April 19, 2015

Matthew 5:4 Last week Julie and I enjoyed a wonderful week of vacationing in Sarasota and on Cedar Key. We learned how to alter plans to dodge rain, kayak around sharks rather than bother them, and ride bicycles to take in adventures. We were truly blessed. And being blessed is what we will consider in worship over the next several weeks. Today we start a sermon series on the “Beatitudes.” Some have heard that word, some not. A beatitude is a blessing. Jesus opens his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7, with a series of blessings called the Beatitudes. Jesus takes these blessings from familiar Old Testament concepts and reinterprets them in the wisdom he brings from God. The concept of blessing in the Beatitudes may run counter to cultural ideas of happiness and well being. They point to deeper God-given contentment, health and well being—even in the tougher times of our lives. The reality here is that God is in control, and that God will help us overcome any hardship… and even help us find deep lasting joy from those places we hurt, struggle, or are challenged. The Beatitudes point to the reality that God is doing a new thing, and that we may get the best view of God’s work by being “surprised by joy” in the midst of our darker times. The Beatitudes also call for certain behaviors from us—behaviors that are spiritually deep. They call for us to develop the capacity to let God do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. God is a God who gives glimpses of the kingdom when we are weak, who comforts us when we mourn, who blesses the humble who are directed by God, who grants mercy even as we grant others mercy, who gives us experiences of God’s power and compassion when we seek purity, who calls us children even as we reconcile with our neighbors, and who grants us God’s very presence when we are persecuted for being faithful. The picture that forms from the Beatitudes is a blessed life in this world… even in the midst of tough times. Many of you have experienced this, and I’d love to hear your stories! This is a spiritually maturing congregation. Young and older persons here have experienced trials and tribulations and have stories of how God has not only seen you through, but has deepened your lives in the process. One of the blessings we have as a community is that as we share our stories of God’s faithfulness, we encourage one another and grow. And as we grow and share, our lives are seasoned and our light shines beyond us. This is God’s desire! May our commitment to Christ and to one another pour out like a fountain. As we learn and live the concepts in the Beatitudes, may Christ’s very Spirit be our Teacher, Comforter and Guide! Blessings, Tim