“THE HIGH CALLING”

MATTHEW 5: 38-48 NRSV

Red Skelton once told a joke a joke about being perfect: Once upon a time, a perfect man and a perfect woman met. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding.

Their life together was, of course, perfect. One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve, this perfect couple was driving their perfect car along a winding road, when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress.

Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help. There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on Christmas Eve, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle.

Soon they were driving along delivering toys. Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident. Only one of them survived the accident. The question is: Who was the survivor?

Obviously, the perfect woman survived. She's the only one who really existed in the first place. Everyone knows there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man.


But you women need to stop listening because that is the end of the joke.

Men: So, if there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the perfect woman must have been driving. And that explains why there was a car accident. By the way, if you're a woman and you're hearing this, this illustrates another point: Women never listen to men’s instructions, either.

Let’s face it: The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he or she fills out a job application.

One last poke: Why did God create men before women? Because you always need a ROUGH draft before you can create perfection.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The words used for “perfection” in the Hebrew (tamim and tamam) and the Greek scriptures (teleious) mean:

1) Having reached its end

2) Complete, finished, fully grown; mature.

3) Intact, fully formed, intact and without blame or imperfection.

So when talk about perfect things we are talking about an object of person whose purpose and being has been fully realized. Jesus is telling us that if we are perfect then we have fully accomplished what God set out to create when humanity was formed in the Garden of Eden.

This and the following section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount describe the perfect virtues of the person who is at one with God and God’s Absolute Characteristics, which are firmly established in Truth, purity, and integrity, without sin or bondage to worldly corruption, and always exhibits the fullness of sanctifying grace. Such a person would be called a saint.

One of the few things of agreement in the world’s religions is this upholding of a higher calling to the perfect human being. Such a person embodies in himself the perfections of an ultimate reality of behavior.

This type of person is truly felt to reflect the image of God which could be the ultimate purpose of humanity. We say the saint has overcome selfish desires and is purified of any feelings of lust, greed, or other cravings. He is unfettered by attachment to worldly concerns for wealth, power, or reputation.

He is free from bondage to sin and does not have any desire to commit sin: in Augustine's words, he is free to "love God perfectly and do what God wills."

Yet if you listen to the Holy Spirit, know Jesus, and read the Apostle Paul you know that human perfection is impossible. In those immortal words, “Houston, we have a problem!” We can never fulfill Jesus’ teachings in these verses.

1 John 1: 8 tells us plainly “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

But there is a way. God created us with the ability but because of sin we lost the desire to live perfectly in relationship with God.

1 John 1: 9 solves our problem: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God has our back!

John Wesley’s concept of Christian perfection is the best description of how God made it possible for us to gain the perfection of righteousness.

Wesley’s perfection is not about living a mistake-free life but rather about the motivation to attempt to do so. Christian perfection is about living through the lens of love.

Moving onto Christian perfection isn’t about not sinning, but in accepting the grace that Christ offers to make you perfect, and to continue to grow in grace.

Wesley said, “Christian perfection, therefore, does not imply (as some men seem to have imagined) an exemption either from ignorance or mistake, or infirmities or temptations. Indeed, it is only another term for holiness. They are two names for the same thing. Thus every one that is perfect is holy, and every one that is holy is, in the Scripture sense, perfect.”

Wesley is saying that we need to learn that as we live each day in the grace of Christ, our love for God must grow, and that divine love will sanctify us into righteousness and the perfection of God. Eventually our actions will become saintly because that’s where our head and heart will be.

So here when we realize the impossibility of living up to Jesus’ example and teachings on being perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we see that there is a way to overcome the impossible.

Jesus’ death on the Cross triumphs! It keeps us from ever violating 1 John 1: 10 - “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

One last point: Bill walks into a post office one day to see a middle-aged man standing at the counter enthusiastically writing addresses on bright pink envelopes covered with hearts.

