Some people say that very soon Jesus is coming back to judge the Earth. Some people say that before he comes there will be a period of trials and tribulations on the Earth. Some people also say that those who have faith in Jesus will be spared from such trials, and will be taken away in a…rapture. LIES!!!
Or as my sister likes to say, “Freshly baked LIES!”
In the Bible and in ancient Roman culture there was a custom of sending a delegation out form a given city or town to receive a visiting dignitary or government official. That is what the Christian Rapture is, those who make a point to receive Jesus into the world. Rapture is not an escape mechanism.
Revelation chapter 7 says that the faithful saints robed in white gathered around the lamb seated on the throne are the ones who were in the great ordeal, not those who escaped it. They were the ones who hungered and were thirsty and endured the scorching heat, they are the ones who washed their robes in the blood of the lamb. They will be sheltered and cared for by the lamb who is seated on the throne.
If the lamb loves and protects those who suffered in heaven, why not do something to help them while they are on Earth? Why not help and protect the victims of violence now!? Funny you should ask this. Maybe God is doing something about those who suffer here on Earth. Maybe that is the whole reason there is a church. What if the whole reason we gather together is to alleviate and prevent the suffering of the world? What if we are the saints dressed in white who worship God by serving our neighbor? What if it is by our acts of righteousness that we wipe the tears away from those who suffer?
In many ways we are a very young planet and species. We haven’t quite figured out how to not destroy ourselves. Our survival as a species is precarious. It would be a shame if Jesus came back to Earth and we weren’t here to welcome him.
Today Jesus teaches us from the beatitudes not so much about what we can expect after death, but how to survive as a species today.
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“Then he began to speak and taught them saying, ‘blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’”
Spirit can refer to breath; and so here the blessing is for those who cannot breathe. This is a shocking pronouncement in many ways. The sensation of not being able to breath is terrifying. Jesus himself would have suffocated on the cross. Why would Jesus zero in on such a harrowing condition and call it blessed? He does this because IF we think that those who are suffering are either cursed or forsaken by God, then we would avoid rather than help them. But if we think someone is blessed by God, then we want to be around them and help them so that some of God’s blessing might rub off on us as well! Imagine if the whole world clamored to be with and care for anyone who struggled to breath. What a different world this would be.
Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in Spirit. He does not say that it will belong, but it belongs now while the person is on Earth.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Jesus said that those who mourn will be comforted and are blessed. We think of the pain a person feels when they lose someone they love. This pain of loss is not a sign of being forsaken or judged rather it is a blessing. Again we can all reach out to those who are mourning to seek friendship, expecting to be blessed in the process. There we will find comfort too.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.”
This one makes a lot of intuitive sense. First of all the pattern repeats. For those who have faith, we see God’s blessing not in the rich and powerful, but in the humble. Secondly, think of those human interest news stories once in a while about a person or animal that lives to a very old age with a good quality of life. They are almost always people who are meek , and not that you would consider ambitious. Jesus said that the Earth belongs to the meek, probably because they aren’t interested in exploiting it. So if we happen to be privileged with stewarding land and earth we should do so with special consideration of the meek.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Two points. The first is that if we dedicate our lives to wanting to do what is right above all else we will succeed. The second is for those who have experienced discrimination and injustice. They are blessed. Why? So that all people of faith would see the grace and worth of our neighbor and seek to be in fellowship. The fact that Jesus promises them to be filled means there will be justice. The mechanisms of injustice are ultimately flimsy and will collapse. The universe bends toward justice, said MLK.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”
The blessing changes focus onto action. These next four pair with the first four. We ought to be merciful to those who do not have spirit. It is a true miracle of life that persons who have been hurt are able to forgive so generously. Maybe being merciful means being aware of others’ needs. And when we take some action on our past failures we can be forgiven. That’s really good!
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
The pure in heart are those who are truthful and do things for the right reasons, not selfish motives. This is important if we pair this with those who mourn. Other places Jesus chastises religious people who take advantage of widows. That is bad. To be pure in heart means ministering to those who are mourning with honesty and integrity. That’s all the blessing one needs. This also means that God mourns. We see God in those who mourn.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Peacemakers are called to defend the meek. War and conflict sometimes is about a stronger one using force to overpower a weaker one for advantage. Not so with a peacemaker. A peacemaker builds trust with the weak. Not only are you blessed when you do this, you are a child of God. That means royalty. Kings and queens and crowns that come by waging peace with the meek.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Ironically according to this heaven isn’t free from hurt, and paradise. Rather heaven is the reality of those who are persecuted. So the beatitudes are not pie in sky after we die. This is sobering teaching about what to expect by being faithful.
We are starting a new book at Sunday School. It is by Dugard and O’Reilly about Jesus and the Roman Empire. They say that Caesar Augustus called himself a son of god. King David also called himself a son of God. Jesus also called himself a Son of God. 1 John says that we are children of God. That means you are the daughter of God, and you are a son of God and you are a child of God. You are part of a Holy and Anointed Priesthood. You are divine. You are the body of Jesus.
Rise up oh people!
Rise up in the body of God!
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