Sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 – Who are the Disciples?

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

These verses, the Beatitudes, are so familiar they’ve almost lost all meaning. These words became familiar, because they are powerful, but they’ve been embroidered on so many pillows that something has been lost in translation.

Let’s start with the word “blessed.” It’s not a word we use much these days, except maybe as a hashtag. We might see photos of someone’s vacationwith the caption “#Blessed” or read an announcement about someone’s promotion at work followed by “#Blessed”. It’s certainly important to give thanks for the good things in one’s life. But the meaning of the word “blessed” has gotten a bit watered down.

And it seems like kind of the opposite of what Jesus is talking about here. You wouldn’t see someone announce the death of a loved one with “#Blessed,” as in “blessed are those who mourn.” You also wouldn’t see someone describe themselves as “poor in spirit—#Blessed!”

Jesus’ teaching here is weird, because the word translated as “blessed” could also mean “happy.”

When you find out that someone is grieving or describe someone as “meek,” you wouldn’tgo on to say how happy they must be.

But the word translated as “blessed” or “happy” could also be translated as “greatly honored.” This also seems counter-intuitive: someone who is persecuted is honored?

But that’s exactly what Jesus is getting at: the Reign of God, the Beloved Community that God is establishing on earth is the complete opposite of the way the world works right now. It’s not the rich, powerful, and fawned over that are blessed, happy, and honored. No, it’s those who are beaten down, who seek peace instead of domination, who ache for the world to align with the upside-down Beloved Community who are greatly honored.

This passage teaches us who Jesus is and who his disciples are.

In the Gospel of Matthew, this is the first really public thing Jesus does that is described in detail. Right before this, it talks about Jesus going around, teaching and healing people, but it doesn’t give us any particular stories or teachings.

It’s only here, where Jesus has gathered a great crowd and starts to teach his disciples, that the Gospel gives us Jesus’ words.

This Gospel is giving us a view of Jesus as the Great Teacher. This is Jesus setting the stage for his ministry and teaching his disciples what it means to follow him.

Jesus is describing the Beloved Community of the Reign of God—where the last become first and the first become last.

Jesus describes those who are greatly honored in the Reign of God—people whose lives run opposed to the status quo and the glory of the Roman Empire.

Jillian Engelhardt from Texas Christian University points out the ways each of the people on Jesus’ list oppose the values of the Roman Empire.

The “poor in spirit”are those crushed by poverty—not just the physical effects of poverty, but the mental, emotional, and spiritual ways poverty grinds on one’s dignity and self-worth. They are forgotten and shunned by society.

Those who mourn were plentiful. The high mortality rate, the vast disparities between the rich and the impoverished, not to mention the justifiable mourning of the loss of one’s occupied land, meant that there were plenty who mourned.

The “meek” is a reference to Psalm 37:11 “But the meek shall inherit the land / and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” The “meek” are those who are taken advantage of by the wicked whose abundance only seems to grow.

“Righteousness” was living into God’s way of life as a people—living into the equity of the Year of Jubilee and the mercy shown in the Law that God gave. So, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” long to be able to live as God’s people in the generosity and abundance that they can’t find in the subjugation of the Roman Empire.

And the Roman Empire wasn’t known for being merciful or for valuing those who are “merciful. ”In contrast, the Reign of God is known for generosity and caring for one’s neighbors.

Jesus names the “pure in heart”—those who uphold values like mercy in their hearts as well as their actions.

The Roman Empire was known for establishing the “pax Romana,” or “Roman peace,” but it was peace that was maintained by the point of a sword. Jesus blesses genuine, not coercive, peacemakers.

And Jesus knows his disciples will be persecuted for upholding these values that go against the dominant culture of the Roman Empire. If they weren’t already poor in spirit or mourning or meekly taken advantage of, they would be if they follow Jesus.

Being Jesus’ student is not for the faint of heart or for those who want a respectable, honorable life. What is honored in the Reign of God is contrary to what is honored in the world around them.

Jesus is preparing them for the hardships to come: the persecutions, the ridicule, the ostracism, the threats to their life and wellbeing. Jesus, the Great Teacher, is teaching them a different way of living, one that is not to be undertaken lightly.

And also, Jesus is declaring the value of these beloved children of God who are disregarded by their society and inviting them into the upside-down Beloved Community where they are greatly honored.

Jesus is teaching them a new way of living in the world, where the marginalized and forgotten are celebrated and blessed.

So, what does Jesus have to teach us in this opening to the most famous sermon in history?

We live in one of the richest and most powerful countries in our world.

We live in a culture that worships wealth, power, status, influence, and a very narrow definition of beauty.

Those who are poor in spirit, who grieve, who are taken advantage of, who call for equity instead of disparity, who wage peace instead of aggression, who care for the least, the last, and the lost—none of these people are “greatly honored” in the dominant US culture.

