Sermon Matthew 5:1-12 “Happiness as Peacemakers”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church
Sermon Matthew 5:1-12  “Happiness as Peacemakers”
January 26, 2020

This month we have been looking at the Beatitudes or what some have called Happy Attitudes which show us how to find our innermost and most permanent joy in life.  We have seen that dependence on God, adaptability to God’s will, and imitating God by being merciful are pathways to happiness.  Today we will see that as children of God we are to follow the Prince of Peace by being peacemakers and standing up against persecution and oppression.   This too will make us happy.   We will get to this, but first, let’s pray.

Holy Spirit, be in our hearts as we consider matters of war and peace.  Help us to understand, as your children, how we are to do your will in this world where you have placed us.  Help us to understand how you would have us guide our country through the upcoming elections in a way that will bring justice and peace to the world.  We pray this empowered by you.  Amen.

Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then 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. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus is telling us today that when we obey his rules to love God and love our neighbor as peacemakers we will find happiness.  The Hebrew word for peace is “shalom”. A peacemaker is a maker of shalom, of completeness and soundness, of safety and security, of welfare and health, of quiet, tranquility and contentment, of friendship and peace.  As shalom makers, we work against the prevailing winds of a fallen world.  We work to end violence and hostility.  We desire peace for everyone and work to bring that about.  And we grieve when we see violence on the streets of our cities and the streets of troubled nations.

Shalom making is our responsibility as children of God.  So think of ways of building shalom in your families, and with your friends.  Make shalom in our community and nation.  Dedicate your life to your calling as a peacemaker.
In today’s scripture, we, as children of God, are told that we will find our happiness as peacemakers.  But what exactly does this mean?  Are we called to be pacifists and always oppose war?  Is war ever justified?  Is war ever required as a means of ending injustice and persecution?  Is war paradoxically ever the pathway to peace?  These questions haunt us as they have haunted Christians throughout the centuries. 

Many of the earliest Christians were pacifists.  They saw our text today as requiring Christians to abstain from going to war.  But at the time of Emperor Constantine, when Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Christians began to rethink Jesus’ teachings.  And by the time of Bishop Augustine, in the fourth century, when invaders were threatening the very existence of the Roman Empire, Christian theologians were considering how our role as peacemakers worked in an often violent and fallen world.

Bishop Augustine developed what is now called the “Just War Theory”.  Just war theory has impacted international law, training for the armed services, and the thinking of philosophers and politicians.  It is an effort to reconcile our calling as peacemakers and our obligation to defend the defenseless, and free those who are being persecuted. 

Just War Theory starts with the presumption against the use of violence as modeled by the life of Jesus and his teachings that we should love our neighbors.  This presumption of nonviolence can only be overcome by the need to vindicate justice or protect the innocent against aggression.  To overcome this presumption our reasons must be overwhelming. With the presumption of nonviolence in mind let us look at the eight rules we have in Just War Theory for overriding this presumption and entering into war.

The first rule of just war is that the cause must be just.  We must only use violence if not using it is worse.  So if we can prevent the massacre of a large number of people or stop a long-term denial of human rights the use of violence may be permissible.  An example of this happened in Uganda when the dictator Idi Amin was massacring a large number of his own people.  Tanzania invaded and brought the massacre to an end.  Sadly no one stopped Rwanda when massacres occurred there until it was too late. 

The second rule of Just War Theory is that the presumption of nonviolence can only be overcome if the decision is made by someone or a group with just authority.  In our country, the authority to declare war is given by our Constitution to the Congress of the United States.  In recent years the need to defend our nation has led to the President sometimes acting without congressional authority.  But in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the President received approval from Congress in the form of a resolution.  And therefore those wars were fought with just authority.

The third rule of just war is that it must be the last resort.  All means must be taken to prevent war before one is launched.  Negotiations, conflict resolution, and prevention must all be exhausted before the presumption of nonviolence can be overcome.  If evil can be stopped in some other way short of violence then violence is not justified.  War is only justified when all else has failed and there is no other way to stop the overwhelming injustice.

The fourth rule of Just War Theory is that our intention for using violence must be just.  In other words, there must be a just cause.  The only legitimate intention for war is to have a lasting peace.   Revenge, conquest, and economic gain do not rise to the level of just cause.  And our enemies must be treated justly because they will eventually join with us to make a lasting peace.

The fifth rule of Just War is that there must be a high probability of success.  If the probability of losing is high then even the use of violence will not achieve the just cause.  And if people die in a cause where our goals cannot be met they have died in vain.  So we must have a high probability of success before we are justified in using violence to achieve our goals.

