It's Not Easy, But It is Simple

Text: Matthew 5:17-20

Focus: Doing the law

Function: To help people see the importance of loving others.

Form: Bible Study

Intro:

Pretty strong words.

Whoever breaks the least of these will be least in the Kingdom of Heaven. A strong warning.

And then, the righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

That seems to be impossible.

We have already seen that the only way it is possible is by faith, by trust in Christ.

If our righteousness is the righteousness given to us freely by Jesus, His perfection in place of our sin and brokenness then we do indeed have a righteousness that exceeds that of these very religious folks.

And that, my friends has been the extent of the teaching on this passage in most other Christian denominations for the last 200 years.

I mentioned before how the Brethren are different in the way they interpret the Sermon on the Mount, Chapters 5-7 of Matthew.

Based on this scripture, the Brethren have always said that the least of the commands are to be followed as well as the most important commands. If God said it, we cannot pick and choose based on our current whims.

That is what Jesus says here.

But in this passage, Jesus Himself also admits that some are more important than others.

So, what is the difference if some are more important when all of them have to be obeyed?

We have a hard time with that idea because it seems to open the door for situational ethics.

Here is the difficult part: There are times when absolute principles will not work.

For example, King David lied to the priest when he asked him for some food. He told him he was on a secret mission for the King, when in fact, he was fleeing the king's justice. c)! Samuel 21:1-6)

And the priest gave him the bread that was dedicated only to other priests, with a death penalty described in the law for anyone who wasn't a priest who ate the bread. (Leviticus 21)

And Jesus, the same man here who says “even the smallest command is absolutely important” tells the Pharisees that David and the Priest did the right thing when the priest gave him that bread. (Mark 2:25-27)

I am not saying that the bible is inconsistent.

There are biblical scoffers who read those two passages and claim that the bible is full of inconsistencies.

Is it?

I don't believe it is. Not at all.

Jesus, when He explains it says that it is the Spirit, not the letter of the law that matters to God.

My Theology Professor at Bible College kept telling us that we really couldn't be sanctified Christians if we exceeded the speed limit.

Romans 13:1-6 is pretty clear. Obey the government. Always.

He was a big football fan also. And it caused a problem. Because, he would also say, you cannot go out to eat at a restaurant on Sunday because it is the Lord's Sabbath and it should be observed. And if you go out, giving yourself a break from the work of cooking, you are also making someone else work and then it is wrong.

So, someone asked him why he watched football on Sunday and he admitted that it was impossible to fulfill every single jot and tittle.

People older than me may remember Brother Andrew. He was a missionary behind the Iron Curtain during the cold war.

His main mission job was smuggling bibles into Russia. He tells stories of miracle after miracle about how God blinded the eyes, or otherwise distracted the border guards when he smuggled bibles into the country.

My theology professor was pretty clear to us, that Brother Andrew's work was unbiblical since it violated the rules of Romans 13:1-6.

A good friend of mine, who was always sort of a rebel, started a smear campaign against the professor because he said, “Then why did God supernaturally protect Brother Andrew if what he was doing was a sin?”

Was it a sin?

The letter of the law says, “obey the government always.”

Do situational ethics rule? Or do absolute laws with no tolerance rule? Is there a middle ground that is true to the Scripture and true to the mercy, forgiveness and mission of Jesus that is probably best expressed by the fact that His religious enemies condemned Him because He hung out with sinners, didn't mind feasting at a party with tax collectors and drank wine with prostitutes?

How does that match up with Jesus' words here, not a crossing of a “t” not the dotting of an “i” will be excluded from this law?

Remember, it was Jesus' own Spirit, the Holy Spirit that inspired Moses to write those laws. Jesus knew exactly what those words meant.

Remember Jesus, at 12 years of age? He was in the temple teaching the leaders, not them teaching Him. Jesus authored those words 1600 years before. (Luke 2:41-50)

Jesus did not perceive a discrepancy when He says not a dotting of an “i”, not a crossing of a “t” will be expunged from the law.

So we have to work it out without calling the scripture unreliable.

And the answer to these questions is in the statement: “unless your righteousness exceeds that of these religious folks.”

