It Was True Then, It Is True Now - Luke 5-6

Luke 6:24-26 (ESV)

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.’

The above woes are Luke’s account of what is known in Matthew’s, The Sermon on the Mount, a message preached by Jesus to the crowds.   Since Matthew’s account does not include any woes, this could be a second teaching, at a different time.    The point Luke brings into the framework of Jesus’ teaching is that Jesus gave the blessings to those who would turn to Him and the woes to those who would not.   Notice that the woes attack the very philosophy of our modern day value system (which might mean it was the same then as it is now):

1. Woe to the rich.   We value our money.  We value that status money gives us. We value the things money gives us.  The material goods.  This was true then, it is true now. 

2. Woe to those whose stomach is full.   We value our food.  How many ways can they make a production about preparing food and competing about who can prepare the best.   Good food and full plates is a sign of status.  This was true then, it is true now. 

3. Woe to those who laugh.  Party, party, party.  It is hard pressed to find a Friday and Saturday night when there aren’t parties going on.   We love to laugh.  Laughing (with good food and great riches) is a staple in our society.   It was true then, it is true now. 

4.  Woe to those who have great followers.  To have people speak well of you is something that we all like. To have them say great things about you, is what we all want.  The problem, Jesus says, is that they also said good things about false prophets.  The false prophets must have thought they were so loved because they had so many followers.  It was true then, it is true now. 

Little has changed in this mindset.  We want money, food, laughs and followers who like us.  Jesus tells them, and us, that if these are your values, woe on you.