Blessed! ... and a Blessing

Opening Illustration

Happiness … all sorts of things to all sorts of people ..

curled up in front of a warm fire sipping a beverage and reading a good book

rugged up with every bit of warm clothing you have .. facing the wind and rain .. and watching your float go zoonk to another fat healthy Blackfish

a quiet dinner after all the kids have gone to bed

when all the nuts are off the trees and there is a great harvest waiting for pick up

all the family together

kids off for school holidays

kids go back to school after holidays

a day in the sun … day in the snow

Happiness is … ________________ well .. you fill in the blank

Whats the GOOD LIFE?

Jesus is going to outline His rendition of a life that counts .. a desirable life .. in this sermon that stretches for 3 chapters .. the longest recorded speech that Jesus gave in the NT

The start is 8 pithy statements that start with BLESSED … The latin translation (beatus) has a variety of meanings .. FORTUNATE .. GOES WELL FOR THOSE WHO … Some translate the word as HAPPY .. which is a fair stretch .. it takes a pretty godly person to be happy with persecution!

Coz Jesus is not really talking about an EMOTION we have BUT .. rather .. a LIFESTYLE that is good to have

We call them the BEATITUDES .. if life is like this .. wow .. what a privileged position to be in!

Blessed! vv.1-12

NOW .. the tricky thing here about this passage is CONTEXT .. the original hearers are JEWS .. Jesus speaks to fellow Israelites .. which is not to say that this sermon is relevant to us .. but means we need to think about HOW it applies to us

Israel are doing it tough .. and it’s their fault in Jesus day Israel are a small country living under the occupation of the Roman Empire .. and every time they pay their taxes to Caesar .. paying for the privilege of living in their own country .. it really irks them .. they should be a GREAT nation .. BLESSED .. others should look up to them

So .. this certainly takes the JEWISH reader by surprise .. for them a blessed life is have a patch of dirt in the promised land .. a wife and kids .. your inheritance intact .. olive trees .. lots of sheep .. peace and tranquility .. there’s blessing .. and there’s an EXPECTATION that when the MESSIAH KING comes, He’ll have a sword and an army and fight .. get rid of the OPPRESSORS .. live in PEACE .. there’s BLESSING

And to some extent that’s what we think .. life if great .. is good .. when I have a good job .. happy wife.. kids .. nice house .. car .. good health .. friends .. when life and job are fulfilling and satisfying .. reducing tax and working towards a stress free retirement

Israel are NOT blessed because they are lousy at being the people of God .. following His ways .. read it for yourself in .. Moses speaking to the people … blessed if you OBEY … cursed if you don’t .. and the sad history of Israel is that they are a STIFF NECKED PEOPLE ... following all sorts of other idols .. who add Yahweh to a long list of pagan gods

Jesus is preaching to an Israel who need to change .. as we’ve seen .. time to REPENT .. turn around coz the KINGDOM is near .. THIS IS A SPIRITUAL ISSUE esp for this nation

Jesus is keen to teach the crowds that are gathering … so they go up the mountain to a level place .. there is an echo of Moses on the mountain .. but One greater than Moses sits and speaks .. for those keen to be IN the Kingdom of Heaven .. to follow the King .. here is the way of BLESSING .. it will go well with those who seek first God’s KINGDOM or … KINGDOM READY / PENITENT people will look like this …

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.

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.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

.. this is what repentance looks like

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

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

2 categories GODLY DISSATISFACTION and GODLY CONDUCT

for they will inherit the earth.

GODLY DISSATISFACTION

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.

Blessed if dissatisfied with your own SPIRITUAL STATE .. you know you are a SPIRITUAL BANKRUPT .. you know how far you have fallen .. that’s great if you are like that .. you know that you have fallen short of God .. you HAVE to be like that to gain the KINGDOM .. you have to be a SPIRITUAL BEGGAR .. pleading for mercy .. people who are ASHAMED of themselves .. their SINFULNESS .. nothing in my hand I bring .. that’s the attitude that will be needed

