Are You Equipped? (Luke 6:39-49) 

There's a lot of misconceptions floating around most churches let me give you an example I'm going to say a word and I want you to think about the first thing that pops into your head. The word is church what's the first thing you thought of? I suspect you thought of the church building, right? 

Well according to the New Testament that probably isn’t even close, the church in the New Testament is a group of people not a building.

Alright let's do another word I'm going to say word and you think of what pops into your head. “Sanctuary” What popped into your head maybe a safe space or the auditorium of a church building, right? Not even close again, according to the New Testament guess where the sanctuary is, it not somewhere to hide out there, it’s not even in a church building, they didn't have such things in those days anyway. The sanctuary is us, we are the sanctuary, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. 

Alright one more I want you to imagine that you are sitting in the building a church meets I on a Sunday morning and I say the word minister? I believe immediately most of you would think of the pastor, right? Wrong according to the New Testament being a pastor is a spiritual gift it's not an office, it's a gift, an elder is the office and that the ministers are all of the believers who “minister to other people in what they have been taught by expressing their giftings.

So, I say there's a lot of misconceptions floating around concerning even the basic, like what is a church, even down to who is the one who are the ministers. 

So, as you have probably already guessed that I am going to tell you, that you are in the ministry. 

But here is my question, are you equipped to be in the ministry. Maybe your first response is going to be, I didn't go to Bible college, and I'm not equipped to do that. That provokes me to ask, what then, do you have to do to be equipped to do that? That's the question I'd like to try to answer today.

Seems to me that that's the kind of thing Jesus is talking about in the latter part of Luke chapter six will you turn with me to Luke chapter 6 where I'm going to begin by reading with verse 39.

39: He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40: The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

41: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42: How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

(Luke 6: 39-42)

If you read the passage in one go it sounds a little well stop-start. Verse 39 and 40 talks about the disciples not above his teacher and then it jumps to verse 41 about the spec that's in your brother's eye versus the plank that's in your eye. What is he talking about, and what is the connection being made between these two things.

I think that what Jesus is talking about is ministry. If we were to go all the way back to verse 20, we see he addresses the idea of ministry in this entire section with his disciples. So, when it now says in verse 39 and he spoke a parable to them, he talking to the disciples. So first he was initially teaching, which we looked at last time and now he is making a point using an illustrative story. 

And he begins by asking them, can the blind lead the blind. So, he's talking about being a disciple and how they (You and me today) might lead other people.  That's ministry, and he says, “a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is correctly trained should be and act like the one who taught them. 

So, he begins by addressing anyone who claims to be a disciple and delves into the theme of ministry. The discussion revolves around preparedness for the ministry that they/we are about to embark on. 

The initial part of the message focuses on teaching. He now shifts to the concept of guiding his disciples on how they will be equipped to minister to others.

He starts by posing a rhetorical question: "Can the blind lead the blind?" The obvious answer is no. In the context of this passage, the blind individuals are not the Pharisees, as is commonly seen in other passages. Here, the blind are potentially his disciples. Warning that if you are a spiritually blind then how can you effectively lead others who are also spiritually blind? 

He then emphasizes the consequences, in that both the leader and the followers will end up in a ditch. If you are spiritually untaught, leading others in the same state, will mean it’s likely you will all collectively fall into a spiritual ditch.

Now, let's pause and consider a crucial question: What does it mean to be spiritually blind? Or, more importantly, what causes spiritual blindness? One significant factor may be preconceived ideas. If you approach the Scriptures with preconceived notions, especially in our theology, we may be blinded to what it truly conveys. 

Preconceived ideas and prejudices can act as veils, obscuring our understanding of the Scriptures. As disciples and future ministers of the gospel, it is essential to acknowledge and overcome these barriers to effectively lead and guide others. The challenge is to cultivate a spirit of openness and humility, allowing the light of truth to dispel spiritual blindness, both in ourselves and those we seek to lead.

Prejudice, undoubtedly, can lead to spiritual blindness, but it's essential to acknowledge that any form of sin can have the same effect. While we commonly associate spiritual blindness with those who are unsaved and unable to grasp the truth of the gospel, it's crucial to recognize that even believers can experience areas of spiritual blindness. Christians also can have blind spots.

The concept of a "blind spot" is something that all Christians contend with, and these blind spots can hinder our ability to lead and minister effectively. Being spiritually blind equates to being lacking insight by being untaught in a particular area of our life. The solution is clear: we need to be discerning and well-informed.

The next verse emphasizes the foundational principle: "A disciple is not above his teacher." In the context of the 1st century, where formal mass education didn’t exist, individuals attached themselves to a particular teacher Rabbi to learn. 

