I preached at the Stewart Health Center at the Springmoor Retirement Village in Raleigh. Not only is there no recording of it, I don't even have a full script! I have been wondering if I am too dependent on scripts so I never got more detailed that the fat outline below. The notes I preached from were even more condensed. The people at Springmoor are wonderful and gracious and I love going around and greeting everyone after the short vespers service. I'm thrilled that I get to go back again in a month.
This week's lectionary texts are:
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26
The Beatitudes
* Usually think of Matthew
* Very similar passage in Luke
* Sound kind of alike with the “blessed are the…”
* But also some differences
Matthew talked about spiritual things:
* Poor in spirit
* Hunger and thirst for justice
* Mourning
Matthew
* Jewish
* Writing to Jews
* On a hill (“Mount”)
* The image was similar to Moses on Mt. Sinai – Jews had a long faith relationship with God based on God coming to a representative of the people on a mountain – It was helpful to the Jews to think of Jesus in terms of Moses
Luke talked about more physical things:
* Poor
* Hungry
* Weep now
Luke was
* Gentile
* Writing to Gentiles
* On a flat place (“Plain”)
* The image is being among the people as an equal – in the Gentile, Greco-Roman culture the emphasis was on social activities and being together at festivals – It helpful to the Gentiles to think of Jesus in terms of their culture and beliefs
But I believe they are telling the same story – because people tell stories depending on their perspectives.
Example: The elephant story
Matthew and Luke are both trying to tell us something – the same thing.
But what is that thing?
Poor
Hungry
Weeping
Hated – excluded – reviled – defamed
That’s what Luke associates with blessing. HOW CAN THAT BE?
Poor –> the riches of the kingdom of God
Hungry –> filled
Weeping –> laughter
Hated – excluded – reviled – defamed –> GREAT REWARD IN HEAVEN
How does that work?
Luke continues with “Woes” – not in Matthew
Woe to people who are rich – full – laughing – popular
Does the blessing come from being poor? Because that does not seem very loving, does it?
And does that mean that all the people I know who have material wealth are in for misery?
Well… maybe… I guess… because finances sure can be a hassle! But I don’t know that that is a full explanation of what’s happening here.
There is a line in this text that is very important here:
ON ACCOUNT OF THE SON OF MAN
So it is not poor = good and rich = bad
It’s poor WITH JESUS is better than rich WITHOUT JESUS
And the same for being hungry, and crying, and really, really unpopular
All those things WITH JESUS is better than their opposites WITHOUT JESUS
Woe, as used in Scripture, means “a primary exclamation of grief”
And even if you have all the money you can ever imagine needing, without Jesus your life will be one of grief. Because riches cannot give us what we need.
And weeping now, but clinging to the promise of Jesus, will lead to laughter and joy.
Hunger and being full are both temporary.
Weeping and laughter are both temporary.
Popularity and unpopularity are both temporary.
But Jesus and the love of God are permanent. And they are here for us.
Because in his life, Jesus showed us how to keep our priorities straight. He loved people. He fed people. He healed people. He laughed at weddings and cried at funerals.
He cared so much about EVERYBODY else that he made a lot of enemies. And they killed him. But death could not hold him and we now live in the Resurrection.
Jesus knew that that is how God would work, that God WHO IS LOVE would not forsake those he loved.
Jesus was forsaken on the cross, but the grave did not hold him, and so the difficulties of this world cannot hold us.
So are you
Poor?
Hungry?
Weeping?
Feeling like everyone is against you?
Fear not. Because the Jesus who died and rose again is here with you. You will not be forsaken. Stay with Jesus.
Or maybe you are
Rich
Full
Laughing
Beloved by everyone
Fear not. You do not have to live in woe. You do not have to cry out in grief. Because the Jesus who died and rose again is here with you. You will not be forsaken AND…
You are free!
Free to share what you have with those who do not have it.
Free to love from a place of joy and comfort. Free to be the one who brings the kingdom of God to those who suffer as you walk in the steps of Jesus, redeemed in the death of Jesus.
So FEAR. NOT.
Know you are loved and spread the love around.
Amen.
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