Luke 11:29–54
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness.35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
53 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.
Love Revolution Awards
Love Revolution Awards don’t exist. But if they did, they would honour people who showed justice, kindness, and humility in revolutionary ways (Micah 6:8).
Some might advocate for three separate awards.
The Justice Award goes to those who see things as black or white and who always follow the rules. Justice winners have no qualms about correcting others. They stand against injustice. They uphold the rights of the oppressed and speak for those who can’t speak for themselves.
The Kindness Award honours those who are caring and considerate. Kindness winners listen well and are quick to help others. People feel valued and appreciated by them and seek their companionship and aid.
The Humility Award distinguishes those who live in full dependence on God. Humility winners don’t show off or try to make people think of them as better than they are. They do things well but don’t seek to be noticed. Others feel comfortable with them because they are comfortable with themselves.
But the Love Revolution Awards cannot be separated into three categories. True winners need to embody all three. In isolation, the characteristics of justice, kindness, and humility can be dangerous.
Justice without kindness and humility can manifest as tyranny: hurtful and hateful. Without kindness, justice is harsh and unforgiving, and without humility it is prideful and self-serving.
Kindness without justice and humility is relativistic and easily corrupted. With no moral standard, anyone’s actions and words are accepted, whether or not they align with God’s Word. Deifying tolerance of everything, including that which is immoral and unjust, leads to corruption.
Humility without justice and kindness is powerless and ineffective. It doesn’t speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves or defend the rights of the poor and needy (Prov. 31:8-9). It avoids difficult, messy situations. One who is humble without justice and kindness might be an uncaring push-over, furthering the cause of injustice and unkindness by their inaction.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and experts in the law in Luke 11 for their injustice, unkindness, and pride.
He said the Pharisees cleaned the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they were full of greed and wickedness (v. 39). He urged them to instead be generous to the poor (v. 41). He noted that while they gave God a tenth of their produce, they neglected justice and love (v. 42). He said they loved the most important seats in their places of worship and the respectful greetings of people in the marketplaces, but in reality, they were as insignificant as unmarked graves that people unknowingly trampled (v. 43-44).
Then Jesus reminded the experts in the law that they burdened people with unbearable loads and didn’t lift a finger to help them (v. 46). They built tombs to honour prophets their own ancestors had killed, and they would soon persecute and kill contemporary prophets and apostles as well (v. 47-49). And God would hold them accountable for all the injustice (v. 50-51). They not only refused to enter the way of truth, but they also prevented others from entering (v. 52).
The Pharisees and experts in the law hated Jesus for his revolutionary call to justice, kindness, and humility. But that was Jesus’ message for both his opposers and his followers throughout his ministry. It is the same for us today.
With or without Love Revolution Awards, God is calling us to be boldly revolutionary. Instead of rising up in hatred and bloodshed, this revolution redefines society’s views of justice, kindness, and humility. Instead of attacking or canceling people who hold different ideas from ours—even if they attack or cancel us—we bless them with God’s revolutionary love that upholds righteousness, unconditional care, and servant leadership.
Imagine our nation if everyone always spoke and acted with genuine justice, kindness, and humility.
• Leaders in churches, businesses, schools, and government would invert the leadership pyramid and carry the biggest towel of service.
• Families would be peaceful, with parents and children demonstrating mutual kindness and respect.
• Athletes would choose to treat the other team with fairness and grace, whether or not they were winning.
• Politicians would speak to and about one another with truthfulness and kindness, and they would listen to each other with respect and humility.
• People in our churches and communities would humbly share their wealth in money and services with needy people. Reaching out in both planned and random acts of kindness every day, they would also speak for justice and hold to God’s truth.
God calls us “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with him (Micah 6:8), overthrowing the present self-focused systems and instigating a Love Revolution. And we will receive our awards in heaven!
Reflect:
• Think about your life. Which comes easiest to you: Justice, kindness, or humility? Which is most difficult for you? Why?
• Ask God, “How can I grow in justice, kindness, and humility?” Write what you sense he is saying to you and then respond to him.
• What can you do this week to partner in God’s Love Revolution?
Author Bio
Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission.