In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
It's all good, Christians. Today, as we gather celebrating All Saints' Day, remembering the faithful who have gone before us, who are with the Lord now, whom we shall see again with our Lord Jesus, the words of Jesus in our Gospel remind us that it's all good. In the face of sin and trouble in the world and temptation, because of Jesus it is all good. Because that's what that word “blessed” here means. It's not the typical word for blessing in the bible – it's makarios. Those of you who remember the 90s know the Spanish version of the word – Macarena. It means one who is blessed, who is fortunate, who is lucky – it's good. It's all good. Because in Christ Jesus, because you are baptized into Christ Jesus who has died and risen for you, it actually is all good.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It's all good. It's all good even if you are “poor in spirit” - if you are downcast, if you are looked down upon in this world and spit upon, if this world keeps on dragging you down. In Christ, it's all good – because yours is the Kingdom of heaven. It doesn't matter how crazy this week gets – and let's be honest, it might – Jesus has died and risen for you so the Kingdom of heaven is yours. Right now. You are a forgiven child of God, and you have Christ's Word of forgiveness and life with you. That's good, quite good.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. It's all good. It's all good even if you mourn and if you see death in the world. Why? Because Christ Jesus, that's why? And you know what He's going to do – He's going to not just comfort – not just “there there” you. He's going to “paraclete” you – it's that Holy Spirit Word again. Christ Jesus will send the Holy Spirit – you know, the Lord, the Giver of life. Life first came because the Word sent the Spirit into clay and then there was Adam, a living being. Jesus has come, and He's died and He's risen – and Jesus is going to put the Spirit to work again, and there will be life again, resurrection again. Resurrection for you, resurrection for everyone. Not just a there there, no – it's get on up, stand up, arise. That's good, quite good.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. It's all good. It's all good even when you have to be meek, when you have to sit on your hands, bite your lip, not put someone in their place. Oh, the world loves it's fighting, and we never win. And that's okay, in fact, that's quite fine. Because it's not your fight. But for us fights the valiant One, whom God Himself elected. Jesus has got the fight. He's the One who tangles with sin and death for you. And if He wants to do a fight through you, well, He'll give you the strength and use you as His instrument. But Jesus is the One doing the battle – and He does this fight so that He can give you life, so that He can give you a new heaven and a new earth freed from sin. Jesus does it for you and He's going to give you the new creation. That's good, quite good.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. It's all good. It's all good even when you see how unjust the world is, and you see the impact of sin – sin out there, sin in here. Because while we lack righteousness of ourselves, righteousness is Jesus' specialty. Jesus is the righteous One, and He came to fulfill all righteousness, and you know what Jesus does with all this fulfilled righteousness of His? He gives it to you. It's yours. You're forgiven. In fact, that word for satisfied is the idea of being well-fed – you want righteousness – well, Jesus says, “Take and Eat, Take and Drink” - did you hunger and thirst, well here you go, have My Righteousness, which forgives you and makes you righteous and prepares you for eternal life. That's good, quite good.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Hmm, Lord have mercy, we call out for that over and over in this service... and Jesus gives it. That's good.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Oooo. We are forgiven in service, and then we are told to take our purified hearts and lift them up – we lift them up unto the Lord. Oh, that's good.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Ah, the peacemakers, the doers of peace, the people who do that peace thing – you know, the peace that surpasses all human understanding, the peace of the Lord be with you always and here's Christ Jesus come to be with you, to give you His Body and Blood to eat and drink, for you are the Baptized children of God. In the midst of all the craziness of the world, the mercy-filled, heart-purifying, peacemaking Divine Service still goes on, and God serves you forgiveness, life, and salvation. That's good, quite good.
Are you getting the picture? Do you see what Jesus is driving at? See, this is how Jesus sets up the Sermon on the Mount, the great teaching sermon that takes up 3 chapters in Matthew. But first things first, whatever comes – remember, in Christ Jesus it is all good. Quite good. Jesus has come to redeem you, to rescue you, to restore you – and He has. Jesus has won, period. And even though the world around you ignores that, even though there are lousy things out there, indeed, even though you get tempted and driven to forget that, Jesus still has won. And the Saints who have gone before us, they see this victory full and unabated with the Lord right now – but it's our victory now, it's your victory now – you share in it, you participate in it. Our Father – right now, With angels and archangels and all the company of heaven – with, right now. This is the reality, the wondrous reality – that we are a part of Christ's Victory right now, even when we don't see it.
Really? Is it really all good? What about when we get dumped on for being Christians, for actually trying to love our neighbor, to do them good instead of just placating their evil and validating their wickedness? Well, Jesus says, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Oh, yeah, it stinks to get dumped on. It is lousy seeing friends and neighbors do the most foolish things, and you can't stop them. It's trashy getting abandoned or mocked because you won't jump into wickedness. And trust me, there are places where it's a whole lot worse and a whole lot more dangerous to be a Christian than here – but you know what? Right now, yours is the kingdom of heaven. All that junk does nothing to change the fact that right now you are a Citizen of Christ's Kingdom and one who has eternal life. Indeed, how serious is Jesus about this – Blessed are you – just to be clear, Jesus isn't just speaking in generalities, no, no – you, blessed are you – Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Even when the rubber hits the road in your life, it's still good, quite good in Christ. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You've got no reason to stop rejoicing, to stop being glad, and you know why? Because your reward, what you are going to get – it's in heaven and it is filled up to the brim. It's filled up because Jesus has done it all for you. And while these troubles you face might be new to you, plenty of Saints have been there before you, and Jesus has seen them through – this is Hebrews 12 stuff - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Really, truly, it's all good, quite good.
The Christian faith my dear friends is a defiant one, a joyously defiant one. In the face of all the sin and death in the world, sin and death that is indeed truly bad, truly troubling, truly sorrowful and heart rending – we are made to fix our eyes upon Jesus, who gives us faith and completes our faith – who claims us as His own in the waters of holy baptism, and who comes us to by His Word and Supper, who daily and richly forgives us in His Church. Over and against all the junk of the world – Jesus has died and He has risen, and He has done so for you. So the faith is defiant – not based on your strength, not based on how well you stand up – no, based upon Christ's defiance of Satan and Christ's overcoming of the world. This is why Jesus tells us - In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. And that's true. Jesus has won, come what may in our earthly days. And that's good, quite good, very good – beyond the very good of creation onto goodness that we cannot comprehend yet. But when the Lord returns, and the saints who have gone before come back with Him, we will all see it and we will all know it, because Christ has done it all for you. Amen. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
No comments:
Post a Comment