The Beatitudes

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 Australia Day celebration – Canberra

Gospel of Matthew 5: 1-12 (NIV)

¹ Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach 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 be shown 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 because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Jesus addressed the Beatitudes to those in the kingdom of heaven. We are not to think of God’s blessings as rewards for good behaviour. They show how kingdom people are to live. Jesus “went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them”. These disciples were willing followers who, as a consequence, had entered into his kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. The last Beatitude reinforces that these are for people already in the kingdom: “Blessed are you when people insult you …” (verses 11-12, emphases added).

To help us to understand how Jesus intended his message to be received, we could emphasise that each blessing is for people who have come to Jesus. We could infer that Jesus said:

• Blessed are those who come to me and are poor in spirit, for I have welcomed them into the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are those who come to me and who are mourning, for they will be comforted.
• Blessed are those who come to me and are meek, for they will inherit the new heaven and the new earth.
• Blessed are those who come to me hungering and thirsting for righteousness, for in the kingdom they will be filled.
• Blessed are those who come to me and are merciful, for in the kingdom they will be shown mercy.
• Blessed are those who come to me and are pure in heart. They seek God’s face; he will not hide his face from them.
• Blessed are those who come to me as peacemakers, seeking to achieve reconciliation which is the mission I have from the Father. They will be called children of God.
• Blessed are those who come to me and are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Admission to the kingdom of heaven is not something we can earn; it is a gift from God, by his grace. Jesus shows his followers, through the Beatitudes, the attitudes and behaviour he would like to see them display to the world as members of his kingdom.

You, who have given yourself to Jesus, already belong in the kingdom of heaven. How will you as a kingdom citizen respond now to the events of everyday life?

Never let go of hope, hope in our Lord’s return and hope in life eternal with him. This brings the state of blessedness which, Jesus tells us, God freely gives to those of the kingdom of heaven.

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Kingdom! What kingdom?

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 Dry grass of summer – Mt Painter, Canberra

Gospel of Matthew 4: 17-25 (NIV)

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
…
²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralysed, and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

Matthew’s Gospel attributes to Jesus a message identical to that preached by John the Baptiser, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Throughout Galilee, Jesus was “preaching the good news of the kingdom” (verse 23) and we interpret that this refers again to the kingdom of heaven.

Most commentators agree that “kingdom of heaven”, the term most often used in Matthew’s Gospel, and “kingdom of God” are synonymous. I share that view. Matthew possibly favoured “kingdom of heaven” because he wrote for an audience predominantly Jewish.

What is this “kingdom of heaven” of which both John the Baptiser and Jesus preached?

A somewhat shallow definition could represent the kingdom of heaven (the kingdom of God) as God’s sovereign rule over all of creation encompassing the entire universe and all time. This, however, does not describe the kingdom of heaven nor does it assist us to grapple with the apparent inconsistencies we observe during our temporal lives from our vantage point on earth.

Why, for example, has Jesus been quoted as saying, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18: 36)?

Why did Jesus describe the kingdom of heaven as a secret? “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them (the people) …” (Matthew 13: 11).

Jesus invested much original thought in his teaching – to his disciples and to the crowds – about the kingdom of heaven. The so-called “Sermon on the Mount”, chapters 5-7 of Matthew’s Gospel, serve as our initial guide. Parables of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, particularly in chapters 13, 18, 20 and 22, begin with “the kingdom of heaven is like…”. There is a future dimension to the kingdom of heaven too: “At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like …” (Matthew 25: 1).

If Jesus found it necessary to use many different parables to try to describe the nature of the kingdom of heaven, I doubt that any attempt of ours to describe it would prove adequate. That being the case, is it possible for us to know whether we are inside or outside this kingdom?

For those who have recognised the call of God on their lives and who have responded positively there can be assurance of being in the kingdom. Those who have decided to live under the authority, under the sovereign rule, of Almighty God now belong to his kingdom. This kingdom is not a locality nor even a dimension but a state of being – of being children of God through his Son Jesus Christ – and of gladly recognising this status and choosing to renew a commitment to it, day by day and hour by hour.

This gives us purpose and hope as we pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done” (Matthew 6: 10). Amen.

Inauguration prayer

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 Dawn

First Epistle of Paul to Timothy 2: 1-2 (NIV)

¹ I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Let us pray:

Almighty God,

On this, the eve of his inauguration, we uphold before you the 45th President of the United States of America.

We pray also for the Vice President-elect and for those nominated for senior positions in the new Administration. We pray for all elected to represent the people of the United States of America in their Congress.

