Sermon for 6/6/10 "The Blessed Kingdom of Heaven": Favorite Things Worship Series

Sermon for 6/6/10 

Matthew 5:1-12, Micah 6:6-8

"The Blessed Kingdom of Heaven"

Favorite Passages Sermon Series

As we are exploring our Favorite Passage this summer during the Sabbatical, I have found one of the most fun things about this to be the opportunity to explore passages that are not often read in church during the Liturgical Church year.  Some of the passages people choose that I will be preaching later in the summer never appear in our Lectionary.  The Lectionary is a set of Scripture passages that many churches use to help us live into the church year.  It runs in a 3 year cycle--labeled A, B, and C, and begins each year on the First Sunday in Advent.  Each Sunday we indicate in the bulletin what that Day's designation is for the Church Year, with Sunday being the Second Sunday After Pentecost, and it's Year C.  I believe there is real value in living into this Church year cycle with Scripture in worship, as many Christians from around the world are sharing the same texts on the same weeks.  But I also find it good to veer everyone once in a while to explore a text that doesn't appear in the Lectionary, or appears very infrequently.    

Our Luke 6 text from last week and this week's Micah and Matthew texts are just such texts to explore closer.  Though they do technically appear in the lectionary, none of them have occurred in the rotation since 2007 due to Epiphany changing lengths each year. [1] Easter moves based on the lunar calendar, so therefore the length of the Epiphany season moves as well.  The beatitudes are a well-known passage, so it is fun and good to look at them during this special summer.

Matthew's list of Beatitudes includes nine statements that Jesus taught during the Sermon on the Mount.  This sermon is the first one mentioned in Matthew and serves as his Inaugural Sermon [2].  Jesus heads up a mountain to teach his disciples.  Anyone listening in Jesus' day would have automatically associated this image with Moses when he went up on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah--the Law which makes up the first 5 books of the Old Testament. [3] The Gospel of Matthew was written for a Jewish audience, so these images are familiar from within the Old Testament's law and prophets. 

At first glance these statements appear formulaic and repetitive, but upon further investigation, I believe there is value and depth found in the formula for the 9 Beatitudes.  They should be studied both individually and as a whole, but have no fear--due to time constraints today, I've chosen to look at them as a whole group ONLY. (If you are interested in reading more about each individual statement, see the footnote for a list of good resources to check out![4])  I believe a key to understanding these comes in the phrases that are repeated over and over.  

When we take a look more closely, we see one phrase that is repeated twice.  "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven" in verses 3 and 10.  The Kingdom of Heaven as Matthew describes, or the Kingdom of God as other Gospels reference, is what Jesus is ushering in through his life and ministry.  The Kingdom of Heaven is what God is working to bring about on Earth through God's followers.  The Prophets promised it, and Jesus began his life by fulfilling the promises the Prophets had made.  But it doesn't stop there.  Jesus' ministry was about bringing Heaven to Earth--creating the Kingdom of Heaven in the daily lives of his followers to continue ushering in God's Kingdom. 

But it doesn't stop with Jesus either.  Through Christ's life, death, and resurrection, we enter into this covenant of Grace, and become Children of God--Children of the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God--the Kin-dom of God--the Family of God.  As followers of Jesus, we place our citizenship in this family, and we do it together.  The Family of God is not an individual pursuit--it is, rather, a communal activity.  A place, a community, a family we strive to live in and a Kingdom we live out together. [5]

It's often referred to as the "Already-Not Yet Kingdom of God" because Jesus Christ has "Already" started it-- ushered it in, gave the Inaugural Sermon on a hilltop overlooking the land, held Inaugural Feasts, and the left his followers in charge to continue the game plan. But it's "Not Yet" because it will not be complete until an unknown time in the future when Christ reigns supreme.  We recognize this reality and pray for it's completion every time we pray the Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." [6] Everything in the Beatitudes list between these "Kingdom of heaven" phrases and even that after too is related to these. The Kingdom of heaven phrase is implicit in each of these 9 phrases. [7]