And yes, I agree with our historical perspective. I get pretty upset by other theologies that say that only the important commands are important.

But remember, Jesus Himself states, indirectly in this passage that some commands are more important than others.

We have a record of it. A religious leader asked Him what is the most important command. Jesus turned the question back on the guy and he answered to Love God and Love your neighbor.

Jesus commends the men. Jesus tells him that he is close to the real live principles of the Kingdom of God.

And then, you know this, Jesus says: “all the commands, from the least to the greatest are wrapped up in those two statements.”

So, we have a division in Christianity. We have those who say, “righteousness is merely a faith act that believes in the sacrifice that Jesus provided for us. Jesus died in our place. Jesus, the God/Man, the universe's perfect being, the only acceptable sacrifice gave His life for us to have eternal life.

That is one of, if not, the only core doctrines of Christianity. It is called the atonement.

Jesus death atoned, paid the price for our own sins.

And for many, that is the end of the story. That is all that really matters. For them, if they can say, confess that this is true, from their hearts, then they must be saved.

And, salvation is indeed linked to that confession. But Jesus says in this passage that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, we can not have a part in the Kingdom of heaven.

These are not my words. They are His. This is God's word speaking.

So, that one side is contrasted with the other side that says, wait a minute! What about also doing Jesus' work. Didn't He say “I have come to set free the brokenhearted, recovery of sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed and to proclaim they time of God's favor? Luke 4:18.

Can merely speaking those words, “I believe” alone save a soul? I mean, what about the movie, or TV show where the mobster is having his baby christened in the big cathedral? Here is a man who lives by violence. His business is to enslave women to prostitution and pornography. His livelihood comes from selling a product that is highly addictive with the express purpose of keeping those people dependent upon him.

We watch that christening ceremony and think of the hypocrisy of turning faith into a religion that keeps people from obedience and falsely justifies the lifestyle of the person.

I am not saying the religion justifies it, I am saying that they have an “out” for their conscience because they believe they have performed a religious rite and all of their evil will be excused.

I know the Church condemns the activity of mobster violence. It isn't the Church's fault.

I am saying what Jesus is trying to say here: “you cannot hide behind the religious practices of ritual when your heart does not love your neighbor as yourself.”

God's righteousness exceeds religious practice. It comes from the heart and it is manifested in the way we demonstrate His love and mercy toward ourselves and others.

To get this correct from scripture, we again need to break down the word righteousness.

The people of God are the righteous.

But does that mean they are merely declared forgiven because of what they say and believe, or does it mean that because of a relationship with God, they are people who love Justice for others more than their own lives?

The root word “Righteous” is Diakanos. And that word means, Just.

So Jesus is saying it isn't doing religion, it is doing the right thing.

Unless you are doing the right thing, you cannot have a part in the Kingdom of God.

Did you know that Martin Luther wanted to have the book of James thrown out of the NT?

When James says: “faith without works is dead” Martin Luther accused him of losing an orthodox understanding of faith.

Listen to words that Martin Luther objected to in James: James 2:18-26 (The Message)

¹⁸I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department."

Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

^19-20Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?

^21-24Wasn't our ancestor Abraham "made right with God by works" when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn't it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are "works of faith"? The full meaning of "believe" in the Scripture sentence, "Abraham believed God and was set right with God," includes his action. It's that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named "God's friend." Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?

^25-26The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn't her action in hiding God's spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.

If the actions are not there, then there is no faith. Martin Luther was wrong, but I understand his point. At the time of the reformation, the Church was doing what the Pharisees were doing. They were making up false rules that had nothing to do with doing the right thing, but had all kinds of appearance of religious activity.

That is exactly the condemnation that Jesus had of the religious leaders of His day.

Their ceremony looked like the right thing, but it wasn't just. It didn't involve caring for the least of these.

It permitted them to in a selfish manor, care only for themselves, to even excuse their hardhearted attitudes when they exercised their legal rights and forced bill collections against the poor in such a way that the poor were left destitute.

They “did things right” in religious circles, but they didn't “do the right things” on behalf of others.

So how do we practically apply this?

Jesus gives a good example right here in next week's text. Verses 27-28. He talks about the difference between coveting and adultery.

