LUKE LESSON 15

    We will begin this lesson just after Jesus had chosen 12 disciples
and came down the mountain to find a large group of people from all
over the area waiting for Him. These people had come to hear Him
preach and to receive healing from Him. We will pick up this lesson
now in Luke 6:18.

    Luke 6:18 "And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they
were healed."

    This is a continuation of verse 17 in  the last lesson which said
they came to be healed of their diseases. Jesus healed everyone
whether the healing was physical or mental. He, also, delivered those
possessed of devils.

    Luke 6:19 "Andÿtheÿwhole multitude sought to touch him: for there
went virtue out of him, and healed [them] all."

    Jesus' power was unlimited. Virtue in this particular sentence
means miraculous power. The woman who touched the hem of His garment
was healed by this virtue. This power was overwhelming.

    Luke 6:20  "And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said,
Blessed [be ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God."

    We see in this first statement of the Sermon on the Mount that
most of those who followed Jesus would have been classed as the poor,
because they were the working class of people. He was also speaking to
his disciples who had been fishermen and other working men. This
really is saying to them; don't worry about not being wealthy now,
because you will inherit the kingdom of God. Then and now it is more
difficult for the wealthy and highly educated to humble themselves and
admit they need the Saviour. Extreme wealth and great educations do
not bring about humbleness, ordinarily.

    Luke 6:21 "Blessed [are ye] that hunger now: for ye shall be
filled. Blessed [are ye] that weep now: for ye shall laugh."

    In Matthew, it says hunger after righteousness. If we seek for the
things of God diligently, He will give them to us. So much is said
about weeping, but I believe this is a weeping for the lost souls. We
shall laugh when they come to the Lord and His fullness.

    Luke 6:22 "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they
shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and
cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake."

    If you take a stand for the Lord, and do not waver, even to the
point of death, then you will be called blessed in heaven. The
interesting thing is that many of these disciples He was speaking to
here really did stand up for Jesus, and they were killed because they
would not renounce Him. Even now, to take a stand to live for Jesus
may cost you your so called friends and many times your family, as
well.  They do not want to be around you, because you talk about
Jesus. They label you as a fanatic, and they speak evil of you.

    Luke 6:23 "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold,
your reward [is] great in heaven: for in the like manner did their
fathers unto the prophets."

    Persecutions were very prominent in the days just after Jesus'
resurrection, and many like Peter were martyred rejoicing that they
could suffer for Jesus' name. Many, burned at the stake, died praising
God. Even in the Old Testament, prophets suffered. History tells us
that Isaiah was sawed in half for the Lord. There are many, even
today. who are suffering ridicule and persecution for the name of the
Lord. Those who suffer with Jesus or for Jesus will reign with Him. In
II Timothy 2:12 we read. "If we suffer, we shall also reign with
[him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:" You see, the Lord
knows when you suffer upholding His name, and He will reward you
greatly. We, like these early martyrs, should be thrilled when we
suffer for His name, knowing that Jesus will have a great reward for
us in heaven.

    Luke 6:24 "But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received
your consolation."

    This has to do with those who have put their faith in their
riches. Such as the rich young man who came to Jesus to be saved and
went away sorrowful, because he chose his riches over eternal life.
There is nothing wrong with being rich if you are not putting those
riches ahead of your love for the Lord and His people, the mis-use of
wealth Is spoken of as sin. Wealth can be used to further the kingdom
of God and to help the poor and suffering of the world. the Lord would
have a rich man to be quick to distribute to those less fortunate, as
we read in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (especially verse 18). I Timothy 6:18
"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to
distribute, willing to communicate;" Riches in this life used
selfishly on earthly goods bring no rewards in heaven.

    Luke 6:25 "Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe
unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep."

    This is speaking of people who are only interested in their own
welfare; who fill their bellies to overflowing knowing that their
neighbor is hungry and not doing anything about it. "Laughing", here,
is an indication that this person is caught up in the things this
world calls fun with no thought for tomorrow. the mourning and weeping
would be because they had missed heaven.

