Blessings in the Dirt: Matthew 5:1-12 - All Saints Sunday

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

My Daises (or something) by Ian Higgins.  Creative commons image on flickr.

I was waiting at a stoplight behind a large, white European luxury SUV—and I noticed a tag on the license plate that read: “Blessed by God; Spoiled by My Husband.” 

Obviously, I know nothing about the driver or her faith background, but to me this epitomizes the Prosperity Gospel—that God rewards faith and good works with riches, health, and happiness.   I’d love to ask true believers about some of the heroes of the faith—like the prophets, the apostles, and Jesus himself who suffered the loss of all things in their faithfulness to God. 

Nevertheless, prosperity Gospel is as old as religion itself.  Who wouldn’t love to be blessed with riches and power to allow you to live above the cares, problems, and worries of lesser peoples?

But in today’s Gospel, Jesus sets the record straight about whom God intends to bless—and how God will bless.

This is the start of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which happens near the beginning of his ministry.  Right off the bat, Jesus ministers among the ill and afflicted.  With crowds surrounding him, Jesus goes up a mountain and declares whom he has targeted for blessing: the poor in spirit; the mourning; the meek; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; the merciful and pure in heart; the peacemakers; the persecuted and falsely-accused.   

You can sum it all up in this way: “how fortunate are the unfortunate, for God is on their side.”  And: “how fortunate are those who care for the unfortunate, for they are on God’s side.”

Therefore, if you want an idea of whom God blesses—and how God blesses, don’t look at celebrity magazines or your friends’ dazzling Facebook posts about their fabulous lives.  God blesses you when life hits the dirt.

Back in September, I was called upon to officiate a funeral for a woman, just 51 years old, who died of brain cancer.  In her final hours, the doctors could barely administer enough painkillers to ease the swelling on her brain.  As her family watched helplessly, her husband opened the Gideon’s bible to this very passage—and read it aloud.  As he did, a stillness came over her.  She opened her eyes and spoke to her family.  In those brief moments, as he read Jesus’ words, the heavens were torn open that she could see Jesus stretched out and ready to welcome her home.

This is the way God blesses.  This is also what makes Jesus’ teachings so difficult—because the blessings Jesus promises aren’t necessarily the blessings you want.  We all want prosperity.  We all want Jesus to make our problems go away and give us power over people and circumstances.  We all want to be happy—and Jesus promises nothing of the sort. 

Instead, Jesus shows up in your poverty and pain.  When life hits the dirt, Jesus gets in the dirt with you.  When other blessings fail you and you suffer losses so significant that you don’t know how you’re going to get through it, Jesus blesses you.  God doesn’t necessarily give the blessings you want—but they are blessings that reveal God’s presence and love in ways that would not be possible apart from that difficult situation that you’re in.  You see God—not from the highest heights, but the deepest depths. 

It is there God declares that the kingdom of heaven is for you!  When you mourn, you will have comfort—not creature comfort, but divine comfort.  In meekness, you inherit the earth—not in power.  Your hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied—not riches.  Do you get the idea?  God will be on your side! 

On this All Saints Sunday, remember that a saint isn’t just someone who’s died and for whom God’s promises have come to fulfillment.  A saint is also someone someone who moves forward in into the future with confidence that God’s promises will be fulfilled, especially in the most difficult circumstances.  But a saint is also someone who embraces their God-given calling to be a blessing in the world.  While everyone else pursues power, possessions and positions, you pursue greater blessings: God’s righteousness; God’s mercy; God’s reign.  You see God.  You greet the dawning of God’s kingdom.

How this will happen or what it will look like, I can’t say.  You’ll need to trust God to find out.

Just remember: you belong to a God who keeps promises.  You belong to a Savior who embraces you in love, even with your doubts, anger, and pain.  In sickness, suffering, and sorrow, Jesus binds himself to you. 

Jesus makes life’s dirt the most fertile soil for new life and salvation.  Down in the dirt you will experience God’s presence in ways you never could sitting on top of the world.  God’s blessings come down in order to raise you up.