Two Sides to Every Story

So Jesus has just finished with a couple of verses about those who are blessed.  There is a contrast between our condition and the blessing.  Those who are poor, hungry, weeping and persecuted for Christ, will be blessed with the Kingdom, they will be filled, laugh, rejoice and leap for joy.   We see in these verses a progression.


We are poor in spirit. As we discussed this means you realize your condition is so desperate that you are a beggar.  You can't overcome the consequences of your sins on your own so you need to come to God begging forgiveness.  Here is the beginning of the blessing the Kingdom of God is yours.  After receiving God's grace your hunger is for righteousness.  You see the evil and unfairness in the world and you want it made right.  Jesus promise to us is that we will be filled.  The sadness and grief for the consequences of evil will be replaced with laughter when we are finally with the Lord in glory.  In the mean time following Christ will still have a consequence as we are ridiculed and persecuted for our faith.


Now for the other side of the story.

Luke 6:24 “ But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Here we clearly see that there are two groups of people.  Now we move on to the other group.  First we start with the rich.  If we believe that the reference to the poor is not measured by the amount of money in the bank, but a condition of our spirit that feels we are not good enough for God.  That our selfishness makes us unworthy of God.  We would then have to conclude that a rich man in these verses might not necessarily have a bulging bank account.  But in contrast to the poor in spirit, this would be someone who is confident in his worthiness.  This would be an arrogant person.  Self-righteous in their attitude.  Certainly their are times that Jesus made it clear that his reference to a rich man was about someone who did have a lot of possessions.  Mt 19:16-23

However I truly believe in this passage he is referring to the Pharisees.  They were confident in their self worth.  They made the rules and followed them.  They made other people follow the rules.  They were the law makers, judge and jury.  Their high standards and condescending nature was the reason for the crowds following Jesus.  The crowds knew they could not live up to the expectations of the Pharisees.  Coincidentally for people who were the religious leaders of Israel they appeared to be well off.  So they were rich in their arrogant attitude and the material sense.  

So what does Jesus have to say about them?  Woe!  You got your reward now.  You are accepted by your peers.  You have the admiration of the world.  So don't look to God for a reward later.  You are filled now, you laugh now and you have the praises of men.  This is what you want, then this is what you have.  Woe to you! You shall hunger, mourn and weep, when you realize you have gained the world, but lost your soul.  This is the other side of the story.  

There are those seeking and looking for the Saviour and there are those who don't think they need one.  

Which are you?