Heaven Shining Down on the Mountain
Transfiguration Sunday, 2019 / March 2 and 3 Deuteronomy 34:1-12 / Hebrews 3:1-6 / Luke 9:28-36 And as Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. Dear Christian Friends, In the past 8 weeks of Epiphany, we have been doing some rejoicing, some exploring, and some reflecting. Rejoicing in the simple Good News that God has reached down from heaven to rescue in places like Bethlehem, the river Jordan, and Cana in Galilee in the Person of Jesus Christ. We’ve been exploring the obvious truth that mission and ministry happen in specific locations like Nazareth and Capernaum, places with significant history and particular opportunities. We’ve been reflecting on this epic battle between the Light of this world and forces of darkness on the Sea of Galilee and on the level plain near that sea where Jesus is preaching to the crowds. Last week, we learned one more time that the Church collectively is called to be on a rescue mission and because we are on a rescue mission, we will find it possible to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, and bless those who curse us. Today we have this amazing glimpse of God’s glory on the Mountain of Transfiguration. We’re not sure if this Mt. Tabor, which is a small mountain rising up from the Jezreel value, some distance southwest of Lake Galilee. Or perhaps it was Mt. Hermon, which was some distance north of the Sea of Galilee up on the coastland near Caesarea Philippi. But what we do know is that Jesus had taken Peter, James and John up with him to pray. We know that as he was praying, Jesus face was changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. We know that Moses who represented the Law and Elijah who represented the prophets were talking with Jesus about his departure. The literal word was the exodus, and in this case referred to the death of Jesus which was flashing before their eyes. Deader than a (doornail) When I think of death flashing before my eyes, I think of a racoon I hit with my car several years ago on my way back from Waldorf in the darkness. I will not soon forget the look in that racoon’s eyes in the instant before he made his exodus from this life here and now. As soon as I could start breathing again, I thought to myself, he is deader than a doornail. (Story of researching the history of that phrase “being deader than a doorknob”, taking a survey around the office area and giving this phrase to complete – deader than a _______. Every person said “doornail” except for one young pastor who shall remain nameless. He said “deader than a sandwich”) Point of this story – to see life from the perspective of the racoon – death flashing before your very eyes. On the Mountain of Transfiguration, Jesus had death flashing before his very eyes. As a way of preparing his disciples for what was to come, Jesus was giving his disciples a glimpse of his glory before they made the way down the mountain, into Jerusalem, where he would faithfully suffer under Pontius Pilate and be crucified until he was dead and buried. (Story by Francis Chaan, whose family member had died and was cremated. He was sleeping in the room where those ashes in the urn was located. And he couldn’t stop thinking about that day when he would die and be reduced to dust and ashes. He couldn’t get out of his head questions like, “what has my life been about? Has my life been all about telling the world how amazing is our Savior?) In our text for today, it seems as though Jesus Christ is trying to move his disciples from Point A to Point B. Two parts to our sermon today as we think about the need for God to keep on moving us from Point A to Point B, as we pray for the Holy Spirit to keep on working on our hearts, to keep on changing our attitudes, to keep on sanctifying and enlightening our spirits. Sermon part #1 is that the transfigured Christ was trying to move his inner circle From sleepy and contented to (fear and trembling) The older one gets, it seems as though the sleepier many of us get. A couple of years ago, I laid down with six year old Oliver to get him to take a nap. Some time later, Oli woke me up and told me that he couldn’t get to sleep because I was snoring! In our text for today, Jesus as Jesus was praying, his face lit up like the sun itself, his clothing turned as white and dazzling as a bolt of lightning, Jesus (the very Son of God) and Moses (a representative of the Law) and Elijah (representative of the prophets) are standing there talking about the death of the Messiah Himself, the disciples – what are they doing? Sleeping, I wonder if they were snoring. We don’t know if they were sleeping because Jesus was praying long (like one of your pastors), or maybe they were sleeping out of nervousness or maybe the majesty of it all, but