He tells them, listen, you may appear to be righteous because you never commit adultery, but I tell you that the act of coveting the spouse of another is also an act of adultery.

You see, it is nearly impossible to detect covetousness in someone.

So, they can look right, appear to do things right, but they are not doing the right thing.

How do you detect covetousness in someone else?

I have heard women say, “there was something about him that gave me the creeps.” And that could be subtle signs, or intuition.

I have heard people say things about how they resent that someone else gets the new car, or the nicer house. I can guess that the person who says that is struggling with covetousness.

But covetousness is a sin that resides inside of our own hearts. We can cover it up from everyone but God.

Jesus, explains how our righteousness can exceed that of these religious leaders by telling us to be honest with ourselves about our own hearts.

I find this to be true, if I do my best, in faith and in respect to the fact that God sees what truly motivates me and still do my best to do the right thing. Then the just actions will come out.

This is a personal journey of integrity between us and God. This is us walking in faith and the knowledge that God sees and cares about what we are really doing.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn't add another part to this. Do not be too hard on yourself.

You can over think your own motivations so much that you can convince yourself that you did the right thing for the wrong reason.

I promise you, you are not going to be perfect in this.

If you could, then Jesus would not have died.

So, the real response is this. You cannot possible obey every single jot and tittle of the law.

But you can love God and love the others as much as you love yourselves.

This is an absolute that is workable. When I stand at the US border in Mexico, and I hear the words that these people are my neighbors, it changes they words I use, “undocumented residents?” “Illegals?” “Neighbors?”

When I sit in the prison on a Kairos weekend and the fellow beside me tells me that he is a member of a Mexican drug cartel and does not remember how many people he has killed, I remind myself that he too, is my neighbor.

When I stand in the grocery store line and the person in front of me is buying steak and lobster on their food stamp card, and I am now eating beans and rice 2 – 3 times a week, I remember that person is also my neighbor.

When I listen to a politician blame the poor for their laziness and I want to shout back about justice and reasons for generational poverty and judgementalism, I too must remember that politician is my neighbor.

When I hear someone accuse me, or misrepresent my actions, or call into question the sincerity or integrity of my actions, I must remember that they too are my neighbor.

We are commanded to love our enemy as much as we love ourselves.

It's not easy, but it's simple.

God is looking for lives transformed by Him, by repentance, by faith, by a personal walk with Jesus.

Love one another, no matter what the price.

This Salt Won't Raise Your Blood Pressure

Text: Matthew 5:13-16

Focus: Showing the Gospel is Good News

Function: The emphasis is on the showing.

Form: Bible Study

Intro:

There are two components to these illustrations that Jesus uses to tell us who we are and what we should be.

The first is Salt. The second is Light.

There has been this debate around our house and with others this entire week as to the question: Can salt actually lose its flavor?

And the same comes out from the fact that a city on a hill cannot be hid.

I suppose John Hepner already knows the answer to the question about whether or not salt can lose its flavor.

Sodium Chloride, what we commonly refer to as salt is a very strong bond. It doesn’t lose its flavor. If one dissolves it in water, the water takes on a salty taste. But, in that state, it can be broken down to Sodium and Chloride with an electric charge. They didn’t have that technology back then.

So the debate, why did Jesus use as a common illustration, something that cannot happen? He refers to salt that has lost its flavor and is thrown out.

Well, the answer to that is that Dead Sea Salt, or Salt Sea Salt is impure and most of it is not Sodium Chloride, but a mixture of impurities that cause it be affected by weather or other circumstances so that it doesn’t season food any longer.

What they used for salt, did indeed, based on probably unknown circumstances to them become useless.

And I hope you are saying “So what? Pastor Phil. Preach the Word.” Get to what the Bible means about this.

I needed that example to help us see just how Christian Salt loses its flavor.

If you have internet access, punch in the phrase “Can salt lose its flavor” and you will be amazed at how much arguing goes on about this subject, and whether or not the bible is actually true since pure sodium chloride will not lose its flavor and then you will see the words of theologians as they argue all the minute details of what this can possible mean.

And those arguments are exactly what Jesus is talking about here.

When the arguments like this happen, nit-picking over the meaning of words, and the possible ways it can be interpreted, then the salt of Christianity has lost its savor to the world Jesus came to heal.

