Matthew 5:1-12
29 January 2023
Epiphany 4 Series A
“Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on
the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And opening his
mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
– Matthew 5:1-3
1. Blesse are they, the poor in spirit;
Theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blest are they, full of sorrow;
They shall be consoled.
Refrain
Rejoice and be glad!
Blessed are you, holy are you.
Rejoice and be glad!
Yours is the kingdom of God.[2]
This current culture in which we live, will always suggest being
happy you must avoid all discomfort, pain, and tragedy. The Lord gives us a
better way. He reminds us. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be
comforted.”
The stages of grief are real. They are a part of living in this broken and failing world. Yet, there is a process to your grief and your mourning, however. Pain and loses cannot not disturb your peace. Christ already has conquered the last enemy death; we are now and forever Easter people.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall
inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see
God. – Matthew 5:5-6
2. Blessed are they, the lowly ones;
They shall inherit the earth,
Blessed are they who hunger and
thirst;
They shall have their fill. Refrain[3]
Reflection:
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The world speaks a different language. The world suggests being happy you must assert yourself and claim what is rightfully yours. Be the lion; not the prey. Yet, the voice of your shepherd says to you. “Do not assert yourself, but trust Me, and the security I provide. Your meekness will not dismiss or diminish your peace, I freely give you all that is Mine.
The world says to be happy and blessed you must pursue
ambitiously the goals you have set for yourself. Jesus gives a different
perspective; “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
they shall be satisfied.” Seek first to pray always, ‘Thy will be done.’
Your readiness to follow Christ will not rob you of your peace. Christ will
provide all that it takes for you to achieve His goals.
Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure n heart, for they shall see God. -Matthew 5:7-8
3. Blessed are they who show mercy;
Mercy shall be theirs,
Blest are they, the pure in heart;
They shall see God! Refrain[4]
Reflection:
The American society says to be happy you must demand what
you deserve even if it happens to harm others. Jesus tells you. - “Blessed
are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Be good to others also when they do not
deserve it. His mercy will not destroy your peace. For His mercy toward you is
always salvation.
The philosophy of this world says to be happy you sometimes
must forgo honesty and integrity. You must play the role. Jesus reminds us; “Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Be trustful, straightforward,
and honest. Your purity of heart will not nullify your bliss, for His trust
brings you to know and see Christ, your saving God.
“Blessed are those who are peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:9-10
4. Blessed are they who seek peace;
They are the children of God.
Blest are they who suffer in faith;
The glory of God is theirs. Refrain[5]
Reflection:
The world suggests being happy means you must be able to make
the rules, and fight for your rights. Jesus teaches; “Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
Live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge. Love your
enemies. Your peacemaking will not compromise your bliss. For you already are
at peace with God for Christ’s sake.
The world says to be happy you must do whatever it takes to
avoid persecution. Crush your enemies. Jesus reminds us, “Blessed are those
who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Be steadfast, immovable, in doing your Father’s will. Even if persecution
results, your constancy in listening to the voice of your Good Shepherd will
not undermine your bliss. You are in Christ. The Father’s victory over evil is
complete. It is your victory also.
“Blessed are you when others
revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on
my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so
they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:11
5. Blest are you who suffer hate,
All because of Me.
Rejoice and be glad, yours is the
kingdom;
Shine for all to see. Refrain[6]
Reflection:
Now Jesus adds details about what persecution might look like and what might cause it. For the first time, Jesus moves away from general statements, and focuses more narrowly on Himself, specifically, as the One they are following.
The central issue in true Christian "persecution" is, of course, Jesus Christ. Merely being harassed or treated unfairly isn't necessarily persecution—especially if it's in response to our own wrongdoing. Peter writes: “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.” (1 Peter 4:15).
Being "blessed" is willingness to endure unfair treatment on account of faithfully following Christ. Peter explains, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory[a] and of God rests upon you.” (1 Peter 4:12–14). Those in opposition to Jesus might insult His followers, abuse them, and falsely accuse them of doing terrible things.
This blessing serves as an early warning that such abuse is coming. The Savior reminds us, “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” (John 16:1–4).
Through the waters of baptism, each of us is called by the LORD to become agents of the Gospel – the presence of Jesus Christ – Wherever it is the LORD calls you to serve. Jesus simply says, “Let your light so shine before men.”[7]
Some of you are parents. Your call is to raise your children in a faithful environment. Some of you are teachers. Your call is to be Christ-like in caring for the students entrusted to your care. Some of you are students. Your call is to see the wonder of a vast universe created by the God who loves you. Discover the talents the Lord has given you and then use them as His witness.
Some of you are in the business world. Your call is to honor justice and righteousness as you work on behalf of your employer. Some of you are in the trades. Your call is to honor God with quality work and respect your customers. Some of you are farmers. Your call is to be stewards of our environment. You feed the world as you managed the Father’s creation.
In every vocation. The Father
transforms what you do. And uses it to
grace the lives of those who you come in contact. Use your talents and skills
as an opportunity to proclaim that people of faith make a difference in this
lost and broken world. As others, see your involvement in the workplace it is
an opportunity to glorify the God who equipped you for the work you do. Every.
Single. Day. Do you know. Oh Christian. You are. A sermon in shoes!
Passive Sentences –7.2%
Readability –81.7%
Reading Level-4.7
[1] Te
Deum © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2]
Blest Are They, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St.
Louis
[3]
ibid
[4]
ibid
[5]
ibid
[6]
ibid
[7] Matthew
5:16 a warmup for next Sunday
No comments:
Post a Comment