The other thing we see clearly in each phrase is the opening "Blessed are..." [the poor in spirit, meek, the pure in heart, and so on...].  This is one of those places where English gets in the way of our understanding of the Biblical text because of translation differences that just don't show up well in English.  There are two words in both the Greek and Hebrew that get translated as "blessed" in English.  The only way to tell a difference in English is by accenting a different syllable, thus having Blessed, and Bless-ed.  I'd never thought about why the word is pronounced differently at different times until I began studying this passage.  Most often I have heard Bless-ed when the Beatitudes are read, and there is a reason for that.  "Bless-ed" --the adjective --is the more accurate translation.  It is a state-of being blessed or happy or joyful.  Whereas "blessed" is more of an imperative or command verb.  We often hear this other meaning in "God bless you" when someone sneezes.  Though this passage contains both ideas, most commentators agree that the Beatitudes explain that the people in the kingdom of heaven already possess these things mentioned.  They are already meek.  They are already peacemakers.  They already are pure in heart.  But having said that, there is still a sense of the not yet--we can strive to be more meek.  We can strive to be better peacemakers.  We can strive to be more pure in heart.  The quality already exists, but it is not yet fully realized because the kingdom is not yet fully realized.  Once the Kingdom of Heaven is fully realized, the children of the Kingdom will be fully and completely bless-ed. [8]

I feel it's probable, having read so many different stories about the disciples in the Gospels, that they might not have gotten all of this down completely correct at the first hearing of the sermon.  I can imagine that Jesus shared this message many times and had to clarify what he meant as he formed his followers into disciples.  A scene from a favorite movie of mine depicts it well, some might say.  It opens with the crowds heading up to the hills to catch a glimpse of this new teacher in town.  The captions read: "Judea 33AD, Saturday afternoon, about Tea Time..." and you hear Jesus off in the distance giving his famous sermon.  "How blessed are those..."  The scene cuts to the followers at the back of the crowd who can't hear every word he is saying, and are trying to piece together the message.  One lady asks for clarification, and another spectator remarks,

"Spectator I: I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers".

...Mrs. Gregory: Aha, what's so special about the cheesemakers?

Gregory: Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products." [9]  

My husband Steve wouldn't allow me to recommend seeing Monty Python's Life of Brian because it's rated R, but this movie and this scene in particular makes me laugh every time. 

But it also got me thinking.  Maybe under all the satire about politics and religion that Monty Python mocks, there is a gem of truth.  And this got me thinking about what the Beatitudes might look like if they were written in 2010.  And it got me thinking about where I have seen the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst recently. 

While I was eating lunch at the BBQ on Friday, I took a moment to stop and just look around.  I was there during peak lunch time, and my heart filled with such pride and joy as I watched the Family of God in our little part of the Kingdom of Heaven on Ridge Road working together, laughing together, and serving together.  There was so much support for the mission and ministry that God is calling us to do. I spoke to many different people who said this was a constant on their calendar, and they would NOT miss it!  

I was excited to see so many groupings of co-workers--one member of Raleigh Moravian with friends gathered around, all eating and enjoying one another's company and great food.  Neighbors stopped by and plates of food were passed down the line.  Cookers, servers, and drink-pourers all had smiles and hellos for everyone who came out to visit.  Laughter and conversations filled the air, just as the smell of fresh hush-puppies and hot BBQ filled the bellies. And there were plenty of offers for seconds for none should go hungry.

Later when Steve and I came back for dinner for Round 2, the same held true.  I was excited to see young and old, friends and families working along side one another to accomplish a task bigger than any one person.  I smiled with joy as I heard some of the college-students talk about this event being a highlight for them--something they wouldn't miss being a part of.  One youth even remarked how he had been promoted a few years ago to be on the overnight cooking team.  The disciples are teaching the traditions to the younger generations, and it was evident as I watched 3-year-old Bella not miss a beat as she followed instructions.   Including so many people as a worker and serving with joy made me so proud of the service everyone was doing together.

