This is week # 30 and we are cautiously worshipping inside because it is too cold to stay outside, but we are grateful for the weeks that we were able to meet outside. The joy of the Lord was certainly our strength.
Since our lives have been turned upside down in some
ways, it seems fitting to have as our November theme, Upside Down because we
know when we put our lives in God’s hands, God will make things right side up
again, even where things are turned upside down. It is true that some of us are
more at ease with life’s roller coasters than others. Nevertheless, life is
what it is, isn’t it?
Most of us have had a long history of being a part
of a church. Church is woven into our culture. It is so common to see a church
in every neighborhood. Church has been, for the most part, a happy place.
Church is a place of peace and fun and serious missions. We are happily
surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones who care about us. Weddings,
funerals, suppers and mission meetings provide deep bonding and relationship
building experiences. Church is a happy place when it is a happy place.
On the days when church is not as happy as it could
be, the beatitudes, remind us of the attitudes we need to have in order to keep
God’s children together and blessed. The word blessed means happy. We have the
beatitudes to remind us, on a good day as well as a sad day, to be happy
anyway…we can sing hallelujah anyhow…never gonna let these troubles get me
down…when those troubles come my way, I will hold my head up high and say,
hallelujah anyhow.
Jesus teaches us – blessed or happy are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. when we not so spirited, not so
pumped up, not so excited about life, especially not overinflated about our own
self sufficiency, then we are more reliant and dependent upon the God who gives
us the kingdom of heaven which Romans 14 tells us is righteousness, peace and
joy in the Holy Spirit. Who can ask for more than righteousness, peace and joy in
the Holy Spirit, for does that not lead to all the good that we could ever hope
for?
The word Spirit is also translated as “breath.” In
this season of covid-19 infections, we are subject to become poor in our
breathing. As we become breathless, God is still with us to bless us in spite
of whatever we lack.
Jesus teaches, blessed are those who mourn. Why?
Because they shall be comforted! This is a precious promise. In television and
movie dramas and perhaps in our own lives we have seen persons overcome in a
moment of grief and despair until someone comes and holds them tightly and
their tears are absorbed into someone’s shoulder and their convulsions are
softened by the arms embracing them and their moaning and groaning are echoed
by the hearts that have joined them. Somehow, someway God comforts us, soothes
us, and holds us until the night has passed.
Recently Benita told us the story of how day after
day she could not stop crying when her brother passed away. Sophie, a lab, the
family dog came into her room and stayed with her time and time again. The dog
had never done that before. Benita was not even aware that the dog had come
until several days later. God comes to comfort us whenever we mourn. Clouds of
sadness may overshadow God’s presence, nevertheless God’s presence is real and
God’s presence to comfort matters. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall
be comforted.
Jesus teaches, blessed are the meek for they shall
inherit the earth. The meek are not week. The meek are teachable. They are not
know-it-alls, they are alert and ready to learn from all that Jesus teaches.
The meek shall inherit the earth. In our Zoom class this week, someone pondered
why anyone would want this earth. Shouldn’t we aim for Heaven instead? Others
remarked about our need to obey God’s direction to care for the beautiful
planet God has given us. If we are meek, that is teachable, we are learning how
to take care of the earth and we will have the abundant blessings that come
from caring as we await the new earth.
Jesus teaches, blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Just like we are hungry for
physical food, we are hungry for spiritual food. We hunger to do the right
thing. We thirst for truth that sets us free. We will not be left empty-handed.
God has an overflow of help through the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
Hopefully, we will not lose our appetites for God’s goodness. God’s love is an
appetizer. God’s word is the milk and honey, the meat and potatoes and fresh
vegetables and fruit that sustain us when we hunger and thirst for that which
only God can provide.
Jesus teaches blessed are the merciful, for they
shall receive mercy. It is interesting that Paul tells the church in Colossae
to show mercy with cheerfulness. It reminds us that God loves a CHEERFUL GIVER.
