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Today we meet up with Jesus as he delivers his Sermon on the Plain (compare Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount). Akin to his sermon in Matthew, Jesus strikes a stark contrast between those who are blessed with those on whom woe is pronounced. What’s more, he does it in no uncertain terms. Is Jesus really announcing that God’s favor is indexed to a person’s net worth? Let’s take a closer look and see!

  • The word “blessing” isn’t a word we often use and “woe” is even rarer. How would you define these words? What are they used to indicate in our reading for today? What are they and what kinds of things are we meant to learn about them?

  • If Jesus isn’t saying is that rich people in this life are going to be penalized in the next simply for having lots of money, and that being poor is neither a sign of God’s displeasure nor merit-worthy, per se, what is he saying? What are the implications of a view of God’s grace being independent on one’s possessions?

  • Although a lot of what Jesus says has been interpreted to pertain to the future, most of it has something to do with the present as well. What present-day calls to action do you hear Jesus making for in the community of faith?

Next Step: All Saints Sunday is a time to reflect upon those who’ve gone before us—but it’s also a time for us to give some thought to those who will follow us. What legacies of faith have guided you? What legacy of faith do you want to leave behind?

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