The sixth rule requires proportionality of the cost.  This means that the total good that results from the use of violence must exceed the cost of that violence.  The cure must not be harsher than the disease.  Is the cost of waging a war appropriate for the goal we are trying to achieve?  If the cost is too high, even a just cause is insufficient to justify a war.

The seventh rule of Just War is that the use of violence must be clearly announced before it starts.   We must give our opponents the opportunity to avoid war by fulfilling certain conditions.  A public announcement also allows for the proper weighing of the justice of the cause and the proportionality of the cost.  This ensures that the people of a democracy are informed about what their government is doing and will support whatever action is taken.

The eighth rule of Just War deals with what happens after a war begins and requires that just means be used.  We may have a just cause to fight for but that does not necessarily mean that the way we fight is itself just.  The rule of proportional cost applies not only to the decision to go to war but to the way we fight the war as well.  We must not target nonmilitary persons.  We must not kill or torture prisoners.  We must not terrorize civilians.  Although some civilians casualties may occur these must be minimized.

By the logic of Just War Theory, any war that fails even one of these rules is unjust and does not overcome the presumption of nonviolence.  We must set aside nationalism, the need for revenge, hatred of others, racism, greed, and ideology as a rationale for war. 

Killing in war can only be justified by obeying the command to love our neighbor.  We must always remember that whether we are in a war or not, Jesus is always our Lord.  With Jesus in control, the presumption is that we work peacefully, and war is only justified if our love of God and love of neighbor demands it.

 Each of us should prayerfully think about these issues and ask God for direction in leading the country through our votes.  Remember always that our goal is not just war but to bring about a just peace.  We find our happiness as peacemakers.

We must keep all the men and women serving in our Armed Forces around the world in our prayers.  They need our prayers and support.  The families of our servicemen and women also need our prayers.  And our political and military leaders need prayers that God will lead them to be peacemakers motivated by God’s love for everyone.

Let’s pray.  Lord Jesus, help us to follow you in the way of peace.  When war is unavoidable help us to find the peaceful outcome you desire as quickly as possible with as little cost as possible of human blood.  Teach us to be peacemakers in our families and communities and help us to reflect your way of peace in the coming election.  We pray this is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon Matthew 5:1-8 “Being Merciful”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Matthew 5:1-8 “Being Merciful”
Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church
January 20, 2020

Two weeks ago we followed Jesus up the mountain to hear his teachings and learned that those who are poor and those who are in mourning are happy because of their dependence on God.  Last week we learned from Jesus that those who submit themselves to God’s will and have a strong desire for a relationship with God are happy because of their adaptability.  Today we will see that, what we do and how we think also impact our happiness.

Will you pray with me?  Lord Jesus, we thank you for teaching us about happiness.  We are grateful for your comfort when we need you.  We are willing to follow you wherever you might lead us.  And we promise to do God’s work in the world with a singleness of purpose.  We pray this in your strong name, Amen.

Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then 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.

“Merciful” is a wonderful word.  It is an attribute of God.  An ancient creed goes this way: 

Psalm 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” 

Mercy refers to God’s favor upon us which we don’t deserve.  It is a gift from our creator and the reason we come to worship.  Our merciful God has forgiven our sins and sets us into a right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But what does the word “merciful” mean when it is applied to us?  In what way can humanity be merciful?  The ancient Greek version of Proverbs 17:5 says,

“Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished, but the one who shows mercy to the poor will receive mercy.

And Proverbs 14:24 says, “Happy are those who show mercy to the poor.” 

So those who are merciful to the poor, those less fortunate in our society, will be happy because they will experience God’s unmerited favor.

We are commanded to be merciful.  There will always be those who are poor and in need on the earth and we, as the people of God, are to be compassionate to them and care for their needs.  In ancient times the Israelites were encouraged to lend money to those who had nothing.  The poor were expected to pay the loan back.  But every seventh year a Sabbath took place when all of these loans would be forgiven and the poor would find themselves debt-free.  They received mercy, unmerited favor, from those people of God who with compassionate hearts forgave their debts.

To be merciful to the poor we must start by seeing the injustice around us.  Several years ago a beautiful young woman, twenty-something, was gunned down in front of a trendy restaurant on the West Side of LA by crossfire from rival gangs.  Television and newspapers covered the event for days.  An LA city councilman offered a reward for information.  And the LA police department assigned 30 officers.
 