what we do know is that Peter lurched right into a spirit of contentment, Who can blame Peter for wanting to prolong this experience, “Master, how excellent it is for us to be here! And let us make three booths, three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. It wouldn’t be the first time nor the last time that Peter spoke without thinking. Eventually we hear him reflecting on this mountain top experience with fear and trembling, which is where Christ would want him to be, “16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. The kingdom of God is like a group of farmers I knew in the first church I served near Lewiston, Minnesota. Every Sunday morning they would come into our warm and cozy wood frame church after 3-5 hours of feeding and milking dairy cows. Almost every Sunday morning they would get a little sleepy during the sermons, or maybe the prayers, but as often as they would stand for the reading of the Gospel, as often as they would sing a favorite hymn, as often as they would kneel for their Lord’s Supper, that often they would be fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things. Sermon Part #2 is that the transfigured Christ was trying to move his inner circle of disciples From eyewitnesses of majesty to servants of (the cross). The order of God’s kingdom is always suffering before glory. While it is true that in today’s Gospel, a few select disciples get a glimpse of glory before they go down the mountain into months and years and even decades of trouble and trial and worse, it is a rule of thumb in the life of a Christian that suffering precedes glory. James wrote a verse that is at the same time one of my most and least favorite passages of the Bible, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” In the verses immediately preceding heaven shining down on the mount of transfiguration, Jesus declared to anyone caring to listen that if folks wanted to be following him, they would need every day to be denying their own desires and picking up their own crosses. On the very next day after our Father in heaven boomed out of the cloud, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”, Jesus heals a boy with an unclean spirit and everybody was astonished at the majesty of God. Soon after that Jesus predicted he would soon be delivered into the hands of men, right after that an argument broke out among the disciples about who was the greatest. Can we agree what a bunch of knuckleheads disciples in every generation can be? And yet Jesus and his Holy Spirit keep on moving us from sinful knuckleheadness to the forgiveness of sins, through preaching and teaching and life experience, Jesus and His Spirit keep on coaching, they keep on sending away our sins, they keep on being faithful, they keep on moving us towards servanthood. And hopefully servanthood with a smile! The kingdom of God is like class of 20 confirmands I know that drifts in and out of attentiveness in a regular kind of a way. By nature, they don’t listen well, but as often as I draw near, look them in the eyes, and tell them a good story, they are all ears. By nature, they chat and they day dream and they forget, but as often as the Word of God is faithfully planted, as often as the Bible truths connect with their souls, as often as they are reminded that Jesus loves them so much, Jesus is with them, Jesus has a wonderful plan for their lives, Jesus is patient and Jesus is kind and Jesus doesn’t keep a record of their wrongs……….that often they have the potential to move from learning to serving, from receiving love to giving it away, from having their own faults and failures forgiven to forgiving other people’s faults and failures. As quiet as (mice) When all the dust had settled, once the great voice from heaven had spoken, Luke records that Jesus was found alone, and they kept silent, they told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. Quiet as mice, they were, which Jesus had commanded. Matthew elaborates, that upon hearing the voice the disciples fell on their faces in great fear, that Jesus touched them, they arose and saw that the cloud was gone, Jesus was alone. Quiet as mice they were, even Peter was at a loss for words. The kingdom of God is like a pastor who is telling his confirmation class one closing story. The story is of him standing at his mom’s left arm, his sister standing at her right. He holds her hand with a little oxygen detector on her finger, and as she breathes her last, the little oxygen register falls to zero. Death is flashing before their eyes. There are no words. They believe in the forgiveness of sins. Now begins the wait for the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Quiet as mice is this confirmation class, even 7th and 8th graders are at a loss for words.