In 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul commands these young pastors to stay away from minute arguments about the meaning of words, and endless theological debates. He wants them to keep the light shining, keep the salt salty.

In this passage, Jesus talks about flavor, about spice, about waking up taste buds and making things better when He tells us that we are the salt of the earth.

Our spice is here to make the world better. (Tell that to someone)

It is funny, about these endless debates that lead merely to one’s pride about what they know. One time, after preaching this, someone came up to me and said: “Well, Salt is also used to draw out the puss from a wound and it has been used as an irritant in wounds.”

I wanted to say: “I think you are illustrating that very well.” I wanted to say: “He is the creator of the Universe; He knows what salt can do.” But for this illustration, this one specific quality is a symbol of what the Church should be doing in the world around it.

Jesus is speaking about only one quality of salt here, its ability to add spice and flavor. Jesus is saying, with that metaphor, that we are called by Him to be a blessing to the world around us.

Another time, my sermon was titled “sourpusses and lanterns.” The same passage. I was asking the question, if we are to be a blessing to the world, this healing agent, then why do so many of us go around with sour-puss faces and attitudes? (I thought it was clever, how too much salt had puckered the face…) I preached how we need to be fun, happy, intelligent, and successful, then people would come to Christ.

Now listen, when Jesus comes into the life, He restores it. He heals it. He gives it a sense of purpose. The joy of the Lord becomes out strength.

That afternoon, I got a letter from someone, signed with an honest appraisal of my content.

I hear of preachers who get notes all the time. I have only gotten a few. I take signed letters to heart. Unsigned letters come from bad attitudes. But this letter was signed and she said, “pastor, it sounds like you are saying that if we fun enough people, attractive enough people, successful enough people, then others will want to become like us.”

She said: “How is that the gospel of God, changing the brokenhearted? Instead, it sounds like you are preaching is merely an invitation to some sort of country club.”

And you know what, she was dead on right?

When Jesus says: “You are the salt of the earth, did he say that if we are cool enough, fun-loving enough, and attractive enough then people will want to be like us and the church will grow?

Not at all.

This is in context. Look at the two verses before this passage:

Look at 11-13 again:

^11-12"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

13"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.

This is why we are here. We are here to be salt and light.

Who, in their right mind considers it to be a “fun club” when membership in this club brings down upon you the disfavor of those around you?

And how can this seasoning of life, this blessing of life attract people when it brings persecution with it?

Remember, we are in an upside down kingdom and things don’t work the way the world works.

The success behind that is right here in our text.

You are a city on a hill.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Many of you remember the gas rationing crisis of 1978 during OPEC’s oil embargo.

There was this editorial comic in the Newspaper.

A gas station owner, along an Interstate highway, had this great big huge sign that was designed to attract customers from the highway into his station.

He has this long line of cars, and they are only able to get a few gallons a piece. He is speaking to his attendant and said: “I wish there was a way to make that sign less visible from the road.”

Good or bad, there is no real hiding of what we are. What we do, not what we say, will reflect our faith.

We are a city set on a hill.

What we do will reflect who Jesus is.

What we say, will reflect what Jesus thinks.

And that city has this purpose: to be salt, to light the way.

We cannot hide what we are and what we have become.

And He tells us this so that we consider if we are actually salt and light.

What are we known for?

What are you known for?

Remember, the gospel is good news.

The salt for the earth, is good news.

Good news.

When I was in Bible College, it appeared that the political powers in the City of Fort Wayne were pretty corrupt.

And there were two very suspicious murders.

Sadly, there was a church in the city whose sign drew national attention and ridicule.

The sign read: “Sunday’s sermon, 10 people in Fort Wayne Who are Going to Hell.”

Now, I knew someone close to that the pastor. The Pastor, after reading the two verses before this, “you will be persecuted” was pretty proud of himself for his boldness.

As it turned out, no one from the media actually reported on who his 10 sinners were.

His bold signed was ignored.

He certainly wasn’t being salt.

Remember, Jesus calls us to light a candle to show the way to Him instead of merely cursing the darkness.

He read verses 11-12, and then quit reading when he got to verses 13-16.