The following week a 60-year-old woman sitting in a wheelchair in front of her South-Central LA apartment was struck in the eye by a bullet and died.  There was a small mention in the newspapers and the LA police assigned two officers. 
Most of us choose to see what happens to young, wealthy, beautiful people in affluent neighborhoods.  But the merciful see those things that others of us often miss.  To be merciful means that we actively look for injustice, and see it when it occurs.

But it is not enough to just see injustice.  We must also try to understand it when it is happening.  This requires listening which leads to understanding. In Victor Hugo’s book, Les Miserable, a bishop sees a thief trying to steal silver candlesticks.  He knows that justice requires the thief to be handed over to the authorities, but mercy requires that he listen to the thief’s story.  After listening to the injustice he had faced in his life the bishop had compassion on this poor man and showed him mercy.  To be merciful we must listen to the stories of the poor and understand their situations.

But it is not enough to just see and hear about injustice.  We are called to do something about it.  Jesus taught this in a parable which we know as the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  You remember the story.  A man was attacked by robbers and left on the side of the road to die.  A Priest and a Levite walked by doing nothing, but a Samaritan filled with compassion saw the man, understood what had happened, and personally cared for his needs.
 
Recently an experiment was conducted at Princeton Theological Seminary.  Forty students were selected and told to dictate an impromptu talk into a tape recorder in a nearby building.  Some were told to talk about the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Others were given a contemporary issue to talk about.  While walking to the nearby building each person encountered an actor who groaned and slumped to the ground.  60% of the students walked right by without doing anything.  Seminary students were no better and no worse than the general population on this test.  And there was no difference between the students thinking about the Parable of the Good Samaritan and those thinking about something else. 

60% of us are too busy searching for happiness to deal with those who have fallen along the way.  But according to Jesus, if we stop our frantic happiness long enough to care for those who are in need, then we will find true happiness. 

Mercy has eyes that see injustice, ears that listen and understand what is going on, and hands that help the needy, but even more is required.  Mercy requires a voice that cries out against injustice, pleads for the powerless and defends the defenseless.

In April of 1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. went to Birmingham Alabama as a voice for the powerless.  He organized well-publicized protests of the city’s segregationist policies by having Blacks sit-in at segregated lunch counters until removed by the police.  He then prepared for mass protests by first training volunteers in the principles of nonviolence. 
 
Each participant was required to sign a Commitment Card which said: 
“I HEREBY PLEDGE MYSELF – MY PERSON AND BODY – TO THE NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT.  THEREFORE I WILL KEEP THE FOLLOWING TEN COMMANDMENTS 
1.  Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
2.  Remember always that the nonviolent movement in Birmingham seeks justice and reconciliation – not victory.
3.  Walk and Talk in the manner of love, for God is love.
4.  Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.
5.  Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
6.  Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
7.  Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
8.  Refrain from violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
9.  Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
10.  Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.
I sign this pledge, having seriously considered what I do and with the determination and will to persevere.”

Once trained in the principles of nonviolence, King’s volunteers marched on City Hall.  A group of African Americans silently walked double file toward the city center and were confronted by the police.  Councilman Bull Connor ordered them to disperse.  When they refused 42 of them were arrested.  They allowed themselves to be taken peacefully, singing freedom songs all the way to jail.  Daily demonstrations and economic boycotts began.  A court injunction to stop the demonstrations was ignored. 

On Easter Sunday, Rev. King preached at the Zion Hill Church and personally led a demonstration into the heart of Birmingham where he was arrested.  The situation became more and tenser.  Violence erupted between police and protestors on May 3.  The eyes of the nation were focused on Birmingham. 
Rev. King and business community of Birmingham worked out the following agreement which included:

1. The desegregation of lunch counters, restrooms, fitting rooms, and drinking fountains.
2. The upgrading and hiring of Blacks on a nondiscriminatory basis.
3.  Cooperation on the release of prisoners from jail on bond.
4.  Communication between Blacks and Whites would be established preventing further demonstrations.

The President of the United States then told the nation that extremists would not be permitted to undo this pact.

The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. saw the injustice of segregation, heard and understood its effects, did what was necessary to mitigate those effects, and used his personal charisma and principles of nonviolence to focus the nation’s attention on the problem.  This is what Jesus talked about as being merciful.   And we can be confident that even in his martyrdom Rev. King has received God’s mercy.

Martin Luther King Jr. also showed a singleness of mind.  He was totally committed to ending the injustice of segregation.  Jesus would have called this focused commitment purity of heart.  And purity of heart comes with it a promise of receiving our greatest happiness, seeing God. 