    Luke 6:26 "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for
so did their fathers to the false prophets."

    If you are a friend to the world, you are not Jesus' friend. We
read in St. John 15:19. "If ye were of the world, the world would love
his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Read the 15th
chapter from verse 17 through 21.

     Luke 6:27  "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do
good to them which hate you,"

     If we are followers of Jesus, we must pattern our lives after
His. His enemies, who nailed Him to the cross, He prayed for and said,
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do". Jesus loved us
while we were yet in sin enough to give His life on the cross for us.
If we are to be Christ-like, we must love those, even if they are
unlovable.

    Luke 6:28 "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you."

    We read in Romans 12:20-21, Romans 12:20 "Therefore if thine enemy
hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou
shalt heap coals of fire on his head." Romans 12:21 "Be not overcome
of evil, but overcome evil with good."

    Luke 6:29 "And unto him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer
also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not [to take
thy] coat also."

    This lesson is not to be taken literally, but is teaching a very
important lesson on unselfishness and on charity toward others.

    Luke 6:30 "Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that
taketh away thy goods ask [them] not again."

    We all know that Jesus taught as long as it was in our power to
help the needy, we should. This Scripture does not say give them
everything you have, and it does not say keep on giving over and over,
We should help people to help themselves.

    Luke 6:31 "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also
to them likewise."

    We should always do as much and more for others as we want them to
do for us. We are to set an example for our neighbors. We are to help
them in every way possible.

     Luke 6:32 "For if ye love them which love you, what thank have
ye?  for sinners also love those that love them."

     Even the evil people love those that love them. If you love to be
loved in return, you are no better than the rest of the world. We
Christians are taught to love the unloveable; to love those who hate
us. This unselfish love is what sets us aside from those of the world.

    Luke 6:33 "And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what
thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same."

     There really are 3 ways mankind can live. Worldly people dealing
with each other do good to those who do good to them, those really
caught up in terrible evil return evil when someone does good for
them.  A Christian tries to do good all the time, even when the other
person is doing evil to them. We choose to be a Christian and do good,
or to belong to the devil and do bad, or to ride the fence and be
worldly and just do for those who do something for you.
















































                           Luke 15 Questions

1.  When Jesus came down the mountain after choosing the 12 disciples,
    Who was waiting for Him?
2.  What 2 things had they come for?
3.  What happened to those vexed with unclean spirits?
4.  Why did they want to touch Jesus?
5.  In this particular Scripture, what does virtue mean?
6.  In verse 20. who did Jesus call blessed?
7.  Why?
8.  Why would those who followed Jesus be classed as poor?
9.  What was Jesus really saying to them about being poor?
10. What did He promise those who hunger?
11. What should we hunger after?
12. We are blessed when men hate us for what cause?
13. If you make a strong stand for Jesus today, what is apt to happen?
14. Who suffered persecution for the faith even before the disciples?
15. When Peter was crucified, how did He take it?
16. How does history tell us Isaiah died?
17. We find in II Timothy 2:12 that if we suffer with Him, we shall
    ________ With Him.
18. The woe, spoken on the rich, is for what reason in verse 24?
19. Who is a good example in the New Testament of putting wealth
    before God?
20. In 1Timothy 6:17-18. we are told that the rich should be quick to
    do what?
21. In verse 25, what is the mourning and weeping probably indicating?
22. When everyone speaks well of you, who does this indicate you are a
    friend of?
23. In the 15th chapter of John, we learn that the world will love you
    if you are what?
24. Jesus tells the Christians to love whom?
25. What are we to do to those who curse us?
26. What are we to do to those who despitefully use us?
27. In Romans, what does it tell us to do for our enemy if he hungers?
28. How are we to overcome evil?
29. Who are we to give to, if we choose to be like Jesus?
30. How must we love, if we are to be separate from the world?
31. What are the three ways we can live?