be different from the world

" In judgment and action those who follow Jesus will be different from the world in renouncing their property, happiness, rights, righteousness, honor, and violence. They will be offensive to the world. That is why the disciples will be persecuted for righteousness’ sake." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (on Matt 5:10)

Sure enough, if you live modestly, humbly, in deference to others, with empathy, compassion, altruism and respond to violence with non-violence, you are going to be viewed derisively. Even other Christians will resent your adherence to this path.

Maybe that's part of what it means to be salt and light (Matt 5:13-16) behaving like Jesus presents a contrast with the selfish, materialistic, power-accumulating, aggressive, ambitious values of this world.

Like salt brings out a food's own flavor and light exposes one's "true colors," maybe living out Micah 6:8 creates so much cognitive dissonance for some people that they (subconsciously at least) know that they're choices aren't so godly after all and it irritates them. Nobody wants to be accused of being self-serving or short-sighted. That's why I love that bumper sticker so much that says, "annoy a conservative, live like Jesus."

As 19th century social activist Mother Jones might say, the Gospel is going to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." (Garrison Keillor modified it a little and I put that one on the top of this page.)

No wonder Hitler had Bonhoeffer killed. Not only did Bonhoeffer's liberalism expose Hitler's fascism and authoritarianism for the tyrany it was, his authentic Christianity exposed Hitler's pharisaical hypocrisy for the mere political appliance that it was.

8 Ways to be Blessed

Thursday, October 4, 2007 the Mapleton PRESS

It's been years since I taught at a Lutheran high school in L.A. I enjoy teaching in a public school too, but I really missed getting to talk directly with kids about their faith. A few weeks ago, I got the chance again. I began teaching the high school Bible Study, Sunday mornings at our church.

I really wanted kids to hear what Jesus actually taught and believed. This brought me to Matthew 5:1-12, the Beatitudes (the blessings) from His sermon on the Mount. I won't re-print them here, because I'd like to encourage you to look them up.

One of the things that we learned (that frankly, had never dawned on me before) is that in this passage, Jesus isn't DESCRIBING what He thought were good people, He was PREscribing how He'd like His followers to be. Also, just like with the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), God offers a promise (a blessing or "beatitude") that will come to anyone who lives out each of these 8 qualities. EX: If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you'll be filled.

I thought it was important to look a little closer at "Blessed are the Peacemakers." Let's be clear, Jesus is talking in more broad terms than that. He's not saying "blessed are the antiwar protesters."

To really understand it, it may be worth your time to take a look at 2 Corinthians 5:16-20. Basically, being a peacemaker, is being a bridge-builder, someone who reconciles rather than becoming defensive, entrenched or self-serving. A peacemaker is someone who helps heal and build relationships as opposed to holding grudges, burning bridges or hiding out on their own private island. Ultimately, a peacemaker is someone who helps others come to be at peace with God.

Jesus is the ultimate peacemakers since through His sacrifice, we who are born at war with God in our natures can become part of His family.

Try rating yourself on a scale of 1-4 (4 being the highest) on each of the 8 qualities prescribed in the Beatitudes:
* Poor in Spirit/ recognize your need for God
* Mourn/ admit your guilt, take responsibility
* Meek/ Don't always have to get your way or be in control
* Spiritual hunger/ Want to know God better, He is #1 in your life
* Merciful/ Empathetic, compassionate, concerned for others
* Pure in heart/ Open, honest, known for integrity
* Peacemaker/ Work out differences without having to get even, constructive
* Persecution/ Willing to stand alone for what is right, can take criticism without being defensive or feeling self-pity.

You can even turn Matthew 5 :3-12 into a payer,

Dear Lord,

Teach us to be poor in spirit, to always remember that we are nothing without Your grace and mercy- Thank You that because of Jesus, we can now be called Your children (1 John 3:1).

Help us to recognize that our choices and actions all have consequences, Lord. Make us responsible for our mistakes and our sins, and help us to see how our lives effect the lives of others.

Lord, help us to put the needs of others before ourselves and our own selfish desires.
Give us a hunger and thirst to know You, Your Word and Your will better, God.