Jesus is teaching us today to use our eyes to see the injustice and need in the world around us, use our ears to hear and understand what is going on, use our hands to help those in need, and use our voices to make injustice known to the world.  By doing these things we are merciful and will receive God’s unmerited favor.  And Jesus promises that if we are merciful will all of our hearts, all of our souls, and all of our strength then our purity of heart will receive the greatest reward possible, and we will be supremely happy because we will see God.

Let’s pray.  Lord Jesus, give us eyes to see the need around us, ears to hear and understand the need, hands to help the poor, and voices to speak out against injustice.  Help us to do this without equivocation, with a singleness of mind, and purity of heart that will allow us to see you at work in the world. Amen.

Sermon Matthew 5:1-6 “Joy in Surrendering to God”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Matthew 5:1-6 “Joy in Surrendering to God”
Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church
January 12, 2020

I am continuing my series of sermons on Jesus’ teachings called the Sermon on the Mount.  This month we are looking at what Jesus says about “happiness” in nine sayings that are commonly called the Beatitudes.  Last week, we saw that those who are poor and those who mourn are happy because of their dependence on God.  This week we will see how obedience to God also leads to happiness. 

Will you pray with me?  Lord Jesus, we thank you for teaching us how to be happy.  We know that you are with us as we grieve.  We know that you are with us in our need.  And we find our greatest happiness when we follow you.  We pray this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Matthew 5:1  When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then 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.

I have asked many non-Christians why they do not attend church.  They usually say that church is for a bunch of weaklings who have no strength in themselves so they go to church hoping to find a god who will protect them.  They often point to verse 5 where Jesus seems to confirm their idea of us by saying that the meek are happy and will inherit the earth.

The word “meek” brings to our minds the idea of weakness.  We think of a mousy “Caspar Milquetoast” type of person.  Caspar Milquetoast was a comic strip character in the 30s and 40s featured in a strip called “The Timid Soul”.  The word milquetoast was a misspelling of the words “milk” and  “toast”,  and has come into our language as meaning someone who is weak and ineffectual. Related terms are “doormat”, someone who gets walked over, and “wet noodle”.  So in a country that idolizes football players and is built on rugged individualism this is a real hard sell for the church.  Why would anyone want to come to a church where meekness is considered a virtue?

When Jesus spoke these words from the mountaintop he was quoting Psalm 37.

Psalm 37:10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
    though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land,
    and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

Jesus did not use the English word “meek”.  Rather he used the Hebrew word “anaw”.  We are told in scripture that Moses had more of this “anaw” than anyone else, and no one would ever compare Moses to Caspar Milquetoast.  Moses was the great prophet who freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and led them for 40 years in the wilderness.  Does Moses sound weak and ineffectual to you?  And Proverbs says that the opposite of “anaw” is not strength but pride.  “Anaw” therefore does not refer to weakness but to humbleness.

I spent my years in seminary thinking about what kind of church I would serve.  I came from a big church in Washington DC and always expected to go to a large evangelical church where I could be the Associate Pastor for Christian Education or something like that.  I prayed over and over that God would give me what I wanted. So it surprised me when I began to sense that God was calling me to pastor smaller churches.  But the one thing I learned as a Christian was that I had to follow God wherever God might lead.  So I gently and submissively followed God to whatever ministry He wanted.  By following God and adapting myself to God’s purposes, I have found real joy and happiness.   I am confident that God is doing something very special with this church and I am very happy that God is using me to make that happen.

Moses too learned the value of submitting to God.  He was established as a shepherd tending his father-in-law’s sheep.  Moses had no intention of leading the Israelites anywhere.  So when God revealed to Moses His plan, well Moses was more than a little skeptical.  But Moses ate his pride and humbled himself before God accommodating his will to God’s will.  And by this Moses found his calling and true source of happiness.

Jesus called himself “anaw”.  Listen to his words from later in Matthew.
Matthew 11: 28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle (anaw) and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

Jesus gently and submissively allowed the Father to conform his will to God’s will.  And through this Jesus found his happiness.

God has given us His law for our lives.  We have a choice.  We can ignore God’s laws and be filled with pride and arrogance, follow our own way, make our own choices, and forget about God.  Or we can accept God’s law as the law of our lives and mold our wills around God’s will.  “Anaw” means that we allow the Holy Spirit to shape us into the creatures we were created to be.  We become adaptable to God’s plan for our lives.  We surrender to God.  A better translation for Jesus’ words would be:  “Happy are the adaptable for they will inherit the earth.” 

