Blessed Are They

Matthew 5:1-12 KJV; All Saints Sunday; Blessed are they...

The Blessings Of God

Matthew 5:1-12 KJV; 4th Sunday after Epiphany; When we are down and out our hope lies in the blessings that God has promised through Jesus.

A Time For Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV A time to do without as hurricanes attack; But, also a time to celebrate. Happy Birthday United States Marine Corps and Martin Luther; warriors all.

Grief

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

                                                                                 (Eccl 3:1-2,4 KJV)

As much as I sometimes regret retiring from parish ministry, this week I was once again reminded of one of the reasons to retire. I spent many years serving one particular congregation and got very close to them. They were and are still like family. I had the good pleasure of being there at births, at graduations, of baptizing them, marrying them, of being there to celebrate for a lot of very special occasions. There was much laughing and singing and dancing over the years.

But, I was also there to witness much grief. I was there for sickness, for losses of employment, and for divorces as well as many other rough times. I buried hundreds, many who were very close to me, witnessing and grieving with their loved ones. The closer I got to any of them during their lives the harder is was for me to preside at their funerals. I no longer could refrain from weeping during the sermons as I looked into the eyes of the family sitting in front of me. I did not weep for the deceased. I had hope in the promise that all who people have eternal life. I wept for the families. I wept to see such pain. 

During most of this time I was also the home health care and hospice chaplain for the local hospital. One would think that I would have grown used to death. Death is inevitable. For the faithful death is not the end. We have hope. Yet, when someone is ripped from our lives grief is also inevitable. As we hear from the preacher in Ecclesiastes there is a time to weep and a time to mourn. 

This past week, a young friend died; a father of young children died. His parents were neighbors and also friends. It saddens me greatly to even think about the grief his family is enduring. It grieves me to think of his young children growing up without their father. 

Over a year ago, after I had retired, I had been asked to preside at the funeral of another man much younger than myself. He was survived by a teenage son whom I had known since birth.  The boys mother, who had been a friend, had died some time before. To see such a beloved child of God in so much grief and pain I could not refrain from weeping as I proclaimed the Gospel. It was a very tough sermon to get through. It was the last funeral I presided at. 

It was a reminder of how close I had gotten to the community (not just the congregation) that I had served in and that I no longer was able to control my own emotions as I witnessed the grief experienced by others. 

I have reminded myself over the years as I wept with those who grieved that even Jesus wept when he met Lazarus' sisters after Lazarus' death and saw them in so much pain. Pastors grieve too. Pastors are allowed to shed tears. But, today I find that grief overwhelms me too often as I witness the grief of others and that is one of the reasons it was best that I retire from parish ministry. That doesn't mean I quit serving God. It will just be in other ways. 

May God grant all who grieve peace of heart and mind in the assurance of everlasting life for all who believe.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Quit Whining And Rejoice In Christ Our Savior!

Matthew 5:1-12 KJV

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

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Quit whining! Rejoice! Thank God that you live! Hopefully, prayerfully, you live for him! I know that life can be very tough at times. Many are persecuted for what they believe. Some are persecuted for what they don't believe. But, Jesus reminds us that those who are persecuted for his sake will inherit the kingdom of heaven.

When I look back at the history of the world, I am reminded how fortunate we are today. Yes, there are still injustices. But, no one gets their hand chopped off for stealing a piece of fruit from a vender to feed their child. There are most often consequences for theft; but, not so drastic as they were in years gone by. No one is getting egregiously accused of being a witch and being burned at the stake. We actually have running water and can stave off illnesses caused by poor or no appropriate hygiene. We have a lot to be thankful for!

Consider how Christ died for us even while we were yet sinners. Consider the love he has for us. Is not the fact that we are saved and heirs of the kingdom of heaven through the sacrifice that he made for us a blessing!? Rejoice in that blessing! 

