Matthew 5:2b-12
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
As we read the Sermon on the Mount together, we’re going to take a “first the forest then the trees" approach. We’ll look at each major section as a whole before we dig into the individual teachings. The first major section of the Sermon on the Mount is the Beatitudes.
‘Beatitude’ is a funny word. It’s old English but it derives from the Latin for “blessed”: ‘beatus.’ The word seems to combine ‘blessed’ and ‘platitude’. Each a loaded word with its own baggage. The problem with the word 'beatitude' is that it makes these statements seem like they came to us on a faded poster hanging on the wall of an old Sunday School room. If we’re not careful, we can miss their revolutionary nature.
Jesus is not simply offering a list of pretty sounding sayings, he is challenging the very nature of the way we see life. All the things we’re after... the things we think are so important... the idols we regularly bow to... are challenged in these statements. Jesus is offering us an alternative set of values that are at odds with the values the world gives. These are the values of the Kingdom of God.
Perhaps to truly understand the revolutionary nature of these statements, it might do well to think about their opposites. How we simply take for granted that wealth, happiness, and comfort are God’s blessings even though Jesus tells us differently.
Imagine for a moment you are approaching the gates of Hell. Set aside for a moment whatever you personally think Hell is or isn’t and just imagine the literary Hell of Dante and Bugs Bunny cartoons. It’s a dark fiery cave full of horned devils with pitchforks and capes. Before you enter, there are these large iron gates. Upon the gates is a large plaque. The plaque reads:
Welcome!
Welcome all you rich,
For yours was the world above.
Welcome all you happy,
For you never needed comforting.
Welcome all you powerful,
For you always got what you wanted.
Welcome all you satisfied with the way things are,
For you never saw your own emptiness.
Welcome all you hard-hearted,
For you were never taken advantage of.
Welcome all you worldly,
For you never had to see the truth.
Welcome all you stirrers of conflict,
For you are truly children of Hell.
Welcome all you who go along to get along,
This is truly your Kingdom!
We especially welcome you who are spoken highly of and treated well because of your lack of conviction. Wail and gnash your teeth, for your reward awaits beyond these gates, where you will join all your ancestors who persecuted the prophets.
When you’re finished reading these words, the gate swings open. Does it open for you?
It’s a terrifying though isn’t it? All of us at one time another have cherished the world's values and tried to dress them up as Christian. We live in a majority Christian nation. Which set of beatitudes fits the prevailing mindset? What do we truly value?
The Sermon on the Mount offers us the alternative scene. A vision of a different kind of Kingdom. Jesus, the one who calls himself the true gate— the way, the truth, and the life —with open arms, welcomes all the poor beggars, sad souls, humble workers, and do-gooders... all the forgivers, innocents, peace-makers, and sufferers who dare to reject the wisdom of the world for the foolishness of true discipleship.
There are two paths. Two gates. If you choose the way of discipleship, know that it is the narrow path that few will find.... but we're getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?
Father, We repent of our worldly values. Too often we have cherished the rich and famous and we have rewarded the naked pursuit of power. Too often we have talked ourselves into believing that you want us to be proud and unforgiving. Open our eyes to your Kingdom values. Make us truly pure in heart so that we can see you. Amen.
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