In Nehemiah 3 and 4 the people begin making repairs to Jerusalem. Each group has its own task and the work gets done efficiently. Their adversaries continue to mick them for their efforts. Nehemiah responds with prayer and the work goes on. The adversaries plan an attack to stop the reconstruction. Nehemiah stations people to protect the walls and workers. He tells the people not to be afraid. God is with them and will protect them. The people continue their work with swords strapped to their sides. They are instructed to come to the aid of any who may be under attack.

When we are trying to live lives of faith we often encounter opposition: things or people who seem to actively stand in our way. Like Nehemiah, we need to steep ourselves in prayer and remind ourselves that God is with us. But as we do our work, as we step out in faith, we must continue to be armed to fight against our adversaries. Our sword is the word of God, the Bible. When we feel we are under attack we need to call others to be with us to help us in the fight.

Luke 6 opens with Jesus doing things on the Sabbath that upset the Pharisees. Jesus challenges their understanding of the law of God. They begin their plot against him.

Jesus chooses twelve of his followers to be his disciples, which means students, and also to be apostles, which means those who are sent out. Jesus and his disciples come to a place where a great crowd is waiting. Many who were sick tried to touch him to receive healing. Power left Jesus and healed all of them.

Jesus begins to teach the disciples a lesson similar to the beatitudes in Matthew. This teaching includes both blessings and curses. Basically Jesus is saying that we will be blessed if we recognize our need for him in our lives, but if we believe we are self-sufficient we have already gotten our due. In other words, if we trust in ourselves we have no need of a savior and close the door on receiving Christ’s blessings on our lives.

Jesus also gives some difficult teaching: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.  If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.  Do to others as you would have them do to you. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;  give, and it will be given to you.

These teachings are all much easier to say than to do, but we need to remember that these are not suggestions. Each one of them is said as a command. They are not negotiable in Jesus’ eyes. He expects us to live in this manner.