NOW OR LATER?
Luke 6:17-26

There he was on the T.V. screen: the garage mechanic. He was telling about an expensive motor job which someone just had to pay for. He explains that this expensive motor job could have avoided with regular changes of oil and the use of the Fram Oil Filter. He explained that the Fram filter was relatively inexpensive, and avoided the need for the engine job. His famous line was "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later!"

I think of this truth in relation to the doctor. I've known people who began to have physical problems. They put off going to the doctor, until their problem was unbearable. Then they discovered they had a serious problem which would have been more easily and effectively treated if they had gone to the doctor when the symptoms started. The doctor could say, "I can treat you now, and you can pay me now, or, I can treat you later, and you can pay me later."

Our Scripture for this evening is Luke 6:17-26.

In this passage he shows us four things which we can do now, or we can do later. If we do them now, we will ultimately be happy. If we chose to do them later, they bring unhappiness.

WE CAN BE POOR NOW OR LATER

WE CAN BE HUNGRY NOW OR LATER

WE CAN WEEP NOW OR LATER

WE CAN BE REWARDED NOW OR LATER

For a long time there has been debate over Luke 6:17-49, a passage which we will study over a period of four evening sermons. Some say that this sermon is an other report of what Jesus said in the Sermon on The Mount. Others say this is an entirely different sermon spoken on the plain or a plateau.

Both theories are possible. I'm reasonably sure that the Lord repeated Himself many times, and could have given a similar message to the Sermon on the Mount, speaking on a plain, as Vs. 17 suggests.

It is also likely that the plain here was a plateau, a level place on a mountain. If so, Jesus was delivering a sermon on a mount.

Therefore, Luke's account could very well be a condensation of Matthew's longer account. What Luke says does not contradict what Matthew says. Matthew tells us things Luke does not, and vice-versa.

The words in Matthew help us understand the words in Luke. The words in Luke help us understand the words in Matthew. And although I tend to think Luke's Sermon and Matthew's sermon were both the Sermon on the Mount, you can feel free to view these as two different Sermons.

Vss. 17-20 - Read and Comment.

YOU CAN BE POOR NOW OR LATER Vss. 21, 24

Vs. 21 - The word "blessed" means happy.

It is possible for the poor to be happy.

Jesus is not saying that we should seek to be poor.

Jesus is not saying that there is virtue in poverty.

But, the Bible does teach that there is an advantage that the poor have over the rich.

James 2:5 - "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him."

It is more likely for a poor man to be rich in faith than a rich man to be rich in faith. I think that this is simply because the rich man will trust in his wealth, and the poor man has nothing to trust.

Turn to Mark 10:23-27 - Tell story of rich young ruler. Read and comment on text.

There is another thought in our text which we get from Matthew. There is a kind of poverty which all Christians must have in order to enter into the kingdom of God.

We must be poor in spirit.

Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in Spirit for there's is the Kingdom of Heaven."

This does not mean poor spirited.

This does not mean false humility, or putting one's self down.

To be poor in spirit is an inward condition.

It is a man's attitude toward himself.

He must see himself as a sinner. Isaiah 64:6

He must humble himself and trust the Savior.

Ephesians 2:8-9

The one who is poor in Spirit realizes that he has no merit or ability to save himself.

The poor in Spirit after being saved realizes that he has no merit or ability to live the Christian Life.

The poor in Spirit who is saved will depend on God for Spirit filling, for power, for everything!

The poor in Spirit can really develop an effective prayer life, depending on God.

We said that one can be poor now or poor later.

If only the poor in spirit enter the Kingdom of Heaven, what happens to those who do not humble themselves before God.

Vs. 24 - I believe that this woe is pronounced on the proud, self-sufficient rich who never humble themselves before God.

They either pay by being poor now or poor later.

The rich without Christ have received all the reward they are going to receive.

Luke 12:15-21 - Read and Comment.

Luke 16:19-25 - Read and Comment

YOU CAN BE POOR NOW, OR YOU CAN BE POOR LATER.

YOU CAN BE HUNGRY NOW OR HUNGRY LATER Vss. 21a, 25a

Vs. 21a is explained by Matthew 5:6.

"BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH DO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS: FOR THEY SHALL BE FILLED"

God is the friend of the honest seeker of truth.

It is the hungry of soul who will hunger after righteousness.

When a person hungers after righteousness, he will also be hungry after God.

Psalm 27:8 - "When thou saidst, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face Lord, will I seek."

