Flashbacks and warm feelings

Flashbacks and warm feelings. Matthew Five

Perhaps it happens most frequently with a photograph. We walk by the same picture hanging on the wall in our house every day, but on this day—we SEE it. We see it, and we remember, and it takes us back. For instance, on one wall of my home, there is a portrait of me lifting Amy’s (my daughter) veil to kiss her after she was just pronounced ‘…wife,’ with tears brimming in my eyes. Just like that, I am back in that wedding in the park and remember the emotions keenly. My beautiful daughter with long, flowing hair - a wife!

Or you hear a song play and it takes you back to college days; ah, the memories—a smile, maybe even a chuckle to yourself, a brief shake of the head—yes, you remember, you recall how you felt, and you’re right back in that scene.

As I open my Bible to Matthew chapter five, the pages are dog-eared, the margins have writing in them, and the Beatitudes are all underlined. There it is—the warm familiar feeling within and a ‘knowing’ in my mind. Jesus’ first sermon was powerful, evocative, and descriptive in beautiful language, all the while wholly capturing the life of a loyal, sold out follower of his.

You know, soccer is referred to as ‘the beautiful game’ because it is simple, and if you have a ball, you can play it anywhere. This sermon ought be called ‘the beautiful sermon,’ because it can be true of people everywhere who have the desire to live all out for God.

‘Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless.

The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

Blessed are those who mourn.

They will be comforted.

Blessed are those who are gentle.

They will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval.

They will be satisfied.

Blessed are those who show mercy.

They will be treated mercifully.

Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure.

They will see God.

Blessed are those who make peace.

They will be called God’s children.’ Matthew 5.3-9, God’s Word Translation

Jesus then reminds the front-tier listeners, his disciples, that they are the light of the world, the salt of the earth—in essence, the difference makers.

In the rest of chapter five, Jesus ups the ante. Right out of the gate, right at the start of his ministry, the ‘religious’ folk try to trip him up, even accuse him of destroying the Law…but Jesus lets them know he is neither destroying the Law nor he is about fulfilling the letter of the Law, but rather the heart— Jesus is all about the intent of the heart.

And from the heart come such notions as letting our word be our bond, going the second mile, and of all things, loving our enemies.

Finally, Jesus tells us to be perfect – in the Greek, ‘teleios’- Jesus was using perfect here to mean: ‘a thing is perfect if it fully realizes the purpose for which it was planned, designed and made.’ So, Jesus is saying, ‘You are to be perfect—achieving the purposes for which God created you—even as your Father in heaven is, has and will always be.’

Yes, Matthew Five, but especially the Beatitudes evoke a warm feeling of familiarity in my heart; I pray it is so with you as well.

Christine

PastorWoman.com