Things can be hurtful today. There is no doubt about that. Regardless, sometimes we need to stand up and speak the truth no matter what might happen afterwards. At other times, maybe we just need to quit whining about what we don't have and thank God for what we do have. Sometimes we just need to do what that old cliche "Count your blessings" tells us to do. Sometimes, we just need to recognize that those things we count as times of suffering maybe actually be blessings. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:3)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Time To Live In Love

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV

Each new day brings us something different. There is a time for everything. Some of us may think that we're stuck in a rut. If we are it may just be because we have not opened our eyes to see the opportunities nor the challenges that each day presents to us. We have not asked God to empower us with the Holy Spirit to help us to overcome those challenges.

None of the milestones or challenges or knowledge or even wisdom is new to the world. What we know and experience today has been experienced by others before. The world around us might feel like it's falling apart. But, others have survived. They have gotten through the rough times and have experienced some of the most precious gifts that God has given us.

Consider well if today is to be the time for love; for peace; for healing, for  embracing; for laughing and dancing. Is it the time to plant and to not only keep but use the time God has given us to do good and to not harm? 

Not sure about you; but, in this time of self-fulfillment and personal agendas, I am ready to see some reconciliation in this world. It is about time. May God help us to love even as He loves and to live in peace with one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The First Will Be Last

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

                                                                                       (James 4:7-10 KJV)

Ego can be a terrible thing. Narcissism and too big of an ego go hand in hand. The ego tells us that we are way more important; that we are much more intelligent than others. It tells us that we are going in the right way even when we are terribly wrong.

When a person decides that what they desire is more important than the needs of others it will wreak havoc in families and among friends. It will separate us from God as we turn our backs on His good will for us and for all people.

The devil uses our egos to lift ourselves up. It doesn't work that way. Those who think that they are high and mighty will fall back. "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." (Matt 20:16)

Therefore; let us resist the temptation of the devil to think that we are better than we are; that we are better than others, and humble ourselves so that God will be the one to lift us up. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

A Time To Embrace

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 KJV

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

As a young person, I often suffered from periods of deep depression. It was in those times that I often turned to the author of Ecclesiastes to commiserate with. "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Eccl 1:2) I could not have agreed with him more that everything was vanity and probably a really big waste of time; even life. Somehow the reality of everything being vanity got me through to a point where I realized that whatever I do amounts to not much more than survival. In order to really live, I had to trust in God and to live my life in Christ. 

We can never really figure out God's whole plan for us. We might think we know it and then whoosh... something happens and the plan changes just like that! What we thought was His plan for us is not. 

Today, I will lead the service at the funeral of a friend. He leaves behind a teen-age son. His wife, the son's mother, died years ago. It is a very sad time. It is a time to weep. As I consider the words of the preacher, I know that with the bad times; times of sadness; times of depression; God will also provide times of relief; but, in His time. God provides times of peace; times of love, times to build up; and times of embracing. 

Today is a time to weep; but, it is at the same time a time to love and a time to embrace one another. 

Whatever sorrow you may be enduring today remember the love of God in Christ Jesus for you and allow him to love you through others. And, don't forget to love others as Jesus loves you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Too Much Laughter

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

                                (Luke 6:25 KJV)

I am not all that comfortable being around people who laugh all of the time. I am not saying that we should never be joyful. But, it makes me very uncomfortable to be around people who think unless the outcome of a conversation is something that makes everyone laugh it has been an unfruitful conversation.

I simply do not view laughter or even happiness as the reason for being. If it were the reason for living then it would stand that those who grieve; those who are depressed would have no reason for being. That is a false narrative. In fact, I cannot help but wonder if the fact, that society wants us to believe that in order for our lives to be validated we must be happy, is the reason for so much depression today. We end up depressed because we are not as happy as the world seems to promise us we should be. 

Life is tough. Not everyone should be expected to be filled with laughter all of the time. We must give others (and ourselves) the time and opportunity to grieve; to be sad; to be contemplative. 