We bring these people to you regardless of our own views on policies they have advocated, public statements they have expressed or language and behaviour they have exhibited. We do this because we believe it to be your intention that we pray for those in authority over us, as is expressed by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy.

We pray you will reveal your will to the incoming President and Vice-President. Cause them to follow your ways for the good governance of the United States of America and for the extension of your kingdom to include all peoples of this earth. We ask you so to direct their influence in the world that righteousness and justice will prevail within nations and among all peoples.

We pray for all who advise those in leadership and for all who research issues and formulate policy. May consideration be given only to that which pleases you and may matters contrary to your will immediately be dismissed.

We pray that Donald Trump and Mike Pence will personally encounter Jesus Christ, will surrender fully to him and will commit to live in obedience to him all the days of their lives.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our Lord.

Amen.

“You are my servant …”

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 “to the ends of the earth”: telecommunications tower, Black Mountain, Canberra

Isaiah 49: 1-7 (NIV)

¹ Listen to me, you islands;
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me;
from my birth he has made mention of my name.
² He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.
³ He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.”
⁴ But I said, “I have laboured to no purpose;
I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing.
Yet what is due to me is in the LORD’s hand,
and my reward is with my God.”
⁵ And now the LORD says –
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honoured in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength –
⁶ he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Many regard this as the second of four “servant songs” in the Book of Isaiah. “Israel” has been called to be a witness to Israel and “to restore the tribes of Jacob”. The servant of verse 3 has a broader role, however, than witnessing only to Israel. He is to be “a light for the Gentiles” in order to bring the salvation of God to the ends of the earth (verse 6b). In this respect, the servant is greater than Israel; the servant is the obedient emissary of God, reckoned in Old Testament times to be the Messiah.

As we consider the life and ministry of Jesus, we see direct parallels between Jesus and this “servant, Israel”. We see the declaration of verse 7b affirming the glorification of Jesus after his resurrection and ascension to be with the Father:

Kings will see you and rise up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.

Child of God, does this passage challenge you personally? Consider verse 3. Remove the word “Israel” and insert your own name where “Israel” appeared. The verse now reads:
³ He said to me, “You are my servant, <<…………..>>, in whom I will display my splendour.”

Child of God, you have been invited into the Kingdom of God for a purpose. You have the promise of eternal life in the presence of the King. You know that eternal life for you is a present reality. You are in the Kingdom now, today. You are in the Kingdom not for your own comfort or peace of mind but because the King, the Lord Jesus, invites you in your worship of him to proclaim his sovereignty to the world.

As was the case with Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13: 47) you, <<…………..>>, are his servant, in whom he will display his splendour. You might not consider yourself yet to be a “polished arrow” but your shine is sufficient for whatever the Lord has in store for you today. He invites you just as you are to serve him in faith so that his glory, rather than yours, shines to bring his salvation to the ends of the earth.

Freed from sin

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 Preparing to sail Optimist dinghies – Lake Burley Griffin Canberra

Epistle of Paul to the Romans 6: 1-11 (NIV)

¹ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
⁵ If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – ⁷ because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

There is a major difference between the resurrection of Christ Jesus and the recovery from death through the ministry of Jesus of three people we meet in the Gospels: Lazarus, the son of the widow in Nain, the daughter of Jairus the synagogue ruler. As for these, so for Dorcas, the disciple in Joppa who was resuscitated through the Apostle Peter: they rose – to die again at a later date. Not so with Jesus. His resurrection was and is and will remain into eternity. Death has no hold on him. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “he cannot die again” (verse 9).

Against the death of the mortal body of Jesus, Paul has drawn comparisons with the death we all must pass through as we commit ourselves entirely to Jesus Christ as our Lord. In doing so, we reject and relinquish for all time our “ownership” of our selves. We forsake all that is past, in particular that part of our nature which has remained fallen, the part which refused to accept over us the sovereignty of God.

“We died to sin” (verse 2); “the body of sin” has been done away with (verse 6a). “We should no longer be slaves to sin” (verse 6b) for the sin in us has been put to death. As Paul wrote, “count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (verse 11).

This is why Paul rejected the possibility that, because “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5: 20), we should “go on sinning so that grace may increase” (verse 1)! We are not able to go on sinning because the desire of our rebellious nature to sin has been put to death as a direct consequence of our turning to God and being accepted as his children. To be sure, temptations will arise as the evil one tries to undermine the faith of the children of God. We are to be on guard, knowing that our old selves have been crucified with Jesus Christ, so that we demonstrate to the evil one, to the world and to ourselves that we have “been freed from sin” (verse 7).