The word GOSPEL means “Good news.”

If our message of salt and light is not good news, then it was the useless salt in the first place.

If the message is not good news, then it is not Jesus’ message.

The media did the best, or worse thing by that pastor, they ignored that preacher who changed the gospel into bad news.

I am not preaching about the reality of heaven and hell.

I am not saying the concept of good news does not also include the reality of hell.

If God is a God of justice, then hell exists.

The understanding of it, how it is used, the length and suffering in it, are in the hands of a loving God. Not in the hands of a God who delights in punishment.

2 Peter 3:9 states that it is not God’s will that any should suffer in hell.

So, in this passage, what is the good news?

It comes from Jesus’ statements about us.

1) You are the salt of the earth.

2) You are the city set on a hill.

3) You are a candle shining the way.

You are already.

Everyone is an example. Some Good. Some Bad.

So, He says, don’t hide your lantern, don’t hide your candle. Don’t wish that your Interstate Sign were less visible.

It is possible that the candle can be hid under a basket.

But He is pointing out the absurdity of hiding the candle.

We just don’t do it.

So the good news is expressed in Jesus confidence of us:

YOU ARE (you do not have to become)

YOU ALREADY ARE

So many of us are waiting to be bright enough lights, flavorful enough salt, and then we will be His witnesses. But Jesus’ statement is that this is who you already are.

This is the nature that we received from Him when we were born again.

You are the salt of the earth is a positive statement, not one intended to shame us.

I mentioned all the sermons and statements written on the Internet about this phrase, can salt lose its flavor? Many of those theological wanderings on the internet have to do with this idea of impurities.

The premise is this: If your salt is impure, then your salt loses its flavor and God will throw you out onto the manure pile (That is what Luke 8 says about salt that isn’t flavorful.)

And the idea is, that we cannot be a city set on a hill, we cannot be a blessing to others until we get rid of our own impurities.

All of a sudden the good news is turned to bad news in the fact that somehow we don’t measure up.

But listen, every one of us has impurities.

Every one of us needs a Savior. Every one of us needs a Savior –STILL.

Turn to someone and say: I still need Jesus.

Every one of us needs an healing.

And the Lord said this about you:

You are.

There is no hiding what you are.

A city set on a hill is obvious to everyone around it.

Whatever our deeds are, those are the deeds that the city set on a hill will shine.

You will shine a light.

There is no hiding it.

The warning is this: If our light is not good works, then our light is selfish works.

Jesus says, doing good works shines bright. And it may bring persecution, but you will have honor with me.

I think the things that stop us the most are the times when we say: “just a little bit more brightness, just a little bit more flavor, pastor increase our power so our lamps shine brighter, pastor make our salt more pure, and then I will serve.”

Here is why the light doesn’t have positive effect when it shines:

Some people say, “just a couple more of the real inspiring sermons, and then I will do my part in God’s Kingdom.”

Or, and more commonly, some people say, “just a few more years building my own financial security, job security or whatever, and then I will have time to serve by doing these good works.”

And those few moments, become years, become decades and it never happens.

So I love what Jesus does here. This is right at the beginning. This is before His 3 years teaching His disciples. This is Jesus saying with me, all things are possible.

So Let your light shine. Don’t hold back. There will never be a better time.

The Principles of the Upside Down Kingdom

Text: Matthew 5:1-12

Focus: How Jesus' Kingdom is different than human Kingdoms.

Function: Having Peace in difficult times.

Form: Bible Study

Intro: By an interesting coincidence, or more likely, by the move of the Holy Spirit, the Lectionary text through February carries on the themes that we have been discussing the last 5 weeks.

This morning, we are looking at the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount.

And, I am done with the history of why we are what we are through January, but the Sermon n the Mount, and how we apply it, is a big part of our history.

When I was in Bible College, the professor who taught Matthew told us, “The Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7) is a message that, when one is finished, tells us that every single person hearing the message will be convinced that they need a savior.

Our history has said something completely different: “If Jesus said, it, He meant it, and we will follow it.”

The title of this message is: “The Principles of an Upside Down Kingdom.”

I want us to understand that this is a practical guide to show us what real righteousness is.