The verse continues to state that "everyone who is correctly trained will be like his teacher," underscoring the idea that alignment with one's teacher, in this case God himself is a crucial in our development.

What adds an intriguing layer to this discussion is the original word translated as "perfectly trained," which carries the meaning of equipping. Therefore, the process of being ‘perfectly trained’, involves equipping ourselves. 

This aligns with the idea that to overcome spiritual blindness believers need to actively pursue knowledge and equip themselves with a deep understanding of the truth. It's about actively engaging in the process of equipping oneself for spiritual discernment and leadership.

What I find most fascinating is this the Greek word translated, ‘perfectly trained’ is translated the same way in other passages of scripture, through which we can grasp the nuance of what is being said here.

Turn to Ephesians chapter 4 visions chapter 4 verse 11 says,

“He gave some to be apostles in some profits in some events list and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the Saints”.

(Ephesians 4: 11)

In other words, it's the job of the pastor teacher the gifted pastor to teach the Saints the scripture so they can be equipped to minister to each other.

So, I began by asking are you in the ministry, absolutely and are you equipped to do that and what does it take to be equipped. You must be taught the scripture.  By the way, the Greek word translated equipped in Luke 6 is identical to the one translated equip in Ephesians 4.

Now turn to second Timothy chapter 3 second Timothy chapter 3 says.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work”.

(2 Timothy 3: 16)

So, how do you get equipped for every good work. Answer, you have to be taught the scripture. So, you're in the ministry by virtue of the fact that you're a believer you're equipped for the ministry by virtue of the fact that you were taught the word of God the more you know about the word the better you are able to spiritually minister to other people. That is what he's teaching in Luke chapter 6.

Learning the Word and following the Lord as our teacher is pivotal, but understanding what it means to be like the Lord is equally crucial. Examining the characteristics of Jesus, attributes like truthfulness, righteousness, holiness, justice, grace and mercy and love. 

All good for perfect training, then, involves living a godly, righteous life. A life extending love and grace to others. This balanced approach combines truth and grace, allowing believers to speak the truth in love and becoming both reprover and encourager.

However, there's a significant challenge to this seemingly straightforward process. Luke 6:41 addresses the issue by reminding us not to focus on the speck in a brother's eye while overlooking the plank in their own. 

This highlights the real problem: spiritual blindness, using the analogy of attempting to remove a speck from someone else's eye while having a plank in one's own.

The image is vivid: a massive plank in your eye while you attempt to deal with a tiny speck in your brother's eye. This illustrates that, in dealing with spiritual matters, the problem within you is often more severe than what you see in others.

To effectively lead and minister to others, the initial step is to remove the blockages from your own eye. This requires addressing prejudices, preconceived ideas, and anything that obstructs clear spiritual vision and by doing so, you pave the way for genuine understanding and effective ministry.

I once heard the story of the little girl was visiting her grandmother, to be helpful so she was doing some cleaning and was trying to dust the mirror. Her grandmother wasn't satisfied said do it again, finally the little girl walked over to grandmother who was sitting in chair, and she looked at her and said, grandma the dust is not on the table it's on your glasses.

The key to effective ministry lies in addressing our own spiritual situation first. By dealing with our own personal issues, prejudices, and preconceived ideas, we then gain clarity of spiritual vision.

The sequence is crucial: Remove the plank from your own eye first. This self-examination and correction process is essential for genuine and impactful ministry. Once your vision is clear, then you may be quipped to help others address the speck in their eyes. 

The goal should then be to guide them towards spiritual clarity, providing assistance with their specific issues, and helping them overcome obstacles that hinder their understanding.

In essence, this teaching encourages humility, self-awareness, and a genuine desire for spiritual growth. By embodying these principles, individuals become effective ministers, capable of helping others navigate their spiritual journeys with insight, grace, and truth.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44: Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45: A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

(Luke 6: 43-45)

At this point he gives us another illustration saying a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. What he is saying is that the kind of tree that you are will determine the kind of fruit you will produce. If you're a good tree, what are you going to do is produce good fruit and if you're a bad tree what are you going to produce is bad fruit.

Out of a good heart comes good things, and out of an evil heart come evil/bad. So, the tree analogy really has to do with the posture of your heart. What kind of heart do you have? If you have a good heart, you're going to have good fruit, the words that come out of your mouth are going to be helpful in building people up spiritually.

So, he's telling us that what your heart is like will determine the fruit in your life. As Proverbs says, 'Guard your heart.'

