Sermon on the Mount
“Naming”
The name “Beatitudes” is derived from the Latin “beatus” meaning “blessing.” I was very struck by an admission the other day. Someone wrote about their pain in this way: “I wish I could understand the way I feel more than I wish for the feeling to go away.” A name for the feeling would help. Being able to find a name for something; being given a name; is a very powerful thing in life. It has to do with authority; identity; understanding; even hope. Have you ever been in a situation trying to describe and explain the space you are in; the way you’re feeling – and someone just names it. Oh the relief! The joy that someone else knows!
From the beginning of Genesis when God brought every living creature before him to name it – the ability to name anything has held great power. The Beatitudes can be approached and understood in a number of ways. But this morning I want us to consider their ability to “Name.” That is where they are especially potent.
…at the time I was 24. I had been a Christian for about 6 years and while I was working full-time as an employment officer – I was heavily involved in ministry. I was leading the youth group; writing a regular youth group newsletter, leading youth services. I was co-leading a men’s ministry. I was preaching regularly. I was an elder and leading a homegroup. I was heavily involved in organising the annual church camp with one other leader. I was absolutely and utterly committed to one day becoming a pastor and dreamed of the day when my main occupation would be preaching the Word of God. I was focussed and driven.
One day I said to a friend – I can’t put my finger on it, but I think God is going to speak to me. He responded by saying that when God speaks – He sometimes takes you to His mountain. Away from it all – like He did with Moses and Elijah. A few short weeks later – God did just that and took me to His mountain (as such) and began to speak. I found myself in Christchurch for six weeks due to a family emergency – and one night as I was driving down the road I listened to a sermon being played on Radio Rhema. The sermon was on the Beatitudes – and the preacher was speaking about the first one.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
In that moment – God spoke. I had thought I was something of a spiritual giant. What, with all I was doing for the kingdom. Things were happening! But right then – right there in the car – God spoke and His verdict was “I was poor in spirit.” I didn’t hear the “Blessed” bit – or even that “the Kingdom of Heaven” was mine. Just the “poor in spirit.” I had been named. My condition had been exposed. The veneer had been ripped away. I had all these ministry tasks taken away in a heart beat and I discovered I had nothing to pray about anymore – and that my spirituality was ankle deep. I was profoundly shallow. That was my first encounter with the Beatitudes.
My second encounter was about 4 years ago. This time God used another one of the Beatitudes to explain why I’m like I am. In a moment in time one of the Beatitudes summed up my life. “Named” me if you will. It was a moment of revelation. This morning we are considering the Beatitudes in their entirety. As a block of teaching. Before we consider each one more closely in time to come – we need to take a step back from them and see how they “name” very significant aspects of life. Of faith.
The Beatitudes prepare us for what is to come. They are a powerful combination of statement and promise that engender a sense of “I am understood” through to “I have hope” and “I want to live for this.” “This inspires me, calls me.” The Beatitudes name and describe…
1. “Deliverance”
The Beatitudes name and describe deliverance. These nine blessings reach back to the Old Testament and to a very dark time in Israel’s history. They were prisoners of war – and one day word reached them from one of the prophets.
Isaiah.
Isa 61:1-3 says:
"The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory."
These words were spoken to a people in need of an Exodus. Israel had been carried into captivity to Babylon – and Isaiah spoke of the unimaginable. Deliverance from oppression. Again. 700 years later – Jesus entered a place of worship. He picked up the scroll of Isaiah and found the place He wanted to read from. Again – a people in need of an Exodus. A world in need of an Exodus. Luke 4 records the moment. He reads Isa 61 and says “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” A new Exodus declared. Freedom. Escape from oppression. And so – when we read Matt 5, the Beatitudes, how does that relate? There is chain reaction. Isa 61 promises that there will be a new move of God that will deliver and redeem people… Luke 4 announces that this day has now arrived and that the promises of Isa 61 are fulfilled…
Matt 5 the Beatitudes name and describe that deliverance. This is what it looks like. And today, here in this place, they come to bear upon our lives. The Beatitudes name approaching and promised deliverance.
2. “Grace”
The first thing to embrace about the Beatitudes is the fact that they are the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount. They appear before anyone has the chance to obey or disobey Jesus’ teaching. Before we can cheer Him for His profound teaching, or react to the demands of His teaching – nine times He says “Blessed…”
The Beatitudes are unique. There is nothing quite like them in all of scripture let alone any over literature of the time. In the Bible you might get a pairing of blessing statements; but nine? In one passage? Only here in the Sermon on the Mount.