Remember last week, the Pharisees bragged about how righteous they were because they took the time to count out their mustard and dill seeds to be exact in giving one tenth. And at the same time, thought nothing of throwing a widow out on the street when she couldn't meet her mortgage.

Jesus' condemnation was that they make up a false righteousness by doing these religious things, while neglecting the things that mattered the most to God, which, JESUS says, are Mercy and Justice.

Justice doesn't mean “criminal proceedings” but it means ensuring that the “least of these” get a fair chance.

There is a key word throughout the “Sermon on the Mount” that speaks to the issue. Jesus keeps on saying: “Unless your righteousness exceeds the so called righteousness of the Pharisees, you have no part in the kingdom of God.” Matthew 5:20

I say, is it a “Get them lost so they get saved passage?” or is it “a set of rules to prove we are righteous?”

Well, it is neither.

The Sermon on the Mount is not intended to be a set of rules that if we follow we can prove that we are righteous.

Neither can its meaning be completely dismissed as a sermon that proves that everyone is a sinner.

It does prove that. I proves that you and I are still sinners. Our righteousness still lacks. The only path to reconciliation with God that we have comes from our faith in Christ.

The Sermon on the Mount exposes how following the letter of the law, without following the intent of the law doesn’t justify us before God.

A little quiz: What is the intent of the law? (Right, Love God, Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself).

Following the Letter of the Law without following the Spirit of the Law is exactly what Jesus condemned the Pharisees for.

The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:6

So, the Sermon on the Mount gives us a practical reality on following the intent, instead of merely, the letter of the law.

If we were to put it into modern day language, issues that weren't addressed at the time because they weren't at the height of the political or spiritual debates we could frame it this way: Don't call yourselves righteous just because you don't drink alcohol, or because you don't purchase lottery tickets, or because you take a proper stand against homosexual practice, if your entire life isn't dedicated to caring for others and loving your neighbor as yourself, you are not yet righteous.

Those external acts will not excuse you from your responsibility to care for the least of these as much as you care for yourself.

So, Jesus, in order to get His listeners to begin a whole new way of living life, living the Kingdom of God, the family of God life, gives them the beatitudes at the beginning of His very first recorded sermon.

Beatitudes: it means “The Blessings.”

Most translations say: “Blessed are.” Some are careful to add what isn't in the original text the word “God blesses.”

A literal translation taken from the root word, expression, is this: “Things will go well for you if:”

That is why one Mennonite Pastor, in writing commentary on this passage uses the word “Fortunate” are you.

It isn't as if we are trying to sell happiness here in the Beatitudes.

Happiness isn’t a commodity that the Church is in the business of selling.

But, when a life is lived by faith and trust in God, then even bad things cannot keep us from experiencing the love, peace and blessings of God.

God's kingdom is not an human Kingdom and in it, we can find real meaning in life.

So let us look at all of them one by one:

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

v3. Fortunate are the humble ones. Such people are not the "poor" in this world's things. Jesus is speaking of the person who is broken before God. This person throws themselves on the mercy of God, they put their trust in him, depend on him. They stand in contrast to the "wicked". It is the humble who possess the kingdom of God.

That is according to our Mennonite Brother. However Luke, when he records this parable, for some reason under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit leaves out the words “in spirit.”

Luke's words, even if you are poor, you have the Kingdom of heaven set aside for you.

That is why Luke nails the point home when he describes the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. Lazarus' salvation is a real problem for our understanding of faith, because the rich man was condemned for not caring for the poor, and Lazarus was saved because God had mercy on him simply because he was denied so much in this life. The story of the Rich man and Lazarus is not a parable about how a person gets saved, it is a story condemning the rich for not caring for the poor, but still, it stays consistent with the way Luke records this beatitude.

I am not saying that Lazarus was saved because he was poor. I have met some pretty evil poor people. What I am saying is that riches are not the sign of God's blessing.

⁴“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

v4. Fortunate are those who mourn over the damage and loss caused by sin. Those who weep for such loss will be comforted with God's intimate love.

Does our heart ache over damage and loss incurred by others? When our brother stumbles and falls, do we rejoice, simply because we don't like him? Or does our heart mourn that someone has fallen away from God's family?