OK, let's put this part of the passage together. 

Verse 40 stated it very simply and clearly, because it said, “When you are perfectly trained. Isn't that what we need? It about being equipped by being instructed in the word in a way that you are able to live it in your life and as verse 40 says, you then can become a teacher of the Word also.

So, isn't the point of this passage that we should become like the Lord, and we do that by removing the plank out of our eye so that we are not blind, so that we can see clearly and then combine that with saying good things? 

But it seems to me the heart and core of this message is your heart. If in your heart you want to be like the Lord, and you want to know him in his word, then what comes out of your mouth will be good fruit that ministers to others.

The fruit that you speak, then builds up people, ministers to them, encourages them, instructs them, teaches them. But it all starts in the heart."

So, I would summarise versus 39 to 45 as a plan of how to be like the Lord, which then will equip the minister be like the Lord.

There is one more point Jesus makes and it's in our final section today.

 The Wise and Foolish Builders.

46: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47: As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48: They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49: But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed, and its destruction was complete.”

(Luke 6: 46-49)

"So, what's the point of those verses? Real simple, be obedient. So, he said in the first part of this passage, be perfectly trained through the word of God, be trained to be like Christ. Well, if you're going to be like Christ, you got to do what he says. So, he asks the question, 'Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and you don't do the things I say?'

So, what did he tell us to do? Well in this context he is just finishing off his so called ‘Sermon on the Mount’. So, in the preceding verses he has told us what to do. Now, I don't think I've ever heard this talked about. I didn't see it until I worked on the Gospel of Matthew just a couple of months ago, and I didn't see it until I got to the end of the Sermon on the Mount, and all of a sudden it hit me, wow.

You can summarize the basic message of the Sermon on the Mount very simply, and you can do it in Matthew ch 5,6 and 7, and you can do it here in Luke 6. 

Let me show you what I think are the two basic commands. In Luke chapter six, he says in verse 21, 'Blessed are those who hunger, for you shall be filled.' Now, how do you answer that? Hunger for what? Righteousness' sake. Then he talks about being persecuted, and Matthew says, persecuted for what? Righteousness' sake. 

So, the first thing you have to have be is righteousness. Jesus said, as recorded by Matthew, 'Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all the other things will be added to you.' 

Now, I think that's the first thing he says in the Sermon on the Mount.  'Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no way be able to enter into the Kingdom of God.' So, it's clear that a major part of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ is about being righteous. 

He also says, love your enemies, and he spends a lot of time in this passage saying, be righteous and be loving. In fact, The climax of which is when Jesus says, 'Do to others as you would have them do to you.' 

It only now I have been through this passage in two different gospel account that I came to realise he's been talking about is nothing more than loving people. So, when he says in Luke 6, 'Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?' The things which he is talking about is being, righteous and be loving.'

The command is to be obedient, but here's the consequences in everyday life if you’re not obedient. The you are going to be like a man that build his house on sand. You can choose to build your house on strong foundations or on shifting sands.

These two houses may look alike they may have equal space and amenities and may even appear equally attractive until the flood comes. Then the person whose life is built on a rock is going to stand and a person whose house is built on the sand is going to fall.

So, you need to be built on the Lord and his word so that you will be thoroughly equipped to minister to other people and be obedient to the Lord so that you can be like him, but also so you can withstand the storms of life.

What I'm saying is this you are in the ministry. if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you are in the ministry. But the real question is are you equipped to minister?

What do you have to have to be equipped is really simple, you must be obedient to the Lord so that you can be like the Lord and then as a benefit you will also be able to stand the test of a few test of storms in life.

And when the storms come as they inevitably do then you are better equipped to stand firm and minister to other. 

So here my question, are you equipped, and are you like the Lord.

Always remember, we all have blind spots, right? 

So, how do we know what are blind spots are? Well, you would have to maybe ask other people, people who you trust and are mature in the Lord, as them what are the planks in my eye? 

Another key insight will be how you manage the storms of life. Look at the closing passage. When the storm comes, what happens? The way you can know if you've got the real thing, is the way you handle the storms. Granted, the good things in live can be recognised as the fruits are part of knowing God, but the ultimate test is how do you handle the storms. 

You see, the storms reveal what kind of building you have. It is the external storm reveals the true posture of the heart. So, if you really want to know what you're made out of, ask yourself how you handle the trials, tribulations of life.

What comes out in times of trouble is what's in the heart, and what’s in the heart reveals where you truly are with God. Seek out the true heart of God, its in his word, and it applied by his Spirt, so work diligently towards that, and pray earnestly for his Holy Spirit to grant it and apply it.