Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20090225.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Luke: Jesus, The Son Of Man For All Mankind
Part XX: Christ's Identity As The World's Savior By The Righteousness In His Kingdom
(Luke 6:27-45)
  1. Introduction
    1. If Jesus is God's Savior of the world, then the righteous standards in His coming world kingdom must reflect a righteousness that far exceeds the false righteousness of sinful man's governments.
    2. The level of righteousness Jesus described in Luke 6:27-45 of His "sermon on the mount" reveals such a wonderful level of righteousness, one taking superhuman ability in the Holy Spirit's enabling to produce:
  2. Christ's Identity As The World's Savior By The Righteousness In His Kingdom, Luke 6:27-45.
    1. The standard of righteousness Jesus detailed is not what sinful man can attain, so it shows the need for God's enabling to attain it [taught in Galatians 5:16-23 (Bible Know. Com., N. T. , p. 220)], Luke 6:27-35:
      1. Jesus directed His disciples to love their enemies, something sinful man does not do, Luke 6:27a.
      2. Jesus told His followers to do good to those who hated them opposite sinful human conduct, Lk. 6:27b.
      3. Jesus commanded His disciples to bless those who cursed them versus sinful human ability, Lk. 6:28a.
      4. Jesus told followers to pray for those who mistreated them against usual sinful human conduct, 6:28b.
      5. Jesus directed His followers not to wrong those who had wronged them versus usual conduct, 6:29a.
      6. Jesus commanded His disciples to give freely to the needy opposite usual human conduct, 6:29b-30.
      7. Jesus told His followers to initiate the treatment they wished others would do unto them, an inclination sinful fallen man who is self-centered cannot effectively do, Luke 6:31.
      8. In summary, Jesus relayed that this level of love toward other people would mark His followers as being unusual before the world (Luke 6:32-35a), as sons of a perfect, upright, heavenly Father, 6:35b,c.
    2. Also, Jesus explained that humans tend to reciprocate actions done unto them, that His disciples ought therefore to treat other people in God's perfect righteousness to maximize quality relationships, 6:36-38:
      1. Jesus called His disciples to be merciful toward others as God is merciful toward sinful men, Lk. 6:36.
      2. Jesus then revealed that the degree we show mercy, we will influence behavior in return, Luke 6:37-38:
        1. If we tend to pass judgment on others instead of showing them mercy, they will judge us, Lk. 6:37a.
        2. If we tend to condemn others instead of showing them mercy, they will condemn us, Luke 6:37b.
        3. However, if we tend to pardon others in showing them mercy, they will pardon us as well, 6:37c.
        4. Also, if we mercifully give to the needs of others, we will be receive help from them in return, 6:38.
    3. Though such practical righteousness may seem difficult, Jesus still motivated His disciples to attain it, for the degree of righteousness they had in heart would display itself in acts either to one's honor or to his dishonor, so it is imperative that one be upright to succeed and not to fail in life, Luke 6:39-45:
      1. The spiritually blind who lead others cause themselves and those they lead to fail spiritually, just like a blind person who leads the blind will eventually cause both of them to fall into a pit, Luke 6:39. Since one becomes like the one he follows, Jesus implied his followers should follow Him, Luke, 6:40.
      2. Then, to help guide others, Jesus told His disciples to relieve themselves of spiritually blinding sin and sinful ideas lest they misguide others to their own humiliation and painful failure in life, Luke 6:41-42.
      3. Similarly, the degree of one's righteousness affects the degree of honorable or dishonorable things that he even says in his life, and that with vastly contrasting results, Luke 6:43-45. Thus, it is imperative that we follow Christ in His righteousness [in the power of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:16-23]!
Lesson: Jesus taught that in His kingdom, (1) one's righteousness must exceed that which sinful man produces, showing our need to rely on the Holy Spirit for godliness, and showing His righteousness is vastly superior to sinful man's, and thus that He is God's Savior of the world! (2) He also motivated us to rely on God to live this way, for our level of righteousness affects how we act and how others respond to us, and these in turn affect the degree of dishonor and failure or of honor and success we experience.

Application: (1) By His perfect, superhuman righteousness, we can believe Jesus is the Good Creator God's Savior of the world! (2) May we RELY upon the Holy Spirit to live that level of righteousness to escape humiliation and defeat and gain honor and blessing in living!