Matthew 5:1-20
Preached at Bethel School Mennonite Church, September 14, 2025
“It’s Not What You Assume”
As soon as upon a time, there was a mighty civilization, a world energy identified for its wealth and navy would possibly. They operated with an financial system that allowed the wealthy to take care of and develop their wealth on the backs of the poor. They created a political system that offered the elite with unchecked energy and elicited patriotism–by manipulation and coercion–demanding obedience from its residents.
This civilization operated with a strict hierarchy with rich male residents decidedly on the high and “manly” traits of toughness and energy prized above all else. On this society, faith was not about having a relationship with God and God’s individuals; it was about saying the appropriate non secular phrases in the appropriate context so you’ll be seen as a correctly non secular individual.
I’m, after all, speaking about historical Rome. Possibly you had one other empire in thoughts?
However that is how Rome operated, and that is the context the persons are dwelling in when Jesus offers this sermon: blessed are the poor in spirit, those that mourn, the meek . . .
Jesus, like prophets earlier than and after him, was proclaiming the best way of God over and towards the best way of empire. We should always be aware right here that he wasn’t talking to the powers of empire, however to the individuals of God who had been being each oppressed by and co-opted by empire.
I think about it was tough for Jews within the first Century in a lot the identical approach it’s tough for individuals of religion at this time. God’s teachings of affection, justice, compassion, peace, and radical hospitality weren’t valued–and in some circumstances not even tolerated–by the broader society. It’s tough to dwell in this type of opposition to the dominant values throughout you–it’s exhausting.
Which makes it actually tempting to hearken to the non secular apologists for empire–and there are all the time non secular apologists–who insist that God’s realm and the Empire can co-exist–that we are literally serving God once we serve Empire. God desires us to struggle to be “winners.” God desires explicit political outcomes and no matter we have to do to get there may be justified. God is on the aspect of the profitable and highly effective. You may have your non secular cake and eat your imperial pie too.
With so many competing and false messages coming at us, it’s simple to get misplaced, to get rotated. We start to query which path is which.
Empire–the Roman one and the American one–it seems, is actually good at gaslighting individuals–at making us assume that their lies are the reality.
All the individuals who hear Jesus’ first sermon live on this complicated political and theological panorama. They’re Jews struggling to be trustworthy to God within the midst of empire.
To those individuals, Jesus says: It’s not what you assume. It’s not how they’re telling you it’s.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
Now in Luke’s model of the sermon, Jesus simply says “poor,” which might be an much more controversial assertion. However whether or not it’s simply “poor” or “poor in spirit,” poverty will not be one thing that empire values in any realm. It’s the aristocratic elite which can be prized and held up as examples. The wealthy are rewarded by getting richer.
“Blessed are those that mourn,” says Jesus, in a society during which you weren’t alleged to have–or not less than not present–any emotions. You weren’t alleged to mourn. You additionally weren’t supposed to bop or kiss your partner in public or do something that confirmed individuality, liveliness.
“Blessed are the meek.” In a current speech in UK, Elon Musk, addressing the problem of immigration, insisted that you just both struggle again otherwise you die. This was a standard sentiment in historical Rome identical to it’s at this time. The meek get run over. Jesus, although, says that they’re blessed.
“Blessed are those that starvation and thirst for righteousness.” That is a part of what received Jesus killed. This instructing is harmful to empire, as a result of empire depends on individuals’s starvation for his or her every day bread, their starvation for satisfying their very own wants, and when individuals begin to starvation for goodness and justice on the earth past them, that’s the finish of their obedience to empire.
“Blessed are the merciful,” says Jesus. There’s dialog in sure segments of the Christian world proper now concerning the “sin of empathy;” about how horrible it’s to enter into the struggling of one other individual as a result of it makes us weak. And Christians have to carry robust on “the best way God desires issues to be” and once we attempt to perceive different individuals an excessive amount of it takes us off of the trail. Proper? “The sin of empathy.” Empire requires strict divisions of us/them; empathy crushes these divisions and empire falls. Mercy makes the imperial undertaking unattainable.