He then takes out a scent bottle and starts spraying perfume over them. Bill’s curiosity gets the better of him and he walks over to the man and asks him what he’s doing.

“I’m sending out 1,000 Valentine’s Day cards signed, ‘Guess who?’” says the man.

“Why on earth are you doing that?” asks Bill.“Because I’m a divorce lawyer.” replies the man.

There are always going to be people telling us we’ll never be good enough for God, or that we’re hypocrites claiming the perfection of God when we aren’t. The devil works that way as well.  He spoiled his relationship with God and desires to drag us down with him.

All it requires to start on the road to perfection requires admitting and confessing your need for assistance and accountability to God.

The truth is that Jesus’ Grace is sufficient for us. That is the Good News! We can never earn perfection through our actions but we can claim it through Him that is and was perfect.

One last scriptural reference: 1 John 2: 1-2: “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous one. He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

“Propitiation” is a theological term for the removal of divine wrath. Jesus has turned God’s wrath away from sinners and allows us to appear perfect to God.

Amen.

“Marriage: A Man Shall Leave…”

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3

 

We’ve just observed that annual ritual called “Valentine’s Day.” Today we’re going to talk about marriage. To get us started right I have several questions on wedding etiquette to ask:

 

Q: Is it all right to bring a date to the wedding? A: Not if you are the groom.
Q: How many showers is the bride supposed to have? A: At least one within a week of the wedding.
Q: What music is recommended for the wedding ceremony? A: Anything except "Tied to the Whipping Post."

 

Okay, one last quick shot before I get serious. The British have an organization that Americans should consider. There is a men's club, called Bachelors' Anonymous. It is highly successful in making men fear or even hate marriage.The club provides a unique way to treat the problem of bachelors wanting to marry. Every several months members are visited by a mother-in-law in nightgown, hair curlers, and a mud pack who yells at them for 5 minutes.

 

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
 

The term “love” brings up all sorts of ideas in our minds and hearts. The media tend to picture love with physical desire and feelings and most often promote an equation of love with lovemaking—especially when love is the result of chemistry that bursts into passionate magic.

Most online matchmaking services market their “happily ever after” using special personality tests or compatibility pairing, and all of them brag about success rates.

Speed-dating services and companies like “It’s Just Lunch,” along with “Zoosk,”

“OurTime,”“ChristianMingle,”“SingleParentMeet.com,” “Just Farmers,” and a bunch of others promise to find love for you with “that special someone.”

eHarmony alone has more than 15 million members and Match.com has more than 21 million. One reliable source estimates that the dating industry brings in over a billion dollars in revenue each year in the U.S. alone, and the average client spends well over two hundred dollars per year to find the “right person.”

The right price you might say, if real love, is found. Romantic Love for sale.

It is interesting to note, that although the Bible does validate physical lovemaking in marriage as the purpose and design of the Creator, the concept of sex outside of marriage is never promoted in Scripture—all promiscuous, premarital, and extra- marital sex is strictly forbidden.

Biblical love is based on a much different premise: God ordained it.

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the focus that God requires in a love relationship (both in marriage and in friendship) is to note the play on words in the interaction between Jesus and Peter after the resurrection, found in John 21: 15-17.

Peter meets with Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus asked Peter if he “loves” Him. Jesus used the word agapao (Holy Love). Peter responds with phileo (Brotherly Love).They’re aren’t talking the same kind of Love at first.

The conversation goes like this:

Jesus: “Do you LOVE Me?”Peter: “Yes, Lord, You know I LIKE You.”
Jesus: “Feed My lambs.”

Jesus: “Do you LOVE Me?”Peter: “Yes, Lord, You know I LIKE You.”
Jesus: “Tend My sheep.”

Jesus: “Do you LIKE Me?”Peter: “You know that I LIKE You!”
Jesus: “Feed My sheep.”

These two words are at the heart of the human problem. God’s love—the love that God showed when He “gave His only begotten Son”—was agape love.

