Presented to The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries, 29 January 2023 by Major Michael Ramsay. Based on previous versions presented to the Swift Current Corps, 04 January 2015 and TSA AV, 29 September 2019
This is the 2023 version. To read the original click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2015/01/matthew-51-16-spoonful-of-blessings.html
The Beatitudes, which
we are looking at today, is Jesus’ introduction to his most famous sermon, the Sermon
on the Mount. In this sermon He tells us that we are now citizens of the
Kingdom of Heaven and, as such, we will interact with the world in a whole new
way, even while we are still living and working in Canada or wherever we happen
to be.
The word ‘beatitude’
comes from the Latin word for blessing which makes sense since each line of the
beatitudes begins with, ‘blessed is so and so…” Now, of course, the word ‘blessed’
can mean ‘happy’, ‘at peace’, ‘experiencing well-being’ or even ‘saved’. This
is what is available to us even here and now as Citizens of the Kingdom of
Heaven.
This is important: By
‘Kingdom of Heaven’, we don’t mean what it will be like ‘when you die and go to
heaven’; this passage speaks very clearly that these blessing occur here on
earth. It says the meek will inherit the earth (v. 5) and further on in this
sermon Jesus speaks about marriage, adultery, an end to divorce… and –of
course- Matthew tells us, that there is no marriage, let alone divorce,
remarriage and adultery in heaven (Matthew 22:23-30, Mark 12:24-26, Luke
20:34-36). This whole sermon speaks to what life is like when we are citizens
of Heaven living here, living now.
Reading on: Verse 3, Jesus
says, ‘Blessed (saved and peaceful) are the poor in spirit for theirs is the
Kingdom of Heaven’. Who are these ‘poor in spirit’ and why are they blessed,
saved, and peaceful as they inherit the Kingdom of Heaven? ‘Poor in spirit’ in
a unique phrase. It does include those who are monetarily poor but not only
them: it also includes everyone who is not self-reliant. It can refer to anyone
who realizes that they cannot make it on their own; those who inherit the
kingdom of heaven as the ‘poor in spirit’ are those who realize that they are
not actually independent: financially, socially, emotionally… Jesus is saying
that those of us who do not buy into the cult of the individual but rather lean
on Him (and others), we are the ones who are blessed, saved, and peaceful as we
inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
Verse 4: The next group
Jesus’ says are blessed, peaceful, and saved are those who mourn. Jesus says we
will be comforted. This is speaking about all those who are suffering in our
world today and there are many.[4] That Christianity is about comfort shouldn’t
be a surprise to us. I am often reminded around Christmas time of the power of God
to comfort those who mourn. I receive Christmas cards, emails, and comments
from people whose relatives’ funerals I have officiated over the years telling
me how much they have appreciated comfort received during the memorial and how
they continue to draw on the Lord’s comfort at Christmas as at other times. In
the Kingdom of Heaven, blessed, peaceful, and saved are those who mourn for
they are comforted. And our whole ministry here is actually about comforting
our friends as they go through so many struggles
Our next group, Verse 5,
that is blessed, peaceful and saved are the meek for they will inherit the
earth. Meek is very much a synonym for the ‘poor in spirit’; meek people are
gentle. We gentle folk who inherit eternal life are blessed, peaceful and saved
and, as an extra bonus, we will inherit the earth!
Verse 6: Blessed,
peaceful and saved are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they
will be filled. The word righteousness in this context includes the concept of
justice. It speaks to those who long for wrongs to be made right and for those
who cry out for salvation from the injustices of our current
socio-economic-political structures. I
am Vice President of the Justice Committee here; I studied Restorative Justice
through Simon Fraser University. Did you know that in the US one in three Black
males has been locked in a jail at least once. This is just one symptom of the myriad
racial injustices south of the line. We also have injustices here: racial,
other and especially economic discrimination. Jesus says that those of us who
stand against injustice and those of us who stand for His righteousness will be
filled. We will be satisfied. As Jesus’ reign takes hold in our life and our
world, those of us who intercede for those in need will be satisfied. Blessed,
peaceful and saved are we as we hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness
for we will be filled.[5] These are God’s promises to us today!
