“You Are Blessed”
“You Are Blessed”
by Pastor Sonja Dalglish for Weslaco First Presbyterian Church
January 30, 2011, 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Micah 6:1-8; Ps. 15; 1 Cor 1:10-18 (not used); Matthew 5:1-12
Focus: What God wants from us, and how God blesses us.
Function: To engage people in living lives of true worship, listening to scripture and being transformed, working for justice, showing kindness, and being humble people.
Introduction – True Worship
I read a very provocative thing this week while studying for the sermon. “The Bible does not tell us what Jesus thinks.”
If we want to know how Jesus was educated, we can study the Old Testament. He knew the Torah, the Psalms and the prophets because we hear him quote them. He knew the other writings as well. He said in one of his parables that people had Moses and the prophets.
In the Micah passage today, God is bringing humans to trial. Micah’s society was very religious. This was a time, seven hundred years before Christ, when people were very showy in their religiosity. The leaders were proclaiming allegiance to God, while living their lives the way they wanted.
Micah says that God is going to take them to court. The mountains and the earth will be the judge and jury. This is a trial on a cosmic scale. God reviews what God has done for his people, saving them from slavery in Egypt, and from the King Balak. Then, Micah has the people respond asking what they can do, what offerings, what acts of worship? How can they again be right with God?
The answer is clear, says MIcah, what God requires of you is to Act justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with your God. These are not just things we do on Sunday mornings. They are attitudes and actions that we are to do each day. And you will notice that justice and mercy are in the same breath. As Karl Barth declared: God’s justice is not greater than God’s mercy. God’s mercy is not greater than God’s justice. Both are important.
We are called to be just, merciful (sometimes translated kind), and not arrogant. This is what God wants from us. Our worship begins here, studying and proclaiming scriptures, and continues through all our actions as we leave and continue with the rest of our lives.
Blessings – read the beatitudes from The Message translation
To be blessed is to be touched by God’s divine favor.
Jesus has retired to a mountainside to preach. We have the first part of his Sermon on the Mount today. He begins in a way that would have surprised and even shocked people. For many people, even in today’s world, to be blessed means prosperity. It means getting rich, being beautiful and loved. Being blessed means that only good will happen to you. You will be healthy and rich and totally protected from all of life’s bad things, from accidents and illness. No one you love would ever be hurt or die.
However, we know that is a lie. It is not our experience. Not all Christians are rich. Everyone has difficult things happen to them during their lives, some more than others. And, Jesus says – God is with you. When you are at your weakest, God is with you and will bless you.
There were those in Jesus’ community who believed that those who were wealthy were especially loved by God. They thought those who were ill or maimed were being punished for some sin. So, imagine their surprise when Jesus began his message. He begins with the poor in spirit.
I have here windows from St. Vincent de Paul parish in Seward, Nebraska. Let’s look at each pictorial view of the beatitudes. Imagine believing that the rich and powerful were the ones blessed by God.
~Blessed are the poor in spirit~
The Crown and Scepter symbolize the Kingdom of Heaven; the dove the Holy Spirit; the hand reaching from the flower symbolizes humility.
Eugene Peterson translates this as those at the end of their rope. I can also understand this as people who are down, wondering if their life has any meaning, wondering if they have ever meant anything to those they love.
~Blessed are they that mourn~
The eagle flying into the sun symbolizes the Resurrection and the Life. The flames represent the Holy Spirit flowing down from the resurrection to comfort the kneeling figure in mourning. The hands with the shovel represent burial. The tearful eye also symbolizes mourning.
When we are at our weakest and most painful moments, God comes to us and blesses us.
~Blessed are the meek~
The lamb symbolizes the meek. The water represents the living water. The fish represents Christianity.
Meek is a word that has a bad connotation in our society. Perhaps it did in Jesus’ day as well. But, many years ago, one of my ministers gave me a definition that helped me and has stuck with me through the years. Think of being meek as being teachable, being able to acknowledge that you do not know everything, you are not always right, and you are open to learning.