That kind of love is unilateral. That kind of love is a promise from the giver to the receiver unconditionally. No excuses, regrets, or exceptions. When returned, agape love produces a bond that is almost impossible to break.

Yes, the human heart is fallible and sometimes breaks a relationship established on biblical love. But God’s love never fails. Many may reject His love, but God’s love is extended to all humanity with the request that we believe that He loves us.

Human love, on the other hand, in its normal form is phileo love—love that is based on mutual fondness. That’s why the emphasis of modern dating services is on compatibility and friendship. It works...for a while.

If folks like each other and enjoy the same sort of behavior, they can get along together under normal circumstances. But when any kind of crisis erupts, disability occurs, or serious differences of opinions develop (and they will), the “like” shows its weakness because it is not “love.” The relationship suffers and dissolves.

The Bible speaks of the two pillars of the Law upon which the relationships of man with God and man with human rest.

The first pillar is called the Greatest Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22: 37). This pillar, of course, summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments.

God is to reign—nothing is superior. God is not reproducible—there is no other likeness. God is to be reverenced—He is not “ordinary.” God is remembered—He is the Creator!

The second pillar is: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 39).

The neighbor has a broad application according to the second pillar: (summarized by the last six of the Ten Commandments.)

Respect authority. Protect life. Protect marriage. Respect property. Respect truth.

And lastly, reject greed.

God told us that even with the obvious emphasis on the agape love outlined in the Ten Commandments, humanity still faces the chance of divided love. God tells us that we cannot love two opposing ideas (people, lifestyles, worldviews, etc.); one or the other will dominate our heart.

Put simply, relationships with God and with other humans will either be based on a mutual fondness (phileo) or an intellectual, unilateral commitment (agape).

Perhaps the greatest test of whether love or fondness dominates our lives is examining our practice to see if we do not love what God does not love.

That boils down to how we relate to the “world.”  What is important to us.

On the positive side, “love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” This kind of love is a reflection of God’s love.

That love is easy to define, even if difficult to keep, and is found in the classic passage in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. God’s love is summed up by the following qualities:

Patient --- Kind --- Not jealous  ---  Does not brag ---  Is Not arrogant --- Does not act unbecomingly  ---  Does not seek its own  --- Is Not provoked ---  Does not think evil  ---  Does not delight in evil ---  Rejoices in truth  --- Bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. 

Individuals seeking God’s character and instructions for a successful life (that is  successful in God’s eyes) find their focus in a love for the Word of God. Our secular world is struggling to find love and falling prey to relationships based only on a physical and mutual fondness that fades with time and circumstance.

In stark contrast, God’s love stimulates good works. It causes us to honor our leaders. God’s love produces confidence and even fearlessness and a growing maturity in our ability to understand and cope with life.

God’s love enables us to love others as He has loved us.

 

Ultimately, of course, God’s love—made real and available in us through His salvation—provides confidence in His sovereign control and security in His faithful preservation. When God gives instructions for husbands to love their wives, He uses the word for agapao rather than phileo .

Agape love commits for life; phileo love falls away when the passion fades. It allows only surface sacrifice and protects self rather than the other. But God grants those with the Holy Spirit indwelling a special ability to demonstrate the powerful agape love that unreservedly sacrifices for the sake of the one loved.

It’s why God gave us the passage from Genesis 2: 24:  “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

This ordination of marriage between a man and a woman is repeated multiple times in God’s Holy Scriptures. They are: Matthew 19: 5; Mark 10: 7-8; 1 Corinthians 6: 16; Ephesians 5: 31.

There are three things that we feel manifest a minimum foundation for marriage.

First is the sanctity of human life based on our creation in the image of God and our election by God for service in His Kingdom. This leads us to respectfully affirm and sanctity every stage of human life. In honoring God as Creator Christians should always be pro-life.

 

The second is the Biblical guidelines for human sexuality: marriage as the union of one man and one woman, with no deviation. This upholds the nature of father/ mother, and husband and wife.

