Getting away with murder? Matthew 5:21-26

21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

There are passages that I like to quickly gloss over and believe they don’t really apply to me. I like the one “don’t commit murder”. I heartily agree that if someone commits murder that they be subject to the full judgment of the law. In extreme cases, I’m almost an eye for eye kind of guy. With full confidence, without even a twinge of guilt, I can say to you I have never knowingly or unknowingly committed a murder. Unless of course you are a member of Peta -then I’m in very serious trouble. However, for the benefit of this conversation we’ll stick to the ‘human person to human person’ variety of murder. But please keep in mind as well, it is only Monday.
If we could end this conversation here, I can feel quite good about my ‘goodness’. However, there’s more. Jesus yanks a perfectly good scripture (Thou shalt not commit murder) out of context and twists it around to suit His purpose. He claims that if I’m just angry with someone that it is the same as if I had committed a murder. That would be just fine if people weren’t such idiots! We throw these words around so quickly: idiot, fool, jerk, _____, ______ (your word(s) of choice) with barely a second thought for the ‘well desired’ target. But, the tables are turned according to Jesus – it’s not the object of my anger that in danger of judgment – it is me!
We’re going to look further into these verses over the next few days as we continue with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. So, hang tough and let’s let Him speak into our hearts.
Anyway, I was just thinking,
Neil

Not to Abolish but to Fulfill - Part 2

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 (NLT)

I have been thinking a lot lately about the difference between God’s laws and our human laws. In the Sermon on the Mount one of the things Jesus does is to take the outward laws that the people were trying to adhere to and make them internal. He speaks about the heart behind tithing, fasting and praying (the religious actions of the day) as well as the heart behind peaceful living, marital fidelity and reconciliation.

Later in the book of Mathew Jesus sums up the law:

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

This is very different from our legal system. I would say our human laws are based on the principle: Don’t do unto others, as you don’t want them to be allowed to do unto you.

Our laws are based on protecting us from others - setting up rules that protect our persons and property. It has the focus on what actions we are not allowed to take. "Love your neighbor as yourself" on the other hand requires action.

I have always liked the quote:

"If you have no food you have a physical problem. If your neighbour has no food you have a spiritual problem."*

Those of us who work with individuals with developmental disabilities are equally held to two separate standards. We put ourselves in a position where the laws of the land do require action. The law requires us to treat people a certain way. There are regulations concerning abuse and neglect and we seek to comply in everyway to these standards. It is a wonderful thing that these standards are in place. The law however, can only judge our actions not our hearts.

As Christians working in this field we know God holds us to a higher standard. We are required by Him to love those we serve. We are required to treat them as we would want to be treated.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

Mark Wallace

* I am sorry to say I can not remember who’s quote this is (or the exact wording). If anyone knows please feel free to comment on this blog so I can give credit where it is due.

Not to Abolish but to Fulfill.

After Jesus finishes the "Beatitudes" in the Sermon on the Mount and calls us to be salt and light, He continues on with:"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them". (Matthew 5:17 NLT) And boy did He ever! The list of Old Testament prophecies that Christ fulfilled can be found on countless websites.

Jesus uses the following statement to introduce His new laws. He warns:

"But I warn you—unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!" (Matthew 5:20 NLT)

Tough words considering the Pharisees had dedicated their lives to keeping the law. The Bible teaches us though, that their righteousness was superficial and hypocritical. They had missed God’s heart. Jesus spends the next part of the Sermon on the Mount not abolishing the law but making it even harder to follow. He talks about the heart behind our actions.

This is contrary to how we as humans often judge our relationship with one another since we tend to focus on outward appearances and actions and fail to look into the hearts and minds of our family members, co-workers and friends. Although we can fool each other some time, over the long term it is tough to fake it. Eventually, our true feelings or intent show through, don ’t they?