Jesus says, “blessed are the pure in coronary heart.” At present I feel we hear that and we concentrate on the phrase pure. However for Jesus’ authentic congregation, I feel it’s the phrase coronary heart that will have caught of their ear. They knew all about purity–one needed to keep exterior purity to have the ability to enter the temple. Purity of physique is one thing these in energy can search to manage–or not less than monitor. Purity of coronary heart is outdoors the realm of imperial surveillance and management.
“Blessed are the peacemakers.” We, as Mennonites, know the way offensive that is to empire. We’re doing a conscientious objection class this month and studying about a few of the ways in which individuals suffered for refusing to take part within the violence that empire calls for. The Roman Empire lived and breathed warfare.
I do know, says Jesus, that empire has a superb propaganda machine. That they make it appear to be their approach is the appropriate approach, possibly the one approach–or not less than probably the most comfy approach–to be on the earth. I do know that empire has given you this image of blessedness, of happiness, of success by loyalty to to them. However I’m right here to let you know that they’re mendacity. It’s not the stoic who’s blessed, however those that let their hearts be damaged; not the highly effective, however the meek; not the soldier, however the servant.
Whereas it would appear like those who go together with empire obtain all of the blessings, it’s not what you assume, Jesus tells them. True blessedness involves those that dwell inside God’s reign, not Caesar’s.
For individuals struggling to comply with God’s approach in a hostile world, The Beatitudes counter that temptation to go together with empire.
There’s one other temptation we face, which is to retreat. To flee from empire. To isolate ourselves. To type and dwell inside a group that displays our beliefs and let everybody else fend for themselves. Anabaptists have a protracted historical past of one of these isolationist leaning. In some ways, it appears higher than accommodating to empire.
And but, Jesus doesn’t finish his sermon with The Beatitudes, however goes on to say: You might be salt for the earth. You might be gentle for the world.
It’s not sufficient to reject empire. We’re known as to vary it. Not by drive or violence, however by our salty and enlightening participation on this damaged world. Salt doesn’t improve the style of meals it doesn’t contact. The sunshine will not be useful if it’s below a bushel. (In reality, I’m fairly certain that it turns into a hearth hazard.)
Jesus doesn’t need us to dwell excellent lives in isolation, however messy lives in group. He doesn’t need us to reject empire, however to rework it.
I’m going to be sincere, that seems like an unattainable and overwhelming job. And so I need to share with you the one phrase within the midst of all of those phrases that Jesus spoke, that’s giving me a bit of little bit of respiration area lately: ARE.
Blessed are . . . These beatitudes usually are not necessities, not commandments, not additional work. Jesus isn’t telling them what they need to be doing. Jesus is stating how they’re dwelling as God’s individuals on the earth and mentioning to them that regardless of what empire says and tries to make actuality, these individuals of God are literally blessed. Within the face of all of the opposition, issue, confusion, we’re blessed once we dwell out God’s gentleness, peace, and openness.
Blessed are . . .
And you’re salt for the earth. And you’re gentle for the world.
Jesus will not be telling us to go be salt and lightweight. He’s saying we already are. Sure, we will lose our saltiness or we will conceal our gentle. However it’s in our God-given nature to enliven and enlighten the world.
As soon as upon a time, there have been individuals making an attempt to comply with the life-giving approach of God within the face of the damaging methods of empire. And as soon as upon a time, God got here to earth within the susceptible individual of Jesus to show and information and bless us.
That after-upon-a-time bears a putting resemblance to our present day and time. And thanks be to God that we nonetheless have the phrases of Jesus to show us. We nonetheless have the Holy Spirit to information us. We nonetheless are invited to dwell inside the blessing of our Creator. Thanks be to God.
Benediction:
You who’re poor in spirit and pure of coronary heart
You who mourn and also you who make peace
You who’re meek and merciful
You who starvation and thirst for righteousness–
You might be blessed.
Might you realize this blessedness right down to your bones.
Might you go forth now, in all your blessedness,
To be gentle
And to be salty.
Amen