 

And the third is the concept of fidelity and holiness in marriage with the principle of chastity outside of marriage for the sake of the Kingdom.

 

Marriage requires work, commitment, love that endures pain and paranoia, and faith that the other person loves you too. God knew this when He ordained it.
 

Grandpa Jones was celebrating his 100th birthday and everybody complimented him on how athletic and well-preserved he appeared. "Gentlemen, I will tell you the secret of my success," he cackled. "I have been in the open air day after day for some 75 years now."
 
They were impressed and asked how he managed to keep up his rigorous fitness regime. "Well, you see my wife and I were married 75 years ago. On our wedding night, we made a solemn pledge. Whenever we had a fight, the one who was proved wrong would go outside and take a walk."

 

A man was wandering around in a field, thinking about how good his wife had been to him and how fortunate he was to have her. He asked God, "Why did you make her so kind-hearted?"

 

The Lord responded, "So you could love her, my son." "Why did you make her so good-looking?"  "So you could love her, my son." "Why did you make her such a good cook?" "So you could love her, my son."

 

The man thought about this. Then he said, "I don't mean to seem ungrateful or anything, but ... why did you make her so stupid?"  "So she could love you, my son."

 
Marriage is a state of mind where one person is always right and the other person is the husband! Actually marriage is where a commitment is made that no matter what happens the couple stands together against it. God knew two would be better than one and that the strengths of men and women compliment each other!

 

And lastly: Learn to understand that if you want breakfast in bed – sleep in the kitchen!

 

God blesses marriage if we let Him. Amen.

Fruit Inspector
Matthew 5: 13-20

 

A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place. The farmer had genuinely tried to be friendly to his new mother-in-law, hoping that it could be a friendly, non-antagonistic relationship.
      It was not to be, as she kept nagging them at every opportunity, demanding changes, offering unwanted advice, and generally making life unbearable to the farmer and his new bride.

     While they were walking through the barn, during the forced inspection, the farmer's mule suddenly reared up and kicked the mother-in-law in the head, killing her instantly. It was a shock to EVERYONE no matter their feelings toward her.

      At the funeral service a few days later, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by. The pastor noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod his head yes and say something. Whenever a man walked by and whispered to the farmer, however, he would shake his head no, and mumble a reply.
      Very curious as to this seemingly strange behavior, the pastor asked the farmer what that was all about. The farmer replied, "The women would say, 'What a terrible tragedy' and I would nod my head and say 'Yes, it was.'

       The men would then ask, 'Can I borrow that mule?' and I would shake my head and say, 'Can't do it, it's all booked up for a year.'"

Let’s start a little differently today – my question is “What is the most overused Bible verse?”

      Some people would say John 3: 16 and that Christians are always saying it and waving it everywhere. They’d remind you of “Rainbow” man who seems to be at every sporting event with his sign that says “John 3: 16.”

     Tim Tebow got in trouble with his use of Bible verses as well.

     Other people may say the phrase “Repent and be saved.” Still others may say, “The End of the world is near.” While not actual scriptural passages these phrase are close to scriptural content, but don’t pass muster for the most overused verse.

     Think of our culture and you get a clue. Political correctness. No absolute right or wrong. Hypersensitivity to the rights of individuals.The new thing is the “phrase” homosexuals are now using (“micro-aggression”) every time a Christian speaks out against their behavior. Now we’re close.

      The answer is, obviously, “Don’t judge lest you be judged!” (BTW, I agree.)

       Isn’t that the reputation that others pin on Christians especially regarding the perception of sins?That Christians judge others? That Christians seem to have a sense of entitlement that makes them feel superior to others?

       No matter how much we try to separate sin from sinner there is always a distortion of understanding in unbelievers who can’t understand the purity of God’s Love.

Friends we are like the boy who was helping his mother serve pie to a large dinner party. Each time he would place a piece of pie in front of his father, only to see his father pass it on to another diner. Finally the boy said to his father, “It’s no use dad, mom cut all the pieces of the pie the same size.”