~Blessed are they that hunger and thirst~
The Rays of the Holy Trinity flow downward to the Bible and the Baptismal shell representing righteousness for which they hunger and thirst. The Staff and Cross represent the Lord as our Shepherd.
People who hunger and thirst after righteousness are those that continue to want to learn who God is, who we are, and what we should be doing.
The first four beatitudes addressed us in our weakest moments, as well as those moments when we are open to change. The next beatitudes are for those who are strong, who can reach out and do God’s work in the communities.
~Blessed are the merciful~
The wing and hand of the angel with the cross symbolize the act of Mercy and represent those giving mercy as shown with the bandaged hand. The Caduceus represents the medical profession. The Chi Rho represents Christ and the bottom-most symbol represents sickness and healing.
One example of mercy this past year was in Egypt on Christmas Eve, 2010. Christians had been targeted by hate groups. It was becoming unsafe to leave their houses. Moslems went with their Christian neighbors and formed a human shield around them as they went to church Christmas eve. And during the service, they held a candlelight vigil outside, protecting those within. *(article attached)
And, I would like to note that after the 9/11 tragedy, Muslims in the US were targeted for violence. Bricks were thrown through windows. They were beaten up. The women became afraid to go to the grocery store. Jews and Christians from the Tri-faith community in San Antonio volunteered to accompany the Moslem women as they did their grocery shopping. I think mercy and loving-kindness can be seen in both situations.
~Blessed are the pure in heart~
The Holy Trinity, the heart, hand and lily, represent the pure in heart. The doves represent purification.
I like the way that Eugene Peterson translates this as well. “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” And what is so wonderful about this is that when you see God acting in the outside world, then you can sign up to help and participate in the hope and change that God is bringing.
~Blessed are the peacemakers~
The dove represents the Holy Spirit. The sword, spear, pruning hook and plow represents Isaiah 2:4 “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” The olive branch and olives represent peace.
As a denomination, the PC(USA) is involved in peacemaking activities around the world.
~Blessed are they who are persecuted~
Eternal Life is symbolized by the heavenly crown and stars. The Palms symbolize victory over death. The sword and scourges represent persecution and suffering on earth.
You can see and hear that Jesus is telling you that God is with you in every situation in your life. When you are weak, when you are open to be taught and filled with love to share, and when you are strong and willing to go into the world and witness to Christ.
Conclusion
Today, we learn from the prophet, Micah, that true worship results in the way that we live our lives. We begin here, reading and hearing the word. We learn and realize that we must be concerned with justice, act with kindness, and walk humbly with God. And we also learn that God will be with us throughout all of life. When we are at our weakest, God will be with us and bless us. But, Jesus doesn’t stop at just telling us that we are blessed. He tells us that we should act and we will continue to be blessed. Our blessing is not just for us alone.
We start here each week with scripture and proclamation. As Presbyterians, we believe that God calls us to worship. We hear the word and are changed. God blesses us and transforms us and sends us out into the world to be the body of Christ. We become just and kind people in the outside world.
When we are weak, we know that God will comfort us and make us strong. And that strength we use to help others and do God’s work in this world. The world is broken. There are many problems that need solving, many broken systems to be fixed. This world is far from what it could be. Listening to the prophets and having Jesus as our guide, we see a better way. We go forward together.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, worked for justice, and was kind and humble. Our worship, if it is true worship, should be guiding us to do the same.
——————-
References
The stained glass windows are from St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Seward, Nebraska. They can be seen on their website. I used the windows in the power point presentation and their descriptions in the sermon. connectseward.org/chu/stv/beatitudes.htm
Article on the Muslims attending the Coptic Mass, attached.
