A Plain Sermon [#27] (Luke 6:17-36)
Here’s the part I could not preach,
Or work with it – I could not teach
It’s economic wisdom laid
Quite plainly out – the “way” Christ made.So plain on plain Christ spoke to us –
In teaching twelve, and mentored thus
Four mentors how to mentor pairs
He gave to each – these eight now theirs.But notice now he turns the screw,
And it tightens up what each must do –
Much tougher in round two it seems,
With economic-finance themes.So yes, the four were taken there
Through months of work and healing care,
So as they learned to mentor two,
They had some content somewhat new.Beatitudes He pictured there,
Had now a finance twist – compare
It with the picture to the four
In Matthew five – now standard’s more –It’s poor not poor in spirit here;
With weeping, laughing, hate with clear
Articulation pos and neg;
With hunger met with hunger fed.The lending part now speaks to me –
Christ says, “Not done expectantly”,
Which raises bar quite high indeed –
“Reach out and meet each person’s need”.I love his quip about God’s love,
Which flows to us from heaven above
Like rain and sunshine pouring down
On wicked and ungrateful ground.I found I could not preach this stuff,
To live it out was hard enough;
And if I could not plug it in,
I could not urge them to begin –To do what I could not begin
To do – I had to grow within
Christ’s teaching, as I also taught
The parts I’d learned – to where I’d got.It’s thus I pictured Jesus’ men,
Who learned themselves, then stretched again
As they now mentored mentee pairs,
Who each, next time, would mentor theirs.Thanks Lord for this.
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