The Beatitudes Part 8 (The Final Installment)

Matthew 5:10 & 11 “How blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them! How blessed are you whenever people insult you, persecute you, and say all sorts of evil things against you falsely because of me!

Here again Jesus is speaking to the crowd about real situations they are facing. The Jewish people were being persecuted and have been throughout there history. The idea of rebellion is one that has always been talked about among the oppressed. Jesus is throwing out an unheard of idea, basically saying that those who are persecuted for believing in him are blessed. It is a concept that makes little sense when seen by the world. The true blessing of an oppressed person is to be free. That is what essentially Jesus is telling them and us, that though we are persecuted for our faith in the end we shall be free. It is a promise made to those who are faced with certain oppression and even death. As an American I know very little of this kind of oppression, though many in our country like to think we are being persecuted. The truth is we are free to serve God and to share God with just about anyone we choose. There are parts of the world where Christians are arrested, tortured and killed because of their beliefs. This kind of situation is what Jesus is addressing, the idea of allowing yourself to be oppressed because you will be delivered by the God you serve. It is more than striving for martyrdom; this is about serving God and trusting in his word. Knowing that no matter how hard things get you will stay firm because of the promise Christ is making. He is warning us to not take matters into our own hands and revolt against our enemies but stay faithful and we shall be delivered. If you read the previous verses they all lead to this one. If we live as Jesus was teaching us to that day we will be able to live through such persecution.

The greatest example of this would be Christ’s own death. He feared it as humans do and he even cried out but in the end he chose to fulfill a promise and was killed for it. His sacrifice made this verse even more real because it was living proof that if we stick to our guns the promise is fulfilled. To live a life of true righteousness, not self righteousness, is going to be met with oppression, criticism and possibly violence. It is our call to rise above that and to rely on our faith in a God that promised our freedom. The freedom is that which can only come through Christ and in that freedom we are able to live according to his example. We will never be perfect on this earth but we can strive for peace, purity, love, truth, compassion and to share his Gospel with the world. Whether we are made fun of, beating, jailed or killed for our faith it comes down to how we were living that faith daily? Were we living it in a legalistic and hypocritical way where our own self righteousness was overshadowing Christ’s love in us? Or were we humble followers of Christ’s words and truly striving to live out his good news? This is an important question to ask ourselves because whether we are persecuted as people are in other countries are just ridiculed like in our own country, how will we respond? Will we react with vengeance and violence or will we turn the other cheek? My hope is that we can do the latter but reality has shown us that few will be able to stand up in the face of evil. The problem is that we have to apply all of these beatitudes in our lives so that we may be able to face oppression and ridicule as Jesus did. It goes beyond our dealings with the world because there are plenty of issues with in the church as well. There are modern Pharisees who stand to persecute their own to remain in power. There are also those who have become bitter and lash out in anger at the church creating division. The key is to rely on the words and actions of Jesus when faced with these internal problems. Not all who claim Christ are truly followers and not all who follow fit in a mold of what a Christian should be. We must remember that we represent God but we are not the authority, we are servants. It is our job to listen, learn and submit to the leading of his spirit in our lives. If we do this I assure you we will not only be free but we will become unified as one body.

Amen

The Beatitudes Part 7

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.

This verse is most often used by pacifists to justify that position as a Christian principle. This interpretation is an accurate one but not just in a political way. This is a call to all who believe to not live lives of violence or hatred toward our neighbors, even if they persecute us. It is not a passive thing to live as a peacemaker, in fact it has it’s a very bold and sometimes militant thing. To strive for peace in a world where war and violence is common place is not easy nor should it be. Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people who knew oppression and knew war very well. Violence is no stranger to the bible especially the Old Testament nor was it a stranger to their situation under Roman rule. Even in their own community Jews were subjected to violence as punishment for sins carried out by the religious leaders. This idea of being peacemakers in a world of violence and oppression was a radical idea. It still is a very radical idea that often leads to long debates and heated arguments. Jesus says that peacemakers will be called sons of God is a very big statement. It is a powerful way of calling believers to do the work of God on earth.