But every mourner that turns to God does indeed find comfort. “Jesus wept” is still my favorite verse.

⁵“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

v5. Fortunate are those who rely on God for their vindication. Those who do not try to take for themselves, but rather rely on God to fulfill his promises, will inherit the promised land (eternity), This is actually taken directly from Psalms 37:11.

Meekness is not weakness. It is a symbol that we do indeed rely on God for vindication.

This principle is very different than our culture. God defends us, not we ourselves. We do indeed turn the other cheek. We forgive those who harm us. We forgive unconditionally. We place ourselves in the hand of protection from almighty God.

Romans 12:17-21 (New Living Translation)

¹⁷Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. ¹⁸Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

¹⁹Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.

²⁰Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

²¹Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

⁶“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

v6. Fortunate are those who desire to stand approved in the sight of God. Those who desire to be right before God will indeed find ultimate satisfaction in their relationship with Him.

More than that, the most basic translation of the word Righteousness is Justice. If you hunger and thirst for Justice, then your lives will have that satisfied feeling.

But, if you hunger and thirst for your own causes, you will never, ever be satisfied.

Jesus said, our song said, “If we come to Jesus to satisfy our thirst, we will indeed be satisfied.”

Listen to the words of that song from Isaiah 55, vs 1-2. Come, without money, without price. Why waste your life on meaningless things?

Without money. Without price. That is an upside down kingdom.

⁷“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

v7. Fortunate are those who know God's mercy and in that mercy, find that they can show mercy to others. (repeat)

The converse is also true. Those who refuse to forgive, those who refuse to pardon, those who refuse to get along, those who refuse to offer a chance will themselves be denied another chance.

I remember hiring a full time youth pastor in a previous Church. I told him the first day: “Don, this is my promise to you, as much as it is possible within me, you will not fail. I will always be willing to work around your weaknesses, strengthen you in those areas without judgment and be here to help you succeed.

That is not the way the corporate world works. An employee to them is a matter of convenience whose only value is in what they can produce for their master.

In God's kingdom, we are members of one another. If one suffers and fails, we all suffer and fail.

And, we are promised good fortune if we live our lives that way.

⁸“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

v8. Fortunate are those who desire to know God, to love him, for in that desire they will find him.

This one deals specifically with the sins of moral nature, like pornography, alcoholism, lying, unforgiveness, greed and etc. When we strive for this moral purity, we have the promise of finding God.

Some people wonder if the only real sin I worry about it the way that we are party to permitting injustice. They wonder if I don’t care about moral purity in regard to sexual sins, addictions, lying and etc.

Jesus cares about those as well.

Righteousness does include both. We simply cannot hide behind “moral purity” while we permit injustice.

⁹“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

v9. Fortunate are those who are at peace with God.

Fortunate are those who take the time to make peace with others instead of make division.

Extending the right hand of fellowship is always worthwhile, no matter how much water has gone under the bridge.

I look at it this way, especially with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We are going to be in heaven together. And when we get there, we will either laugh, or maybe weep an healing embrace, about the things that divide us here. So why not do it now?

Romans 12:18, from the text we read earlier: As much as it is possible within you, work for peace among others.

The command in Romans is that there is never an excuse to stop trying.

And in this passage, Jesus says, “this is the path to a blessed life.”

It isn’t the world’s path. I do not recommend it at all and I never watch shows like this.

But there are more and more “Judge Judy” type shows on TV. For the life of me, I cannot understand why someone would want to watch “Jerry Springer.” These shows make money off of people’s desire to hate and fight.

¹⁰“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

v10. Fortunate are those who find the darkness against them. The world may reject the child of God, but suffering only evidences a far greater treasure, God's eternal kingdom.

¹¹“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

v11-12. This saying is not part of the beatitudes. It is an application of the last beatitude, and is applied directly to the disciples. Abuse and slander was the lot of Jesus and it will be our lot as well. Yet, the rough edges we experience here do not compare to the glory which is ours in eternity. The notion of reward in these verses is not quantitative.

I like the fact that this is not a part of the beatitudes, but the only beatitude that Jesus chooses to explain Himself.

Even if we never see vindication, or these rewards while we live and breathe on planet earth, God has a future designed for us.

Live for Him.