As soon as we gently and submissively allow God to adapt us for His purposes we find that we hunger and thirst for righteousness.  “Righteousness” is another one of those words that we use often in church but rarely in ordinary conversation.  It originally meant having the right weight or measure.   When someone wanted to buy an ephod of flour or a shekel of bronze “righteousness” ensured a fair transaction.  It came to be known as telling the truth about someone or going down the right path.  “Righteousness” always deals with a right relationship and never refers to just one person. The primary relationship that “righteousness” refers to is our relationship with God.  We are to love God, live in God’s grace and abide by God’s discipline.

We might expect that Jesus would tell us that those who are righteous, are in right relationships, are happy.  But that is not what he said.  Jesus said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are happy.  Here in America, it is difficult to grasp hunger and thirst.  When we say we are hungry we often mean that we want a candy bar to get us through until dinner.  We say we are thirsty when we want another can of Coke.  We have no real idea of what hunger and thirst mean to a person near death by starvation.  We can’t imagine having a desire that our lives depend on.  But I suspect that many of us do hunger and thirst but we are not really sure what we hunger and thirst for.  We realize that we need something and that it is more than what we can grasp for ourselves.

What we really hunger for is the righteousness of God.  We need a relationship with God to satisfy our deepest needs and desires.  Our joy, our deepest happiness comes from the realization that a relationship with God will satisfy our deepest hunger and thirst.  As we experience the joy of being in a relationship with God we experience the need to love God more fully.  This attracts us to studying the Bible and hearing the preaching of God’s word in church.  We also respond by loving our neighbors more.  We try to avoid those things which come between us and our friends and family that eat away at our relationships.

A good example of someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness can be seen in the movie, Atonement.  In this movie, a young writer named Briony Tallis does a very bad thing which destroys the relationship she had with her sister.  She is forced to deal with what she has done by always desiring but never finding forgiveness and reconciliation.  Briony spends her whole life hungry and thirsty for righteousness.  Sadly, she never comes to the realization that what she really hungers and thirsts for is a relationship with God.

The late Lloyd Ogilvie, the former pastor of Hollywood Presbyterian Church was working on this verse when he experienced a dream.  In this dream, he was speaking to thousands of people when God came up and stood next to him.  Lloyd asked God what was the greatest need of these people and what should he give them.  Was it salvation and eternal life he asked?  God said no, that was already accomplished.  So Lloyd responded, maybe forgiveness, eternal happiness, your presence, and power?  God told him that he was on the right track.  So Lloyd pleaded with God to tell him what these people really needed.  And God said “I want my people to want Me! I long for my people to long for Me as much as I long for them.”

The reason we hunger and thirst for righteousness is because God loves us and gives us the desire to love Him.  We want a relationship with God because God wants a relationship with us and has placed the intense desire for that relationship in our hearts.  So if you desire to love God, congratulations, because God already loves you.

When Jesus said these words he knew something about hunger and thirst.  He had just completed his time of temptation in the wilderness where he was sustained not by bread but by the Word of God.  The prophet Amos put it this way,

Amos 8:11 “The time is surely coming, says the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.
 
The hunger and thirst that Jesus is talking about can only be filled by hearing the word of God.  We have an intense spiritual hunger and thirst that can only be filled by reading scripture and hearing the proclamation of God’s Holy Word in church.  God wants us to experience His love for ourselves and has given us the scripture to satisfy our hunger and thirst and bring us into a closer relationship with Him.  We find in scripture that God loves us. 

This frees us to love one another, the second aspect of righteousness.  The needs of people become our passion in life.  We are bothered by broken relationships and desire healing.  God leads us into situations of human need and calls us to respond.

So we see today that happiness comes from accommodating ourselves to God’s will and entering into a relationship with God based on God’s desire for us to love God just as God loves us.   We respond to this gift of happiness by loving our neighbor as ourselves and we find that our hunger and thirst for God are filled by God’s Holy Word.

Let’s pray.  Father in heaven, thank you for loving us and wanting to be in relationship with us.  We pledge to accommodate ourselves to your will and will follow you wherever you lead us.  We strongly desire to have a closer relationship with you and promise to feast on your spiritual food nurtured by your Holy Word, Amen.

Sermon Matthew 5:1-4 Happiness

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon Matthew 5:1-4 Happiness

Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church

January 5, 2020

Tomorrow, January 6, is the Feast of Epiphany.  Epiphany is wedged between our celebration of Christmas and our Lenten preparation for Easter.  Epiphany literally means an event when God appears on earth.  This is an extraordinary time when we focus on the incarnation of God as a human being, Jesus.  This Epiphany we will be looking at some of the teachings of Jesus as recorded by Matthew in what is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount.  This month we will be looking at Jesus’ teaching about happiness called the Beatitudes.

