11^th March 2014

Rev Dr Max Champion at St John's UCA Mt Waverley Sunday 2 February 2014

Lessons - Psalm 1; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12.

On this Covenant Sunday, the Beatitudes remind us of the strangeness of our calling. In them Jesus speaks of suffering, non-conformity, insecurity. Satisfaction is to be found, not by seeking popularity and power, but by participating in a community that abandons the quest for self-satisfaction. What strange blessings!

The Beatitudes are a challenge and an invitation. They judge us for who we are 'in ourselves' and beckon us to become who we are 'in Christ'. They are descriptions of life as it is meant to be lived in relation to God's will as embodied in Jesus. They are not laws that we 'must' fulfil in order to be accepted by God, but 'snapshots' of a full life that springs from faith in God's undeserved love for the world. They are Gospel, not Law - responses to grace, not conditions to be met.

This is clear in the list of those said to be 'blessed'.

The 'poor in spirit' are not 'mean-spirited'. Knowing their need of God's grace, they do not brag about their own worth or the 'nobility of the human spirit'. They are not praised by 'the community' but are satisfied to belong to Christ's 'community of grace'.

'Those who mourn' are not sad, miserable folk who hate humanity. Rejoicing in the Gospel, they grieve over the dreadful impact of idolatry and inhumanity in the world. They identify with those who suffer evil, not only out of humanitarian compassion, but from the knowledge that God has suffered and defeated evil in the costly, self-giving love of Jesus. They are not happy at the presence of evil but are glad to share in his love for our flawed and strife-torn earth.

'The humble' or 'meek' are often thought to be weaklings. Critics often have accused Christians of glorifying timidity and turning away from heroic deeds. It is true of those who pride themselves on their humility!
However, it is not true of folk described here. They oppose the pride that destroys our life-together. They do not brag about themselves. They are not out to attract attention or dominate others. They simply aim to praise God and serve others in response to their calling, thereby reminding power- brokers that they do not 'inherit the earth'.

'Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness' share with 'the peacemakers' and 'those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness'
a deep yearning for the renewal of the whole creation. They look forward to the fulfilment of justice and peace in line with what God has embodied and promised in Christ. They are vocal when human dignity is trampled but wary of the self-righteous who espouse just causes for their own ends.

'Those who are merciful' do not stand on their dignity but gladly bear the distress of those who have wronged them. They are not contemptuous of the sins of others but show mercy because, in Jesus, God has shown them mercy.
They live in hope that, at last, those who have ruined their lives, hurt others and mocked God will know God's mercy. They may be ridiculed for being too lenient or forgiving, but they are 'happy' to be free of resentment.

'The pure in heart' are open to doing God's will. They are not 'puritanical' or priggish but straightforward in their dealings with others. They may be dismissed as naive, but are 'happy' simply to serve God with singleness of heart and mind.

What strange blessings! How can people be said to be 'happy' when they risk misery and social isolation? Are not they foolish to try to live up to such impossible ideals? Are not such impractical demands guaranteed to make us feel guilty, depressed or angry? Is not it better for our psychological health to give up and settle for common decency and tolerance?

That may seem the wise thing to do, but it is not the way of the Cross!
The Beatitudes are not ideals that can be lived out apart from their connection to the One who, by grace, calls disciples into the community of suffering love! They are Gospel, not Law - responses to grace, not conditions to be met to earn Divine approval.

This is brought out more fully in what Paul says to the Corinthians, some of whom were prone to boast of their spiritual wisdom. He reminds them that their behaviour is to be consistent with their having been called into the community brought into being by the incomparable act of God's grace in the crucified Christ.

To those who pride themselves on being wise, reasonable, moral or religious this is 'foolish' and 'scandalous' (1 Corinthians 1:25).
However, it is a source of joy to those who have experienced the reality of grace!

What Paul says shows that grace is not a vague idea but an embodied reality. Grace is incarnate in a man whose crucifixion is the sign of God's judgement on our arrogance and proof of God's mercy. As we say in Holy Communion, Christ 'takes away the sin of the world' in a manner for which no analogy nor comparison is adequate.

The cross makes it absolutely clear that we have no grounds for boasting about ourselves (1 Corinthians 1:26ff). Our 'righteousness' is not to be found 'in ourselves' but 'in Christ'. As the embodiment of God's judgement- and-mercy, the crucified Jesus treats us 'as if' we are righteous and wise. Thus we are free to share in his ministry of suffering love knowing that our sins are forgiven! We are free to live out the Beatitudes joyfully, knowing that they have already been embodied in Christ.

This strange happiness is to be embodied in Christian community. Jesus addresses his disciples, not the crowds (Matthew 5:1). It cannot be understood apart from the joy of belonging to the community of the crucified Jesus. The Beatitudes are not a manifesto of social justice per se. In fact, the call to justice and peace is often accompanied by hostility to the word of the Cross! Advocacy of human rights can lead to intolerance of Christianity and trampling on the rights of the vulnerable, as often happens today in authoritarian and democratic societies.

This does not mean that the Church should retreat from the public square.
As Jesus' public preaching, teaching and healing demonstrates (4:23-25), his ministry is 'in and for the world'. He calls disciples 'out of the world' (4:18-22) so that, in Church and society, they may live out the Beatitudes in the service of the crucified Jesus.

The relationship between Jesus' teaching the Beatitudes and his crucifixion is critical for understanding Christian ethics. First, because Christ has fulfilled the Beatitudes, we may receive them as gifts of grace. As recipients of grace we have been set free from false ambitions to embark on a life of self-giving service.

Second, they are a summons to live by costly grace-and-righteousness in the face of hostility to Christ.

Third, they remind us that our joy is not yet complete. Throughout the Beatitudes there is tension between what is a reality 'now' and what shall be. Jesus says that theirs 'is' the Kingdom and they 'shall be satisfied'.
The joy of being disciples of the crucified Jesus who are freed from the destructive power of pride is a reality. It is also the sign of that day when arrogance and inhumanity shall be completely subjected to God's gracious will.

In 'The Joy of the Gospel', Pope Francis expresses the unity of joy-and- responsibility of the Gospel as depicted in the Beatitudes. 'The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ, joy is constantly born anew.' At the same time, 'Let us not look the other way ... (wherever) ... efforts are made to deny them [the poor, the unborn, the marginalised, the aged, refugees, et al] their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, . . . '. . . . 'A human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development.' (Q. AD2000 Feb 2014,
p4.)

The Beatitudes are invitations of grace and a word of hope for the future.
On this Covenant Sunday may they fill our hearts with joy and challenge us to live as Christ's disciples by opposing evil as we confidently await the coming of God's righteousness and peace.

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Rev Dr Max Champion is the minister of St John's Uniting Church, Mt Waverley, Victoria, Australia. Dr Champion is a member of the Council of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations within the UCA.