Being a peacemaker is more than just living a non violent lifestyle or protesting a war. Those can be done even if you do not believe and often are done for selfish reasons or personal gratification. To serve people in love and even those who persecute you is different. To live peacefully amongst people who hate you for simply believing different is what Jesus is talking about. To be truly a follower of Christ is to strive to live a life of humbleness, faithfulness, community and of course peace. The word peace has become a joke amongst many simply because of what most people think of when they hear it. They think of a long haired hippie holding a sign that reads “Make Love! Not War!” That is a prime example of political pacifism and not what Jesus was alluding to. While he what he was suggesting could very lead to political situations his words were about leading a life of biblical pacifism. The bible speaks of peace in many places and specifically about living peacefully in the New Testament. In Romans 12 verse 18 Paul says “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people.” This verse is also speaking of living as peacemakers but it also seems to allude to the fact of how hard this really is. To say “as far as it depends on you” seems to make a case for failure in striving for this. It allows for forgiveness and an understanding of the limits of human beings to be completely non violent. None the less it is a very clear message just as what Jesus is saying in Matthew. We are called to be peacemakers and specifically to serve one another in love. It is harder to serve lovingly then it is to react violently to confrontation. I believe Christ was also talking about our language as well as our actions. The way we confront others with our words can be just as violent as physically harming someone.

The reason he says you will be called Sons or Children of God is because he is the father of peace. The Gospel is a gospel of peace and those who live out that gospel are the children of God. In this way we must understand what this truly means in regards to our lives as Christians. A peacemaker is a person who strives to create unity, resolve conflicts in a non violent way and repair relationships with in his community. It is in this way that he is doing the work of Christ on earth and representing him a peaceful God. Though many may argue the place of violence and war with in the Christian faith, and there are many arguments for and against, no man can argue that Jesus was calling his people to live lives that represent peace. No one can argue that we as believers are called to love one another in love and strive to find a peaceful end to our differences. Those who oppose peace, cause division and create hostility are not properly representing the words of Christ. This is a basic principle of the Christian faith; this is not a call to become a pacifist in the modern sense but to simply live a life apart from violence and hostility towards one another. Jesus knew he would meet a violent end but he also knew his return would free the world of damnation. He faced death without resistance and his return was not to pay revenge but to save even those who killed him. This is the idea behind Christian peacemaking, to be able to lay down ones life for a neighbor despite what they may say or do to you. To stand up to evil and oppression without using force but relying on God for our protection. The bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the flesh. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments” Thus saying we do not need to fight others with weapons on man because we have God’s word and his promise to protect us. Would I call myself a pacifist? No! Am I a peacemaker? I am striving to be one and I am hopeful that I will continue to give it all I can. I have hope because of the words of Christ that I will be called a child of God. I have hope because of what it says in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is because of this hope that God will prevail and that good will conquer evil that we can live with peaceful, hearts, minds and actions. The world will always have war, violence and oppression, but the Christians will always have God as our protector and deliverer. May we learn to rely more on him and trust that his will be done.

Amen

The Beatitudes Part 6

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

This particular verse is fairly self explanatory but still very powerful because of why Christ was addressing this. The Jewish people were well aware of why living pure lives was important in regards to the law. Jesus obviously was also aware of this common knowledge of the morality expected amongst the Jewish people. The reason Jesus brought up this was one as a reminder but also to point out the corruption of the Pharisees. The Jewish leaders were notorious for saying one thing and doing another because they could. The example they set was one of hypocrisy because there words and actions were contradictory. Jesus was pointing out that actions, while important in presenting a pure lifestyle, was not the whole story. He was explaining the virtue of a pure heart that is uncorrupted by the world. Obviously as humans it is not possible to have a completely pure heart but Jesus was challenging those in attendance to work toward s that. He also was alluding to the grace that would allow all men to become holy before God. The reason for his stating “they will see God” is stating that once we are cleansed and forgiven our hearts will be washed clean, and therefore we will be able to see God. Whether he was speaking literally about heaven or figuratively about seeing God with in our lives and the lives of others is not as clear. I tend to believe he was saying both.