       Christians operate in a world where God’s grace is equally given and is free to all.

God’s grace is extended even to the most flagrant sinner if they repent.

       We don’t need to judge others, but we do need to point out that there is a criterion for a coming judgment available. This is what us different, that we have accepted God version and view of the universe and His role as creator in it. It makes us salty.

 

Let’s hear our Gospel message: Matthew 5: 13-20: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?” It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

I can summarize and relate this whole passage to judging others by using this anonymous quote: “The trouble with most Christians today is that they would rather be on the judgment seat than on the witness stand.”

        By losing our voice in witness we remove the saltiness, hide our light, and reduce our righteousness. We become like the Pharisees and the scribes who practiced a written down book religion and lived a lie.

       Jesus tells us that whoever lives within the law of Christ, and teaches those laws to others is what He is looking for. We are not to judge but we are to point out and teach the limits of the law to others with no compromise.

       Let me say it another way: The game of life we live has rules that are applied to everybody and most of the time the game is self-refereed. We are to police our game and play by the game maker who is named “the Triune God.”

       Now some people say that Jesus spoke only of blessings and said he came to abolish the laws of Moses.
These people point out the harshness of the OT and say "are you willing to live by those standards?" The answer of course is we don't have too - they may still apply to the Jews but not to us Gentiles. Paul and Peter discussed and dealt with those issues..
        How could Jesus throw these laws away when His whole life’s story was to fulfill them? His very life was to serve as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the promise God made to Eve in the Garden of Eden.

       Now let’s look at this judging thing. I am going to say an amazing thing: The Bible never says, nor did Jesus, that we have to agree to stop sinning in order to be saved. What it does say is that we have to change our mind and agree we are sinners, because people who don't think they sin don't ask or need a Savior.

       The Bible does not say that God selected some of us to be saved, and that He wants the rest to suffer eternal death, and there's nothing any of us can do to change that.
       The clearest verses on the subject tell us that God doesn't want any of us to perish (read 2 Peter 3: 9), but still some will.

       God wants everyone to be saved (read 1 Timothy 2: 3-4).

       Both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell us that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:13).  

 

       Okay then, if that’s the case, why does it matter how we behave?  As we’ve seen, where our salvation is concerned, it doesn’t. We were saved because of what we believe, not because of how we behave. If that was the whole story then not judging anyone makes sense.  

       But scriptures tell us that when we were dead in our sins, God made us alive in Christ and forgave all our sins (Colossians 2: 13-14). We now belong to God and no one in Heaven or on Earth can ever change that (Romans 8: 38-39).
       Jesus tells us that the consequences of our actions become, just as in the fig tree and fruit trees the "fruit" ripe for the harvest. 

      Though we still sin, when we do God attributes it to the sin that dwells in us and no longer counts our sins against us (Romans 7: 18-20).  No group before the Church was ever given this blessing, nor will any group after us. The good we do becomes the fruit.

       The point of changing our behavior, and living to a new standard of conduct, is to express our gratitude to Him for the free gift of salvation. Every time we choose to “live up to what we’ve already been given” instead of yielding to the temptation to sin, we’re saying “Thank you Lord, for saving me.”

       What happens when produce or meat spoils? It begins to rot and smell. Sin, in all of its diversity also promotes rot and decay and should smell to those who are fleeing from it. Whatever is not of God, is sin. Whatever is not of God is death and decay.

        Jesus calls us not to judge but to simply recognize, through the fruits of our and other persons’ behavior, the good smell of grace or the rotten smell of sin. We are to become fruit inspectors.

And we are to point out what stinks and what is fragrant in God’s Kingdom. How do we know what this is? God’s Holy Word. Amen.