We will get to this, but first, let’s pray.  Lord Jesus, teach us today how to be happy.  Help us to follow you our true source of happiness.  And help us to find the happiness you have promised.  We pray this in the name of our Lord incarnate, Amen.

Matthew 5:1-4  NRS Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.  2 Then 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.

“Blessed” is an unusual word.  In ordinary English, we don’t use it very much.  It seems to be one of those religious terms that are used mainly in church.  For this reason, modern translators have often substituted the word “happiness”.  And happiness is what we all want.  A recent study of 3000 women and men indicates that those who are happy have lower levels of Cortisol, a stress hormone, leading them to healthier lives.  So happiness leads to healthiness.  The researchers, however, could not explain what makes us happy in the first place.  For that, we need to look in the Bible.

In our western culture, we usually think of happiness as essentially the same thing as good fortune.  If you are fortunate enough, you might find a Lexus in the driveway on Christmas morning with a bright red bow on top.   Or you might get the job of your dreams, or even a beautiful wife.  You might even win the lottery.  We often say to each other, “Good luck!” when we greet each other.  And we expect to find happiness in Atlantic City casinos, of all places.

So when we hear Jesus tell us that the poor are happy or that those who mourn are blessed we are confused.  This just does not make any sense given our western world view.  How could someone who is desperately poor, living paycheck to paycheck, one divorce, one firing, or one addiction, away from being thrown out on the streets be happy?  How could someone mourning the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the loss of health be happy?  From our perspective, Jesus’ teaching makes little sense.

Some Christian writers have tried to explain Jesus’ teaching by saying that it refers not to the here and now but to another place and another time.  The poor will be happy, they argue, in heaven.  Under this interpretation, Jesus is dangling a promise of future happiness for those whose lives are miserable today.   The poor may be miserable now, they say, but one day the poor will enjoy all the happiness and good fortune now enjoyed by the rich. 

Others argue that in the incarnation of Jesus Christ the Kingdom of Heaven is present now.  In light of the coming of Jesus, everyone has access to happiness through God’s blessing.  But, they say, to earn God’s blessings you have to pray hard enough, you have to avoid sin, and you have to do good things for others.  They argue that living a virtuous life will lead you to a happy life filled with God’s blessings.  But we all know of people who lead virtuous lives of service to others who are still poor and grieve over the loss of loved ones.  How are they happy?

Does our western worldview equating happiness with good fortune really bring us happiness?  Does a Lexus in the driveway really make us blessed?  Consider the case of one of our beautiful Hollywood celebrities, Britney Spears.  By all accounts, Ms. Spears has been as fortunate as anyone in our county.  She is not only beautiful, but she has had a stunning career singing and dancing since she was a teenager becoming a very wealthy young woman.  She can buy anything she wants.  She can have any man she wants.  She can do anything she wants. But is she happy?  After a divorce, loss of her children, and trouble with alcohol, I suspect that she is not very happy at all.  Do nice cars, vacation homes, diplomas on the wall, all symbols of a fortunate life make any of us happier, really?  I think not.

Jesus’ idea of happiness had nothing to do with good fortune.  The Old Testament term for happiness or blessing is "ashar" which means becoming happy by going the right way, pursuing the right goal.  Happiness, "ashar", is reserved for those who follow God, sing God’s praises, visit God’s house, observe God’s laws, keep God’s Sabbath, and take refuge in God’s strength.  Advancing on the pathway to God is, according to "ashar", our true source of happiness.

The desperately poor are happy, according to Jesus, because they are completely dependent on God.  They approach God with open hands because they have no Lexus in the driveway to divert their attention.  Those mourning over the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the inability to pay the rent, a bad diagnosis, are happy because God is their only refuge and strength.  Only when you lose those things that fortune has provided you do you finally realize that true happiness comes from total dependence on God.

While in seminary, I was working at Faith United Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.  Every other Friday we distributed food to poor families in the Highland Park neighborhood.  One day a homeless man named Nathan walked in for some food.  We invited Nathan to return that evening for dinner at a community outreach program Grace and I had started called Connections.  When Nathan arrived he was a little scared.  He had expected a homeless soup kitchen.  Instead, he discovered that he had been invited for a time of fellowship and worship with some international students and members of the church.  Nathan was reluctant to sit down and eat with us.  But when worship started he went into the other room with us and sat down.  When the music started Nathan started to dance.  We found out that it was his birthday and sang “Happy Birthday” to him.  Nathan had found friends and became very happy.  That evening I drove Nathan home to the parking lot behind a Bank of America.