The idea of pure lives is something that seems almost impossible. There also is a danger in doing so out of selfish reasons. Many can strive to live pure to prove how much better off they are or to look down on others. This is the legalism that Jesus saw in the Pharisees. The fact that while they may have lived lives that seemed pure and abiding to the law, their hearts were not pure. These were men that represented the Jewish faith and also represented the God they served. In their hypocrisy they were unable to see the true face of God because they had corrupted themselves. The unfortunate thing is we see this even today in many of our churches and in many of us. We live good upstanding lives outwardly but inside we have tainted hearts. It is harder and harder to live purely in our society because of the emphasis on greed, power and selfishness. We are often taught to be pure at church, mainly sexually, but it goes beyond that. It is having a heart that is willing to submit to God’s call in our lives. Our lifestyles do affect our heart as everything we touch, hear and see affects us in a way. What Jesus is saying is if we truly believe in him then our hearts will be changed and cleansed. The problem is it doesn’t end there because we must do our part to honor our covenant with God. This is not in order to be saved, that is done, but we are live lives separate from the corruption of the world as a sign of worship. In order to serve we must strive to better ourselves each and every day. This is not saying throw away your TV, CD’s and all worldly possessions, though it probably would help. What Jesus is telling us is the more pure we live the better we will be able to see and hear God’s voice in our lives. It is merely a case of cleaning out our lives of the sinful and corrupting agents that keep us down. It means reading his word, praying, and fellowshipping with believers and worshipping God in whatever way works for us. The more we devote ourselves to the work of Christ the less worldly possessions and sin will be a problem. Though we will never be completely sinless in this life we should strive to live the best way we can knowing we will be one day. We must live to serve people, to bring hope and speak life to those around us. The more we do this honestly and for the right reasons the more pure our lives will become. This is not about legalism and telling others what they should watch, listen to or do in their lives. This is about what we should be striving for in our personal lives. It is about person conviction and understanding that God desires us to live well and do all things for the kingdom of God. If that means giving up some of the junk in our lives then so be it, which is up to you to figure out through prayer, study and seeking counsel. Just know that if you have accepted the gift of grace you are already on the right track.

Amen

The Beatitudes Part 5

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

The word merciful had two general meanings to the Jewish people in the time of Jesus. The first was the pardon of injuries and the second is alms giving. The Latin term for this word is misericordia which is composed of two words: miseria cordis, which means “pain of heart.” To give or offer support to that in need is to be merciful and in doing so Jesus explains you will also receive mercy returned. The old saying “to give is better than to receive” speaks volumes within this verse. Jesus is challenging those who are in attendance to love their neighbors with a love that is selfless. This is not just saying give only to the poor but to give out of faithfulness to God. When giving is a form of worship God will bless us a thousand fold. Of course this is more than saying give a dollar get a dollar, it means as we love more and more with God’s love we will gain so much more. Christ was explaining the value of service to those who are less fortunate as well as those who may not believe as we do. Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with the saying “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” This quotation speaks well into the meaning of this verse because in essence it is telling us to bring God’s good news to the world. The catch is we do not need to preach to everyone but we should always be ready to serve.

Jesus was speaking a very radical message that day because he was saying essentially you who have give to those who do not. He also was telling those who did show this mercy that they would be blessed for this by God. Part of this blessing that Jesus was speaking about was the coming death and resurrection that would open all to the kingdom of God. This also went beyond just a rich man giving money to the poor but even the poor serving the needy among them. It is a basic principle even today among Christians that is sadly often overlooked. The idea that giving should be done out of love and to those who need it most. This is not just people we like or identify with but to everyone. Our lives as Christians should be driven by a desire to serve people in love and to present the gospel of Christ in it’s intended form. Mercy has many faces that are all beautiful. It can be a simple smile to a frowning child or a visit to a lonely elderly person in a nursing home. The point in that we must live a merciful life, our compassion should show in whatever we do. The idea of service should be something that excites us instead of a punishment or an obligation. The essence of Christianity is to be like Christ, and to serve. Our mercy will be returned to us in ways we may not expect. It could come in the form of financial relief but more often than not it will come in the form of people who enter our lives. This is a blessing that many over look when they talk about God blessing us. We often hear if you give you will also receive, and most people expect some financial reward. Jesus is not promising that at all hear. What Christ is offering is a spiritual blessing that may or may not include a physical reward. The fact that we are saved by grace means we have no need to work towards that gift of salvation. The blessings God will give us back for our mercy is in addition to our already unfairly given gift of eternal life. These are blessings that maybe unseen or even unnoticed but they are there. The key to this verse is that as Christians we should be giving regardless of the reward because it is what we are called to do. The more we submit to God the more our hearts will pour out to those around us. It is because we are no longer serving for our own gain but out of worship and obedience God.

Amen