Bible Text:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”                                                                                  (Matthew 5:3)

I once heard it said that the Beatitudes are the new Ten Commandments. I couldn’t disagree more. There are no commands here. There are no “oughts” or “shoulds” or “must obey.” There are not even any “don’ts” in the list. There’s a different spirit in the Beatitudes than in the Commandments. 

The word “beatitude” means, “exalted happiness.” The phrase means not just being happy, but rather exalted, God-infused happiness. 

Here are eight classic sentences which begin Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Each one contains the spiritual motivation with the capacity to transform us. Here is the way to a God-centered and fulfilled life. Here are descriptions of a healthy relationship with God.

 The truth is, however, we don’t quite know what to do with these Beatitudes. They seem so foreign to the way of thinking out there in the world. If written from the world’s standards, the Beatitudes might sound something like this: 

·         Blessed are the powerful, for they shall control others.

·         Blessed are the movers and shakers, for they shall make things happen.

·         Blessed are the strong, the young and the beautiful, for they shall be greatly admired.

·         Blessed are the winners, for they shall be lauded and applauded.

·         Blessed are the affluent, for they have what they need—and what they want.

 We can become so easily secularized. The words of Jesus simply don’t connect with life as we experience it. What does it mean to be humble, to be meek, to be dependent, or pure, or merciful? These words do not seem to describe a very robust way to live. 

Yet here they are at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. This is Jesus’ little instruction book for life. I want to look at them with you, one teaching at a time over eight summer weekends. 

The first one says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Scholars have debated the meaning of this phrase for years. They looked at the Hebrew, the Greek, and the Aramaic—the Aramaic being the language in which Jesus spoke. They compared Luke’s beatitude which says simply, “Blessed are the poor.” Is that the meaning of this statement? The word “poor” here actually means “utterly destitute.” Is that what Jesus is talking about?

I read a story about a preacher who took his car to an auto mechanic. Upon leaving his car with the mechanic he said, “Now remember, don’t charge me too much. I’m only a poor preacher.”

 Replied the mechanic, “I know. I’ve heard you.” 

Does the Beatitude mean poor in finances or property or possessions? If so, it probably doesn’t apply to very many of us. 

This Beatitude is more radical and more startling than it might seem at first. What it really means is, “Blessed are those who recognize how poor they are without God.” In other words, blessedness, happiness and fulfillment are found in dependency.

Can you imagine how startled Jesus’ hearers might have been when they first heard this? Here stands a Roman soldier. He represents the undisputed power of the known world. He listens as a wandering Jewish rabbi says, “Blessed are the dependent ones.” He thinks to himself, “How absurd!” 

Over here stands a member of the temple aristocracy. He believes the Jews to be a chosen race, an elected people, protected by God. What does this Nazarene preacher mean, saying we must be dependent? 

In yet another place stands a very wealthy merchant. He has fought his way to the top. He has earned every penny he is now worth. He is a tough-minded financial wheeler and dealer. He hears the teacher say, “Blessed are the utterly dependent ones.” He thinks to himself, “Ridiculous!” 

Not a whole lot has changed since these words were first spoken. Our American culture in particular still elevates independence, autonomy and self-reliance. We want to raise our children to be independent. We compliment people who are fiercely independent. Seniors want independent living as long as possible. We visited my mother this past weekend. She is now in her 91^st year. She absolutely detests having to use a walker or even a cane. There is some kind of stigma in terms of being dependent. 

We refuse to use public transportation. We want our cars to go where we want to go, when we want to do it. Independent living is a way of life in this country. 

E. Stanley Jones began every Ashram retreat with the same question. He said to the participants, “Write down your greatest need right now.” At one of the retreats a participant came to him and said, “Dr. Jones, I don’t have a need. What should I write down?” 

Replied E. Stanley Jones, “Son, if you don’t think you have a need, that is your need.” 

Recovering alcoholics know that the only way to sobriety is to be able to say, “I know I need help. I know I need God. I know I need to be in touch with a higher power than myself.” 

Everything around us says, “Be dependent on no one.” That is the sad truth. A couple of weeks ago some of us heard a member offer her personal faith statement. She said there was a point in her life when she never felt like she needed God in any real way. There’s a lot of that out there. 

