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Matthew 5:1-12

¹ Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³   “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴   “Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

⁵   “Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶   “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

⁷   “Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall receive mercy.

⁸   “Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.

⁹   “Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I’m tired. Despite the extra hour of sleep last night, I’m tired. I’m tired of all the wars and fighting that go on in this world. I’m tired of the persecution that Muslim terrorists are inflicting on our brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m tired of seeing how people dismember and slaughter their children and call it ‘choice.’ I’m tired of worrying about Ebola. I’m tired of all the campaign ads and lofty promises of politicians who won’t deliver what they promise. I’m tired.

I’m tired, and I would venture to guess that you are tired too. And maybe you could add to this list. Maybe you’re tired of struggling to make ends meet. Maybe you are tired of your hard work going unrecognized by your family or your boss. Maybe you are tired of trying to hold your marriage together. Maybe you are tired of watching a friend or family member who is destroying his or her life with drugs or alcohol. Maybe you are tired of caring for a family member who is sick or dying.

We are all tired. We are tired of the tribulation that is life in this world of sin. Our sin has brought about the great tribulation. We are tired because we are cursed. Cursed by our own thoughts, cursed by our own words, and cursed by our own deeds.

Then this text comes along, and Jesus says, over and over, “Blessed. Blessed. Blessed” Nine times in this text, Jesus announces present blessing upon you, believer – not just some future blessing that you get someday after next Tuesday. “You are blessed now.”

Yesterday, November 1^st, is the day the Church celebrated All Saints’ Day. It is a day to remember the believers who have died and are now with their God and Savior. But it is also a day to remember that you too, believer, are a saint. You are one who has been made holy by Christ. In baptism, you have washed your robe white in the blood of the Lamb. You are even now part of that multitude before the throne of God. Each Sunday we gather together as believers to receive God’s blessings. Therefore, each Sunday becomes a foretaste of what is ours when Christ returns and raises us to eternal life.

We’re not going to go through all the Beatitudes today because that would take too long. But consider, please, the first two:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the reign of heaven.”

The poor in spirit are those who wait on God. The poor in spirit are sinners who have nothing to give, nothing to offer God. The poor in spirit are you who are tired and lost in sin, you who are cursed by sin. Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor in spirit.” Why are you blessed? Because you have nothing to offer. You have nothing in your hands. There is nothing you have to barter and trade with to get something out of God. He simply wants to give to you. He gives you forgiveness, life, and salvation. He gives you Jesus – crucified and risen. He gives you the reign of heaven. “Blessed now are the poor in spirit, for there is, now, the reign of heaven.”

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

When we think of mourning, we think of death. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law. But! But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:56-57). Your Lord, your Savior gives you the victory now. Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. Jesus walked through death and came out even more glorious than He was before He went to death. Jesus’ resurrection means that the resurrection of the dead has already begun. So, when your loved ones die, mourn – be sad. As James 4:9 says, be wretched and mourn and weep. But even in mourning, you are blessed. You are blessed because you know that death, as final as it is, is not the final fact. “Blessed now are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Jesus says, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is – not will someday be – your reward is now great in heaven.”

Beloved and blessed saints, though you are tired of living under the curse of sin, your Savior calls you blessed. Look around at what you have. See what Christ has given you. You have the presence of God in your midst. He is here to shelter you with His presence. Your hungering and thirsting is gone because Jesus gives you His body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins.

1 John 3:2-3 ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.