Teach us to have empathy for others and to have compassion on others, and help us to learn from our pain and our struggles, so that we can bring comfort to others.

Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10)

Use me as a peace maker, as a bridge builder and a fence mender, help me to forgive those who trespass against me just as you have forgiven me. Make me Your ambassador, Lord.

Give us the courage to not be afraid to stand up for what we believe in and help me to not be ashamed of the Gospel, but instead, to let our light shine in this dark world, even if it means being made fun of or being unpopular.

Amen

HSBS: the Beatitudes

This hillside is the traditional site of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5-7).

"1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

~Matthew 5:1-12 (New International Version)

We started this week by taking a look at what Jesus taught. This brings us to Matthew 5, the Beatitudes (the blessings) from His sermon on the Mount. I used the Serendipity Bible for discussion starters and questions.

One of the things that we learned (that frankly, had never dawned on me before) is that in this passage, Jesus isn't DESCRIBING what He thought were good people, He was PREscribing how He'd like His followers to be. Also, just like with the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), God offers a promise (a blessing or "beatitude") that will come to anyone who lives out each of these 8 qualities. EX: If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you'll be filled.

I thought it was important to look a little closer at "Blessed are the Peacemakers." Obviously if you look at the rest of this website, beyond just the high school bible study stuff, you'' notice my leftist political bent, needless to say I'm opposed to the war in Iraq. So let me be perfectly clear, Jesus is talking in more broad terms than that. He's not saying "blessed are the antiwar protesters."

To really understand it, it may be worth your time to take a look at 2 Corinthians 5:16-20:

16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Being a peacemaker, is being a bridge-builder, someone who reconciles rather than becoming defensive, entrenched or self-serving. A peacemaker is someone who helps heal and build relationships as opposed to holding grudges, burning bridges or hiding out on their own private island. Ultimately, a peacemaker is someone who helps others come to be at peace with God.

Jesus is the ultimate peacemakers since through His sacrifice, we who are born at war with God in our natures can become part of His family.

We also turned Matthew 5 :3-12 into a payer, (If this is your first time to this website, I try to make prayers blue and in Arial font, that way you know that you can pray it as you read it.)

Dear Lord,

Teach us to be poor in spirit, to always remember that we are nothing without Your grace and mercy- Thank You that because of Jesus, we can now be called Your children (1 John 3:1)
Help us to recognize that our choices and actions all have consequences, Lord. Make us responsible for our mistakes and our sins, and help us to see how our lives effect the lives of others.
Lord, help us to put the needs of others before ourselves and our own selfish desires.
Give us a hunger and thirst to know You, Your Word and Your will better, God.
Teach us to have empathy for others and to have compassion on others, and help us to learn from our pain and our struggles, so that we can bring comfort to others.
Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10)
Use me as a peace maker, as a bridge builder and a fence mender, help me to forgive those who trespass against me just as you have forgiven me. Make me Your ambassador, Lord.
Give us the courage to not be afraid to stand up for what we believe in and help me to not be ashamed of the Gospel, but instead, to let our light shine in this dark world, even if it means being made fun of or being unpopular.

In Jesus name we pray,
Amen

What Would Jesus' Foreign Policy Be? (WWJFPB?)

"We need to fight THEM over there, before we have to fight them over here."

"We spend all this money on other countries, why don't we put America first for a change."

"Why should we have to abide by all these treaties (Kyoto) to do something about global warming? What about OTHER countries? Why should we cost our businesses so much and forfeit our sovereignty in the bargain? Nobody tell America what do do!"

"These bleeding-heart liberals want to give our money away and some of these people just want to live on off the dole. Welfare makes 'em lazy. If people are poor, it's their own fault, they should get a job and work to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps."

"Why don't we just nuke 'em (Iran) and have it over with. If we did, others would think twice before messing with us!"
-Common comments from the Right


"You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
I say to you, do not resist an evildoer.
If anyone strikes you on the right cheek,
turn the other also;
and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat,
give your cloak as well;
and if anyone forces you to go one mile,
go also the second mile.
Give to everyone who begs from you,
and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
-Jesus (in Matthew 5:38-42)


I hope the Master's Word gives you food for thought.
Me ka pule,
Pirate Ted