Jesus invites us into the same vision of the Beloved Community of God—so different from the status quo, that upholds values contrary to everything our society holds dear.

Our society loves the concept of happiness: from 10% Happier to The Happiness Lab to The Happiness Project, happiness is popular in the public discourse. But Jesus describes those who are “happy” in counterintuitive ways.

You wouldn’t hear on a motivational podcast: “happy are those who are unsatisfied with the inequality in the world” or “happy are those who are taken advantage of” or “happy are those who are beaten down by crushing poverty.”

And yet, this is what Jesus says, because he’s teaching his disciples, including us, to value the wellbeing of our neighbors, to be integrated in heart and action toward making the world more as it is in heaven, to see through the empty promises our culture makes to us about what makes someone happy, honored, or even “#Blessed.”

So, look at the world around you and notice what society wants you to value and compare it to Jesus’ teachings in today’s reading. You are Jesus’ disciples, followers of The Way, family members of the Beloved Community, and Jesus warns you that it won’t be easy—in fact, it will cost you everything—but because you are loved by God, you are freed from earning your blessedness from society and culture, and you can live in the upside-down Reign of God.

Greatly honored children of God, you are blessed. Now, be a blessing to others.

First Lutheran Church

January 22, 2023

Worship and Annual Meeting

Matthew 26:26-29  26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing ithe broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of thecovenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Sermon

“Holy Communion”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Our theme for this morning, on the day that we gather for worship and our annual meeting, is “Holy Communion.”  For my homily this morning I would like to highlight and unpack the meaning of a few of the “words” that belong to the sacrament of Holy Communion.

I want to begin with a phrase from today’s gospel reading, Matthew’s account of The Last Supper.  He begins, “While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, …”I am reminded of the words we sing as part of the “Now The Feast and Celebration”communion liturgy; “As the grains of wheat once scattered on the hill were gathered into one to become our bread; So may all Your people from all the ends of earth be gathered into one in You.”

Holy Communion is a gathering up of the Holy Community!  So it is, appropriate that on this day, on this day when we gather to make important decisions for our church, on a day that we affirm our mission here in this place by electing leaders and approving our budget, that we are reminded that we do so as a Holy Community, the church of Jesus Christ. 

The next phrases I would like to highlight come from our communion liturgy, from “The Words of Institution,” which more closely follow Mark’s account of The Last Supper. 

“Jesus took bread and gave thanks”, -“he took the cup, gave thanks, …”  Holy Communion is also known by the Greek word “Eucharist,” which is translated as Thanksgiving.  When we gather for Holy Communion, we gather to give thanks for what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.  As we gather this day to make plans for this coming year, we will also pause to give thanks for all the good things that God has done amongst us this past year.

The next phrase you hear each week in “The Words of Institution,” and that you hear again when you are served the bread and the wine; contain two very important words, - “for you.”  These powerful words are a reminder that you are loved, they echo the promises of baptism, the promise that you are nothing less than a beloved child of God.  In the vastness of the cosmos, sometimes we forget who we are, sometimes we get lost in it all, sometimes we feel so small and insignificant; so it is that the God of the universe invites you to Christ’s Table to say – “for you,”–to say “I love you.”

And those very personal words, “for you,” are then followed by another word of community, “Do this in remembrance of me,”or do this to remember me.You’ve all heard me say it time and time again, to remember is to re-member, it’s the opposite of “dis-member!”  As we gather together to celebrate Holy Communion, we are “re-membering” the Body of Christ, we are becoming the church, God’s very presence in the world!  Communion is a powerful personal moment, “for you,”that leads to an even more powerful moment, the creation and empowerment of the faith community, “re-member me.”  Today we will do this, and the sacrament will lead us not just into an annual meeting, but into a commitment, a renewal, an affirmation of our mission - to be the presence of Christ in our community.  “Do this to re-member me.”

And finally, a few words that sometimes get lost, “he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink …”  “For All.”  The precious gift “for you,” is also a precious gift “for all.”  We are once again reminded of God’s amazing grace.  Christ suffered and died “for all,” not just the ones who are like us, not just the ones who get up on Sunday mornings, not just the people who are easy to like; but for all.  In these words, “for all,” we find comfort, and we find a challenge, and ultimately, we find our mission to go out into the world with the good news of the Gospel.

During our last Messy Church session, our children learned about Holy Communion.  They baked the bread that we used on Christmas Eve; and today from that place of child-like faith they will proclaim to each of you, as they help serve communion, that the gift is indeed - “for you.”  And coming up next in our service they will remind us that “Everybody’s Welcome.”  In these words; may you know that you are welcome, and may you be inspired to go out into the world, even to run out into the world with the joy of a beloved child, and tell everyone that they are welcome too!