I almost understand why so many young adults and middle-aged adults are disconnected from the church. For six days they hear things about assertiveness training, about learning independent skills, about being a self-starter and a self-motivator. Then on the seventh day they come to church and hear a preacher preach on the text, “Blessed are those who know their need.” It seems discordant. It seems out of sync.  

The truth is, we have to rediscover over and over what this Beatitude means. We have to rediscover the power for living in these words. 

NO ACCIDENT 

I think it no accident that this beatitude is number one on the list. It’s the first of the eight. I know that the gospel writers did some editing as they wrote. They rearranged the words to make a particular point in the way that they wanted to speak to their congregations. I believe the Beatitudes were arranged by Jesus. He knew how they would fall on human ears. He knew in particular how the first one would sound. 

Some say that the Sermon on the Mount is the essence of Jesus’ teaching. If that’s true, then the Beatitudes seem to be the essence of the essence. I would even add one more thing. This first beatitude may very well be the entry point into the essence of the essence. 

Jesus looked out on the crowd gathered on that hillside and he saw their spiritual hunger. He looks out on us today and he sees that same spiritual hunger. He knows that without God we can never be satisfied. So he begins to teach carefully, deliberately, and gently, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Oh, the exalted happiness of those who know that they need God. 

HE MODELED IT 

Then he modeled it. There is ample evidence in the Scripture for this. Jesus says to the disciples, “Look at me. I may be the revelation of God. I may be closer to God than anyone else who has ever lived. But I still need to lean into God in my own life.”  

So many times Jesus went out into a lonely place to pray. The Scripture says, “Early in the morning he got up and went out to pray.” He modeled his own desire to be in touch with God. 

MY OWN NEED 

I have needed regular reminders of this through the years. I have been blessed with mostly good health throughout my life. I have been blessed with an abundance of enough. Elaine and I celebrate a healthy and growing family and extended family. This community of believers—Christ Church—has been good to me and to us. 

But there have also been many times when I have been reminded that I need God. There have been so many times when I needed to lean hard, so many times when I needed to get back to my prayer times. It is as though God was saying to me out loud, “Lean more. Lean harder. You cannot do this on your own.” 

And I realized that’s exactly what I was trying to do. I was caught up in the web of independent living. I was too self-confident, self-reliant, self-assured. And this beatitude has come back to teach me and to remind me over and over again. I have needed to pray, “Fill me up, Lord.” 

I read about a tribe in the African nation of Uganda who has a sacred custom. Each member of the tribe owns a small piece of land just outside the village. It’s a private place. The path to that piece of land is a path to a place of prayer and meditation. If any member of the tribe becomes quarrelsome or out of sorts, he or she is reminded, “Grass is growing on the unused path to your prayer place.” 

Blessed are those who know they need to be in touch with God. 

There’s a hymn in the hymnal I’ve always liked. It’s actually a hymn of paradox. But it teaches me constantly. We don’t sing it much, but I know the words by heart. 

            Make me a captive, Lord,

            And then I shall be free.

            Force me to render up my sword,

            And I shall conqueror be.

            I sink in life’s alarms

            When by myself I stand;

            Imprison me within thine arms,

            And strong shall be my hand.[i]

Each time I feel capable (or each time I feel incapable), I pray that hymn. 

Seventeen years ago we introduced Covenant Discipleship into this journey of faith together. After some hesitation I became a part of a Covenant Discipleship group. My own journey with Covenant Discipleship has been far from perfect. But one thing it has done for me. It has reminded me of my need for God. 

There is a food product sold in the grocery stores under the title of “Healthy Choice.” Covenant Discipleship has been a spiritual healthy choice for me. 

Jesus says simply, “Learn to be dependent upon God. It’s okay. It’s okay to move into dependent living, into assisted living.” I once heard it put this way: “Surrender as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know about God.” 

It all sounds a bit strange, maybe even a bit offbeat, even a bit self-demeaning. But it’s the paradox of living in the Christian discipleship journey. It is the way to life. It is the way to exalted happiness. It is the way to transformed living. 

Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free… and full! 

Amen.