Egypt’s Muslims attend Coptic Christmas mass, serving as “human shields”
Muslims turned up in droves for the Coptic Christmas mass Thursday night, offering their bodies, and lives, as “shields” to Egypt’s threatened Christian community
Yasmine El-Rashidi , Friday 7 Jan 2011
Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word Thursday night. What had been a promise of solidarity to the weary Coptic community, was honoured, when thousands of Muslims showed up at Coptic Christmas eve mass services in churches around the country and at candle light vigils held outside.
From the well-known to the unknown, Muslims had offered their bodies as “human shields” for last night’s mass, making a pledge to collectively fight the threat of Islamic militants and towards an Egypt free from sectarian strife.
“We either live together, or we die together,” was the sloganeering genius of Mohamed El-Sawy, a Muslim arts tycoon whose cultural centre distributed flyers at churches in Cairo Thursday night, and who has been credited with first floating the “human shield” idea.
Among those shields were movie stars Adel Imam and Yousra, popular Muslim televangelist and preacher Amr Khaled, the two sons of President Hosni Mubarak, and thousands of citizens who have said they consider the attack one on Egypt as a whole.
“This is not about us and them,” said Dalia Mustafa, a student who attended mass at Virgin Mary Church on Maraashly Street. “We are one. This was an attack on Egypt as a whole, and I am standing with the Copts because the only way things will change in this country is if we come together.”
In the days following the brutal attack on Saints Church in Alexandria, which left 21 dead on New Year’ eve, solidarity between Muslims and Copts has seen an unprecedented peak. Millions of Egyptians changed their Facebook profile pictures to the image of a cross within a crescent – the symbol of an “Egypt for All”. Around the city, banners went up calling for unity, and depicting mosques and churches, crosses and crescents, together as one.
The attack has rocked a nation that is no stranger to acts of terror, against all of Muslims, Copts and Jews. In January of last year, on the eve of Coptic Christmas, a drive-by shooting in the southern town of Nag Hammadi killed eight Copts as they were leaving Church following mass. In 2004 and 2005, bombings in the Red Sea resorts of Taba and Sharm El-Sheikh claimed over 100 lives, and in the late 90’s, Islamic militants executed a series of bombings and massacres that left dozens dead.
This attack though comes after a series of more recent incidents that have left Egyptians feeling left out in the cold by a government meant to protect them.
Last summer, 28-year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by police, also in Alexandria, causing a local and international uproar. Around his death, there have been numerous other reports of police brutality, random arrests and torture.
Last year was also witness to a ruthless parliamentary election process in which the government’s security apparatus and thugs seemed to spiral out of control. The result, aside from injuries and deaths, was a sweeping win by the ruling party thanks to its own carefully-orchestrated campaign that included vote-rigging, corruption and widespread violence. The opposition was essentially annihilated. And just days before the elections, Copts – who make up 10 percent of the population – were once again the subject of persecution, when a government moratorium on construction of a Christian community centre resulted in clashes between police and protestors. Two people were left dead and over 100 were detained, facing sentences of up to life in jail.
The economic woes of a country that favours the rich have only exacerbated the frustration of a population of 80 million whose majority struggle each day to survive. Accounts of thefts, drugs, and violence have surged in recent years, and the chorus of voices of discontent has continued to grow.
The terror attack that struck the country on New Year’s eve is in many ways a final straw – a breaking point, not just for the Coptic community, but for Muslims as well, who too feel marginalized, oppressed, and overlooked by a government that fails to address their needs. On this Coptic Christmas eve, the solidarity was not just one of religion, but of a desperate and collective plea for a better life and a government with accountability.
Matthew 5:1-12 (The Message)
You’re Blessed
1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
3“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
6“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
7“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
8“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
10“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
11-12“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
First Reading Micah 6:1-8
1 Hear what the LORD says:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for the LORD has a controversy with his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
3 “O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you from the house of slavery;
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the saving acts of the LORD.”
6 “With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Psalm Psalm 15
1 O LORD, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?
2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
3 who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honor those who fear the LORD;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
5 who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be moved.
Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Gospel Matthew 5:1-12
1When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
