What are the most important things for you in life? I wonder are they things like riches, food, happiness and popularity? What would you think of someone who said none of these things was top priority in life? In this short story Jesus Christ shows that these are not life's important things! Let us find out what He says are life's top priorities.
Jesus was with "a large crowd of His disciples .. and a great number of people .. who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled with evil spirits were cured, and all the people tried to touch Him.." Those who got to Jesus for healing were not disappointed "because power was coming from Him and healing them all."
1*.
But what about those who came to hear Jesus? They were in for a surprise! "Looking at His disciples He said: `Blessed are you who are poor'"! True disciples of Jesus do not have riches as their goal in life. They have chosen as their top priority to know and follow Jesus Christ, and to live for Him. Because of their very wise choice Jesus gives them this guarantee, "yours is the kingdom of God."
2*.
You see, by choosing to trust and follow Jesus the true Christian accepts the One whom God has given to be "the Way" to God and Heaven
3*.
Have you? Those who do don‘t worry about gaining great riches here on earth; they are assured the great riches of God and of Heaven are theirs!
4*.
Jesus went on teaching; "Blessed are you who hunger now…and who weep now"! Jesus' knew His disciples would often go "hungry" rather than try to satisfy themselves with the things that those around them would feast upon. I don't think Jesus was only thinking about them not indulging in rich and expensive foods. Surely He was also thinking about them refusing to satisfy the "hunger" for immoral pleasures and sinful delights that others feast on in their search for happiness! Jesus is "the Life"
3*.for His true disciples, and He "teaches us to say `No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."
5*.
This is the secret of real joy!
Those who came to hear Jesus teach would have been even more surprised to hear Him say "Blessed are you when men hate you.. and insult you ..and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man."
6*.
How could Jesus say His followers are "blessed" if they are going to be insulted and abused for believing that He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life"?
3*.
Would religious people really want to abuse Christians just because they go out and tell the wonderful truth about Jesus - that Jesus Christ is the only Priest and Saviour?
7*.
YES! People get angry because they have been taught to trust other priests instead of Jesus!
8*.
But Jesus had this to say to His insulted followers; "Rejoice, and leap for joy, because great is your reward in Heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets."
9*.
If you have been thinking that riches, food, happiness and popularity are the important things in life you better read again what Jesus says here in Luke chapter 6, verses 17-26.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke 6:17-19.
2 Luke 6:20.
3 John 14:6.
4 Ephesians 3:14-21. & 1st Peter 1:3-6.
5 Titus 2:11-14.
6 Luke 6:22.
7 Acts 4:12-21.
8 Acts 4:12. 2nd Timothy 3:12.
9 Luke 6:23.