Is the first thing Jesus says because it is the hardest to do HUMBLE OURSELVES .. esp in OUR society where SELF ESTEEM is what everything is about being happy with who you are .. positive self image .. Jesus is saying that in your sinfulness you can’t be happy with who you are .. you are NOT good enough to get to heaven

v.4 .. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted .. definitely need the context here .. are you an Israelite who MOURNS that you are not a nation that you are supposed to be .. despair that things are not as they should be .. for us .. we are people who LONG for heaven to come .. we are wearied by the world around us that is evil .. where injustice seems to win .. corruption seems the norm .. sometimes you want to cry .. when will God usher his kingdom in .. if that’s you .. good on you .. there is comfort .. not too much in this world .. but one day PERFECT PEACE will be established .. all WRONGS will be made RIGHT .. the KINGDOM will be seen in all it’s glory when Jesus returns

v.5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth () .. not pushy .. humbly, patiently, gently waiting for the kingdom to come .. the inheritance .. dissatisfied with what’s happening .. seems to be taking ages!!

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

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

for they will be filled

HUNGRY .. THIRSTY .. great motivators .. ever tried to diet? Ever been in a situation where you can’t find something to drink .. hot days when nothing seems to quench your thirst

Blessed are you if you are as keen as that to see justice done .. for this place to be put right .. the way it was intended to be .. seeing the effects of sin and rebellion really makes you groan .. the morally bankrupt who dominate .. you long for that .. Father .. YOUR kingdom come .. one day you will be filled .. work at it now .. do what you can but final satisfaction is coming .. you will be filled ultimately when Jesus comes back

These verses show a GODLY DISSATISFACTION .. not happy with ourselves .. or our world but actively and humbly waiting for the Lord to do His work … for the kingdom to come and sin to be dealt with

GODLY CONDUCT

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.

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.

Interesting that this qualities are all attributes of God merciful ..pure in heart .. peacemakers .. Jesus is saying .. be like your God .. which makes sense. As DISCIPLES .. followers and learners we do as our teacher does .. it’s about being HOLY .. other person centred

AND .. when like that you will be pleasing God but angering others … 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.

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.

No way around that .. if you are serious about being godly then you’ll stand out .. you’re different .. others will react

Even .. and especially … your own countrymen .. there has been plenty of warning before .. the nation warned through the prophets .. the vision of the KINGDOM to come has been expressed by many messengers .. people who have been abused .. Elijah who flees for his life .. Jeremiah thrown into a well .. Isaiah who tradition says he was put in a hollow log and sawn in 2 .. no way to treat God’s messengers

Jeremiah thrown into a well ..

It’s interesting that as Matthew closes his gospel .. .. Jesus lets loose with a verbal attack on the so called spiritual people .. not a blessing but a curse .. a chapter where Jesus says “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! .. He calls them: blind guides .. white-washed graves .. all pomp and show but Jesus sees through all that .. You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

And it gets worse .. “.. you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your ancestors! “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your ancestors!

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

We know that is true .. these Pharisees and teachers are not pursuing righteousness .. they persecute those who are

So .. Jesus is here saying .. these qualities are what make KINGDOM people .. do you see yourself here .. is Jesus describing you ?

Being a Blessing vv. 13-16

There are some pithy statements that are really inspirational .. the US forces watched snippets of the movie GLADIATOR before the GULF WAR .. there’s a classic line as the movie opens .. the scene is the major battle against the BARBARIAN HORDES … General Maximus (Russell Crowe) turns to his troops and says .. Brothers .. know this .. What we do in life echoes into eternity!

Great line!

Jesus is expressing something similar to His disciples .. the KINGDOM FOLLOWERS .. His fishers of people .. this is the role you have

Y’see … what you do .. who your are .. as you live each day, will have impact for eternity .. coz each day we are called on to be SALT and LIGHT on this earth

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

If you are a GENUINE disciple of the Kingdom, you who are BLESSED … will be a BLESSING to others

SALT

Don’t lose the CONTEXT .. who’s the YOU in v.13? Yep .. Israel .. Israel, YOU are the salt of the EARTH .. but .. if they don’t get their act together they will be thrown out .. they are good for nothing .. they are not living up to their calling .. to be a KINGDOM of priests .. a channel of blessing to the nations

In our western 21st century world we are trying to DECREASE salt in our diet .. all sorts of health issues with excesses of salt .. In the 1st century, salt was highly prized because it helped with the TASTE .. it is a SEASONING and was also a PRESERVATIVE

Y’see what does our Jewish writer .. Matthew .. mean as he speaks to his fellow jews? How do they hear this from the mouth of Jesus ?