The Kingdom of Heaven is about community living together to enact God's mission in the world.  The Beatitudes both teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven and the community that is making it heaven on earth.  We see in Scripture how the Kingdom is compared to a banquet feast.[10]  Perhaps BBQ will even be on the menu... with Christ himself walking around to the tables serving his own special recipe of love puppies [hush-puppies coated in powdered sugar] for dessert!  

And perhaps those involved in cooking, serving, and helping are Bless-ed:

Bless-ed are the BBQ cookers, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Bless-ed are those with tired backs and sore feet, for they will be comforted.

Bless-ed are the hush-puppy fryers, for they will inherit the earth.

Bless-ed are the food servers, for they will be filled.

Bless-ed are the slaw mixers, for they will receive mercy.

Bless-ed are the dish washers, for they will be called children of God.

Bless-ed are the Church Families who serves together, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

And Bless-ed are the people we will serve with this summer beyond our doors, as the fruits of our BBQ labors will be the basis for our service together as we live our God's call to mission--to help those in need and share Christ's love, and together expand the Kingdom of Heaven a little more.   Amen.

 [The Big Boy, thanks to Joey Transou, which cooked all 1200lbs of Pork Shoulders for the BBQ. Thanks Joey!]

[1] In the Moravian Lectionary, Luke 6:17-36 appears in Epiphany 6C and Epiphany 7C. Matthew 5:1-12 appear in Epiphany 4A and All Saints Day A.  Micah 6:6-8 appears in Epiphany 4A.

[2] Douglas R. A. Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 33.

[3] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 34.

[4] Some of my favorites are: Kenneth Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 65-87. M. Eugene Boring, "The Gospel of Matthew" in New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VII (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995) 171-181.  Douglas R. A. Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 33-43.

[5] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 69.

[6] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 37.

[7] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 37.

[8] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 35. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 67-68. The Greek word is makarioi. 

[9] Monty Python's Life of Brian, 1979. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/quotes?qt0471973

[10] Isaiah 25; Matthew 8; Matthew 25; Luke 14 to name a few examples of feasts in Scripture.

Lord's Prayer Series: "Your Kingdom Come" 3/8/09

Lord's Prayer Series-Part 2 "Your Kingdom Come"
Preaching Texts: Matthew 5:1-12; Matthew 6:9-13; Matthew 13; Matthew 22:1-10
3/8/2009

What do you advertise? What do you advertise with your life? Advertisements are a huge part of our world. Signs are everywhere with the latest brands and products on display. We see them just about everywhere we go. They are hard to escape. Ads are there trying to sell us this or have us try that. Ads tell us what we want, and the hardest of all--ads make us think we NEED the latest --shoes, cars, cell phones, you name it. I get annoyed watching TV when the ads come on and tell me what I NEED to be successful, be rich, be able to survive in this economy, be beautiful, or be whatever they think is important. If you wear this shirt, you will be more successful--like the shirt really makes a difference. It is easy, thought, to fall into these traps--after all that is the point of advertising to begin with--to move us toward something.

Jesus is advertising something completely different in our Scripture readings today from Matthew 5, a passage known as the Beatitudes from The Sermon on the Mount. This well-known list includes nine blessings that are signposts showing us the Kingdom of God, but they might not look like blessings to begin with. Blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are the pure in heart. Many can agree with these. But we also see blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, and blessed are those who are persecuted. These are harder for our culture to accept. Those who are spiritually poor are blessed--huh? Those who are persecuted--what? What kind of crazy-talk is Jesus preaching about here?

First, we must make a distinction in what blessed means in our culture today and how Jesus uses it in the Beatitudes. It is not a difference we can see on the surface in English, but goes back to the original language. Our culture often uses blessed in terms of offering a blessing to someone or a community like "O God, bless the children or bless the sick."[1] The word used in the Beatitudes is different. Instead of offering a blessing, it describes a recognized state of happiness or good fortune."[2] We sometimes hear a reference to a "bless-ed" lady in the community or a person who is a bless-ed soul--meaning they are in a state of happiness, not that they will receive blessing for the actions they are doing.[3] In some ways this is a subtle difference, but I believe it makes these Beatitudes more counter-cultural, more revolutionary than they seem at first glance. The Kingdom of God is also counter-cultural and revolutionary, and the clues we see in Matthew 5 are there to help us understand Matthew 6's recording of the Lord's Prayer. This model prayer is a prayer to bring about a different world/kingdom/realm than what our culture recognizes as important or the norm.