When a person sincerely hungers after God, and God's righteousness, He will be filled.

First, with salvation, and then on a daily basis.

We need to be like the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul taught was true.

John 7:37-39 - Read and comment.

Have you noticed that big men have big appetites?

If you want to be big spiritually, you must have a big appetite for God's righteousness.

I have noticed that when I am not hungry spiritually and I try to read the Word, I get little out of it. But if I ask God to give me something I get it.

I believe there is a continual process here.

We are to hunger and be filled.

Then we will be hungry again, and filled again.

The process will repeat itself, just like with real life!

Vs. 25a - The one who chooses to be full now, or satisfied now with his own life and his own plans and his own pleasures, without seeking after righteousness will one day be hungry.

For the self-sufficient non-Christian who never sought God, the end will obviously mean separation from God in hell. I'd call that hunger.

I believe for the Christian who did not seek after God, there very will could be times of crisis when he has nothing to fall back on, because he hasn't the Lord at times when he could have.

We do not finish well as Christians facing life, if we do not learn to seek God's righteousness while we can.

Also, what about rewards?

The Christian who has not been faithful to God, but has chosen to be satisfied with a nominal spiritual life, will not fare well when God gives out the rewards.

YOU CAN HUNGER NOW OR HUNGER LATER.

YOU CAN BE POOR NOW OR POOR LATER.

YOU CAN WEEP NOW, OR WEEP LATER. Vss. 21b & 25b

Vs. 21b, I feel, has its parallel in Matthew 5:4.

"BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN: FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED."

The person who mourns over their sin is likely to be saved.

The Christian who mourns over their sin, is likely to repent!

2 Corinthians 7:10 - "FOR GODLY SORROW WORKETH REPENTANCE TO SALVATION NOT TO BE REPENTED OF: BUT THE SORROW OF THE WORLD WORKETH DEATH."

Another thought: a Christian who weeps or mourns for the unsaved and goes to them with tears shall return with rejoicing.

Psalm 126:5-6 - "THEY THAT SOW IN TEARS SHALL REAP IN JOY. HE THAT GOETH FORTH AND WEEPETH, BEARING PRECIOUS SEED, SHALL DOUBTLESS COME AGAIN WITH REJOICING, BRINGING HIS SHEAVES WITH HIM."

Also, the Christian who sorrows after the sins of other Christians will find joy.

Galatians 6:1 - "BRETHREN, IF A MAN BE OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, YE WHICH ARE SPIRITUAL, RESTORE SUCH AN ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED."

Those that weep shall laugh.

They shall laugh in the joy of salvation.

They shall laugh in the joy of forgiveness.

They shall laugh in the joy of a brother restored.

They shall laugh in the joy of a sinner saved.

And I believe that Heaven will be a place of laughter! And why not, we'll be in the presence of our Savior.

So, it's best to mourn now, to weep now, so we can laugh later.

Vs. 25a - The one who laughs now doesn't take spiritual things seriously.

The one who laughs, mocking salvation now will be weeping in hell later.

At the Christian who has taken the Christian life too lightly now, will weep at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

YOU CAN WEEP NOW, OR WEEP LATER

YOU CAN HUNGER NOW, OR HUNGER LATER

YOU CAN BE POOR NOW OR POOR LATER

YOU CAN BE REWARDED NOW OR REWARDED LATER

Vss. 22 - Read and Comment

"When the Bishop of Madras was touring India, he was introduced to a young slave girl who was an outstanding witness for the Lord. By her quiet persistence in telling others of Jesus and his love, she had won many to Christ. As the bishop looked at her, he saw that her face, neck and arms were badly scarred. She had received many beatings for her faithful testimony.

With tears in his eyes he asked, "Child, how could you bear this brutality?"

Somewhat surprised, she replied, "AREN'T YOU GLAD IF YOU CAN SUFFER FOR CHRIST, SIR?"

Her humble response touched him and left a profound impression on him."

Vs. 23 - Read and comment.

Vs. 26 - If you are spoken well of all the time, you must be something wrong.

False prophets were as phony as three dollar bills, and yet they were praised by men.

The false prophet had his reward with the praise.

He's not getting any now!

YOU CAN BE REWARDED NOW OR LATER.

NOW OR LATER:

YOU CAN BE POOR NOW OR REWARDED LATER

YOU CAN BE HUNGRY NOW OR LATER

YOU CAN WEEP NOW OR LATER

YOU CAN BE REWARDED NOW OR LATER.