Matthew 5:2-9
Jesus is the great teacher. Today we come to one of the greatest texts in all of Scripture. This is a pattern Christ wants us to follow. It is not just for Christians. People of other faith traditions can also follow this pattern. It is what we call the beatitudes.
"Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus carted a lot about the poor. In Old Testament law there were many provisions for the caring of the law. It is funny that the political party which claims to be the pro Christian party is the party of the rich. If Jesus were on earth today, he would be a democrat. I know that he would support welfare and universal health care because he loves the poor.
"Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted."
There are so many injustices all over the world. So many atrocities occur. It is easy to ignore them. But there are many who get truly heart broken over the things that are going on on this planet. They are burdened by the exploitation. They're mourning turns to action. These are the Mother Theresa's, the Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Bono. Does social injustice bother you?
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."
Humility is one of the supreme characteristics of being one of Jesus' disciples. One of the most humble people I have ever seen is Barack Obama. He never comes off as arrogant or proud. He never forgets where he came from. He identifies with the downtrodden and pleads their case. He is one of the few president's that I can honestly call the people's president.
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."
Do you love social justice? Do you want a world that is equitable? Do you want an end to racism and gender inequality? An end to discrimination against homosexuals? Do you want a better environment? Do you want an end to unjust wars? God blesses those who hunger to spread his kingdom here on earth now. As Tony Campollo has said, "God's kingdom is not some pie in the sky by and by. It is here today." Let's work to bring the kingdom of God today.
"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."
Those who are pure in heart do not live for money. Those people live to help others. They want to have a better world.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."
Today war has been glorified. They take down our towers, we bomb the hell out of them. We live in a world of violence. The Bible says that peacemakers are the children of God. I think of Bill Clinton who worked tirelessly to bring peace in the Middle East. I think of George Mitchell who brought peace in Ireland. We need peacemakers. Could you imagine if George Bush had decided to negotiate with the terrorists after 911? Can you imagine if he sat down with Bin Laden. He claimed to be a believer, but he did not live like Christ. Let's be people of peace.
This is how God wants us to live. He wants us to be poor. He wants us to sell all of our stuff and live like Franciscans. He wants us to mourn over injustice. He wants us to be meek and humble. He wants us to be pure in heart. He wants us to make peace all around the world. The fundies are always talking about doctrine. This is the Christian's doctrine. Are you living out the Beatitudes today.
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