 

FACES IN THE CROWD

Matthew 5: 1-12 (NRSV)

Two great movies of my parent's generation made stars out of unknowns and speak to the identity of a culture and it's values and humor. Lucy Ball and the "Long, Long, Trailer," and Andy Griffith in "A Face in the Crowd." Both made celebrity status after being a faceless, nameless person in a crowd of "wantabees." Both came out of the crowd to success and failure.

Let's let you all operate as a crowd first off this morning. Let’s have a Bible Trivia Quiz this morning. Are you ready? Call out your answers and we’ll see how many of you know something about the Bible:

 

What kind of man was Boaz before he married? Ruthless.

 

Who was the greatest financier in the Bible? Noah. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

 

Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible? Pharaoh’s daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

 

What kinds of motor vehicles are in the Bible? The Lord drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David’s Triumph was heard throughout the land. And a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.

 

Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible? Samson. He brought the house down.

 

What excuse did Adam give to his children about why they no longer lived in Eden? “Your mother ate us out of house and home.”

 

Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible? Moses. He broke all Ten Commandments at once.

 

Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy? The area around Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.

 

Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible? David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.

 

Which Bible character had no parents? Joshua, son of Nun.

 

How did you do? One last question – who did Jesus say was blessed during the “Sermon on the Mount?” That’s right, the poor, the meek, the merciful, the hungry, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers!

 

All of these question and answers should be familiar to most Christians and church goers. Some of us have heard these stories and sayings so many times we can close our eyes and almost imagine ourselves there. Christianity is participatory.

 

Have you ever put yourself there? Have you ever imagined yourself a face in the crowd when Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount? I have.

Imagine an area rising on four sides with a natural cup like indentation. That's where they say Jesus gave the sermon on the mount.

Before we hear our lesson for today let’s read the last verse of Matthew Chapter 4 to set up what is happening here.

 

²⁴So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. ²⁵And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

 

Will you close your eyes and imagine yourself there that day? Listen to the words of Jesus from Matthew 5: 1-12 -

 

When Jesus^* saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ²Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

 

3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely^* on my account.

 

¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

Can you hear Jesus say those words? Can you hear the excitement around you? Can you sense these words are being spoken directly to you? They are by the way.

 

These words are among the most soothing, calming, and reassuring ever spoken and written. But they are words of caution as well. Jesus is sharing His love, passion, and grace to these people but He’s also telling them it will come at a great cost to Him, and those who will choose to follow Him.

 

Yet he offers a full relationship and mutual sharing of love and the knowledge of good and evil.

 

Jesus is telling us that as He relates to us one-to-one we will no longer be able to hide in the crowd. Jesus is telling us we know what's good, we know what's bad, and we will be held accountable for and to it.

A little girl discovered the secret to making mud one day, which she called “warm chocolate.”

 

After her grandmother cleaned up the mess, she told little Larissa not to make any more “chocolate.” The little girl soon resumed making her chocolate, saying sweetly, “Don’t look at me, Nana. OK?”

 

Nana, being a little codependent, agreed.

 

Larissa continued to work the mud, but three times she said, “Don’t look at me, Nana. OK?”

 

We see in the action of this little child how necessary it is to us that we think we remain unobserved in our wrong doing. Our sins unknown and hidden.

 

Anytime we choose to do wrong or to withhold doing right, we choose hiding as well. It may be that out of all the prayers that are ever spoken, the most common one — the quietest one, the one that we least acknowledge making — is simply this:

Don’t look at me, God.

Don't hold it against me, God.

The Devil made me do it, God.

 

We think we can hide our head knowledge from our heart. Jesus, in blessing us, removes any possibility to ever deceive ourselves again. He is blessing us with clarity and knowledge.

 

Think about the very first prayer spoken after the fall of Adam and Eve. God came to walk in the garden to be with the man and the woman and called, “Where are you?”

 

“I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid,” Adam answered, “so I hid.”

 

"Don’t look at me, God, let me remain a face in the crowd."

Jesus is declaring that we are no longer alone, unobserved, and protected. Amen.