This morning as I was waking up the Lord put in my spirit so strongly the scripture that we quote every Sunday at the time of offering. That scripture is found in
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
I believe we all know this passage by heart. I love the actions that Pastor Edwin has added over the years and gotten us all involved. The pressing down, the shaking together, the running over. I think about opening a can of soda or better yet a two liter bottle of Pepsi or Coke after it has rolled around in the back of the hot car for a few days. It is amazing how much more you get out of it. There is a multiplication factor that takes place when all of that energy is released and comes out.
We are all very familiar with the principle of sowing and reaping that is explained in God’s word. This principle is found throughout the world on so many levels both physical, spiritual and emotional.
This morning with God’s help I want to take deep dive into what God’s word says about giving and this multiplication factor that takes place, but first I want to explore the context of the words of Christ as recorded in Luke 6 surrounding this statement of giving.
As we look at the beginning of Luke Chapter 6 we find Jesus leading his disciples through a field of wheat. In the King James bible, it uses the word “Corn” but we know that they did not have what we know at “Corn” in Israel at the time of Christ. The Greek word is that is translated “corn” simply means it was:
- fit for sowing, sown
- sown fields, growing crops
an ear of corn or of growing grain
It is likely that they were eating a grain or wheat or barley based on the method of rubbing it in their hands to remove the outer shell and exposing the inside seed. It was uncooked so it was probably kind of chewy.
Some of the religious leaders where close by, or perhaps walking with them in the field and saw the disciples doing this and began to question Jesus on why they broke the sabbath law of not working by their action?
Side note: One of the things that we learned in the morning bible study at Family Camp this year is that God’s law to Moses was very clear as recorded in the Old Testament, but the religious leaders took what God said and used their interpretation of it to create a multitude of rules to try and explain what God said. What is important to remember is what God said is the authority and is not up for debate, what man adds is interpretation, and interpretation is always open for debate.
This is important because we live in a world where people build their Christian Faith around what has been said and not what is written. Jesus draws this clear distinction in his teaching. This is one of the reasons the Scribes, Pharisees, Priest and other religious leaders were so offended at him.
When we look as the words of Christ quoted from the Old Testament we see the application of authority of God’s word without the need for explanation. I want you to see the power of God’s written word this morning. Turn to Matthew 4 and we see Jesus fasting and praying in the wilderness for 40 days. He is being tempted of the devil. With every temptation that the devil brings to try and make Jesus sin, Jesus responds with: It is written and the quotation without editorial comment, explanation or interpretation.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
**Jesus did not debate the devil, Jesus did not spend time explaining the scriptures to the devil. Jesus simply quoted the Word of God and let the full power and authority of God’s word applied to the situation bring freedom and deliverance in his hour of need.
God told me this morning when I was preparing this message that there are people in this house today that are going to walk out of here free we you grab ahold of this truth. Stop debating the devil, stop debating the situation, Simply speak God’s word at the situation and let God do the rest.
Proverbs 18:10
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
**Point #1 of the Message today: The word of God is the authority and power you need to be victorious in any situation in your life.
Let’s get back to Luke 6. Jesus stands up for his disciples and their need for physical nourishment even on the Sabbath day, but more importantly Jesus knocks down all their interpretation with a statement of fact written in God’s word of how King David needed to nourishment and broke a rule of the law by eating the shewbread in the tabernacle in and emergency situation as he was running for his life from King Saul.
This story reminds me about one of the first things I learned in flight training when I was earning my pilots license. There is a large book that every pilot studies, that is the FAAs. Federal Aviation Regulations. Not every one of those rules is memorized but the one
§ 91.3 Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command.
(a) The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.
(b) In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.
(c) Each pilot in command who deviates from a rule under paragraph (b) of this section shall, upon the request of the Administrator, send a written report of that deviation to the Administrator.
Romans 14:10-13
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Back to Luke 6:4-5 Jesus finishes talking about David’s emergency and then he makes a statement of his divinity. Lets read today:
Luke 6:3-5
3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Luke 6 continues with Jesus on another sabbath healing a man with a withered hand and this caused a lot of anger by the religious leads as well. Lets look at Luke 6:9-11
9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
*** I want you to see verse 12 and let this sink in. In the middle of Jesus ministry we always find him getting alone to pray and spend time with the father God.
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
***The 2nd point of the message today, It does not matter what is going on in your life never stop praying and spending time with God.
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
***Jesus had a lot of followers but after a whole night of prayer and spending time with his Father God he chose 12 to be his disciples. When I was growing up as a kid we would pick teams in the neighborhood. I can just imagine all the followers of Jesus and he begins to choose. They were saying, “pick me” “pick me”… Can you imagine the disappointment and the hurt feelings that the followers had who were not chosen? Jesus knew that in order for the plan of salvation to come to pass he needed to be able to sow into a select group of individuals in a way he could not do if he included everyone. In order to save everyone in the future, he need to pick a select group now. The disciples were selected by the Father God. Jesus prayed all night with his father and when morning was come he made the selection.
John 5:30
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Matthew 22:14
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
**Back to Luke 6:13
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
*** As we continue in Luke 6 we see Jesus now shift is gaze and focus from the multitude to his disciples. There are a lot of people coming to him for healing. They are reaching out and touching him. The bible tells us here in verse 19 that virtue is going out of Jesus: Transliteration
dynamis (Key)
Pronunciation
doo'-nam-is
**Look at the shift, look at the change in focus. Look at the ministry of Discipleship:
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
**Point #1 of the Message today: The word of God is the authority and power you need to be victorious in any situation in your life.
***The 2nd point of the message today, It does not matter what is going on in your life never stop praying and spending time with God.
***The 3rd point of the message today, Let God pick your friends, and you will be surrounded by opportunities to pour the love of Jesus into someone.
**** I have said this before but it is worth repeating. God has placed you in a position of influence over people around you. God has called each of us to the ministry of sharing his good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
**Now I want you to imagine that you are sitting at Jesus feet. You are his disciple and he is fixing his eyes on you. Listen to what Jesus has to say to us today:
Luke 6:21
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.