There is a difference (at least for me) between being happy, happy, happy, laughing all of the time and being joyful. Each and everyone of us have a purpose; a reason for being. Joy can be found in having a purpose and reaching toward fulfillment of that purpose. Joy can be found as we face challenges of the day knowing that God is with us and that in Him, His will will be accomplished. He is with us and so we can face another day and yet another challenge with peace and with joy.

Whatever we deem the purpose of life to be; I simply cannot accept that it is to make everyone laugh unless your profession is as a comedian. We cannot laugh away the troubles of the world. Troubles must be dealt with not hidden under laughter. If your neighbor needs help; help him or her as they face their trials. It does no long-term good to sit down and tell them jokes. There are times when you may have to sit beside them quietly and grieve with them. You just might have to actively do something. If your neighbor is in trouble; maybe, you just may need to assist them in some way to face the challenges of the day. 

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.." (Eccl 3:4) There is a time for all of these things according to the author of Ecclesiastes. We should know the difference. Laughter is not the answer to all of life's experiences. There is a time for laughter; but, it is not what we should expect of every outcome. 

I am very uncomfortable with people who think that laughter has to be the outcome of every visit; every meeting. Experience has (unfortunately) taught me not to trust those who laugh too much. And, yes, I do laugh and even smile quite a bit. But, tears also are a part of my experience. They are a part of the human experience. Grieving is a part of life's experience, as well. There is both a time to weep and a time to laugh. Let us do both as the situations we find ourselves lead us to.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Sorry for the rambling today. I am not against laughter. I am leery of those who think that we must laugh all of the time or that we are less than.

Blessed

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

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

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

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

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

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

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

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

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

                                                                     (Matthew 5:1-12 NRSV)

The Sermon on the Mountain begins with what we know as the Beatitudes. These words of Jesus are a comfort to many in need of emotional or spiritual support. They are genuinely good news and for many reason to rejoice! But, what about those who are not poor in spirit; rejoice rather than mourn when disasters assault other around them? What about those who would do harm to others for their own profit or to lift themselves up rather than hunger after righteousness?  What about those who show no empathy or mercy? What about those who are without remorse as they persecute others so that they might have their own way? 

What about that? How blessed are they? Will they receive empathy? Will they receive mercy when the hour has come to give accountability to God? The hour will come for all of us. No one can know when that day will be. 

The best news is that God our Father has indeed blessed the world by sending His only begotten Son to die as a sacrifice for our sins. That sacrifice has been made so that all who believe in him will be blessed with eternal life in the Kingdom of God now and for all of eternity. 

May God open our ears and our eyes and our hearts to a greater understanding of His Word and His Will for all people so that we might do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Will Lift You Up

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 NIV

As I read the fourth chapter of James this morning, it reminded by of this Sundays' Gospel lesson, which is the Sermon on the Mount preached by Jesus.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt 5:3-11)

It is promised that those who are brought down will be lifted up. Those who mourn will be comforted. It is the meek, not the self-empowered or self-glorified who will inherit the earth. Blessings are promised to those who are last as Jesus also promised that "many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." (Matt 19:30)

So let us not then exalt ourselves; but, trust in the Lord that we may be lifted up not for earthly glory but that we might see the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Every Eye Will See

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Cor 13:12.

My hearing is slowly leaving me. My eyes see more dimly as time passes. Yet, the truth is that as I age the light of Christ seems to shine brighter and brighter each day. That's a good thing!

As with so many of you, my hope is not in this world; but, in the Kingdom of God, where we will see, face, to face, our loving Father who has received us to Himself.

Life lived in this world can be fraught with loneliness, pain, and suffering. It can very much be a place where confusion reigns. However, for those of us who have been granted to see even dimly the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus, we can know peace as we look with hope for the day when we will know fully the awesomeness of Almighty God; when we will see Him face to face. We look to the day when every knee will bow before the throne of God. (Rom 14:11)

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

Rev: 1:7

God's Peace - Pr. J