September Rainbow Sermon. Scripture: Matthew 5:1-11
Jesus knows it’s not easy to do what is right or what is best for this world. For this reason he gives us a remarkable list of blessings to encourage us when we face those awkward situations when we don’t know what is the right thing to do. We call his teaching the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are not a manifesto on how to get to heaven. Jesus does use heavenly language to tell us that the worst, lowest and hardest things you can ever experience in this life are the very things which can bring God closer to you. The Beatitudes are not an action plan on how to reach spiritual perfection away from the world. He is offering us encouragement for those difficult choices each us has to make. This is practical advice on how to find God in the middle of this dirty difficult world.
Jesus starts off the Beatitudes by saying, Congratulations to you who are poor in Spirit. There’s room for the likes of you in God’s kingdom. Even if you are mean spirited, a fighter or a complainer. Even if you don’t pray enough. God welcomes even the likes of you in. You don’t have to be perfect to get in. You don’t have to fix yourself up all by yourself. If you know you need God and you need the love of others, then God is ready to work with you. Even imperfect people like you are blessed. Heaven does belong to you!
Jesus goes on to say, Congratulations to you who are grieving. You’ve figured it out. To grieve means you know you’ve lost something precious. But you don’t need to be afraid. It’s never going to be forgotten. God keeps all our memories safe. Love is eternal. So remember the past. But live in the present. For it is in the present moment that God comforts us even as we keep moving on. It’s in this moment that we build the future. So let’s make something good out of this moment before it too is lost!
Jesus then says, Congratulations to you who are meek and gentle! You know what is really important in life. All you who are bullies and tyrants and lusting after power are the big losers. It’s not the power you have over others that counts. It’s what you do with your power for others which does. The gentle shall inherit the earth, because they are the ones who are really living in the moment. They aren’t worried about what they might get, or who’s getting more than me. Simply let it be, and live.
Jesus starts to go deeper when he says, Congratulations to you who hunger and thirst for Justice. All the crooks and cheats are going to come up empty. If you plan to live by the sword, odds are you’re going to die by the sword. Justice seeks the common good of all people. It seeks the best for everyone. And we don’t find our best life by taking it from others. The way you get the fullness of life is by giving it away to others. Only then will we all be fulfilled.
Jesus then says Congratulations to you who are merciful. Compassion is your great comfort and strength. You know how to forgive and to be reconciled. You find the greatest joy in being with others. You do not judge or carry a grudge. You know the difference between justice and revenge. By seeking to heal what’s wrong, you find even more good things in your life. The standard you use to deal with others, shall be the standard used to deal with you. You will receive mercy and compassion in all you do.
Jesus challenges us when he says, Congratulations to you who are pure I heart and undefiled. You are not contaminated by the fact “everyone else is doing it.” You do not simply choose the easiest way to get along. You choose what is right and you stick to it. You shall receive the greatest reward of seeing God. So follow your heart, and you will fill this world with love.
Jesus says Blessed are the peace makers. Congratulations to you who call yourselves children of peace. There are enough people in this world who profit from war. Who benefit from having you die for their cause. Who prefer fighting instead of trying to resolve the disagreement. When there are winners and losers in any kind of disagreement, what is lost cannot always be recovered. A peaceful resolution seeks the common good. We need to work together in peace if we are to have a healthy society.
Finally, Jesus says “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This is the hardest one. Jesus is saying sometimes the world is going to hate you for being loving and kind. Sometimes the world is going to go after you simply for who you are.
I saw this last Beatitude lived out this past summer. Thomas Oord is a minister friend of mine and he was convicted of heresy and was kicked out of the ministry. His crime was advocating for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people into his denomination. They even went so far as to strip him of his membership in the church. In their verdict against him the tribunal said “The seriousness of his offences cannot be overstated. Only eternity will show how many souls have been led astray through his false teaching.” I read the trial documents and it was more of a witch hunt than a proper heresy trial.
This was a devastating blow to Oord. Church has been the center of his entire life. He faithfully went to Sunday School and church camps as a child. He attended a Christian college, graduated from seminary, and taught religion for 20 years in the denomination’s universities. He lived out his faith as he had been taught to do. And they turned around and defrocked him and had him excommunicated. He has been cast out.
Their persecution of Thomas Oord has made his witness even stronger. He is not sorry for what he has done. Thankfully the seminary he currently teaches at is an independent one so his teaching job is secure. This summer he spoke about his beliefs at a major religious conference at Oxford University. He also spoke at the Greenbelt Festival in England. Greenbelt is a huge progressive Christian festival that attracts 20,000 people. His books are selling better than ever. Several progressive denominations are inviting him to join their ranks. He was even interviewed in Newsweek magazine this past week.
In the article he says “While I’m heartbroken over the verdict, I’m not sorry about all I did to precipitate it.” He admits he is a straight, cis-gendered, white guy who enjoys a lot of privilege. He considers it a point of pride to have argued for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in his Church. Oord says “If loving and advocating for queer people is a crime, then I stand guilty.” His says his ousting will not surprise most LGBTQ people because they have lots of experience being judged, condemned, and kicked out. He could have walked away quietly, but he stayed and fought the church he loved, because he was trying to follow Jesus. To stay faithful to Jesus, Oord believes traditional Christians must change their views on sexuality. He says “Whatever happens, I’m not sorry for doing what love does.”
For this reason Jesus said,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
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.” Amen.