Giving mercy where mercy is needed takes a big heart full of love and
forgiveness to those who may least deserve it, for those who have made big
mistakes or who are least available to give us what we want from them the most.
But, since we are all human, we may be the one to make a big mistake and to be
unable to give back what is most expected. Let us be merciful for we may be the
one who reaps the good we have sown.
A good example of mercy happened this week when a
drug store was looted in Philadelphia. The owner, a pharmacist fills hundreds
of prescriptions every day. He watched his security video of people emptying
the shelves. He saw drugs lining the sidewalk as people dropped and ran. Even
with the glass in his door missing, he opened up for business in order to serve
as he has done for the last 37 years. He could have given up. He could have
gotten even. Instead, he is showing mercy. It is costing him and perhaps he has
shed bitter tears. Nevertheless, he is showing mercy. God bless him!
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see
God. God’s word and God’s way is everywhere, but not everyone can see it. Once
in a youth Sunday sermon Doug showed a video of young people playing with a
ball. Viewers were asked to count the times certain players passed a ball.
While most viewers were focused on counting, they were not aware of their
surroundings. Half those watching the video missed something very important
that happened in the video. It is easy to miss seeing how God is working in our
world when we are so focused on something else. It is easy to miss hearing
God’s word when there is so much noise and chatter going on.
God’s word always seems to turn our world upside
down. If our life is filled with worldly pleasures, look out. God’s word will
come and give us something puzzling to think about and perhaps even a bitter
pill to swallow to help us get ourselves together. If our life is turbulent and
troubled, God’s word comes bringing sweet honey and beautiful roses to lift our
spirits. God’s word guides us in every season of our lives!
Jesus teaches us that the peacemakers will be called
the children of God. It is so like God to bring peace. Peace is divine. I hope
the family of Walter Wallace is surrounded by peacemakers. I hope the
businesses who were looted this week have met some children of God. I trust
there are peacemakers on the police force, in the National Guard and in the
White House with whoever may be occupying the oval office.
It is true that there is no justice when there is no
peace. What will it take for us to do justice? It seems that doing justice is a
decision we all must make every hour of every day.
This week there was a documentary of very wealthy
people who did unconscionable things in order to get their children into
college. At first I thought it was just a few thousand dollars donated to
influence admission committees to turn a blind eye to exaggerated applications
and low scores of these students. It turns out that this was a deeply rooted
and wicked scheme. There were nearly one thousand students whose parents along
with coaches, administrators, lawyers, CEO’s, actors, and intellectuals who
were willing to take hundreds and thousands of dollars in exchange for changing
SAT tests scores, lying on applications and worse. One journalist remarked that
these parents paid 43 million dollars in fake donations which they wrote off
with the IRS as a charitable contribution, saving them 10 million dollars
which, the journalist notes, is paid by poor and working class citizens.
Even when we do the right thing, even when we
accomplish acts of mercy and kindness, there may be those who don’t appreciate
us and who may even mean to harm us. What does Jesus tell us to do? His words
seem to be wrong side up, but they are designed to turn our world right side
up. He says “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. In other
words, when we see hell on the horizon, we should also be able to see God’s
hand working to create something heavenly in us and around us. Let it be so
today and always!
Let
us pray…
Merciful
God, we have seen you working in our world and even in our lives. What wonders you
have worked within us. What great things you have done through us. What marvels
you have performed around us. What blessings you have provided to us. We pause
to give you thanks and pray that you would help us to bow before you, yielded
and still, to be ever faithful in response to your constant love for us. And
when it seems like hell is on the horizon, we would focus on you and see the
holy work of your hand making something heavenly in spite of it all. We pray as
you taught the disciples.
Our father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it
is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
We trust this message is allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your heart. Next week's message, “Upside Down: Stupid is as Stupid Does” will focus on Matthew 25.
If you would like to
make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website
is Bethelumchurch.com
Or you can send it to
952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475. God bless you!
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