Nathan left Vietnam forty years ago as a boy in a small boat.  He went many days without water and began having seizures.  He eventually arrived in Malaysia and a year later came to America.  But his frequent seizures kept him from working regularly and he found himself alternating between being a hospital patient and homeless person.  Nathan had nothing.  He was completely dependent on others to take care of him.  And he was completely dependent on God.  When he was offered the friendship of other Christians and an opportunity to worship God Nathan found happiness.  So it is true what Jesus says, that the desperately poor find their happiness in God.

The reason the desperately poor find happiness in God is that they are prepared for it.  Monika Hellwig has written of ten advantages to being poor.  

1.  The poor know they need redemption.  

2.  The poor realize that they are dependent on God, others more powerful than themselves and each other. 

3. The poor find security in people, not things. 

4. The poor have no exaggerated sense of their own importance.  

5.  The poor expect more from cooperation than competition.  

6.  The poor can tell the difference between necessities and luxuries.  

7. The poor have developed patience.  

8.  The fears of the poor are more realistic than the fears of the rich.  

9.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ sounds like good news to the poor.  

10.  The poor can respond to the gospel because they have little to lose.  

These ten advantages put the poor into a position of neediness and dependence that allows them to receive the grace of God. 

So the Beatitudes make sense if you are totally dependent on God’s grace.  The rich find this difficult to understand.  But the poor hear Jesus’ teachings as good news.  The strong and the proud don’t understand Jesus at all.  But ultimately we can’t depend on riches and strength.  The day will come when we are humbled and approach the throne of grace with empty hands.  

As we gather around this table today for communion we are coming with empty hands.  It doesn’t matter how fortunate you have been in your lives.  Some of us have been more fortunate than others.  But today, here at the Lord’s Supper, we are all dependent on the grace of God.  Our salvation depends not on what we do or have but on the grace we have received from God.  So, as you receive the bread and wine, remember that you are approaching the real source of your happiness, a God who loves you so much that he sent his son to save you.  Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we are so grateful for all that you have done for us.  You are our strength and source of happiness.  We know that we can depend on you.  Bless us and comfort us in our needs and concerns.  And bring us into true happiness of your grace. Amen.

Sermon: John 1:1-18 The Light Shines

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon: John 1:1-18 The Light Shines
Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church
December 29, 2019

Today is the fifth day of Christmas.  Christmas is a season of twelve days beginning on December 25 when we remember and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.   Here in the United States, we like to get a jump on Christmas by starting the celebrations before it comes, usually right after Thanksgiving.  Then Christmas arrives and suddenly the celebrations are over.  We then forget about Christ for a week and focus our attention on New Year's Eve Parties, parades, and Bowl games. 

For much of the world, Christmas starts on December 25th and continues for twelve days to the great feast of Epiphany on January 6.  We do have a dim recollection of our previous celebrations of Christmas in a curious song called the “Twelve Days of Christmas.”  According to this song you should have received from your true love this morning, five golden rings.  Will you pray with me? 

Lord Jesus Christ, we celebrate your birth on Christmas. We believe that you are God because though you God’s glory shines to the world.  Bring us from darkness into the light of God’s glory.  In your glorious name, we pray.  Amen.

When the Jews arrived back in Jerusalem after their Babylonian captivity they saw a terrible sight.  Their once beautiful city was in ruins.  What amounted to the government was horribly corrupt.  The beautiful temple of God erected by Solomon had been burned to the ground.  They were living in darkness. 
And so God sent a prophet to give them hope.  He showed them the glory of God. And here is what he said.

Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.

5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
7 All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple.

According to the prophet, one day the paying of tribute to the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the Persians will end and other countries will bring gifts to Mount Zion.  One day their children will return from being dispersed all over the world.  One day God will return to his temple.  This was a vision of great hope for a generation that had walked in darkness for so long.  This hope was that one day the light of the glory of God would pierce through the darkness. 

We all know darkness.  It is a familiar friend.  It is where we hide from our fears.  It is where depression lives.  Alcoholism and addiction thrive there.  Let me tell you a true story.

I once knew a man who lived on the streets in Eagle Rock, California.  He and his wife sat on a wall in front of our apartment building.   I talked with them every day when I walked to my church.  For several years Mark had walked in darkness.  After his son died a few years before the light of Mark’s life seemed to be extinguished. Mark lived in the shadows of homelessness and alcoholism overwhelmed by the darkness. Then, one day, too many pills and too much vodka finally put Mark’s darkness to an end.  He died.  What can we say to people who have lost all hope of living in the light and are consumed by the darkness?

