The sixth chapter of Luke opens with Jesus and his disciples. From these disciples, he chooses 12 who will also be his apostles. This is important to know. Disciples means “learners.” From these learners are chosen 12 who will be the apostles which means “those sent forth.” A look at verse 20 tells us that Jesus is talking to the ‘learners (disciples)’ and begins the Sermon on the Plain. This sermon contains the beatitudes and woes. 

    Jesus is turning the world on its head. He’s telling the wretched of this world that the kingdom of God is theirs. He also issues a warning to the worldly that their status in this world won’t give them a free pass into God’s kingdom. Then, the first thing that he says after that is to love your enemies! Talk about tough. That’s a tall order to fill. There are some who immediately pop into mind when the word ‘enemy’ is used. The thought of loving them is not a reaction easy to do.

    Our preacher used the story of Joseph as an example. It begins in Genesis 37. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. Later in the story, his brothers come to Egypt to buy corn during a famine. Little do they know that Joseph is the governor. Through some wrangling Joseph demands that they bring their brother, Benjamin, to him. When they do this, he reveals who he is. Joseph could have done whatever he wished to them but he harbors no ill will toward them. Instead he comforts them and tells them it’s okay because it was God’s plan. Joseph wouldn’t have been in Egypt otherwise. That is love.

    The second example was Elisha in II Kings 6. Syria is warring against Israel. Elisha prays that the LORD blind the Syrian army. They were blinded and led to Samaria. Their sight was restored. The king of Israel could have slain them. He doesn’t, though, because Elisha tells him to feed them and let them go. These are mortal enemies. This is ‘love your enemies’ for sure.

It’s not an easy thing to do. But, Christians are instructed to seek the highest good for the other person. It says to love your enemies. No exceptions are listed.

    Don’t think that there is always another tomorrow. For all of us, there is one less tomorrow than we think there is. Everyone gets up in the morning and thinks about their day. And, they go to bed at night thinking about the next day. What if the next morning doesn’t come? Where is the destination now? What’s the plan?

    Unfortunately, the chance for plans ended with the last day--the last day. Would that we could be as fortunate as the thief on the cross. The one that asked Jesus to remember him. The account is in Luke 23:39 thru 43. Now, this guy had lived a life that justified his hanging on a cross. He tells us so. But, because of the mercy of Jesus, this man was saved at the last gong, so to speak. He goes on to paradise with Jesus. He recognized his Lord and his request was all the difference.

    Jonathan, the son of King Saul, was a daring man. So was Jonathan’s armourbearer. In I Samuel 14:1 thru 15 the two of them slipped away and headed for a Philistine garrison. (Remember that the Philistine’s were enemies of Israel.) Jonathan’s trust in God is such that he tells his associate: 1) once we are seen, if the Philistines tell us to wait, then we’ll stop; but, 2) if they tell us to come up, then it means the LORD has delivered them into our hands. They’re called up and the garrison (about 20 men) is slain. 

    Belief and faith are this man’s hallmarks. Jesus said, “…with God all things are possible.” Does he seem prepared? Of course he does. No matter what happened his fate was secure. He had already made the choice and the choice was to follow his LORD’S direction. Did it look like he was thinking about tomorrow? No. Today was all that counted.

    The chances of being saved ‘at the last gong’ are risky. A good example to follow would be that of Jonathan’s. His belief and faith are exercised in the present. Tomorrow only takes place when it becomes today.

    First, Jesus came. The man began to cry out. Many charged him to be quiet. He cried out even more. Jesus commanded him to be called. They told the man, “be of good comfort. He calls you.” The man cast away his garment and came to Jesus. The conclusion of this little story is that Jesus told the man to go his way. But, it says that the man followed Jesus in the way. IN the way--such a small word in but it makes all the difference to the meaning of the story. 

    Where does the story come from? It’s in Mark 10:46 thru 52. It’s the story of the blind man Bartimaeus who is a beggar. On this particular day he’s sitting by the highway outside Jericho. He’s blind. He’s probably brought there every day to beg passers by for whatever they can spare. As the crowd approaches he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is coming. Bartimaeus starts yelling to get Jesus’ attention. He must be really loud because people in the crowd tell him to stop. He’s pretty determined, though, and yells even more. 

