Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church

Matthew 5:1-2 “Preparing for the Climb" Rev. Meagan M. Boozer

There is much to say this morning. This is the introductory sermon to a 7-week series of teachings on that portion of Scripture that is called “The Beatitudes.” The Beatitudes are part of a portion of Scripture called “The Sermon on the Mount” found in Chapters 5 through 7 in the Gospel of Matthew. We could spend months and months of Sundays digging deeply into what Jesus left us in this sermon. But for this season of Lent, I believe God has led us to look carefully at just the beginning words of this sermon.

Before we actually read the portion of the Sermon on the Mount called the Beatitudes, and before we even begin to understand what a Beatitude is, I think it’s important that we understand why the sermon itself is called The Sermon on the Mount. Let me read the first 2 verses of Chapter 5:

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them.

Pop quiz:

This sermon is called The Sermon on the Mount because when Jesus preached it, he was on a ______________. (mountain!) There you go. Any questions? (Ha, ha)

Now really, why was this one sermon so important to be given a title at all? We have lots of other teachings of Jesus, and those teachings don’t have a title like this one: The Sermon in the Field, The Sermon by the Sea, The Sermon in the Boat, The Sermon on the Road, The Sermon in the Upper Room. Why do we have The Sermon on the Mount?

The importance lies not in what we think is important (oh, this is a good one, so we’ll give it a title). The importance of this sermon lies in the Word itself. The importance comes from two particular things we see in this first verse.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.

Remember last week, we learned that Jesus went from 40 days of isolation in the wilderness, to calling a few close followers, to be followed by an ever-increasing number of people from an ever-increasing territory as he became more and more famous? So, all of a sudden, Jesus has a crowd to teach, and in order to have a natural amphitheater to speak to a large group of people, Jesus heads to higher ground so they can all see and hear him. That makes sense from a practical standpoint. But, there is cultural and theological significance to the mountain setting also.

Pop quiz:

Where was Moses when he received the revelation of the Ten Commandments?

In a valley, or B. On a mountain? (B!)

You see, to the Jewish people, receiving teaching on a mountain would have been historically significant. They would not have missed the significance of Jesus referring to some of the commandments in this sermon which he begins doing in 5:21. Matthew, is making a point for us that is made throughout this gospel. In Matthew 17:1,2 we read, “Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white.” In Matthew 15:29, we read, “After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them…and they praised the God of Israel.” In 28:16, we read, “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them…” On this mountain Jesus spoke out what is called the “Great Commission” telling his disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations…”

Matthew makes a point of telling us when Jesus was on a mountain. He wants us to know when a teaching, or an event, had high significance. When Matthew tells us that Jesus is went up the mountain, he is telling us to pay special attention to what God is telling or showing us. So God’s Word shows us that this sermon is important by telling us that Jesus went up a mountain to deliver it.

The Word also shows us this sermon’s importance by telling us that when Jesus went up the mountain, before he started to speak, he sat down. Jesus’ position of sitting to teach fits culturally expected patterns of Jewish instruction. Jesus here, in sitting down, takes the role of a scribe (a Jewish teacher), but Matthew also says at the very end of this sermon in 7:29 that “Jesus taught them as one having authority, but not as their scribes.” In other words, Jesus taught more clearly, more powerfully, and more deeply than a scribe sitting before his students ever could. He taught with Divine authority as he sat down on the mountain and delivered what we now know as The Sermon on the Mount.

Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Andrew M. Greeley is one of the most influential Catholic thinkers and writers of our time. He is a priest, sociologist, author and journalist. Father Greeley is the author of over 50 best-selling novels, and more than 100 works of non-fiction. Among his fiction writings is a series of mysteries based on the Beatitudes from Matthew 5. Here’s what Father Greeley writes about Jesus’ words:

“The Beatitudes represent an important component of the teaching of Jesus, but they should not be interpreted as a new list of Rules. Jesus taught that rules are of little use in our relationship with God. We do not constrain God’s love by keeping rules, since that love is a freely given starting point in our relationship with Him. We keep rules because all communities need rules to stay together and because as ethical beings we should behave ethically, but that, according to Jesus, is a minor part of our relationship with God.