Verse 7: Always
accompanying true justice is mercy (cf. 5:38-48, 6:14-157:1-5,12). There is no
justice without mercy; therefore blessed, peaceful and saved are the merciful for
they will be shown mercy. Jesus says in this sermon, ‘do unto others as you
would have them do unto you’ (7:12). As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven
living here and now, we’ll need not fear retribution from one another as we
confess our sins and as we love our enemies because we will forgive and we will
be forgiven; blessed, peaceful and saved are the merciful for they will be
shown mercy.
Verse 8: Blessed,
peaceful and saved are the pure of heart for they will see God. Pure of heart
“denotes one who loves God with all his heart (Deut. 6:5), with an undivided
loyalty, and whose inward nature corresponds with his outward profession” (cf.
Isa. 29:13).[6] Those of us who love God with all of our heart will see Him and
experience Him in our life. This is what it is like to be a Christian.
Verse 9: Blessed,
saved, and peaceful are those who make peace for they will be called children
of God. We who belong to the Kingdom of Heaven will defuse conflict rather than
contribute to it. This is corporate as much as individual.[7] I still remember
the day that Canada’s armed forces turned from an army of peacekeepers to an
army of war-makers. I was working at CFB Esquimalt when Canada invaded
Yugoslavia, like Russia is invading Ukraine today. I spoke with some of our
service people who until that point had spent their whole military careers
standing between warring factions, protecting civilians; now they were ordered
to be prepared to even kill innocent civilians (as collateral damage) if
necessary, in an illegal, internationally condemned war. It tore at the minds
and hearts of many of these soldiers.
We who are saved will
contribute to peace in the world. So many of our people working at the TSA shelter
and BofL soup kitchen keep the peace everyday between people who are struggling
in so many ways. Blessed, saved, and peaceful are those who make peace for we are
the ones who will be called children of God.
Verses 10-16: Now as we
come to our last beatitude, I have a question for us. Those of us who are
Christians, who are part of the Kingdom of Heaven, will experience blessings.
My question is, what is the opposite of a blessing? (A curse.) If we choose not
to live in God’s blessing, then we are choosing to live a life that is cursed
and that is the choice before us today. We know how horrible the world can be.
We know there is misery. We have been looking today at blessings that come
during very real trials, tribulations, and problems in our world. Christians
are surrounded by all of this. We are not spared any more than anyone else but
if we belong to the Kingdom of Heaven then we will be blessed even in the midst
of it and that is Good News. This is the Good News: Jesus was born, lived,
died, and rose again so that we can all live out our salvation forever and for
now – even in terrible times. We can experience God’s Salvation in the midst of
all that is surrounding us.
Our last beatitude,
Matthew 5:10-16:
“blessed, [peaceful and saved] are those
who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven;
blessed, [peaceful and saved] are you when people 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 the Kingdom of Heaven, for in the same way
they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You [as you stand up under
persecution] are the salt of the earth but if salt has lost its taste, how can
its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is to be
thrown out and trampled underfoot. You [as you stand up under persecution] are
the light of the world, a city built on a hill [that] cannot be hid. No one
after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on a lamp stand, and
it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before others [even as you are persecuted], so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father in Heaven.”
These wonderful beatitudes conclude with the good news that we will probably be persecuted (vv. 10-12). And, Jesus says, even though we may lose our lives, our jobs, our family and/or our friends; no matter what happens, we are encouraged to keep strong for the Good News of Jesus’ Kingdom is so good, so important and so valuable that it must be shared. If – as Christians - we do not share the Good News of Jesus Christ, we are as useless as a nightlight hidden under a cup (vv.13-16). If we don’t share the Good News then we are no more useful than adding tasteless flavouring to God’s recipe of eternal salvation. But as we share the Good News of Jesus and as we invite other people to experience the blessings of God even in the midst of all of the troubles of our world today, as we invite people to enjoy the peace and salvation that is found in Christ then they and we will be truly blessed, peaceful and saved for ours will be citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven; then no matter what else happens, it will all be okay. We will be okay. Everything will be okay. Let us continue to offer peace and blessings to our world.
Let us pray.
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