The thing that strikes me about the "tougher standards" Jesus institutes is that outward rules and legalism are in a way comforting to us. I think we all have our little sets of rules that we keep as our standard of establishing who is " in". We all have our own little list that we can check off to say that we are doing OK spiritually. And we all can be tempted to judge ourselves in comparison to others. This takes us right back to what Jesus is trying to get beyond - judging based on outward actions. As we go through the list that is to come, it is difficult for us to know how much anger, lust, or lack of forgiveness we have in our hearts in comparison to others.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus takes away our ability to comfort ourselves by looking around and saying "I am better than most". We need to examine our hearts and be honest about what is in there that no one else sees.

Jesus didn’t abolish the law. He made it way tougher.

Mark Wallace

Manager of Pastoral Supports
Christian Horizons

You are the Light of the World

You are the Light of the World. A City cannot be hidden when located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and hides it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone I the house. In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you and praise your Father in Heaven (Matt 5:14-16)

Here again we have another powerful ‘you are’ statement. You as in, you, the one who is reading this blog right now, if Jesus is your LORD,…YOU are light for the world. High calling considering John 1 says that “this One (the Logos) is the Light that shines in the darkness”. It is likely those hearing this statement over 2000 years ago understood it as “You are light for the world” and would have been stunned by it. Jesus was talking them -- the regular people those just trying to make their way through the challenges of survival and life. The group that Jesus was addressing felt powerless and unable to affect much of their own life, let alone the ‘world’. These were a seriously oppressed people both politically and religiously and yet Jesus was telling them that ‘you are the light of the world’. Imagine them looking at each other “who me?” “how can I be a light for the world?” “who am I?” all kinds of questions would be moving through the crowd. And yet, hearing these words from the lips of Jesus, it’s sort of like when I heard from my dad “Neil, I’m really proud of you, just because you’re my son, that’s it, that’s enough”. It does something to one’s soul – it is fuels you and breaths energy into your life.

Maybe you feel sort of tired and overwhelmed by whatever circumstance you find yourselves in, but believe it or not even there you are reflecting Jesus. A light has a light source that gives it the power to shine. The light is the visible effect of an internal power supply. We’re just called to ‘shine’ not supply the power or be the answer. This day shine Jesus to each other. Glow with the presence of Christ to those we have been called to serve. Think about how cool it is when a bunch of lights shine in the same place – they light up the entire night sky and all those who see share a collective 'wow'. Each light contributing to the other. Hear Jesus speaking to you “You are light for those around you, just because I dwell within you, and love you”.

Anyway, I was just thinking.

Neil

You are the Salt of the World

Salt is one of the essential compounds of life. Nutritionally, we need salt to survive since a lack of salt is the cause of many diseases. There are even increasing debates concerning the recent warnings recommending a sodium reduced diet. It is now believed that such a diet is actually detrimental to our health because it raises the chances of heart attack. What a crazy world. Salt was so valuable in the ancient world it would often be used as a currency. The purer the salt, the greater the value.

When Jesus says: “You are the salt of the world” it was not simply a nice play on words. He was saying that He has placed you as an essential compound in the lives of those around you. You are to bring the flavour and preserving nature of Christ into everything you do. We are to be a valuable currency in the lives of others. You’ve heard the phrase ‘that left a bad taste in my mouth’? When others encounter us, do we bring them the flavour of Christ that causes them to thirst for more of Him – or a bitter taste? Do we add value to Christ and His witness with our encounter?

This declaration of our identity as salt comes with a dire warning – “if that salt loses it saltiness (effectiveness) how can it become salty (effective) again? It becomes of no value and is worth nothing but to be thrown out and trampled by people”.

It is actually not an easy thing for salt to ‘lose its saltiness’ because it is such a stable compound. What Jesus may be referring to is the impurities that could get mixed into the salt decreasing its effect to flavour and preserve. This was either because it was mined from a poor source, or because of the actions of dishonest merchants who would cut the salt by adding a cheap filler to make the salt go further in order to increase their profit margin. The salt was not the problem. It was the impure fillers that were added that cut the salt so much that the salt itself would become unusable and worthless.

