A Question of Blessings.

Then Jesus began to speak, 

and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

(from Matthew 5:1-12)

To say the least, I am greatly disturbed by the videos of the Memphis police beating Tyre Nichols. 

I am heartbroken as I watched his mother passionately talk about his life and the type of person he was.

Analysts discussing the videos not only highlighted the violence, but also the culture that assumes a Black person means trouble.

Tyre Nichols followed the teachings for people of color being stopped for a traffic violation: be calm, do as the police say, and you will be okay.

What is it that God has to say about episodes like these?

God speaks through Jesus' Beatitudes beginning with either "blessed" or "happy".

I am wondering how on earth was Tyre Nichols blessed? Or how was his mother happy? Or is there a blessing for the rest of us as we watch yet another violent act based on racial profiling?

It seems to me that when Jesus talks about being blessed, it is to experience some sort of assurance, but also for making it through some extremely difficult situation while working for things important to God.

In the kingdom of God, to be blessed is to know life is governed by God's promised gift of abundant life after going through a tough time trying to live as a faithful disciple in a

confusing world.

One overarching message I see in the beatitudes is hope.

Hope a gift from God which enables us to believe that it makes sense to work for a better world, for the future lies in God's hands. 

With our world in God’s hands, we can take huge risks to carry out what we feel called to be and do, such as protest demonstrations.

Motivated by the hope in Jesus' teachings, we can speak and against the injustices of this world by lifting up the equalities of God's world.

A Light Piercing A Darkness

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness

— on them light has shined.

(from Isaiah 9:1-4)

I admire the faith of the Ukrainian people, who in the midst of war, destruction all around, not knowing when the next explosion would occur, attended church.

The Ukrainian backstory is one of domination by the Russians due to their geography which would eventually lead to an attack of some sort.

Deep darkness for them is brutality, poverty and hunger, leaving a time without hope and creating anguish and contempt.

Walking in this darkness of destruction, the Ukrainians trusted the light of Christ to illuminate hope in their time of trouble.

A similar situation faced the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali who were vulnerable to attack during the Syro-Ephraimite War and the anti-Assyrian coalition which causes the downfall of Israel by Assyria.

Israel's deep darkness is similar to Ukraine experience of brutality, poverty and hunger leaving them without hope.

Isaiah's words remind Israel to trust in God's work to light the way through the deep darkness.

God's promise spoken through Isaiah is a eternal message in a time of deep darkness.

Sometimes though, God's work to light the way light is not obvious.

Where, for example, do you see God's work lighting the way in Ukraine?

Or where, for example, do you see God's work lighting the way when you or a loved one is suffering? Or when you are going through a rough patch?

The message from Isaiah is this: a Light is piercing the darkness and always has been, 

that God is always with us.

Trust God's work, you will see a great light, on you the light will shine! 

Waiting for Deliverance

Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me;

let your steadfast love and

your faithfulness keep me safe forever.

(From Psalm 40)

The psalm composer and U2 have something in common.

King David, Psalm 40's author, describes deliverance from trouble, set on firm ground, do providing a reason to praise the Lord for steadfast love and faithfulness.

This salvation experience gives David a “new song" of praise telling of the Lord’s goodness hoping it leads others to trust in God’s salvation.

The Irish rock band U2, on their 1985 album “War”, included a song called “40,” roughly based Psalm 40:1-3.

The song begins as the singer waits patiently for the Lord's deliverance described as hearing the plea for help, being rescued, and set on solid ground. 

A miraculous turnaround and transformation occurred in the singer's life enabling him to sing positively instead of in grief. 

Each verse concludes with the refrain: "I will sing, sing a new song".

In the final, not part of psalm 40, refrain asks:

 

"How long, how long, how long, 

How long, to sing this song".

The setting here is not a personal trouble such as King David's, rather the "Troubles" in Ireland.

Both songs focus on the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness, but U2 recognizes the possibility of violence ahead, yet the Lord will be with them as they endure it.

Nellie's story tells of trust in God's love and faithfulness. I first met Nellie at age 93 and in church every Sunday. I called on her in her trailer where she shared her family's background. In addition to her heart condition, her son had been killed in an auto accident. Her husband died years ago leaving her struggling financially and maintaining her mobil home. 

After hearing her situation, I asked Nellie what kept her going.

She replied, "I read my Bible every day."

What life story can you tell of the Lord's love and faithfulness?

Remember, You Are Baptized

"And when Jesus had been baptized,

just as he came up from the water,

suddenly the heavens were opened to him

and he saw the Spirit of God

descending like a dove and alighting on him."

(From Matt. 3:13-17)

God was with Jesus.

God certainly traveled with Jesus on his road trip from Bethlehem.

Jesus was almost killed by Herod who ordered the slaughter of boys under two; He traveled as a refugee from Bethlehem to Egypt; his family couldn't return to their hometown so they lived in Nazareth. 

Decades later, Jesus travels to Galilee where his cousin John is baptizing in the wilderness.

Jesus wades into the Jordan is baptized, comes up from the water, a dove descends, and a voice from heaven speaks, "This is my Son the Beloved".

In this glimpse of glory, Jesus' baptism is God's sign of hope announcing Him as the one who will redeem Israel. 

For decades prophets such as Amos, Micah, and Hosea have been speaking God's word, which seems unheard, so through this glimpse of glory, God's redemption plan is revealed through Jesus, giving Israel hope.

God is with us.

So, 2023 arrives, and just one week old, is filled with horrendous suffering, suspicion, and faithlessness. Starvation, not salvation. Floods, not streams. Blizzards, not flurries. Terror not assurances. Our society needs redemption.

For Christians, Sunday offers hope in a glimpse of glory.

Our worship service provides hope with the assurance God is with us especially with Communion and baptism.

Our baptism is not just a personal act, it is a small, hopeful-filled, glimpse of glory as Jesus builds God's realm kingdom through baptized Christians.

On the Sunday we remember the Baptism of the Lord, we may approach a font filled with water and confirm our choice to follow Jesus by resisting evil, injustice and oppression in any form. 

How will you renounce evil, injustice, or oppression to provide hope in a society needing salvation.?

Being Lifted and Carried by Christ.

"In his love and in his pity

he redeemed them;

he lifted them up and carried them

all the days of old."

(from Isaiah 63:7-9)

John Wesley felt lifted and carried by Christ.

Wesley, upon returning from Georgia feeling discouraged and depressed, attended a prayer meeting in Aldersgate Street where he heard Luther's preface to Romans.

Wesley described having a heartwarming experience because he heard an assurance that his sins had been forgiven and that God loved him, even him.

"I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

(John Wesley, May 24, 1738)

The Aldersgate, redeeming, life changing event, became the foundation of the Methodist Movement and a re-awakening of Wesley's faith and relationship to God.

Mike felt lifted and carried by Christ.

For years Mike had been struggling with the addictive powers of alcoholism leading him down paths he regretted traveling, and straining his marriage, family, and finances.

Mike hit bottom after a weekend bender when he came home near dawn on to find his wife had left, taken their son, and was getting a divorce. 

A friend took him to AA where he learned it is possible get on the road to recovery so he made that choice.

At one of the meetings, he realized God loved him unconditionally, even though he needed to change.

For him that was a redeeming, life-saving awareness of hope and worth and the re-awakening of Mike's faith and relationship to God.

In that re-awakening, Mike heard God's call to pastoral ministry.

What Isaiah wrote, what Wesley felt, what Mike experienced, is true for anyone going through a rough spot in life:

One can be lifted and carried by Christ.