    Why does Jesus stop? In fact, it’s more emphatic than that. He stood still. Bartimaeus stopped Jesus in his tracks. Why? Because he kept hollering ‘thou son of David.’ Bartimaeus wasn’t just thinking that here comes the famous Jesus he had heard about. He wasn’t thinking that Jesus was a prophet, or a great teacher, or any of the things that made him well known. He wasn’t even thinking about begging Jesus for what he could spare. Bartimaeus’s blindness was only confined to his eyes, not his heart. That is why Jesus stopped and stood still.

    Bartimaeus is brought before Jesus and Jesus asks him, “What can I do for you?" It’s simple. Bartimaeus comes to Jesus as he is. He has already freed himself from his garment and there he is before his Lord. Yes, he calls him Lord. He knew who Jesus was. The request is granted and Bartimaeus has his sight.

    Bartimaeus had already believed that Jesus was the son of God. Someone had taught him and he knew it well. He was simply waiting by the roadside with an open heart. When he heard the invitation, he dropped everything to meet his saviour. With his newfound vision, he followed Jesus.

    “…I am alive for evermore...” (Revelation 1:18)  The Saviour also goes on to relate that he is the one that was once alive and was dead, too.  Most Bibles will show Romans 6:9 as a cross-reference.  Paul says essentially the same thing.  Now think about this for a minute.  Paul wrote this in 57 A.D.  Some 40 years later John wrote the same thing.  Paul died somewhere around 66 A.D.  

    The resurrection of Jesus Christ is in the four gospels.  There were eye witnesses to his ascension.  Resurrection can’t occur unless death has taken place.  True, there are scoffers and doubters.  But for those who are determined to refute the evidence, there are other accounts of the resurrection if they don’t want to rely on the Bible account alone.  Josephus is just one of these sources and speaks of Christ and reports on events surrounding him.

    This brings us to the resurrection chapter.  It’s I Corinthians 15 and opens with the gospel (verses 1 thru 4).  The apostle Paul talks about these scoffers.  But a review of Matthew 27:52-54 would have to give one pause.  Believers who were dead arose and went into Jerusalem right after Jesus died.  It’s an account worth studying. 

     The remainder of I Corinthians 15 from verse 38 to 58 relates how a corruptible body will become incorruptible.  Like Adam, mankind has an earthly body that is perishable because of sin.  But once the gospel is believed (man has turned from sin and believes that Christ died, was buried and resurrected) so that man can be saved, mortals will become immortal.  It’s in verse 53.  Just remember to do the believing; real, honest, sincere, through-and-through believing here on this earth before ‘the twinkling of an eye’.  When is that?  Only God knows.

    To bare record, to give an account of, to expose the evidence--the apostle John tells in Revelation 20:12 that he saw books opened in heaven and also saw the book of life.  He states that the dead will be judged out of these books.  It’s clear that the dead will be judged on what they did while they were alive on this earth.  It’s plain that these are books of human deeds.  So, what will happen to these dead that stand before the judgment throne?  Will it weigh in their favor or weigh against them?  Good, bad, or ugly--it’s coming.  

    It says in I Thessalonians 5:5 that believers are children of the light.  Believers have the light of the gospel as their anchor and will not be caught unaware.  Always they are watchful and looking toward the day that they will be with the Lord Jesus Christ.  But, the ones who don’t have the light of the gospel and don’t think about spiritual things will be surprised in the sudden coming of the Lord.  What will their deeds have to say about them?

    Paul gives a list of qualities for the believer in I Thessalonians 5:14 through 22.  Romans 1 starting at verse 18 and going to the end of the chapter is a laundry list of all the things that make one worthy of death.  The difference between the two is stark.  It’s as different as the day is from the night.  It’s no wonder that one is compared to light and the other to dark.

    Romans 1:19 & 20 sum it up by saying that everyone has the knowledge of God and no one has an excuse.  NO ONE can say that they didn’t know.  Makes one wonder why all of humanity isn’t stampeding to the light and gospel of Jesus Christ.  A day is coming when it will be too late.  Who knows it may come as this is being read.

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