As we move through the Lord's Prayer this Lent, we find ourselves today at "Your Kingdom Come." This phrase has been described as the crux of the whole prayer, and is probably the most radical phrase in it as well. By praying it, we are arguably saying the most radical, revolutionary, and counter-cultural words possible because we are pledging allegiance to God and not our worldly kingdom. The words in and of themselves are pretty basic. Your--meaning God; Kingdom--meaning a realm or boundary or state; come--a verb of invitation for arrival. Your Kingdom Come. Three little words, yet one big, radical idea. We are called to make a decision—become part of God’s Kingdom or walk away declaring our allegiance to this world.

As I've thought about the phrase, Your Kingdom Come, there is not only one definition or explanation of the Kingdom of Heaven, as Matthew calls it, because Jesus never gives us just ONE idea or definition. Instead, we learn about the Kingdom through his many parables. Matthew 13 includes lots of Kingdom parables but I only want to briefly mention two. One says: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”[4] The chapter goes on to say: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."[5] The interesting thing in the pearl parable is that the pearl is not what Jesus is comparing the kingdom to. Instead, he compares it to the search the merchant undertakes to find the pearl.[6] Maybe our searching for the kingdom is of value. Part of the phrase Your Kingdom Come is that we have to search and be on the lookout for it. The advertisements for the kingdom are not often greatly noticed like the billboard along the Highway, but require some searching to see them.

Jesus teaches many parables of the Kingdom that leave us with paradoxes. The Kingdom of God is thus defined by paradoxes--these statements that affirm two opposing ideas at the same time that cannot be logically reconciled.[7] How has the kingdom already come and yet is still in the future? How is the Kingdom of God near by and close at hand and also far away in the future? How can there be signs of the Kingdom and yet we can never tell when it is coming, that only God knows when the time is for the Kingdom's arrival? These statements do not fit our worldly logic and understanding. It is in these paradoxes that we discover how we are to live into it and watch for "Your Kingdom Come." It is something we find through searching and yet may not know we've even found it until much later.

The Kingdom is something that only God can bring about.[8] Because of sin, we cannot fully bring about the Kingdom. But that doesn't mean that we have no part in it. Our citizenship in the Kingdom of God comes through our baptism.[9] By being marked and set-apart through baptism, we receive our citizenship card and passport for the Kingdom. Though we cannot bring about the Kingdom, we can be signs pointing the way. There are a number of ways to be signs pointing to God's Kingdom through our lives. Some of them are easy, others are more difficult. One way is through our intentionally living together in community as the church. The Kingdom is best found in community as we live and work together and thus grow together in our faith.

Another example of the Kingdom is found in the choices we make and the ethics that guide our daily decisions and actions. God's Kingdom is concerned about peace, justice, the environment, the outcast, the overlooked, and the oppressed.[10] How do our words and actions convey to the world that God cares about these issues? How are we signs that show the way toward Godly values and Kingdom ethics? We witnessed a Youth-Group-sized signpost of the Kingdom last week here in our community. The youth and leaders arrived at the Wilmington Street Men's Shelter on Sunday morning like every first Sunday of the month. But this time, a bomb threat left our youth standing outside in the 30some-degree rain with the men from the shelter. Some of the men were in flip flops. Others only had t-shirts and shorts. It is likely that none had the ability to change into dry clothes when they were able to return inside. After passing out the clothing they brought to give away and waiting for over 10 minutes without seeing sign of the police, some of our youth were asked if they wanted to go sit inside the leader's cars to get warm and dry. They chose to stand with the men, choosing instead to sing, hand out the warm cider they brought, and make new friends during this damp and dreary time. These men are the outcasts and overlooked of our society. They certainly seemed overlooked by police last Sunday, who finally arrived after about 30 minutes. But our youth served as signposts of God's Kingdom by standing, singing, and serving in solidarity and love. Your Kingdom Come.

