Jesus' first words reveal that he has come to bring into our lives the blessing of his Father's love.
I have some friends who recently had a baby. Right now, they are in friendly competition over baby Justin's first words. Will it be "mama" or "papa"? It's hilarious to watch them. Justin makes a gurgling sound as he eats soft food and they start bantering about whether he just said "mama" or "papa."
First words. For some, they can be exciting. For others, they are terrifying. You sit in a circle in the basement of a church. This is your first time at a grief group. The leader is having everyone go around and share their story of loss. You sit there and you feel sick to your stomach as you watch the opportunity to share get closer and closer to you. You are not sure what to say or whether you are going to be able to hold it together when you say it. But, at some point, you are going to speak and say your first words.
In our reading this morning, we have the first extended period of teaching by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus has certainly spoken words before this moment in the gospel. But, in a way, this is a time of first words.
Jesus gathers his disciples around him. There are so many disciples that he goes up a mountain and sits down to teach them. I can imagine that the crowd grows silent as Jesus prepares to speak. People wait. Jesus waits. It's a moment of first words. "Blessed," Jesus says. "Blessed." That was the first word of Jesus in what is known as his sermon on the mount.
"You only get one chance to make a first impression," my dad used to say. This was Jesus' moment and he used it to impress upon us his mission of mercy. His first words reveal that he has come to bring into our lives the blessing of his Father's love.
After Jesus says the word "Blessed," he begins to describe the world he lives in. He sees people who are poor in spirit. Those who, like a baby, cannot make it own their own and need someone who cares for their needs. He sees the people who hungering and thirsting after righteousness. They know what a right relationship with God looks like but it is so far from what they experience in the world that they hunger and thirst for the day when things are made right. He sees the ones who are mourning. The woman who sits there in the grief group and doesn't know how to say it. One morning she woke up and her husband didn't. She doesn't know how to introduce herself because she really doesn't know who she is without her husband by her side.
Jesus sees these people. Jesus sees you. He sees the reality of our world's suffering and the first thing he says is "blessed."
He sees the reality of our world's suffering and the first thing he says is "blessed."
Like a child who has heard his mother saying "mama, mama, mama" so many times that he begins to use that word, Jesus has heard his Father saying "blessed" again and again and again as he looks upon a fallen world. "Blessed are you, Adam and Eve, for I will send a Savior who will redeem you and your descendants who suffer in this fallen world." "Blessed are you Abraham, for I will make a nation out of you and from that nation I will bring one who will come and bless the world." Again and again, Jesus has heard the word "blessed" spoken by his Father and now, when he comes into the world, and begins his mission, the first word he says to his disciples is "blessed." By the grace of God, they will be blessed in him.
And it doesn't stop here. Jesus continues to say "blessed" throughout his ministry. "Blessed are you, Simon Peter, for you have called me the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that is what I am." "Blessed are you, widow of Nain, for I have come to you in your mourning and will raise your son and set your heart free." "Blessed are you, a criminal next to me on a cross, for today you will be with me in paradise." Jesus came to bear the punishment for our sin that he might rise and proclaim the blessing of God to all creation.
That blessing continues even among us today. Sometimes pastors open their sermons with an apostolic greeting. "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." While you may not know it, the pastor is opening the sermon with a word of blessing. There may be difficult things that the pastor will talk about. Aspects of your life that you'd rather not hear and confront. But what the pastor is saying is for one purpose and one purpose alone: to bring you to repentance because he is bringing Jesus to you. And Jesus, today, looks at you and says, "Blessed."
Today is All Saints' Day. It is a time when we remember those who have gone before us in the faith. While there are many aspects of their lives that we can recall, there is one word that covers it all. "Blessed." Because of Jesus, whatever sorrow they experienced, whatever suffering they endured, whatever sins they committed, whatever dreams they gave up on, whatever fights they won or lost, the one thing that holds true is the one thing they were given when God first said his words over them in baptism. They are forgiven in Jesus. They are righteous in Jesus. They are saints in Jesus. They are blessed because Jesus is the one who came to be for us the blessing of God. Blessed are you.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Matthew 5:1-12
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Matthew 5:1-12.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
