Pastor Edgar Mayer; Living Grace Community Lutheran Church; Message on Matthew 5:3; Date: 23 November 2008

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Spiraling Upwards

Joy comes to those that hunger and thirst for joy. According to the Bible nothing more is required – no payment necessary. Joy comes to those that are hungry – thirsty – desperate – for the things of God. If you find that you have nothing – you are nothing – you achieve nothing – then take heart – rejoice: you are not spiraling down into depression but spiraling upwards into joy because Jesus made you a promise – and he made me a promise – saying – I read from the Bible – Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” “Blessed are the poor – the destitute – in spirit (those that have nothing left), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Why? Why are the poor blessed? Because the poor – those that have hit rock-bottom – they are beyond caring what anyone may think about them. They need help – they must get help – or there is no future – which means that there is a level of desperation among the poor – the broke and the broken – that prepares them to do anything – to stop for nothing – on their search for salvation.

God responds to that kind of passion. At one time Jesus was approaching the city of Jericho when a blind beggar began yelling out – Luke 18:38: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me [– help me].” The people around him tried to settle him down because he was making a nuisance of himself but – Luke 18:39: “ … he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me [Jesus, help].” The poor don’t care about shouting. The poor don’t care about other people’s nice conventions. They raise up their hands. They lift their voices. There is nothing restrained in their crying out to God in worship. Do you know what it is like? Extreme desperation fuels the fire. They are not too proud to look stupid and Jesus will always respond to that. He stopped for the blind beggar, ordered the man to be brought to him and healed him.

At another time a Canaanite mother was worried about her daughter, saying to Jesus – Matthew 15:22: “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” But Jesus did not answer a word. Silence from Jesus and no help. However, the woman was too desperate to give up that easily. Some time later it was Jesus’ disciples who could not longer take her yelling and shouting. They pleaded with Jesus – Matthew 15:23: “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” This Canaanite mother didn’t care about her dignity, didn’t care about the men becoming angry, didn’t care about anything except getting help for her daughter. She came and knelt before Jesus and finally she heard the desired words from him – Matthew 15:28: “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” For some of us this is good news. If you find that you have nothing – you are nothing – you achieve nothing – then take heart – rejoice: you are not spiraling down into depression but spiraling upwards into joy because Jesus made you this promise: “The kingdom of heaven is yours.”

Then – Jesus made the same promise to those that are suffering from a different kind of poverty, that is: persecution. Jesus said in the same Bible reading – Matthew 5:10: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Persecution works the same blessings as poverty because it works the same kind of desperation where God becomes a necessity and not merely an option in a busy schedule. You must have God to help you out of the despair and heal the wounded heart.

Are you poor? Are you persecuted? Do you feel the pinge of paying a price for your faith? Blessed are you for the kingdom of heaven is yours. God will always respond to desperate resolve. He will always respond when you make him number one – honour him as God.

It may come as a surprise but Jesus himself was poor – and I mean dirt-poor. When he was born, his parents could not even afford the normal sacrifice of a lamb but had to go with the cheaper option – two pidgeons (cf. Luke 2:24; Leviticus 12:8). Two pidgeons for the one that we worship – Jesus, the Son of God. He loved us so much to be dirt-poor himself. And then he was persecuted. Love made him suffer the worst kinds of torture. His head was pierced by a crown of thorns. He was whipped and nailed to a cross where – after hours of agony – he suffocated in unforgiving pain.

Jesus shared the worst of what can be experienced – grinding poverty and persecution. But he demonstrated that the promise holds true: “The kingdom of God became his and therefore the kingdom of God is now coming to us.” Hitting rock-bottom himself Jesus gained the authority to make the promise: “Blessed are the poor – blessed are those who are persecuted – because the kingdom of heaven is for you.”

When Jesus was dying on the cross, another man was dying on a cross beside him and this man recognized that Jesus was carrying some kind of authority from God. Maybe he picked up on the written notice above Jesus. The custom was that on top of the cross the reason for the execution would be spelled out. In Jesus’ case the accusation read: “This is the king of the Jews.” The written notice pointed out that Jesus was accused of wielding too much influence. The crowds loved him but others became jealous of that love. Maybe the written notice had an effect on the man who was dying next to Jesus – we cannot tell for certain – but somehow he made a glorious discovery. Jesus was losing his life in poverty and persecution but this was not the end. He would be king. There would be a kingdom. He said to Jesus – Luke 23:42: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus answered him – Luke 23:43: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus did not have to come. He could have remained in heaven but he – by his own free choice – humbled himself and became part of our mess in this world. Our mess! The truth is that we humans have cursed ourselves in our rebellion against God. Check yourself. In all of us there is such stubborn refusal to obey him no matter what. It is a bit hard to understand why but for whatever reason we fight to be rescued from our mess. If we are absolutely poor – absolutely down and out – we begin to accept his helping hand (which makes us blessed) but otherwise we seem to fight God – let us only get a little better – let us only have one better day – and we are back to fighting God with whingeing and self-pity (God, it’s all too hard – it’s not fair – I take it from here), anger and resentment. However, he came and he let us sin against him in the ultimate act of rebellion. We laid hands on him and we nailed him to a cross. As a member of the sinful human race you also nailed him to a cross. I nailed him to a cross. He died for our sin – the ingrained rebellion of all of us.