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Heaven Shining Down on Our Enemies
Luke 6:27-38 and Genesis 45:3-15 Seventh in a Series of Nine Epiphany Sermons February 23 and 24, 2019 Dear Christian friends, We’ve been weaving our way through the life and ministry of Jesus rejoicing, exploring, and reflecting. First of all rejoicing that God has reached down from heaven to rescue us in the Person of Jesus Christ. Secondly we’ve been exploring the obvious truth that mission and ministry happen in specific locations, each with their own significant history and particular opportunities. Third, we’ve been reflecting on this epic battle between the Light of the world and the forces of darkness taking place in ever corner of God’s kingdom, and in every generation, including ours. In previous weeks, we’ve seen heaven shining down / (referencing map)
The location of today’s sermon is on a level plain, and he’s preaching. Three circles of people are surrounding him, a small circle of 12 disciples, a larger circle of followers, and a much larger circle of folks from all over Galilee and Jerusalem and Judea, even the coastlands are represented. Last week, we saw heaven shining down on outsiders, on those who have no power and no privileges here and now. Today, we see heaven shining down on our enemies through us. Heaven shining down on our enemies by the way we we think, the way that we speak, the way that we listen, the way that we act. Two parts to our sermon today, first we identify who are our enemies, and secondly, we think about how and why we are to go about loving them. Would you rescue him? Imagine that you are a college aged guy, that you are a lifeguard at a beach, and that there is a group of guys that has been giving you a hard time. They have been making fun of your physical appearance, they have been embarrassing you in front of your girl friend, and the worst of it is that one of the guys in particular is working hard to steal away your girl friend. In your heart, a spirit of bitterness has turned into hatred, and more than once you have wished for him to be dead. Now imagine that he has wandered into deep water, and it comes to your attention that he’s in very real danger of drowning. Your assignment, in that moment, is to love your enemy, it is to do good to a person who has hated you. Would you rescue him? A couple of weeks ago, we saw Jesus calling Peter and others away from their fishing business to be on a rescue mission to catch people alive. Today we hear Jesus making it clear that it’s easy to love those who are loving us back. Even unbelievers can do that. It’s easy to be kind and patient and forgiving towards those who are kind and patient and forgiving kinds of folks. Just about anybody can do that. Today Jesus invites us collectively to be on a rescue mission which includes being kind to the rudest of the rude. It includes being patient towards those who couldn’t care less what we are thinking of them. It includes forgiving those who aren’t asking for our forgiveness. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Sermon part #1 - (Identifying) our enemies For the early disciples, enemies were easy to identify. There were the Pharisees and the Saduccees who were secretly and eventually openly plotting against and wanting to harm Jesus and anybody who was following him. All four Gospels are filled with first century religious leaders giving Jesus a hard time, they tried hard to trick him and trap him with their riddles, they spread rumors far and wide about him breaking sabbath and other ceremonial laws, as you well know, they ended up crying out for his crucifixion and bullying Pilate and Roman soldiers into doing just that. A second group of enemies for those early disciples were Samaritans. Right in the middle of Palestine in Jesus’ day, right between Galilee to the north and Judea to the south, was Samaria. This was a no – go area for Jewish people. Galileans who wanted to travel to Jerusalem would tend to bypass this whole area on their way southward. They would go down the Jordan Valley towards Jericho and then into Jerusalem, which would add another 25 miles to their journey. Samaritans and Jews had been sworn enemies for 400 years. On one occasion, John and James asked Jesus if they should call down fire upon an unwelcoming Samaritan village. You will remember Jesus healing ten lepers, and only one of them, a Samaritan, bothered to return thanks. In the story of the Good Samaritan, it was the Jewish priest and levite who came out looking self-centered and lacking compassion. Samaritans and Jews were both political and religious enemies. Animosity was bred and taught right into their souls from childhood on. Who might you and I identify as enemies in these days? Often they are the people close to us who have been hurt. It could be a spouse, a former spouse, or even a parent. It could be a son or daughter, a co-worker, or a Face-book friend who has opposite political views. Our enemies could be folks who have insulted us or we have insulted them. The animosity could be male/female, it could be baby boomer/millennial, it could be democratic/republican, it could be conservative/liberal, it