That can happen with our faith, can it not? Our essential relationship with Christ is the salt, but we add all these fillers into our lives – habits, behaviours, attitudes, choices, attitudes (etc, etc) that cut our ‘salt’ so thin, that little flavour of Christ is reflected in our lives . Again, in the ancient world because there was no garbage collection or waste baskets, many ‘worthless or spent items’ would simply be thrown out the door of the house to be trampled underfoot, to become part of the hard pack, a sad end for such a valuable commodity. Considering the time and effort it would take to separate the few crystals of pure salt from the impurities and fillers it just wasn’t worth the effort. There is no doubt that these words of Jesus are kinda rough – Jesus is warning, “don’t even go there – stay pure.

Today, think about the impurities and fillers we’ve allowed in our lives. Are we willing to eliminate them so our salt factor increases? Sometimes it can be difficult or even painful to identify these fillers and impurities. Remember, Christ values you and your impact so highly that He declares you to be ‘the salt of the world’. Let us seek to increase the purity and effectiveness of our salt for Him.

Anyway, I was just thinking…

You are the salt of the earth….

Leading directly out of the Beatitudes, Jesus lays down the challenge to us that we are to be salt and the light to the world. The verse is well known, but it is often difficult to know how it is to be apply. Some have taken it to the level that kingdoms and nations were to be conquered and the sign of the Cross flown over the subjugated lands. This approach has always been effective and received well – not. It was never Jesus intention that his followers advance His Kingdom through military conquest – or by political dominance. One of the primary reasons against this approach, among a host of others, is that it quickly gets confusing ‘whose kingdom’ is actually being advanced. We are meant to influence, to flavor, to affect our culture by ‘how’ WE live, not by legalizing and controlling how others should live. The Kingdom is an internal relationship, not an external state. It does not mean however that we are not to be actively engaged and witnessing for His Kingdom advancement and political influence in man’s kingdom – but our ‘weapons’ are not those of sword and power – but of love, humility and servant hood. We are not to beat people to death with our faith, but to servant hood them unto life. Now there’s a challenge.

Interestingly, Jesus never condemns or condones the Roman occupation, but He certainly has a lot to say on how we are to live in spite of earthly powers. He doesn’t elevate those who are resisting the occupation, nor, degrade those who are working with it – He simply says that regardless of position, condition or state, we are to be people salt and light in the city were we find ourselves – and whatever we are engaged in, we are never to compromise our saltiness. We are foremost to be and live like citizens of His Kingdom united under the banner of His love. I think of Paul’s controversial statements in 1 Cor 9:22-23 “…I become all things to all people that I may win some to Christ. I do this for the SAKE of the Gospel that I may share in its blessing”. In own lives, what is our highest priority?

Anyway, I was just thinking

Neil

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Part 2

This Beatitude is part of a larger whole, called a ‘chiastic’ – a Hebrew literary style designed to get a point across. It presents an argument so to speak. (see Wikipedia for a complete explanation)

A. A. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness

B. for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

C. Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

B. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven

A. For so persecuted were the prophets that came before you.

We may think ‘so what?’ - what difference does that bit of information make? It makes a significant difference. It explains the conditions of what is considered persecuted for ‘the sake of righteousness’. It also outlines what our response to persecution is, and why.

My tendency is to have such a small view of the world. While I understand, and can see every night on the news that the world is rather large and complex – I live rather detached from it – it’s happening far outside of ‘me’. Case in point, the current crisis in Afghanistan regarding the Korean Christian Aid workers:

In the days following the hostage taking and subsequent murder of two Christian aid workers, very few Christian leaders around the globe spoke out about the plight of the South Korean church group, denounced the slander against them, or affirmed their mission to the distressed and impoverished in Afghanistan as one of Gospel love and service -- albeit in an especially dangerous and needy area of the world. These captive Christians cannot be abandoned. (Source: Barnabas Fund – UK)

Or situation with the Sudanese Christians:

Sudan's militant Muslim regime is slaughtering Christians who refuse to convert to Islam, according to the head of an aid group who recently returned from the African nation.

