MARCH 6, 2011
I read a story about a man who gave his wife a list of duties and responsibilities that she was to fulfill. As you can imagine the list became a source of great irritation. In the course of time the man died and the widow later remarried. The new husband loved his wife and did not make any demands of his bride. One day the woman was cleaning out a box of old items and came across the list of duties and responsibilities which her first husband had insisted she fulfill. She was greatly surprised to discover that she was doing every item on the list for her new husband, who loved her as she was. The greatest motivator and incentive of change is being loved and giving love.
Down through the ages, the church has often lifted up the beatitudes as a list of duties and responsibilities that every believer was expected to fulfill. We still have many people who think that being a Christian simply means doing more good than bad. The focus is exclusively on what a person does, on what can be seen. In so doing the church has fallen into the same trap for which the Pharisees and Sadducees were condemned by Jesus. The goal of the Pharisees and Sadducees was a commendable goal. They sought to honor and please God by being obedient to every law given by God. Yet Jesus condemned them, why? They focused exclusively on the external demands of the law and overlooked the inner call to love God. Matthew 23:27-28 (NIV) 27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”The beatitudes serve as a description of what a Christian is to become by the grace of God. The beatitudes reflect a change of our attitudes as we are transformed by the love of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) “1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In Christ our motivation changes from a sense of duty to responding in love. We seek to do what is right because we desire to show God how much we love Him and that we are seeking to honor and please Him.
“7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” I heard a North Carolina Superior Court judge explain that often when victims ask him for justice, at times they really want revenge. And when a defendant asks for fairness, they really want mercy. Each of us is a sinner saved by God’s grace and mercy. All of us are guilty. For those of us who have accepted God’s mercy, we are called to extend that same mercy and grace to others. The religious leaders in the first century in Israel had no sympathy for anyone who failed to live by the expectations of the law. These religious leaders thought they were so good because of what they did, that they had no need for mercy. In John 8, you might recall they were ready to stone a woman for committing adultery, yet Jesus called on all those who were without sin to cast the first stone. The Pharisees and Sadducees had forgotten the meaning of Micah 6:8 (NIV) “8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” We are blessed as we extend mercy and grace to all those we meet.
“8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” What does it mean to be pure? What does it mean to be impure? Most answers reflect a view that being pure is something that we do or we don’t do. The focus is shifted away from who we are in Christ, to a lifestyle that is dependent on human effort. I had a member of the community tell me last week that if I went into a restaurant that served alcohol that I would be promoting sin. Psalm 51:10 (NIV) “10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” What Jesus understood and taught was that purity is one who has undivided loyalty to God. We are blessed as we continue to put Jesus first in our lives.
In Exodus 33:18-20 (NIV) “18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence… 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." I would have liked to have been with Moses when he saw the glory of God. Yet in this life we can not see the face of God. Yet for those of us who remain loyal to God, we will one day see the face of God without fear. In Revelation 22:4 (NIV) “4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” Blessed are those who have received mercy and then continue to extend mercy for they will see God.
“9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”
“10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If the beatitudes were a list of requirements meant to be fulfilled, then this would seem to be a call to become a martyr. Yet Christ does not call us to become suicide bombers as a way to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Instead Jesus comforts those who suffer under persecution. Jesus was persecuted by religious leaders who supposedly were promoting living for God. Jesus comforts those who are physically or verbally abused because of living for him. John 15:20-21 (NIV) “20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” This blessing is in the present tense. When we are being persecuted for believing and living for Jesus, may we be comforted with the knowledge that we belong to the King of Kings and we are a part of his kingdom. We belong to the kingdom right now.Jesus now shifts to addressing the disciples directly by using the word “you”. 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. We should not be surprised when our living for Christ provokes a hostile reaction. We stand for the truth that is found only in knowing Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 15:22-23 (NIV) “22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well.”
A Christian magazine carried the story of a Christian fisherman who heard a loud splash one night as he lay in his boat. He knew the man in the yacht nearby had been drinking heavily. Without hesitation, the fisherman jumped overboard into the cold water and with great effort pulled the half-drowned man back on board. He gave him artificial respiration, and then put him in his own berth. Having done everything to make him comfortable, he swam back to his own boat. The next morning he returned to the yacht to see how he was doing. “It’s none of your business”, the man said defensively. The fisherman reminded him that he had risked his own life to save him. But instead of gratitude, the man cursed him. As the Christian rowed away, tears filled his eyes. Looking up to heaven, he prayed, “When I think of how men have treated you, dear Lord, I’m filled with sorrow. Now I can begin to understand just a little how you must feel.”
Being rejected and ridiculed is not fun. Yet we are called to rejoice for we will receive our reward in heaven. From the Message, “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. This persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. 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.” Allow Jesus to change your heart and your mind, then our actions will then be changed as well. In living for Christ, we are truly blessed!
Let us pray. Shalom is the Jewish word for peace. Shalom means being complete and whole in every way. Jesus came to make us complete and whole in every way. The best way to promote peace is to introduce people to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We are blessed when we direct people to the Prince of Peace, our brother. Our culture, with Satan’s help, has warped the definition of a peacemaker from what Jesus meant. Jesus was more concerned with helping people make peace with God. We will have lasting peace only when every knee has bowed, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Blessed are those who share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then you are a true peacemaker.
“THE ABILITY TO SEE GOD!”
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