110219 – Luke 6. 20-31
Greed abounds, individualism carries the day, people seemingly could not be more divided, violence surrounds, fear abounds and the “delicate earth” is seeing the extinction of many of its “life forms.” Life as we know it has become cheapened on many levels.
Bet hey, who cares? It is all about “ME.”
The poor are always going to roam the earth, malnutrition exists and people are bound to weep…that’s just THE WAY it IS.
Meanwhile, the truly wealthy are increasing, many have a kind of “lavish abundance and existence” and they have – not “a care in this world”… such IS life.
In the first century Palestine, things were NOT MUCH different.
Might makes right…and power is everything! And “blessings and MEANS” are a sign from God.
And then, there was this “itinerant preacher,” this “anti-voice”…who challenged everyone in society, rich or poor, alike.
This guy said “strange things,” – “odd things” like meekness, being persecuted and attempting to be merciful in a merciless world are actually “blessings” from God.
He went so far as to suggest that those who were “poor, hungry and weeping” would ONE DAY see all of their conditions reversed. God CARES for them and about them. God knows their plight.
God SEES. God HEARS. God is WITH them.
Hang in there… Be faithful… Trust… Believe… “Have hope” he said, to those who were “all-but-completely-and-utterly-hopeless…
“YOU “WILL BE” BLESSED.” And, you will be blessed BY GOD!
To those IN POWER and IN CONTROL to those who were already considered “BLESSED by God” by their apparent riches, honor and esteem…he said, “WOE!” “WOE TO YOU!” Expect a reversal. Expect things to change for you. Your day WILL COME! Your day IS COMING!
The “status quo” WILL NOT BE the “status quo” forever!
There will be a “great reckoning…”
And to EVERYONE he said, “It is not ALL about YOU. It NEVER has been! You have been deceived. You are being deluded. You have been duped and mislead.
The paradigm is about to shift.
Instead, I SAY to you…
“LOVE your enemies…”
“Do GOOD to those who hate you…”
“BLESS those who would curse you…”
“PRAY for those who would abuse you…”
“TURN the other cheek…”
“From anyone who takes your coat, do not withhold EVEN your shirt…”
“GIVE to everyone who begs from you…” EVERYONE, UNDERSTAND? NO EXCEPTIONS!
“If anyone takes away “your goods” – “DO NOT ASK FOR THEM again…”
And just to bring home his point again, he said, “DO TO OTHERS, AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO YOU!”
I tell you the paradigm IS shifting.
THINGS are about to change.
It is NOT about YOU.
It is precisely about “the OTHER.”
THIS IS NOT SOME KIND OF JOKE.
I MEAN IT. I TOTALLY MEAN IT.
This “itinerant teacher and preacher” was forcing people to “RADICALLY rethink their PRIORITIES and the VALUE SYSTEMS around which WE orient OUR lives.
Jesus didn’t just tell this story or this teaching…he lived it OUT.
He spent most of this time with those who were considered “outcasts” by the WORLD and even by the RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. Those whom the world turned their backs on – HE EMBRACED.
He taught, he ate with – he healed ALL PEOPLE…regardless of where they fell in the “societal class structure.”
He told a “different story,” with a different kind of “ending” to it.
Thank God there have always been those people around who heard his words and they resonated with them…and their lives.
People who have gone the extra mile…
Individuals who lived not only for themselves…but for others…
People who set a “higher standard” for others…Individuals who taught us “how to live” the best life possible…
People who lived as they believed…People of faith and hope…
We remember them. They were unique. They were different. They were one of a kind. Though they were sinners, for us, they will forever be saints.
Amen.