The opening of the Gospel of John gives hope to all who walk in the darkness.  This hope is in the form of a gift that empowers us to be children of God.  This gift comes from God and is transmitted to those living in darkness by John the Baptist and others who tell people living in darkness about Jesus Christ.  What gives us great hope is the light of the Glory of God that pierces through the darkness of our lives.  And the source of this light is Jesus, from whom emanates the glory of God because Jesus is God.  Listen to these beautiful words of hope.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being  4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.  6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7 He came as a witness to testify to the light so that all might believe through him.  8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.  9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.  11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,  13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.  14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.  15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'")  16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Whenever we are in a dark room our pupils dilate.  So when the light comes on we have trouble seeing.   Gradually our seeing improves and we are given the choice either to believe what we see or not.  This is what happens when Christ comes into our lives.  At first, our eyes have to adjust to the light.   Gradually we see Jesus clearly and begin to realize that we are seeing God.  We realize that this is the light of God’s glory coming out of Jesus and bringing us out of our darkness into a new light. Once we see clearly that it is in Jesus Christ that glory of God fills our lives we are given a choice to believe that Jesus is God or not.

If we choose not to believe that Jesus is God then we return to the darkness of Jesus’ death on the cross.  But if we make the other choice, if we choose to believe that Jesus is God then Jesus’ death becomes for us not a return to darkness, but rebirth in the glorious light of God.  The choice to believe that Jesus is God is a leap of faith.  To make that leap we have to trust that what Jesus says is true; that God chose to live here on this planet as a human being.  So that’s the choice we have.  To hold back and stay in the darkness of unbelief, or take a bold step into the light and believe that Jesus and God are one.

If we step into the light and truly believe then we are empowered by God for great things.  We become God’s own children, able, like John to point to the light of the glory of God in Jesus Christ.  Accepting the light means taking on the responsibility of sharing the light, reflecting the light to others who still walk in darkness.  This is our mission as Christians to be people of the light who shine the light of Christ wherever darkness remains.  This is the purpose of evangelism, to bring people from darkness to the light of the glory of God in Jesus Christ.  So when you talk to your friends and your neighbors and your family about your faith tell them your story of coming from darkness to light through your belief in Jesus Christ.

There is a church that meets in an old YMCA in Los Angeles.  It is called Victory Outreach.  For 35 years this church has gone into the streets of North East LA to find people in darkness.  They go to the most dangerous places to meet the most hardened gang members.  The message they bring is the light of God in Jesus Christ.  To gang members living in darkness, the light of Christ is offered as a choice.  And for those who make the choice to accept the light and believe in Jesus Christ, the darkness is pushed out and they experience rebirth as the children of God.  Most of the members of Victory Outreach are former gang members who, were once in darkness but though the work of faithful Christians, have experienced the transforming effects of being in the light of Christ.

And that is what the church should be doing.  People who have been living in the darkness of poverty, homelessness, and despair need to come into the light of Jesus Christ.  Their eyes will slowly adjust to the brightness of the light.  And many will begin to believe that what they see is true, that the light this church points them to is none other than the glory of God.  And our hope is that the people of South Jersey will embrace the light and choose to believe that what they see in Jesus is the glory of God manifest on earth.

When Mark, the homeless man I talked with every day, died his wife came to see me.   She wanted to know if I would do a funeral for him.   She had no money and no family.   And she hoped that the church would do this for her.  I told her that I would be honored to do her husband’s funeral.

Grace and I had started a Sunday evening worship service at that church.   Many of the homeless men and women in that community came on Sundays for a warm meal.   They also came to worship God with us.   So I announced to this group that I would be doing Mark’s funeral.   Mark had been extremely well known in the homeless community so word of his death and funeral at my church spread rapidly.   At the funeral, our sanctuary was packed with people, mostly homeless, who had known Mark.  And after the funeral more and more homeless people came to my church searching for the light of Christ.   The homeless worship service and meal that my wife and I started twelve years ago is still going strong, bringing the light of Christ to people living in darkness.

This morning, the first Sunday of Christmas, we have come into the light.   Some of us have been in darkness for so long that we may have trouble seeing in the light.   But eventually, our eyes will adjust and we will see an amazing sight.   We will see the glory of God coming as our Lord Jesus Christ.   Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for coming at Christmas.   We thank you for shining the glory of God into the darkness of our lives.   As our eyes adjust to living in the light help us to believe that you are God and the glory we see from you is the glory of God.   In your glorious name we pray.  Amen.