2570G259044The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives.G1063G1538G1186G1097G1537G2398G2590G1063G1537G173G3756G4816G4810G3761G1537G942G5166G471845It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.G18G444G1537G18G2344G846G2588G4393G18G2532G4190G444G1537G4190G2344G846G2588G4393G4190G1063G1537G4051G2588G846G4750G298046"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you?G1161G5101G2564G3165G2962G2962G2532G4160G3756G3739G300447These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.G3956G2064G4314G3165G2532G191G3450G3056G2532G4160G846G5263G5213G5101G2076G366448"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.G2076G3664G444G3739G3618G3614G2532G4626G900G2532G5087G2310G1909G4073G1161G4132G1096G4215G4366G1565G3614G2532G2480G3756G4531G846G1063G2311G1909G407349But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss."G1161G191G2532G4160G3361G2076G3664G444G5565G2310G3618G3614G1909G1093G4366G3739G4215G4366G2532G2112G4098G2532G4485G1565G3614G1096G3173
Columbus, OH