And yet, Jesus conquered our mess – the worst of human poverty and persecution which he experienced in his own body. God the Father raised him after three days in the grave – gave him new life – gave him ultimate authority and power – made him king – and thus confirmed that the suffering of his son broke something – offered us hope in our sinful human condition.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Believe it – put your trust in Jesus – and you belong to him for ever in the kingdom of heaven. Be rescued.

How real is the kingdom? How much can you trust that the kingdom of heaven will provide for your needs? These questions are not really that pressing when you have nothing left to lose because then you have nothing left to risk and give up for Jesus. You can only go one way and that is up. But what if you are not quite poor and what if you have the option of avoiding persecution – the option of not making a stance? How certain can you be that risking your money and risking your friendships is worth it?

A man came to Jesus who appeared desperate – blessed in his need for more. The Bible says – Mark 10:17: “As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. He asked: ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” This man looked like a candidate for the kingdom of God. Real passion made him run up to Jesus and fall on his knees before him and then we find out that he had kept all of the commandments since childhood. He said to Jesus – Mark 10:20: “Teacher, all of these [the commandments of not murdering, not committing adultery, honouring father and mother, and so on] I have kept since I was a boy.”

How much more serious can you be about wanting Jesus in your life – you run, you kneel, you obey the commandments – but it turned out that the man was still not desperate enough. Jesus said to him – Mark 10:21: “One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Then this is how the Bible reading continues – Mark 10:22-23: “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’”

What comes so easy to the poor – giving up everything because they have nothing – is extremely difficult for the rich. With our money we buy comfort, we buy entertainment, we buy respect (look at the car that I am driving or look at my bike), we buy peace of mind (insurances and superannuation), we buy control but Jesus says: “Your money is in the way of me and my kingdom. Let it go.”

Can we risk such recklessness in our pursuit of the kingdom of God? Can we hand over our money and everything that our money provides for us? Jesus’ own disciples were shocked by the encounter with the rich man and they said to each other – Mark 10:26: “Who then can be saved?” Selling everything (for Jesus) is hard. We rather walk away from the kingdom. At least that may be our first impulse – and many do. Many people – like the man who ran up to Jesus and knelt before him and who was so diligent about the commandments – rather walk away from the kingdom. They may remain in churches. They may keep following the commandments. They may keep running to the next teacher but somehow they’ve missed the kingdom. Money – their first loyalty – kept them out.

How much do you – do I – put on the offering plate? Is it a reflection of letting go and trusting Jesus? What are we doing with our money? This church wants to be in mission and serve the poor – the budget has been approved – but are we holding back? Speaking for myself – I struggle with Jesus’ words. In what sense do they apply to me? “One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Yet, only he who lets go of everything will discover that Jesus can be trusted and that Jesus’ kingdom will and does supply everything that we need. In the end Jesus assured his disciples, saying – Mark 10:29: “I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – and with them, persecution) and in the age to come, eternal life.” Jesus knows that when we give up everything for him, we still need family and food but his promise is that he will provide for us in his kingdom – according to the glory of his kingdom: “I tell you the truth, no one … will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – and with them, persecution) and in the age to come, eternal life.”

If you are poor – if you find that you have nothing – you are nothing – you achieve nothing – then take heart when you hear Jesus’ words: you are not spiraling down into depression but spiraling upwards into joy because you will not fail to receive a hundred times as much as what you may have given up. There will be more than enough.

Maybe at times we find this hard to believe. Jesus has a habit of providing for us on a day to day basis according to the prayer which he taught us – Luke 11:3: “Give us each day our daily bread.” This is not our preference. We would like more long-term securities – money in the bank for a rainy season – but Jesus again assured us, saying – Luke 12:22-34: “ … do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear … O you of little faith … do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor … “

“ … do not worry … [food, drink, clothes, … ] … your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well … sell your possessions … “ According to Jesus it is safe to let go of everything and be single-minded – hungry – thirsty – desperate – for the things of God. Seek him first – make him your first passion – and the kingdom will be ours and with the kingdom comes everything – the rule of God in our lives, forgiveness, healing, provisions, a call to serve others – and joy. Spiraling upwards into joy. Blessed are you for yours is the kingdom of heaven.

So where does this leave us? Where are you at? If you don’t know, then I may recommend to you an ancient spiritual discipline and that is: fasting. Jesus assumed that on occasion all of us would fast. He said – Matthew 6:16: “When you fast … “ It is normal for a Christian to fast and at this point of our church life – we’ve “crossed the Jordan” six weeks ago – if you don’t know how much you want the kingdom of God, then fast.

Cut out food. Cut out entertainment – TV and the internet. Cut out your mobile phone – and then wait. You will get to know yourself. Fasting removes the layers which under normal circumstances mask our true inner self – the business, the distractions, the fake consolations. Do you want to know yourself? Then fast but be prepared. When Jesus fasted, even he discovered what all of us – deep down – are hungry for (what competes with our hunger for God): money, fame and power. The Bible said – Luke 4:2: “ … for forty days Jesus was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” For forty days even Jesus was tempted to bypass the kingdom and satisfy his needs by other means – relying on his own resources: turning stones into bread, selling his soul for the kingdoms of this world and seeking fame. The devil kept saying – Luke 4:7: “ … if you will worship me, it will all be yours.”

But Jesus resisted the devil and he preserved his hunger for God alone. We may do the same. Fast and deal with the temptations that come up. Make a correction. Repent of what has become too dear to you and stands in the way of the kingdom. Fast and cut it out. Fast – undergo the discipline of becoming hungry – and then satisfy your hunger with the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said – Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Spiral upwards into joy. Amen.