could be employer/employee, the conflict could be real or imagined, it could be based on long standing differences or merely a hot tempered reaction. For reflection – who are the three or four folks in my life who I have been avoiding in these days? Who are the folks who I have taken cheap shots at instead of caring about their story. Who are the folks who have made it clear they are against what we believe? Sermon part #2 - (Loving) our enemies. So how is it and why is it that we are to be loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us? How is it and why is it that we should be trying to rescue people who don’t think they need to be rescued? Loving our enemies isn’t just thinking nice thoughts about them. It’s about throwing ourselves on the mercy of God and Him doing a heart change within us. Loving our enemies is about hearing Jesus pleading for his father to forgive those soldiers who were nailing him to the cross, for they didn’t know what they were doing. Loving our enemies is about God somehow loving the nation of Israel even when they were thumbing their nose at him, it’s about Jesus Christ dying for us while we were yet in our sins, it’s about God in heaven above working in Joseph the kind of faith able to forgive his brothers who had sold him into slavery, loving our enemies is about the Holy Spirit teaching and counseling and guiding us into the truth that set us free, it’s about us letting our Gospel light shine so that others may see our good works and glorify our God in heaven above. In these three ways, we would go about loving our enemies this week. First, we would be loving our enemies With intelligent (purpose). The kingdom of God is like a Christian who regularly engages in political debate on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter. Most days, she restrains himself, tries to be reasonable, and let’s a lot of comments slide by. But on her bad days, she gets fed up and just lets it rip, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. This week, she makes a promise to herself that before she comments in writing, she will ask this question, “How can I comment in such a way that whoever reads it will be directed to Jesus Christ as the kind and patient Savior that he is? Second, we would be loving our enemies With words, actions, and (restraint). The kingdom of God is like a man who is as wounded as he can be by a marriage gone bad. Most days, he watches what he says to his ex wife, he tries to take the high road, and he bites his tongue hard and often. But on his bad days, he has been known to get fed up, he lets it rip, he curses, he demands, he counts the ways he has been wronged, he takes the low road. This week, he makes a promise to himself that whenever tempted to go small and petty, he will ask this question, “How can I speak, how can I act in a way that will honor Jesus Christ, in a way that his name would be kept holy, in a way that his kingdom would come? Third, we would be loving our enemies With the right (attitude), The kingdom of God is like a middle aged person who regularly prays for her family, her friends, her small town, her congregation, and all those who are in authority. Rarely does she pray for those who have offended, those who have excluded, those who have treated her as if she doesn’t really exist. This week, she prays that God would help her to care about that which He care about, she prays that God would work in her heart a stronger faith and a better attitude. Speaking of attitude, I was sitting in my favorite chair this past week, and our 8 year old grandson Oli was sitting nearby. As I often do with my grandchildren, I was giving advice, even though they weren’t asking. I was reading an article about having a good attitude, and so I interrupted his screen time by asking, “Oli, you know what?” “What?” I read to him a quote about how attitude is everything, and as I started pontificating, he looked me in the eyes and said, “No, Grandpa, (Christ) is everything! After a little bit of back and forth, I agreed with him, and Debi and I had one of those “proud to be grandparents” moments! Dear friends in Christ, as you go about loving those who are hard to love this week, know that Jesus Christ lived a perfect life for you, he suffered for you, he was crucified until he was dead and buried for you, he rose up again for you, he is ruling all of heaven and earth on behalf of us, and this week, he invites us to join him on this grand rescue mission that includes both friend and foe alike. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. I know the plans I have for you