New Testament Scholar Kenneth Bailey offers this synopsis of the Kingdom of God after analyzing all Jesus said and did. "The kingdom established ethical patterns. It must be approached like a child and it is hard for the rich to enter into it. Its great commandment is to love God and the neighbor. The eucharistic meal [a.k.a. The Lord's Supper/Communion] is related to it, and it is the central focus of Jesus' preaching. We labor to receive its blessing in our hearts and in our societies as we look to the future with hope."[11]

One of my favorite quotes about how to live as a Christian is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi and says, "Preach the Gospel. Use words if you must." I think this idea applies here as we think about the Kingdom. Maybe we should adapt the quote to say, "Practice the Kingdom of God. Use words if you must." Or "Be a signpost for the Kingdom. Use words if you must." Steve and I have been taking steps to be more ecological and environmentally friendly. We have only made small steps so far, but see each step as another way we can be signs pointing the way to God's Kingdom. We take our own mugs to the coffee shop, drink Fair Trade coffee when possible, carry our bags in with us to the grocery store, and recycle much of our trash. We know we have a long way to go, but I realized the other day how it is becoming a habit in my own life. I went to the grocery store and left my shopping bags at home. I lamented my actions and realized how I was not being a sign of the Kingdom. It's a small thing to change, but it can make a difference as God works in our lives to show signs of the Kingdom. Our church has a recycling program, but what a sign of the Kingdom we could be if we recycled as much as possible. What a sign we would be if we used real mugs for coffee time or church dinners to reduce our trash instead of Styrofoam or paper. What a sign we would be if we switched to Fair Trade coffee to show love and justice to our Central American neighbors who grow our coffee and are thus able to earn fair wages for their efforts. I can see it now on the bottom of our Lovefeast Odes: “Raleigh Moravian support Fair Trade Coffee and Local Bakeries to be a sign of the Kingdom of God.” This community is a great place, probably the best place, to "Practice the Kingdom of God", using words if we must. What a sign we would be!

When we pray, "Your Kingdom Come" what do we do after that? Do we mindlessly pray the Lord's Prayer, or do we allow it to energize us for action in our world? Do our words help us remember our role as signposts for the kingdom? "What do you advertise?" If we are to be signposts of the Kingdom of God, what do you advertise? What do others see in you to help them know what the Kingdom of God looks like?

My favorite parable of the Kingdom of God involves the Wedding Banquet that we read this morning. We see the Kingdom compared to a huge banquet feast that draws its crowd from the people on Main Street. The guests fill the hall and everyone is welcome at this huge Kingdom party--the good, the bad, and the ugly as the saying goes. As part of God's Kingdom, our signs are like the appetizers for the great banquet feast. They might include our hospitality, love, care, and concern for the outcast, the overlooked, and the oppressed. The music at the party will cause us to march to a different tune, one that is out-of-step with our world. This party is counter-cultural and revolutionary, in fact, because everyone is invited, even rain-soaked men from a shelter that our world might not expect to see.

Your Kingdom Come. Three little words. Words that call forth God's Kingdom here on earth now and in the future. Words that put our actions in step with God's call to serve the outcast, overlooked, and oppressed. Words that cause us to be the signs to our world that point toward the Kingdom of God. Your Kingdom Come. Three little words; one revolutionary idea. Your Kingdom Come. Amen.

[1] Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: IVPAcademic, 2008) 67.
[2] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 67-68.
[3] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 68.
[4] Matthew 13:31-32. NRSV.
[5] Matthew 13:45-46. NRSV.
[6] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 77.
[7] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 114-115. Bailey defines the 3 Paradoxes and gives examples too numerous to include here. This is a great book to check out for his cultural look at key passages in the Gospels.
[8] Attributed to Karl Barth, source unknown.
[9] William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas, Lord Teach Us: The Lord's Prayer and the Christian Life (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 54.
[10] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 116. Barbara J. Essex, “Homiletical Perspective on John 10:11-18” in Feasting on the Word, Year B Vol. 2 (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press) 453.
[11] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 116.