Luke 6:17-23 The Message
You’re Blessed
17-21 Coming 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. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke:
You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all.
God’s kingdom is there for the finding.
You’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.
22-23 “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. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they do not 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.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Blessed in our Brokenness? Our Embracing the High Cost of Discipleship?
In a world that often equates happiness with acceptance, Luke 6:22 challenges our understanding of what it means to be blessed.
The verse states, “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.” (KJV).
At first glance, these words may seem perplexing, especially in a culture that idolizes popularity and social approval.
The idea of being blessed in the face of hatred and rejection is counterintuitive and can elicit deep feelings of bewilderment or dread.
However, to fully grasp the depth of Jesus’ message from Luke 6:22, we must explore the context in which these words were spoken and what they mean for us as followers of Savior Christ today.
In the Sermon on the Mount, where this teaching appears, Jesus addresses His disciples and offers them a deep radical perspective on the nature of blessings.
He contrasts societal norms with the Kingdom values that He is instituting.
Being blessed by God is not confined to moments of prosperity or public acclaim; it includes the experience of trials and tribulations for His sake.
In a sense, this passage invites us to consider, redefine what it means to be blessed, urging us to find solace in our pain and strength in our weakness.
The phrase “when men shall hate you” speaks to the reality of persecution that often accompanies a life dedicated to the teachings of Jesus.
Followers of Christ, we will find ourselves at odds with the values of the world.
Our beliefs may lead to violent hostility from those who do not share our faith or understanding of righteousness.
This is not merely a theoretical statement.
It is a call to recognize and prepare for the inevitable conflicts that can arise when we choose under all conditions to stand steadfast and firm in our faith.
The next part of the verse, “and when they shall separate you from their company,” adds another hardcore layer to our calling as Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus acknowledges that enduring persecution, rejection, comes at a price—perhaps that price is exclusion, alienation from friends, family, or community.
This separation can be one of the hardest experiences to endure, as human beings are inherently social creatures.
This very separation, painful as it may be, can serve to draw us closer to Christ.
When we lay down our earthly affiliations for the sake of following Him, we open ourselves up to a new reality; a much deeper, more intimate fellowship with Jesus, who identified with betrayal, rejection and understood our pain.
To be reproached and to have one’s name cast out as evil is a daunting prospect.
It resonates with the image of the early Christians, who faced scorn, contempt, persecution, even publicly humiliating painful deaths for their steadfast faith.
In today’s context, while perhaps not facing physical persecution, many still encounter slander, misunderstanding, or even hostile environments stemming from their Christian beliefs and values — some will even face being murdered.
We may have experienced such persecution at school; maybe we took a stand for the Bible, then we suddenly found ourselves isolated from your peer group.
We may have tasted the pain of being ostracized by a friend, friendship group, or passed over for promotion at work, because we explained to someone who Jesus is, why He died, and what that means. Why we do have legitimate hope.
We may even know the pain of being spurned by members of our own family because of our faith.
If we stand up, stand out for Christ, then ever so subtly and yet so very clearly the hatred begins to spill out, and the sense of scorn is nearly overwhelming.
There is nothing easy or enjoyable about being maligned or left out when we choose to live in obedience to God.
Indeed, there is great heartache that accompanies rejection.
How, then, are we to find blessing and comfort in its midst?
We must cling to the truth Jesus speaks of here: that when we find ourselves on the receiving end of the world’s hatred as a response to our faithfulness to the Son of Man, nothing has gone wrong: we are, truth, in a place to know blessing.
In other words, this sort of mistreatment is tangible evidence of our genuine faith and relationship with the Lord.
Furthermore, Jesus promises that if we acknowledge Him before men, He will also acknowledge us before His Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33).
32-33 “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?
The man or woman who leads a holy life—who is prepared to speak and obey God’s word with boldness, who refuses to seek the narrow middle way between an obedient life and a popular one—will eventually collide head-on with the diesel locomotive destination the ungodly and incur the enmity of the world.
How are we being called to risk rejection in order to speak of Christ or live for Christ?
Do not lose heart!
Instead, respond to slander against you or dislike of you on account of the gospel with grace by rejoicing, “for behold, your reward is great in heaven.”
The world has nothing to offer that comes close to comparing with that.
The fact Jesus directly identifies with these experiences as a sign of blessing is transformative.
He invites us to embrace trials, they are indicators of our commitment to Him.
Ultimately, understand the key phrase in this verse “for the Son of man’s sake.”
Our suffering is not arbitrary; it is directly tied to our relationship with Christ.
When we endure hardship for His name, we align ourselves with His mission and express our steadfast, immovable commitment to His life and teachings.
In this context, our pain becomes purposeful.
When faced with hatred, ostracization, and reproach, we remind ourselves that we share in the greater narrative of Christ’s redemptive work, which is framed by betrayal, public humiliation, near complete rejection and unconditional love.
In a society that often dismisses or diminishes the personal cost of discipleship, Luke 6:22 serves as a vital reminder that our only true identity and worth are not determined by the acceptance of the world, but by our status as children of God.
Thus, let us rejoice in our trials and take comfort in the assurance that, through our endurance of, perseverance, the pain and ridicule, we are indeed “blessed.”
As we reflect on this verse, let us ask ourselves:
How do we respond to moments of betrayal, humiliation, scorn, rejection?
Do we allow our response to drive us deeper into the arms of Christ, or do we seek validation elsewhere?
May we first strive to seek out, look directly into, the face of God.
Let the intensity of our gaze strive to reflect a steadfast faith in Savior Christ, knowing every single trial for His name’s sake draws us closer to Him and also inspire us to sacrifice self, enriching our inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …
Praying ….
Psalm 19 The Message
19 1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
3-4 Their words aren’t heard,
their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
4-5 God makes a huge dome
for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun’s a new husband
leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
racing to the tape.
6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
warming hearts to faith.
7-9 The revelation of God is whole
and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
and easy on the eyes.
God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
down to the nth degree.
10 God’s Word is better than a diamond,
better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring,
better than red, ripe strawberries.
11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 