The forced conversions are just one aspect of the Khartoum government's self-declared jihad on the mostly Christian and animist south, Dennis Bennett, executive director of Seattle-based Servant's Heart told WorldNetDaily.

Villagers in several areas of the northeast Upper Nile region say that when women are captured by government forces they are asked: "Are you Christian or Muslim?"

Women who answer "Muslim" are set free, but typically soldiers gang rape those who answer "Christian" then cut off their breasts and leave them to die as an example for others. (source: Worldnet daily)

Other stories continually reach us of churches burned and adherents’ maimed, imprisoned or killed. I know this isn’t popular or ‘happy’ thoughts but we must be ‘world minded’ without becoming worldly minded. There is a difference if we are too make a impact for the sake of righteousness. Maybe one the reasons we stay in our smaller worlds is that it is safer – much easier to manage – less personal responsibility for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. Keeping our head down, and minding our own business certainly has its advantages – you get to keep it. However, we have a Global responsibility – (Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria to the outmost) given to us by Christ Himself. As a ministry, Christian Horizons is called to reach those with exceptional needs. To do so, may bring ‘opportunities of persecution’ that if we had just stayed in our small corner ‘minding our own business’ we’d have avoided. Do we have the courage to raise our voices and declare “I stand...We stand with you our brothers and sisters, ” We have not been called to mind ‘our own’ business’, but His. We have not been called to the safe, but to the very gates of Hell. Quite honestly, the thought scares me! We are not too seek out persecution, but we cannot live in such a way that ‘avoids’ it. If we dare to live ‘for the sake of Righteousness’ it will be an occasion for people to revile us, accuse falsely, say all manner of evil about us. We must decide which we want more – the relative comfort and safety of our corner of the world, or to begin to take hold of heaven itself and for us as Christian Horizons, to advance the Kingdom of God in seeking out, rescuing and bring hope to those with exceptional needs.

Anyway, I was just thinking….

Neil

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

I dare say that no one wants to be persecuted. However, there are likely times when we feel that we have been persecuted. Times when we thought we did the ‘right’ thing but as a result we became a target for the anger and frustration of others. None of us like these times.

I think of some of my own ‘persecution’ experiences – those times when I felt that I had been misunderstood, misrepresented and had generally received the unwarranted wrath of others. However, I also recognize that these feelings all came from a particular vantage point – mine. Of course, it’s the correct one and if people truly understood my position they would obviously agree with my assessment of the situation– unless you happen to be part of those that are persecuting me because of my righteousness! And therein lies the problem – me, mine, my. I wonder if my personal feelings of persecution have had more to do with feeling offended because my opinion or perspective was not seen or accepted as being the right one.

It can be hard to separate. Additionally, there is the problem of ‘me’ being the root cause of my own persecution. We can bring reproach unto ourselves by our words or actions. Again, this is a tricky matter but we need to consider this as a possibility no matter how remote. It requires honest thought, prayer, and possibly the wise counsel of others. Not ‘others’ who will just tell me what I want to hear, but are courageous enough to tell me what I need to hear. We’re not blessed just because we’re persecuted – but only under a very specific calling of persecution because of following after Christ and His righteousness.

Anyway, I was just thinking,

Neil

Blessed are the Peacemakers Pt. 2

Matthew 5:9 (NLT) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

As I have been thinking about peacemaking this week I keep thinking about how we fool ourselves into thinking we are peacemakers by not confronting someone who is doing wrong. Where we know we should “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:16) but we don’t.

Why?

We are afraid of harming the relationship.

A few years ago I started using this exercise. Plot all the Pros and Cons of speaking the truth in love.
Here are some examples:

Possible bad outcomes:

They could think you are judging them
They could end the friendship
They could get defensive
They could stop being open with you
You could be wrong

Possible good outcomes:

They stop the destructive behavior
They get right with God
They mature as a Christian.
You grow closer together
You obey God

It struck me that most of the possible negative outcomes are bad for me (the one speaking the truth) or for both of us. I also realized that any negative result was based solely on “their” choice of outcome. The positive outcomes, on the other hand, are good for all! Most of the positive outcomes are good for them and I think we would all agree that the positives out weigh the negatives.

