Sunday 2nd February 2020 How we are called to behave
The [Methodist] Covenant Service culminates in offering ourselves to be used in God’s service in any way that God deems fit. For some, this offering is easy… we have faith enough not fear the future; we have a clear understanding of what it is God has called us to; or we’ve done it so many times it is old hat. For others, the offering is hard… our faith is not that strong and we are facing things in our future that is frightening; we have no belief that we are called, or how we could possibly serve God. It is hard to commit ourselves to something we don’t know what it is…
Committing ourselves to we don’t know what is a bit like writing a blank cheque and leaving it on a table in a public place for someone to fill in and find.
Committing ourselves to God by writing a cheque for a particular amount and to a particular person is much easier. Much safer.
Now, there might come a time when we could talk – even in detail – about the process of discerning a call from God – for I believe very person on earth has a role to play in bringing the Kingdom of God just that bit closer to earth. Today, however, is not that day.
But it is a day to begin preparing yourself for serving God in the year 2020, even if you don’t know specifically what God is calling you to – and don’t think your age gets you to pass… Sarah and Abraham were older than all of us when they became the Parents of God’s chosen family. So we have got some work to do.
The scriptures give us lots of good advice on how to behave as we do this work. Jesus’s most well-known sermon which we have read today is filled with the advice. It is not the most straight forward advice, however, and needs a bit of study to get its full meaning. But the sermon can be summarised in a way that may be easier to remember: Whatever the World holds to be dear, let go of; whatever the World praises, do the opposite.
• 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those with humility in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. HUMILITY is what brings God’s blessing; Pridefulness, status and standing… are what the World wants us to think brings blessing.
• 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are those who sorrow: for they shall be drawn towards God. OPEN TO PAIN
The World gives accolades for being strong and stalwart. But if close ourselves off to the pain that life brings…we close ourselves off from God. God wants us to openly face our pains and the pains of this world so they can healed.
• 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the gentle: for they shall inherit the earth. GENTLE
So often the World praises tough guys….I can think of a number of political figures who parade around as a tough guys… they may feel on top of the world right now, but a day will come when they find themselves alone and brokenness. What good will their toughness bring then? God says we are to be gentle with ourselves and each other. Opposite of what the world does.
• 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are they who seek and long for integrity: for they shall be fulfilled. INTEGRITY
Integrity is not something the World praises. The world likes dishonesty, hypocrisy, taking advantage of others. The World praises being two-faced, having both God and Mammon as Master.
We are not blessed by such behaviour. We are not true witnesses of God’s love for us if we are two-faced. We are to be honest in all things.
• 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. BE MERCIFUL
Be Merciful. The World really enjoys punishing those who do wrong. The World interprets Jesus’ saying ‘an eye for an eye’ to mean we each have the right to inflict pain on someone who hurts us. But that is not the gospel meaning. Jesus, speaking to a people who took greater revenge against those who had hurt them, was saying no to their practice. Only and eye for an eye; only a tooth for a tooth. Not a life for an eye, or an arm for a tooth. Justice is only justice when it is fair.
• 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. HAVE ONE MASTER ONLY
I think this is about being faithful to God….when we are faithful to God, God allows us to see God more clearly, more often…..this goes along with the integrity thing…if we call ourselves Christians, we should act like Jesus the Christ. Double standards will not be blessed.
• 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. BE A PEACEMAKER
The World loves a good fight. The World loves to stir things (people) up and make a right mess of God’s wonderful creation. This current drive to define everything and everyone as Us and Them – Leaver, Remainer, Tory, Labour, Brexiter, citizen, immigrant, refugee, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist – is only to create fear and division. That is not of God. We are all people, created by the one Creator God, called to love one another. It is not a popular stance to take, but it is the Christian one. Are we called to serve God? Yes. Did we agree to serve God? Then we must make peace with others.
The last verses –
• 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who are pursued [dioko] for their integrity: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• 5:11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
• 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
– are a summary of the sermon. They make clear that though it will not be easy or comfortable to live opposite of the way the World wants us to, God will be pleased and we will gain something greater than all the fame and money and power the World waves at us. We will gain God, his unending love and protection, and ultimately be made one with him.
Now, that sermon of Jesus, and my sermon about Jesus’ sermon, holds a lot of words, a lot of things to think about. It can be hard to remember all of those words. And it is for that reason that I included the passage from Micah in our readings, and want to end my message by focusing on it. There are quite a few verses leading up to verse 8, but verse 8 is short enough and catchy enough to remember and repeat if we ever find ourselves in a situation where we are not sure how respond:
6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Do justice? We’ve heard that already: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..’’
Love kindness? Blessed are the meek; Blessed are the merciful; Blessed are the peacemakers.
Walk humbly with your God? Blessed are the poor in spirit; Blessed are those who mourn; Blessed are they who seek and long for integrity; Blessed are the pure in heart.
They’re all there, all of the beatitudes.
Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God.
And the thing I like about these, going back to the beginning of this message, is that it doesn’t matter if we know exactly what God wants of us in 2020, or if we have no idea…
We can do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
If you know exactly what God is calling you to – then in that work you do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God….
As a nurse, a doctor, a farmer, a banker, an electrician, a plumber, an architect, shop keeper, home maker, a minister, a teacher, or church steward, or treasurer… you can still do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
Treat people fairly, don’t have favourites (or whatever the opposite of favourites is); be kind to everyone, treat them ALL with respect and courtesy; don’t say hurtful things, don’t do hurtful things. No misplace pride, no belief in your own superiority, always willingness to serve no matter what. It doesn’t matter if we know or don’t know what we are called to, or if we’ve been laid aside… this is how we begin and end our service to God.
Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God. Now and forever. Amen
Sweetness and Light at the McLunt Smallholding 