Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. Lamentations 3:22.

I asked the question in the title because of reading our chapter, Luke 6. Jesus and His disciples had been passing through some grainfields on the Sabbath, and reaching out picked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands and ate the grain. They weren’t harvesting in a day’s work. They were hungry. The Pharisees confronted them. Jesus reminded them of David’s need when he took bread lawful for the priests only for his men when they were hungry, v. 1-4. And He was saying to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” v. 5. On another Sabbath, another confrontation within the synagogue. This time a man with a withered hand. Jesus knew they were watching Him to see what He would do. But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored. But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. v. 6-11. Why the rage? He didn’t perform surgery, He healed a man as the man obeyed and stretched out his hand. Why the rage? I wish I understood. Why so much rage today? And Jesus went by Himself to a mountain to pray all night. And then He called His disciples to Him and chose the twelve, whom He named as apostles, v. 12-16. And so many were flocking to Jesus to hear Him and to be healed, and all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. v. 17-19. And then…And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” v. 20-38. And then He gave the parable of how can the blind lead the blind without both falling into a pit; of teachers and pupils; or specks we decry in others “eyes” without even realizing the log in our own eyes; of trees and fruit they bear; and the good treasure or the evil treasure stored up within us and spilling over from that treasure that is in our own hearts, v. 39-45. And then a question He asks us all…“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great. v. 46-49.

The Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of men. Jesus the Son turned everything on its head to show how different is the foundation built upon the love of Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. Why the rage against Jesus? Would the religious leaders of today, the political leaders of today, we ourselves – be in a rage against what Jesus would say to us? He is speaking to us. And we can turn to Him, the Teacher…A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. v. 40. Who or what is teaching you? If this world of ours today shows us nothing else, it shows us just what our rage against God does to us and to everyone around us. Just as there was suffering in the time Jesus was with us, so is there suffering today and in every age of man. The foundations of this broken world are built on rage and power over others, and the ruin of people is great. Are you weary of all the rage? Me too. Turn away. Choose life with Creator God. Let Him heal the wounds of your soul and teach you a better way that is with Him always. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. That is the foundation worth building upon.