The Gospel According to Luke - Luke 6:12-26

6 April 2025

The sermon presents Jesus’ kingdom as something that can feel upside down but is actually the truest picture of reality. It highlights Jesus praying before choosing the twelve disciples, showing that God’s work begins in dependence rather than scheming, and it emphasizes how surprising this group was—ordinary, conflicting, even flawed people drawn together under one King. The preacher urges listeners not to settle for simply being near Jesus outwardly, but to respond with genuine trust and surrender.

From there, the message focuses on Jesus’ blessings and woes in Luke 6, explaining them as a contrast between two ways of living. Those who know their need, hunger for God, grieve what is broken, and endure rejection for Christ are called blessed because they are being drawn into the life of God’s kingdom. By contrast, self-sufficiency, comfort, and the pursuit of approval can hide a deeper emptiness. The sermon invites people to trust Jesus’ vision of the good life, even when it challenges ordinary assumptions, and to walk patiently in hope of the joy and fullness he promises.