The Gospel of Luke: Woes | Wealth | Poverty | Hunger | Joy | Happiness | Kingdom - Video

Sermon Notes: 2/9/25 Pastor: Brian Crawford Luke 6: 24-26 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . This text is very straightforward, and very piercing. We often believe that power, and dominance will win the game of life. We align ourselves with people who have power. We hold allegiances to people who have the power they do. But the laws that govern the Kingdom of God, are not the laws that govern this world. In this text, the woeful life is the one that seems to be filled with worldly good things - wealth, food, laughter, being hyped up, all while your heart is far from God, and therefore facing destruction. It doesn’t work like we think it works. Without Christ, the good things of this world are setting us up for infinite destruction. That’s what “woe” is - infinite condemnation. So, we have to decide what is more important to us. Are we pursuing worldly happiness outside of Christ. Or are we pursuing a relationship with Christ. And that doesn’t mean that there aren’t wealthy Christians out there. But Paul gives us clear instruction on how to handle riches - to avoid pride, and to keep our hope in Christ, not our money. The specific warning he gives the rich is “You have already received your consolation.” If wealth blinds us to Christ, then we have our reward here on earth, rather than gaining the Kingdom. In terms of food - you can have full bellies but be empty of Christ if we do not depend on Him for sustenance. And if we do not have Christ we will be eternally hungry. In terms of happiness. (What he’s talking about here, are people who are amused by the suffering around them, or apathetic toward suffering around them). When you build your entertainment on the backs on those who are suffering, we are laughing without Christ. Stay alert to the apathy. Don’t laugh at the demise of other’s lives. That’s what Christ is warning us about. In terms of being well liked in the wrong ways - we’re either doing what the world is doing, or saying what the world wants us to say. And when we receive that validation, we are more likely to enjoy and love those who give that praise. Those that follow Christ, the world will press up against you and hate you. So if we’re loved by everyone in the world… we are making a big mistake. To be in Jesus is to invite tension and dissension from among the majority of the world.