Allegiance

Introduction

Loyalty to someone or something is not uncommon. We have our favorite sports teams; favorite music artists; favorite restaurants; even a certain amount of loyalty to the company we work for is not uncommon. Signs of loyalty are seen as well. Flags fly from windows of cars and doorposts of homes announcing a favorite sports team. Bumper stickers express our loyalty to philosophies or to a political party.

What are the signs of our loyalty to Jesus? While it includes attending an assembly, we understand that more than attendance at an assembly is needed to identify with Jesus. Some groups demand that one’s dress as a way to identify with Jesus. But what one wears may signify attachment but not dedication to Jesus. Jesus has something to say about what loyalty to him looks like. In our text, we will see Jesus reveal what it means to identify with him, and what it looks like to identify with something else.

Blessings and Woes

Luke’s material in 6:17-49 is similar to the Sermon on the Mount. There is debate if this is the same sermon since there are some differences between Matthew and Luke. A couple of things to consider. First, Matthew’s account says he went up a mountain to teach and Luke’s account says he came down a mountain to teach. These are not entirely different. Luke in 6:12 says Jesus went up a mountain to pray and to call his disciples to him and then he finds a level place to teach. Matthew says he went up and found a place to teach. Could be the same thing just from different perspectives. Second, if these are two different sermons there is nothing to keep a teacher from teaching the same lesson twice. Jesus wouldn’t have been the first teacher to reuse a lesson for a different audience.

Jesus presents his thoughts with a traditional method of teaching. There is a comparison made between those who identify with him and those who do not identify with him. This comparison is made using four statements of blessings verses four statements of woe. Blessing denotes internal satisfaction because of being favored by God. Woe is an expression of grief or sadness. The comparison is also in terms of those who are poor and those who are rich. The poor are blessed. They have received and will receive divine favor. In contrast, the rich have the expressions of woe. They have been cut off from divine favor. Is this comparison economic or spiritual? In other words, is Jesus speaking of those who are literally poor and rich or those who are spiritually poor and rich?

There are some clues to help us. First, in Luke 4:18, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61. In announcing the beginning of his ministry among the people, Jesus announces that Isaiah 61 is fulfilled in their hearing. Isaiah 61 is about the restoration of Jerusalem following Babylonian destruction. As one reads through the context there is a mixture of literal and figurative.

Second, throughout Luke’s writing he often sets the rich and poor in opposition; however, there are several rich who become followers of Jesus. Is Jesus eliminating a person from his kingdom based on economic status? Is Jesus including a group into his kingdom based on economic status?

Third, verse 22 seems to indicate that Jesus has attitudes in mind. Rejection can come to anyone despite economic status. We should understand this comparison including both economic and spiritual contexts.

Fourth, the accepted group are compared with the persecuted prophets. The rejected group are compared to false prophets. This analogy further illustrates that the comparisons have both an economic and spiritual contexts.

The poor, those who hunger, those who weep and those rejected receive divine favor which produces an internal satisfaction. The rich, those well fed, those who laugh, and those who are well-received will grieve for they have been rejected by God. The poor are in need. The hungry need food. The weeping need comfort. The excluded need confidence. The rich satisfy their own needs. The well fed have only choices. Those who laugh do not see the needs of others. The accepted live to the expectations of others.

Application

This text has to do with attitudes and loyalty. Verse 22, the rejection occurs because there are those who align themselves with the Son of Man—the Messiah, the Lord, the one given authority by the Ancient of Days. The sign of loyalty; the means to identify that one belongs to the Son of Man is through attitude. An attitude that recognizes that Jesus is all.

Divine Favor comes to those with an attitude which needs Jesus. An attitude that recognizes that without Jesus I am nothing. An attitude which aligns so much with Jesus that rejection from others happens. An attitude that isn’t ashamed of one’s connection to the Lord of all.

Divine rejection comes to those with an attitude of self-sufficiency. An attitude that ignores the plight of others. An attitude that worries more about acceptance from others than from the God who wants to be in relationship with you. This comparison helps us to see whose side we are on. With self-sufficiency and acceptance from others you already have your reward.

One last thing. In this comparison there is a command found in verse 23. Rejoice. Those who align themselves with Jesus find and express joy. The attitude of joy accompanies those who identify with the Son of Man. But notice that identifying with Jesus doesn’t only bring joy but actions. One is to leap for joy. Rejected ones are to rejoice. Why? Because of the heavenly reward. Quit focusing on what you think you have lost and what is yours to possess. Rejoice that like the prophets of old you have been rejected. The connection with the Son of Man brings joy. It is an honor to suffer for the name of Jesus. Because we live in a culture that allows for Christianity then we may lose the intensity of this text. Who do you identify with? Are you poor or rich? Do you seek Christ or are you self-sufficient? Are you willing to be rejected or does what others think of you matter? Is your joy expressed?

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