Funeral Sermon for Scott Steinberg Matthew 11:28-30 // Revelation 2:10-11 // Jeremiah 29:10-11 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our sermon text for today is Jeremiah 29:11, I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, and Matthew 11 where Jesus says, “I will give you rest.” Dear friends in Christ, Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Come to me, you who are tired, and I will give you rest. I can tell you this, there are different kinds of tired. I remember my summers at camp during my college days. I would get done with the college semester just tired. Long nights, lots of caffeine, little sleep, bad food, reading, typing, and sitting. It was exhausting. But then, I would go to camp. I remember that our days would start as the sun rose and we would be watching children until late. My days were full of canoeing and swimming, full of silly games and Bible study, full of walking miles and miles and miles through the woods and making breakfast, lunch and dinner over the fire. I was tired but in a different way. Not so much of late nights and caffeine but full days and tasks well done. Not so much of writing papers and taking tests, but the questions of campers dealing with real life. Scott was so tired at the end. But let me tell you what he was tired of. He was tired of breathing through a trach tube. tired of sickness, tired of pain, tired of doctors, tired of treatments. But I can tell you what he wasn’t tired of. He wasn’t tired of his dear wife. He wasn’t tired of his daughters. He wasn’t tired of his dear little granddaughter, Emma Lynn. And today, I would invite you to be tired, to be absolutely tired of death. To be tired of pain, tired of tears, tired of sorrow. Tired of struggle, tired of sin. Today, I would invite you to be tired of all these things that will pass away. And today I would invite you never, ever be tired of these words, the words of our Gospel reading, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Never ever tire that the grace given in Jesus Christ is amazing, just as Trista sung, that the Lord is exactly what it says in Psalm 46, a refuge for all who are weary, and a strength especially when you are weak. Though your whole world would fall down around you, he is ever-present as a help in times of trouble. I can tell you that when my son Benjamin was born, he was whisked away from us up to Children’s Hospital in St. Paul. We traveled on up in the afternoon and spent his second night alive up there, taking turns feeding him his bottle during the night, and I remember looking down at him, this precious little one in my arms, just two little handfuls of human being, and thinking, I’m never going to be tired again. I don’t need sleep anymore. I just need to look at this little guy, and I’ll be fine. That didn’t last long. But still, I know that I will never tire of seeing him grow up. I will never tire of seeing him figure out who he is. I will never tire of seeing this two little handfuls of human turn into a walking, talking toddler, turn into a speaking, running big kid, turn into a young man and beyond, wondering at the plans that my God has for him. I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. God’s plan for Scott included working construction and providing for his family. They included raising up four beautiful daughters. They included being a husband for 41 years. They included being a gentle and fun presence at daycare with all the girls and the boys (Because of him, Benny knows more about hunting than I do). They included the days of cancer, God’s plans included the days in the hospital, the days of pain. They included the surgeries gone well and the surgeries with complications. And in the end, they included the days when he could hold his little grandbaby, Emma Lynn Charlotte. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. More than all of that, God’s plans included that he sent his son to die for Scott, that he rose up on the third day for Scott, that in his baptism, Scott’s name was written in the Book of life, and in the name of Jesus, there is no more pain and there is no more cancer and there are no more tears where he is at Jesus’s side. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. That there will be a day when you, Carol, will speak to Scott once again in his flesh, and he will respond to you with his own voice. There will be a day when you will sit down together to enjoy the feast which has no end, to eat and drink in full what we know in part on the bench in your dining room. In the chapel during Christmas. The Lord’s Supper where we eat and drink with all the living and all the faithful departed. There will be a day when we know in full that cancer and loss and tears and hospital beds and pain no longer will ever have the last laugh. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans to prosper you and not to harm. Plans that end only in endless joy. Plans that end in a future far better than we could imagine. Plans that end in eternal life that has no end. May Scott rest in peace. Amen. I know the plans I have for you
