The law that Moses gave the Israelites was very just. If you sinned, you paid for it. If you sinned against someone, you had to give them back an equal amount. In our Luke reading today, Jesus introduces different ways to extend grace. Grace is like the greatest buy one get one free sale ever! You get far more than you deserve. If someone steals your cow, instead of asking for it back, give them another. It was revolutionary then and it still is today.
- Note that God had given specific land to people other than the Israelites, namely Lot and Esau. Esau was from the same family as the Israelites, but wasn’t included in the Promised Land because he gave up his birth right as a young man.
- As the Israelites were faithful in trusting God and respecting the borders he gave them, he was faithful in giving them what he promised.
- 13-16 – The full list of disciples. Most often they are listed with only a few of them together.
- 20-26 – Matthew’s account of the beatitudes only includes blessings while Luke’s records blessings and woes.
- 27-31 – God’s law given to Moses for the Israelites was based on justice. If you kill your neighbors cow, you give him one that’s just as good. But Jesus introduces opportunities to offer grace and to give people better than what they deserve.
- Much of Jesus’ teaching was countercultural.
- The Psalmist asks that God be gracious to him so that he can then make God more known. This should be the purpose for the blessings we request.
- If you look for trouble, you’ll find it.