The Long Run
A Sermon on Matthew 5:1-12
A couple in Southern California were planning to get married, but before they were able to have the ceremony, they were swallowed up by a giant earthquake. The next thing they knew, they were standing before St. Peter in heaven. The couple asked Peter if they could still get married. He said, “Let me check. I’ll get back to you on this.”
A week went by, then a month, then six months passed. Finally, Peter approached them with a pastor following closely behind. “Alright, you can get married now,” he said. The couple thanked Peter, but they now had a second request. After months of waiting, they thought it would be wise to draw up a prenuptial agreement. Peter was really upset now. He said, “Look, it took me six months to find a pastor up here. How long do you think it’s going to take me to find a lawyer?”
Today, we talk about heaven. Jesus reminds us that we are in it for the long run. We seek to faithfully follow that way of the cross so that we might join all of those pastors and lawyers in God’s new creation. We strive to put our faith into practice as we aim towards the crown of glory that awaits us. We show patience and fortitude. We live in peace and show mercy to all people. We rejoice that we are part of God’s kingdom.
Today, we look at the opening to the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus begins his teaching here with the Beatitudes. Our Lord says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” With this Beatitude, we humble ourselves before our Creator. We bow down and confess we need God’s help today. We need a Savior to come and rescue us. We confess our poverty of spirit and realize our true need. We are truly poor in spirit; we are sinners.
But blessed are those who truly humble themselves before God. They shall be lifted up. Peter says, “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he might lift you up in due time.” And James says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Blessed are those who confess their poverty of spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom is yours as a gift.
Jesus also says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Blessed are those who suffer grief and sadness and tears. God will wipe every tear from our eyes. He will guide us to springs of living water. Our Good Shepherd comforts us with his presence and love. He holds us close to his heart. During our time of grief, he surrounds us with his solace and care. Blessed are those who weep, for they shall be comforted
Our Shepherd says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
Jesus then says, “Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth.” Our Lord says, “Blessed are the last, the least, the lowest, and the little ones. My Father’s blessing rests upon them.” Peter also says, “Clothe yourselves with humility because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Cast all of your cares upon him because he cares for you.” Indeed, blessed are the last for they shall be first. They shall inherit God’s new creation.
Jesus now says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Here, the Lord speaks of a spiritual hunger for the things of God. We hunger for forgiveness, life, and salvation. We thirst for God’s sweet mercy and grace. We long for Christ to satisfy our deepest needs. The blessing of God rests upon such people.
God the Father graciously bestows his gift upon us. His righteousness is given as a free gift. God’s righteousness is the perfection of Jesus that totally covers our imperfect life. The Father now gives us a new heart, a new chance, a new beginning. We now become children of God.
John says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God – and this is exactly what we are!” By God’s grace in Jesus, we are transformed and made new. We are now children of God. Each day now, we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Each day, Christ teaches us to follow the way of the cross.
Today, our Lord teaches us that we are in it for the long run. We are on a journey. We need to show patience and fortitude. We need to keep going and move forward, and not give up. This is a continual process of growth, learning, and increasing our faith. We strive to become Christ-like in our life and actions.
This is why Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Indeed, blessed are those who learn to show mercy and compassion to others. Blessed are those who show God’s love to those who are hurting.
We have received mercy from our God. Now, we seek to share that gift. We strive to love and serve others. We humble ourselves and wash their feet. We give a cup of cold water to the thirsty. We feed the hungry and provide clothing to those in need. We look after the sick and help others as we are able.
We follow the way of God’s Messiah who says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The way of Christ leads to purity. We follow the teaching of our Lord and obey all that he commands. We try to keep ourselves pure in an impure world. We turn away from what is wrong, evil, impure, and sinful.
That’s not so easy to do in a world filled with so much moral confusion. Our society has decayed into a culture of greed, lust, and exploitation. Everyone wants to indulge their sinful nature. Everyone wants to go through the broad gate that leads to destruction. And we also get caught up in the ways of the world, too. We do what is wrong and fall into sin. We give in to temptation so easily.
However, for those who fall, there is forgiveness in the blood of Jesus. The Lamb of God died on the cross for sinners like you and me. Each day, we return to the cross, and we pray, “O Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy! O Christ, the Lamb of God, wash me clean in your holy and precious blood. Cover me with that righteousness that only you can provide. O Christ, forgive me, renew me, and lead me in your path of righteousness.”
And blessed are those who are purified by the blood of the Lamb, for they shall see God face-to-face. Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Yes, one day, you will see God face-to-face. This vision of God will take place on the Last Day. On the day of our Lord’s Second Coming, our long run will come to an end. On that day, we will cross the finish line. We will enter the narrow gate into eternal life as we reach the final goal of our journey.
On that Last Day, the dead will be raised up, and our resurrected bodies will be glorified. Our transformation will be complete when God gives us a new existence. We will have a physical body no longer subject to suffering and sickness. There will be no more pain or weakness, no more sorrow or heartache – no more death.
John says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been made manifest; but we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Everyone who thus hopes in Christ purifies himself as Christ is pure.” Indeed, blessed are the pure in heart, those who faithfully wait for our Lord’s Second Coming. We know that when Christ appears, we shall become like him in our resurrected bodies. We shall see Jesus face-to-face. That is our hope and confidence. That is what keeps us going in the long run.
Our Lord Jesus now says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Indeed, we are called to live in peace with others. The time is too short for fighting and arguing with others. We don’t need to constantly complain about everything and find fault with others. There is no need to fight with our kids, or argue with our spouse, or carry on at work. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
A peacemaker is one who does not retaliate at every provocation. We learn to let it go. We do not let every little insult or injury bother us. Instead of starting a fight, we make peace. Now certainly, there are many things in this world that can provoke us. Every day, we face many things that test our patience and push us to the limit. It’s hard to be a peacemaker when people treat us badly, and things go wrong for us.
However, that is exactly why Jesus says, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets before you.”
Christ our Lord reminds us to be patient. Following the way of the cross is not easy. We will encounter resistance. We will endure opposition and perhaps even persecution. But Jesus says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Our Lord declares, “Take heart! The kingdom of heaven is yours. Salvation is a gift. You are a child of God and a part of God’s kingdom. Rejoice and be glad! Keep on living by faith. Great is your reward in heaven.”
By God’s grace, we are able to endure and be strong. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can make it and remain true. Always remember, you are on the right track. Just keep on running the race by faith. Continue to love, serve, share, and believe. Show mercy and compassion to others. Be a peacemaker. Practice forgiveness and let go of your anger. Let us continue the long run we are on, and together we shall ultimately cross the finish line and receive that crown of glory that does not fade away. “For yours is the kingdom of heaven.” Amen!