Funeral Sermon for Scott Steinberg Matthew 11:28-30 // Revelation 2:10-11 // Jeremiah 29:10-11 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our sermon text for today is Jeremiah 29:11, I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, and Matthew 11 where Jesus says, “I will give you rest.” Dear friends in Christ, Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Come to me, you who are tired, and I will give you rest. I can tell you this, there are different kinds of tired. I remember my summers at camp during my college days. I would get done with the college semester just tired. Long nights, lots of caffeine, little sleep, bad food, reading, typing, and sitting. It was exhausting. But then, I would go to camp. I remember that our days would start as the sun rose and we would be watching children until late. My days were full of canoeing and swimming, full of silly games and Bible study, full of walking miles and miles and miles through the woods and making breakfast, lunch and dinner over the fire. I was tired but in a different way. Not so much of late nights and caffeine but full days and tasks well done. Not so much of writing papers and taking tests, but the questions of campers dealing with real life. Scott was so tired at the end. But let me tell you what he was tired of. He was tired of breathing through a trach tube. tired of sickness, tired of pain, tired of doctors, tired of treatments. But I can tell you what he wasn’t tired of. He wasn’t tired of his dear wife. He wasn’t tired of his daughters. He wasn’t tired of his dear little granddaughter, Emma Lynn. And today, I would invite you to be tired, to be absolutely tired of death. To be tired of pain, tired of tears, tired of sorrow. Tired of struggle, tired of sin. Today, I would invite you to be tired of all these things that will pass away. And today I would invite you never, ever be tired of these words, the words of our Gospel reading, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Never ever tire that the grace given in Jesus Christ is amazing, just as Trista sung, that the Lord is exactly what it says in Psalm 46, a refuge for all who are weary, and a strength especially when you are weak. Though your whole world would fall down around you, he is ever-present as a help in times of trouble. I can tell you that when my son Benjamin was born, he was whisked away from us up to Children’s Hospital in St. Paul. We traveled on up in the afternoon and spent his second night alive up there, taking turns feeding him his bottle during the night, and I remember looking down at him, this precious little one in my arms, just two little handfuls of human being, and thinking, I’m never going to be tired again. I don’t need sleep anymore. I just need to look at this little guy, and I’ll be fine. That didn’t last long. But still, I know that I will never tire of seeing him grow up. I will never tire of seeing him figure out who he is. I will never tire of seeing this two little handfuls of human turn into a walking, talking toddler, turn into a speaking, running big kid, turn into a young man and beyond, wondering at the plans that my God has for him. I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. God’s plan for Scott included working construction and providing for his family. They included raising up four beautiful daughters. They included being a husband for 41 years. They included being a gentle and fun presence at daycare with all the girls and the boys (Because of him, Benny knows more about hunting than I do). They included the days of cancer, God’s plans included the days in the hospital, the days of pain. They included the surgeries gone well and the surgeries with complications. And in the end, they included the days when he could hold his little grandbaby, Emma Lynn Charlotte. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. More than all of that, God’s plans included that he sent his son to die for Scott, that he rose up on the third day for Scott, that in his baptism, Scott’s name was written in the Book of life, and in the name of Jesus, there is no more pain and there is no more cancer and there are no more tears where he is at Jesus’s side. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. That there will be a day when you, Carol, will speak to Scott once again in his flesh, and he will respond to you with his own voice. There will be a day when you will sit down together to enjoy the feast which has no end, to eat and drink in full what we know in part on the bench in your dining room. In the chapel during Christmas. The Lord’s Supper where we eat and drink with all the living and all the faithful departed. There will be a day when we know in full that cancer and loss and tears and hospital beds and pain no longer will ever have the last laugh. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans to prosper you and not to harm. Plans that end only in endless joy. Plans that end in a future far better than we could imagine. Plans that end in eternal life that has no end. May Scott rest in peace. Amen. Heaven Shines Down on the Outcasts