The Beatitudes are a portrait of the Christian life as it becomes possible for those who believe in the love of God as disclosed by Jesus. If we trust in God, we are then able to take the risks the Beatitudes imply, never living them perfectly of course, but growing and developing in their radiant goodness and experiencing the happiness of life that comes from such goodness.”[1][1]

So what is a Beatitude? The word wasn’t in my computer’s dictionary or in the thesaurus – because the word is a Latin word derived from the Greek word makarios, found in the original Greek text, meaning blessed, fortunate, or happy. When we say we are going to read The Beatitudes, we are essentially saying we are going to read the “blessed are theys…,” or the “be happy attitudes” (as some call them), or the “fortunate are those who…”

Personally, I don’t prefer the “happy” translation, because I think “happy” in our day tends to describe a feeling that arrives and departs as circumstances change. The word itself just seems too frivolous. But that is not the translation’s fault, that’s the fault of those of us who want to simplify things to the point of taking the real meaning out of them.

I don’t prefer the “fortunate” translation either, as the word fortune seems to imply a streak of “good luck”. Luck has no place in our life of faith in the God of history.

For me, the translation “blessed” causes me to stop and ponder, especially when I notice the last two letters. Blessed. The “-ed” indicates there is something passive in this position. To be “blessed” is a gift. “Blessed” is something I get from outside myself, not something I can achieve on my own. I am blessed by something done for me or for others. People say, “Bless you,” when you sneeze. What are we saying? “God watch over you.” “God keep you.”

· To be blessed is to be completely aware of our safety in God as we live like Jesus.

· To be blessed is to be swept up in God.

· To be blessed is to live 100% in trust of God’s goodness as disclosed in the life & teachings of Jesus.

Blessed are the poor in spirit? What does it mean to be poor in spirit, what does it mean to mourn, what does it mean to hunger & thirst for righteousness, to be merciful, to be pure in heart, to be a peacemaker, to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake? Jesus says we are blessed if we are these things.

What has compelled Jesus to ascend to a high place and take a seat to teach the crowds that day and teach hundreds of millions of people in the days since? What does he want for us? If being blessed is something done to or for us, is there something we can do, or is there nothing we can do to go higher on the mountain with him?

The season of Lent is an important time in the church year. It can be just another six weeks we live through as winter changes to spring. Or, the weeks and the disciplines of Lenten reflection and study can be a life-transforming journey that takes us farther in to hear the stabilizing, comforting, rhythmic heartbeat of the Father. We can sweep these 6 weeks away like any other, or we can allow ourselves to be swept into intimate communion with our Lord by the Spirit.

The sounds of the world distract us. We are pulled away from the places of peace. What does it mean, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven?” What does it mean to have the kingdom of heaven, to be comforted? What does it mean to inherit the earth, to be filled? What does it mean to receive mercy, to see God, to be called children of God, to have the kingdom of heaven?

What does it mean to be blessed? How does it feel? How does being blessed change how I behave, and most importantly, how I think?

This Wednesday, February 21st, we begin. When you enter this sanctuary for worship at 7:00 p.m. on what is called Ash Wednesday, you will notice the first of several changes being brought into the sanctuary for this season of Lent. We come to the cross as a church family each Sunday; we celebrate the amazing reality of the empty tomb each Sunday. But what I’m praying for, is for all of us to make a commitment to come to hear Jesus’ teaching more deliberately, more intensely in these next 6 weeks.

God has called us to the mountain. He is opening his mouth to speak. I’m feeling especially ill-prepared to teach this series, which keeps me right where he wants me – depending on Him. Together, let’s hear what he has to say. I’m ready to begin to climb. I pray God is making you ready, too. Amen.

[2][1] Andrew Greeley, Happy are the Merciful, p. ix.

Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church

02-18-07