“Everybody’s Welcome”

Everybody’s welcome, yes, yes, welcome!

Everybody’s welcome, come along and go!

Oh Glory, God is with us!

Oh Glory, Come along and go!

Amen.

Sermon on John 1:29-42

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

If I were John, pointing out the savior of the world, the figure of God on earth, I might have picked a metaphor at least a little more impressive and intimidating than a “lamb.”

Lambs are small, wobbly, and adorable—not exactly attributes you want your rescuer to have.

And yet, here comes John pointing out Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John is giving his hearers and us an epiphany—as Pastor Greg put it last week, not an “aha moment,” but a deep question to wrestle with. What does it mean to be the Lamb of God?”

The part about “tak[ing] away the sin of the world” might make us think of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, which is something that’s definitely in the churchy language we hear all the time, not just in church, but on billboards and shouted from megaphones on the side of the road.

But lambs weren’t used as sin offerings. Bulls, goats, and adult sheep were used for sin offerings.

No, lambs were used in one of the most significant events in Jewish history: the Exodus. The Israelites enslaved in Egypt were instructed to mark their doorways with the blood of lambs to protect them from the 10th plague.

That had nothing to do with their sins.

It had everything to do with their liberation.

The Gospel of John uses references like this to describe Jesus’ role on earth as bringing about a new Passover.

John introduces Jesus as the Lamb of God in the very first chapter, and toward the end, this Gospel makes sure we know that none of Jesus’ bones were broken in the crucifixion, “so that the scripture might be fulfilled.”[1]

Which scripture is that? In Exodus,[2]the Israelites are instructed not to break the bones of the lambin preparation for the first Passover, and in Numbers,[3]God elaborates in the Law how to continue honoring the Passover, and again, they are told not to break the bones of the lamb.

The Gospel of John helps us understand Jesus as the Passover lamb who brings liberation to the world.

Soin the first chapter, when John points to Jesus and says, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” he is saying, “Here is your liberation! Here is your freedom from what is holding you captive!”

And the word that’s translated here as “take away” means “to raise, to lift up, to take away, to remove.”[4]Instead of interpreting “taking away the sins of the world” as Jesus dying to wipe clean our sins, we can understand this as Jesus, the Passover lamb, lifting up the injustices of our world and the ways we hurt each other so that everyone can see them and make things right.

Jesus frees us from the ways we ignore and sweep injustices under the rug or shrug our shoulders and think we can’t do anything about them.

Sometimes sins and injustices have to be lifted up and acknowledged before they can be taken away or made right. Jesus brings truth and justice and liberation.

Tomorrow, we’ll be celebrating someone else who worked for truth and justice and liberation: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Like John in this story, Dr. Kingpointed people to liberation.

Like John when he called out King Herod’s immoral relationship, Dr. King called for bringing injustice to light.

Like John, Dr. King was assassinated for speaking truth to power.

John and Dr. King both saw a vision of a freer, more just and equitable society and rallied people to work to get closer to it.

John said, “Look, there’s the Passover lamb who will bring new freedom.”

Dr. King said, “It is normalcy all over our country which leaves the Negro perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of vast ocean of material prosperity. It is normalcy all over Alabama that prevents the Negro from becoming a registered voter. No, we will not allow Alabama to return to normalcy. [This speech took place in Montgomery, AL. The vision he was pointing to, of course, was not just for Alabama, but for the whole nation. He continued:]

“The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that recognizes the dignity and worth of all of God’s children. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that allows judgment to run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy of brotherhood, the normalcy of true peace, the normalcy of justice.”[5]

John in our Gospel reading today might just as well have said, “It is normalcy all over Israel that leaves Jewish people perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of the vast ocean of the Roman Empire. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that recognizes the dignity and worth of all of God’s children. And Jesus over there, he’s the one to follow to get to that glorious Reign of God.”

And when John points his disciples to the Lamb of God, they chase Jesus down, asking him where he is staying, essentially asking, “we want to follow you—where are you going?”

And Jesus says, “Come and see.” He’s inviting them along for the journey. It’s not enough to see the vision of the Reign of God; it takes a journey to get there.

The vision of the Reign of God that we hear from prophets like John and Dr. King is so important, and it’s not enough to stay there. We have to see that vision and follow where the prophets are pointing.

That’s when Jesus invites us on the journey to the Reign of God and says, “Come and see!”

Come and see what injustices have been covered up that need repair.

Come and see what God’s justice looks like.

Come and see the freedom you were meant for.

Come and be liberated.

[1]John 19:36

[2]Exodus 12:46

[3]Numbers 9:12

[4]https://www.saltproject.org/progressive-christian-blog/2020/1/4/lamb-of-god-salts-lectionary-commentary-for-epiphany-2

[5] “Our God is Marching On,” Montgomery, AL, 25 March 1965https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/our-god-marching