Something special is going on here. It’s grace out of control. God’s action precedes our attempts to live according to the Kingdom of God. It’s “being” before “doing.” It’s living for God “because of…” not “so that…”
Later as the demands of the Sermon on the Mount are outlined – they are obeyed “because of” God’s work in our lives; not “so that” He will work in our lives. It’s a fine point – but one that is often overlooked and results in Christians working very hard to “so that” God will bless them!
3. “Community”
Thirdly – the Beatitudes name and describe the nature, shape and reality of the Kingdom. They describe the characteristics of a community that are gathered around Christ and empowered by Him. The Beatitudes speak of “they” rather than “me.” They are about a community – not an individual. They name and describe a community where the Kingdom of God is evident. The Beatitudes describe membership and citizenship. They describe the community God is forming. The kind of disciples He is creating. It’s the shape of the church – and it is radical. It is a place where there are the poor in spirit; those who mourn; the meek; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; the merciful; the pure in heart; the peacemakers; the persecuted. Interesting shape to a community wouldn’t you say.
How does that shape up over and against most other groupings of people? Is this the kind of community you want to be a part of? The kind of church you want to be a part of?
The kind of Kingdom you want to be serving? Does it “name” life? Does it describe faith and the struggles you face? Do the Beatitudes tell it as it is? And as such – describe a home for you?
4. “Jesus”
The Beatitudes not only describe a community – they describe a Person. As one commentator put it – to read the Beatitudes is “encounter the grace of God and see the face of Christ.” Another has written “…the beatitudes are the autobiography of Jesus, a perfect self-portrait by the Master…the only fully happy man who ever lived.” The Beatitudes name Jesus. They describe Him and show us His character. They name deliverance; grace and community. The way they name Jesus is the most important thing of all. The other three rest on this fact.
In Matt 5:1 we read that Jesus ascended the mountain and His disciples “came to Him.” That phrase – a phrase that appears 49 times in the Gospel of Matthew – is very important. It is a phrase reserved to describe a person approaching the house of God; or a king. Which is the way by which we ought to draw near to Him as we allow His Word to grip our hearts. In a spirit of prayer. As we approach a King.
The best selling book “The Road Less Travelled” starts with a simple statement. “Life is difficult.” The author M Scott Peck makes much of this, what he terms as a “great truth.” Those who fail to recognise this reality, this truth, complicate life and its problems further still.
Life is difficult. We need an Exodus. The world needs an Exodus. This past week, I read an article which highlighted the world’s need for an Exodus in a fantastic way. In the latest edition of National Geographic, there is an intriguing article in which a scientist by the name of Francis Collins is interviewed. He is described as one of the world’s most important scientists. He is the head of a multibillion dollar research program aimed at understanding human nature and healing our innate disorders. That program is called the Human Genome Project.
In 2003 it completed the following goals:
• identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,
• determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,
• store this information in databases,
• improve tools for data analysis,
• transfer related technologies to the private sector, and
• address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.
The article, in introducing Francis Collins, says “He accepted Christ as his saviour in 1978 and has been a devout Christian ever since.” The interview is quite aggressive. Very challenging.
Really difficult questions are put to Collins and the last questions are these:
“Some scientists have predicted that genetic engineering may give us superhuman intelligence and greatly extended life spans, perhaps even immortality. These are possible long-term consequences of the Human Genome Project and other lines of research. If these things happen, what do you think would be the consequences for religious traditions?
I’m really asking, does religion require suffering? Could we reduce suffering to the point where we just won’t need religion?”
Collins answered:
“In spite of the fact that we have achieved all these wonderful medical advances and made it possible to live longer and eradicate diseases, we will probably still figure out ways to argue with each other and sometimes to kill each other, out of our self-righteousness and our determination that we have to be on top. So the death rate will continue to be one per person, whatever the means. We may understand a lot about biology, we may understand a lot about how to prevent illness, and we may understand the life span. But I don’t think we’ll ever figure out how to stop humans from doing bad things to each other. That will always be our greatest and most distressing experience here on this planet, and that will make us long the most for something more.”
That “something more” is the longing for an Exodus. An Exodus that frees us from the oppression and difficulties that often mark life. The Beatitudes offer that “something more.” The Beatitudes can be termed “Exodus Promises.”
We hear their promises. And most importantly we see them in Jesus Himself. Their naming of deliverance, grace and community – and the Deliverer Himself amounts to Exodus Promises. Promises that rest on the initiating love and grace of God. Promises that primarily exist apart from anything we as humans do. We don’t activate these promises as such. We simply respond to them.
If we approach the One declaring them. As one would approach the house of God, a King. And there in His presence – you will discover as He says “Blessed are…” There in His presence – you will experience the reign of God.
Presented By: Rev. Geoff New