January 26, 2023
Dear Central Church,
One of the most recognizable passages in the Bible is the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the Beatitudes. Jesus presents a vision for what it looks like to be “blessed” in the Kingdom of Heaven and how his followers are to live.
I had a friend from a different theological tradition tell me that the vision of the Beatitudes is more aspirational than it is prescriptive for how God actually expects his people to live. That is to say, he believed this way of life isn’t possible in this life but only in the “sweet by and by” of eternity.
My response to him was: “That’s an interesting way to be wrong.”
I will admit, however, that actually living out who Jesus calls his followers to be in this sermon is a tall order. For example, a different friend of mine was a guest preacher at a church and delivered what he thought was an exceptional sermon on Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemy” and “bless those who persecute you.” After church when he went to pick up his little girl from the toddler class, the teacher complimented him on the sermon. She was able to watch it on the monitor in the classroom and told him it had had a profound impact on her life.
She then went on to tell him about an incident that happened, “I do need to let you know that one of the kids hit your little girl when she wouldn’t give him her toy.”
“What happened?” he asked.
She replied, “I told her to ‘Hit him back!’”
Hearing and doing are two different things, but we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live out who God calls us to be. In fact, at the end of the Sermon Jesus says that those who hear these words and “put them into practice are like a wise person who builds their house upon the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)
Jesus not only calls you to hear his words, but he empowers you through the Holy Spirit to put them into practice. What would it look like for a community of people to put into practice the Beatitudes?
Let’s find out together!
Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark
