Are You Blessed?

Are You Blessed?

Good Morning Friends,

God has called us to love all people, not just family and those we would call friends…friends we would be willing to lay down our life for, but even our enemies. We are called to love so that our first instinct of revenge might not bring death. We are called to give when our first instinct is to horde. We are called to demonstrate the transformational powerful of God in our lives as we discover, like Joseph and his brothers in Egypt, the path to forgiveness as we too give and let live.  Are You Blessed?

Scripture:  Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. ‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. ‘Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. ‘Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:20-36 (NRSV)

Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.

Genesis 50:20 (NRSV)

Message: Normally when we think of the Beatitudes (a word that actually does not appear in the Bible) we think of Matthew’s version but Jesus shares the message as told by Luke as well. It is interesting that Matthew’s more spiritual version is told on a mountain side and Luke’s more prophetic one on a plain. Their similarities and differences are striking. Perhaps the most striking is that Luke includes not just blessings but curses…woes… in the scripture. Since you are more familiar with the Matthew version we today explore Luke’s writing of what Jesus taught. And frankly it is a bit sad. In it Jesus conveys a sadness about those comforted by the world. If fact, I would have to say that I believe Jesus is sad when He sees us make decisions that keep us from doing what is best. In today’s scripture Jesus is teaching, his disciples, the Pharisees and even us that rational arguments do not change people. Only our changed lives change the lives of others and in turn change the world. Here it is woe to the rich and well fed. This is tough stuff, but if you have ever had a problem of others dominating you in your mind and grown tired of it, you just might find as I have, a solution in today’s scripture. If your success in life seems to be missing significance, the missing pieces might well be a lifestyle of stewardship and a reorientation of emotions and values. Money, anger and perspective are usually our last hold outs when it comes to our walk with God. Our view of money as we cling to hate is often the last thing we want to change. We individually and corporately surrender them last because we treasure them so much. But finally, when we leave the judging to God…finally when we realize that all our resources are only on loan from God; when all of our debts have been paid and we have been freed to move forward, then we have to decide if we are going to be happy in the world’s way, or in Christ’s way. Friends, you have been blessed to be a blessing and sometimes the blessing comes in ways you least expect.

Pray we do good things for those who we feel might hate us. Pray we are not physically, emotionally and spiritually destroyed by hatred. Pray we are freed from the prison of our anger. Pray we bless those who curse us. Pray we do not rub salt in others wounds but experience the transformational joy of having our anxiety reduced through a kind word. Pray for those who mistreat us. Pray that our very act of prayer takes the sting out of our anger. Pray that we realize that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us…Pray that we realize that Jesus loves us even though we are often His enemy. Pray that our actions demonstrate in a powerful way that we belong to Christ. Pray we gain all we can, save all we can and give all we can. Pray we say yes to life. Pray we say yes to our gifts. Pray we say yes to the Kingdom of God. Pray we say yes to the needs of opportunities that surround us. Pray we hear the cries of the poor, the refugee and widows and orphans and give. Pray we are comforted by God and not the world.

Blessings,

John Lawson