In the OT SALT is a symbol of the GRACIOUSNESS and FAITHFULNESS of God .. God would make a PROMISE or an AGREEMENT .. called a COVENANT .. eg God promised K David that one of his descendants would be on the throne forever .. as God made that PROMISE there is a COVENANT OF SALT being testimony that God would keep His word "Don't you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?" c.f.

The emphasis is on the FAITHFULNESS of God’s commitment .. Israel, YOU are a SYMBOL of God’s faithfulness on earth .. of God’s GRACE .. God has not given up on His world

Jesus is making the same point in v.14 .. YOU (plural) are the LIGHT of the world .. Israel .. as a NATION .. you are to minister to the rest of MY creation … as the people of God are about to enter the promised land .. notice the stress from God ...

5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

Other nations, living in darkness .. should see the difference in this NATION Israel

“Oh .. so there is only ONE GOD Yahweh, .. and this is what he is like .. and this is how we should worship .. and this is how we should live .. you mean we shouldn’t sacrifice our children to the sun gods .. we shouldn’t have idols … just one wife ? wow etc etc

HOWEVER .. as Jesus speaks to this nation in the first century .. they have been HOPELESS at being the distinctive people pointing to Yahweh .. They are suppose to be the LIGHT on the hill .. obvious .. easily seen .. easily understood

Jesus is saying .. YOU ! ISRAEL ! You’re the SALT .. you’re the LIGHT ... your existence and presence in the world is a sign that God is concerned and interested and will act to restore and rescue His people .. it’s the PROMISE

Y’see .. v.13 is a stern warning to ISRAEL .. BE what you are suppose to be … you are in great danger of being WORTHLESS and therefore DISCARDED trampled underfoot

Sadly .. that’s what continues .. generally speaking the nation ISRAEL has rejected Jesus and have been discarded

HOWEVER for all who are followers of Jesus .. and for us today who know the POWER of the cross .. who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus for our SALVATION .. we continue to be SALT .. that sign and symbol of God’s grace and His fulfilment of His promise and we continue to be LIGHT

We continue to be a CHANNEL of blessing as we point people to Jesus .. our ONLY hope

"God's intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms," ..

Y’see .. collectively .. as the people of God .. we are SALT .. we are LIGHT

Listen to how Peter puts it "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light"

Look around .. you .. the person next to you .. people from all sorts of backgrounds .. families .. all sorts of personalities .. we have our own stories .. and for all of us who are believers we’ve come to the same conviction .. that Jesus is LORD .. we have been convinced of our sin .. our rebellion .. our failure to please God in any way .. we now trust in what Jesus has done for us .. and God’s intention is now that people notice a difference in us .. why do they live like that? Why do they have the moral standards that they have .. why are they generous .. cheerful .. self giving .. patient .. kind .. why are they quick to forgive .. admit they are wrong at times .. repent of their anger .. their stubbornness .. their self-centredness ?

Coz, we .. as a church family .. have an allegiance to KING JESUS and we seek to live with these KINGDOM VALUES .. so as we LIVE like that we let our light shine .. why ? so people can say .. “Wow .. what a fine morally upstanding person that is!” “What a lovely community minded church that is!”

no no .. 16 .. let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven

CONCLUSION

Our role at the people of God is to point to God’s grace .. we can say we are a bunch of people that mourn over our sin .. that know Jesus has given us a privileged position that we don’t deserve .. He’s given me a solid foundation and hope that no one can take away and given me a HOPE that no one can take away .. I have a faith that I am willing to be persecuted for because I’m convinced that there is no other way to be right with God

Yes .. as a disciple living my life before others .. I will be the fragrance of LIFE .. my conversation will be seasoned with salt .. I won’t be a self righteous moralist .. “Look at my good deeds!”

BUT I’ll be living the good life .. the BLESSED life .. which has nothing to do with my house .. family .. job .. car etc People will know that I live with a wisdom grace and love that is of another kind .. a heavenly gift .. and my testimony will always be one of praise for Him who called me out of darkness and into His wonderful light

NOT the first things we think .. there are some BIG lessons to learn .. and ENCOURAGEMENT

Israel are doing it tough .. and it’s their fault in Jesus day Israel are a small country living under the occupation of the Roman Empire .. and every time they pay their taxes to Caesar .. paying for the privilege of living in their own country .. it really irks them .. they should be a GREAT nation .. BLESSED .. others should look up to them