Seventh in a series of nine, “Heaven Shines Down” Luke 6:17-26 // Jeremiah 17:5-8 // 1 Cor 15:12-20 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our sermon text for today is the first portion of Jesus’s sermon on the plain, as Luke retells the Beatitudes, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of heaven is yours...” Our text thus far. Dear friends in Christ, God does not choose places or people at random but deliberately. God does not ignore the past of his people but uses every bit, every scrap of everything that we are to demonstrate his grace, his mercy, and his peace. We’ve been seeing heaven shine down at Bethlehem, at the River Jordan, at Cana during a wedding feast, in Nazareth when Jesus is rejected, in Capernaum as Jesus heals and teaches, and last week, we saw heaven shine down as Jesus calls the disciples and tells them, I will make you fishers of men. Pastor Griffin said, “Jesus moved Peter from timidity to courage... and it wasn’t just a one-time deal.” So, after seeing thousand chasing after him for healing, after seeing hundreds of disciples gathering around him, after selecting his 12 disciples... Today, we see Jesus lifting up his eyes on his disciples, out and among so many that came to him for so many reasons, and he begins to teach. Four blessings and four woes for today, and all four of these, they really just say (one thing). One thing, one main point said four different ways. Let me read them all together. Blessed are you who are poor, and woe to you who are rich, for the kingdom of heaven is at stake. Blessed to you who are hungry and woe to you who are full, for satisfaction in heaven is at stake! Blessed are you who mourn and woe to you who are laughing, for joy in heaven is at stake. And here’s the most important one, and you know that because Jesus spends the most time saying it. Blessed are you when you are persecuted, and woe to you when people speak well of you, for your reward in heaven is at stake. But before we get to that one thing, notice some of the context. All of these blessings and woes point us again and again to the truth that this earth is a heavenly (battlefield), and remember our definition of heavenly from a few weeks ago—heaven is to be in the presence of God. Your kindness demonstrates the kindness of Jesus. Your response to adversity can encourage faith (which clings to eternal life!) in others. Your life in the body of Christ is where God has chose to make “Thy kingdom come and thy will be done” to come on earth as it is in heaven. To say it in a different way, if you had eyes to see it, you would see in every interaction, every situation, every action, every reaction, in every one of those, there is a supreme battle raging between light and darkness, where every one of your actions has a cosmic effect, where heaven itself is at stake. But back to the one thing. These verses only really say one thing, that’s this: Blessed are those who (have no power). Woe to those who (do have power). What does that mean? Blessed are you when you are on the margins, when you are on the edge. Woe to you when you are the influencer, when you are in the center, when you are the leader and the doer. Blessed are you when the only hope that you can possibly have is heaven. Woe to you when life is going well enough that you think you can do it on your own. What does that mean? Does that mean we should seek to be sad, that we should seek to make bad business decisions, that we should starve ourselves? And well, that misses the point as well, because those are only the outward signs of something greater. The point isn’t to be poor and hungry and weeping and scorned, because being that is only a by-product of what Jesus really wants. Instead, it’s about a person (and I quote), “who no longer requires such things for satisfaction.”[1] What would it look like to no longer require such things for satisfaction? To no longer require wealth to know serenity and security? To no longer require laughter to know joy? To no longer require food to know fullness? To no longer require influence to know that you are to be an example of Christ’s love even to those who hate you? Because, there will be a day when your Christian calling won’t match your gifts. The kingdom of heaven is like a man whose greatest calling in life was to be a husband, and he was good at laying down your life for your wife, but now she’s gone. The kingdom of heaven is like a woman who exulted in using her body to run marathons, making friends. She felt alive there in a way that nothing could compare, but now her knees give out and she’ll never be out there again. The kingdom of heaven is like a woman named Joni Earickson, whose promising life came to a halt when she became a quadriplegic. She couldn’t do what she always thought she would do. She couldn’t do hardly anything at all. But slowly and surely, she found that the Lord wasn’t done with her, and that he had more for her to do than she ever thought possible. Because each and every one of us is going to come to that point, when what we want to do doesn’t match what we can do. Or to say it the way that St. Paul said it, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Your reward is in heaven, and heaven shines down to us in (Jesus). Because, no matter however your circumstances change, your God stays the same. Jesus died for all of your sins, whether your sins feel heavy or not. Jesus was raised for your eternal life, whether you see the horror of death in front of you or not. Jesus empowers you with an unearthly peace and a godly strength whether you feel like it or not. He is the kingdom of heaven. He is our reward. He is heaven itself. And he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen and amen. [1]https://www.umass.edu/wsp/alpha/forum/egl2017/Wright-EGL%20Paper.pdf |
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October 2022
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