Who (or what) is on your Pedestal?

Introduction

Have you been enjoying the Winter Olympic games these past couple weeks? It’s been refreshing to see a sense of normalcy in international sports. Seeing countries come together in prideful joy of accomplishments. Putting aside political differences for a short time, united in friendly sporting competitions. One of the joys is seeing those smiling faces of those fortunate enough to win gold, silver, bronze medals. Seeing those athletes enjoying time on the podium.

Who (or what) do you cherish in your life, putting them up on your own podiums. Maybe it is a rock star, movie star, sports hero, or astronaut. Maybe it’s a thing....money, fancy cars, houses, exotic vacation spots. Maybe it’s something intangible: power, fame, social status. Maybe (hopefully), we put God on a pedestal. There are many things/people we tend to put up on our own podiums. And when those people in particula come down to our level, well, we see them in more relatable ways. In today’s meeting we see an example of Jesus himself coming down to our level. We witness Him speaking of those less fortunate, those hungry. We hear Him talking about those who find joy in material things and social status. He reminds us of the risk of holding inapproriate things on podiums. Who, or what is on your pedestal?

Reading

He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. Luke 6:17-26

Jesus comes down to our level

This wonderful Sermon from Jesus is delievered on a level plain, where people are gathered to hear Jesus. The people are also present in the hopes of being healed from physical and emotional sickness. Jesus wonderously has come down to us, through His earthly ministry to our level. Wow, God, walking amongst us. No hype. No loftly pulpits. Simply speaking to us. It’s interesting in Luke’s writing that this sermon is not addressed to the masses of people. It is delivered directly to the disciples. His words are addressed to those who have mad a firm vow to be adopted children of God. It is through our faith in accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior…it is through repenting our sinful ways that we become children of God. It is through the resurrection that we entrust our eternal destiny. Paul says it this way:

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Plane language on the Plain

"If we had no faults ourselves, we should not take so much delight in noticing those of others." François duc de La Rochefoucauld

Jesus makes it quite clear, in plane language how to experience blessings: those who don’t rely on material things will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; those who spiritually hunger for a closer relationship with God will be fulfilled; those who sacrifice for the Kingdom of God will experience eternal joy.

Our earthly dilemma comes from our desire for material things, for status symbols, for items we can place on pedestals. Jesus reminds us that by surrounding ourselves with material things, we’ve received our reward in this life, not for eternity. If we fill our own desires now (food, riches, fame, fortune) we’ve received our reward in this life, not for eternity. If we find great joy in earthly activities, we’ve received our reward in this life, not for eternity.

Who, or what is on your pedestal?

Conclusion

“Our God is the God of those who have nothing but God. That actually includes us too, even if our need of God is masked in part by our comparative prosperity. In the final analysis, we are as naked as the poorest of the poor, and our possessions are no tabernacle for everlasting. To paraphrase Johnny Cash, we must not be so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly use; but conversely we must not be of such earthly use that we are no longer heavenly minded. Right at the beginning of the journey of discipleship, Jesus tells us the truth, plainly, of what faithful living is going to be like. We cannot say after today that we have not been plainly advised.” Peter Eaton, Feasting on the Word

Prayer

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalms 1