Scripture for Today | Luke 6:17-26 (with Pastor Nick)

About this Episode

 Opening Song:

O Lord, open our lips and our mouths will declare Your praise. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, 

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, 

Amen. 

 

The Scripture for today is Luke 6:17-26. 

 

Let’s prepare our hearts to hear from God’s word as we listen to  Blessed Are the Ones by Audrey Assad, Derek Webb, and Sandra McCracken. Brisk patterns and percussion sounds establish a dance-like walk; additional guitars enter with a sense of urgency. The poetic imagery depicts the joy with which we can relinquish material possessions and embrace the life Christ has set before us. The chorus references the famous line from C.S. Lewis’s book, The Last Battle: “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. Come further up, come further in!”

Lyrics:

We're tossing pennies in the well

Empty pockets all turned out

Happy shining blessed are the ones who hunger

When our poverty is plain

I try to burn it in my brain

And trace a line around your face to paint a picture

 

Chorus 1

So further up and further in

We have nowhere else to go

We plant the seeds of toil and tears

It's beauty we will sow

Blessed are the ones blessed are the ones

Blessed are the hungry ones

 

Verse 2

Let's build a house with turned out doors

So we can share what love affords

And pour ourselves out

Like a wine that we've been saving

So when our well is running dry

Or when we raise our glasses high

Happy shining are the faces of the thirsty

 

Chorus 2

So further up and further in

We have nowhere else to go

Would You give us seeds of toils and tears

It's beauty we will sow

Blessed are the ones blessed are the ones

Blessed are the thirsty ones

 

Bridge

Love is all we need

 

Chorus 3

So further up and further in

We have nowhere else to go

'Cause when all we have is what we need

It's joy that we will sow

Blessed are the ones blessed are the ones

Blessed are the hungry ones

Passage: 

17 place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

 

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

 

21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

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

 

25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

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

(Luke 6:17–26 ESV)

Musical Reflection: 

“Be Thou My Vision,” old Irish folk tune

Reflection Notes: 

The hymn commonly known as “Be Thou My Vision” is set to the tune SLANE, which is an old Irish folk tune. It samples both major and minor tonalities, with a perfect balance between the two.

Prayer:

Almighty God, look mercifully upon your people, that by your great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.  Amen.