This led me to the tough conclusion that the reason I don’t speak the truth in love is because I am selfish. I am too worried about preserving my friendship with someone who I don’t love enough to help.

Remember the Greek word for peace is from the root “to join”. Keeping silent and letting a fellow sister or brother in Christ sin is slowly letting our joining erode. It is also letting them continue to not be at peace with God.

If we hold our tongues in the group homes we fool ourselves into thinking it is to maintain the peace. After all we have to work closely together. But in reality, it will cause more disunity, strife and a lack of peace.

However, caution needs to be taken. Remember the truth is to be spoken “in Love”. We need to check our motives. If you are really excited to correct someone it probably isn’t prompted by love.

You also need to pick your battles. Is this a real issue or just a preference?

For the most part though I think we err on the side of caution or fear.

Lets not let fear prevent the true peace God wants to exist between His children and Himself.

Matthew 5:9 (NLT) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.


Mark Wallace
Manager of Pastoral Supports

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 (NLT) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

Peacemakers will be known as the children of God. Conversely, God’s children will be Peacemakers. Do Christians have the reputation of being peacemakers? We fight between denominations. We fight in our families. We fight in our workplaces.

The question is how can I/we be peacemakers as Christ calls us to be? Does this mean turning the other cheek? Letting people walk all over you? Using diplomacy? Force only when necessary? Waging war to create a lasting peace? Biting my tongue? Speaking my mind?

The Greek word for peace in this passage, “eirene”, probably comes from the word “eiro” which means “to join”. Peacemaking has the idea of joining people and ideas together*.

We know that Jesus wants all his children to be united.

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 (NLT)

Unfortunately, Christ’s children have often not been able to get along with each other over the past few centuries let alone broker peace for others. Sometimes this is unavoidable.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV)

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you” gives us a lot of latitude. We can say “She is being unreasonable!” or “There is just no pleasing him!” and we give up trying to live peacefully. On the other side, if we are “non confrontational people”, we are tempted to ignore sinful behavior that we should be speaking out against.

The way to avoid this is to look at what causes conflict.

James 4:1-4 (NIV) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives - that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the things of this world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

How many of the conflicts we have are a result of us wanting things that the world wants. When I included those verses, I immediately thought about those with whom I have had conflicts with where I think I was in the right. I had thought that they were being worldly! I realized quickly though that I wanted worldly things as well. I wanted respect, to be seen as right, to be admired. I cannot think of a single conflict I have been involved in where I was 100% in the right. Even when I know I was on the right side of the argument I know it was at least partly for the wrong reasons. In every conflict I find myself in, I need to step back and ask; “Why does this bother me?” Most of the time it is not righteous anger. Most of the time it is pride.

Sometimes I stand by in silence when someone’s behavior is wrong, so I can remain well liked.

Sometimes I will get into a conflict over something small because I don’t want to back down and loose face.

This is not peacemaking.

If I don’t take the first step toward the “joining” by removing the selfish part of my position, how can I be a peacemaker? How can I be a child of God?

Mark Wallace

* Strong's Concordance

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Part II

There have been times when I gave more than I could afford.
There have been times when I stayed longer to help.
There have been times when I put myself at risk for the sake of another.
And on those rare occasions I am always and mistakenly tempted to think that it has somehow granted me a little more favor from God.

Matthew 5:8, along with the other Beatitudes, contains within it our present state (‘are’ blessed), as well as our future state (‘shall’ see).

The Greek word translated ‘heart’ is ‘kardia’, from which we get the word cardiac.

According to one Greek lexicon the human heart is:

the inner life
the center of the personality
the place where God reveals Himself to humans

Presently, those who have a pure ‘kardia’ are blessed. Perhaps this is because they have been blessed with a pure ‘kardia’.
Otherwise, God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9:
“the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick.”
Leading up to this text we are told:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in humankind . . . Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord” (Jer. 17:5-7).

A closer parallel to our Beatitude is 1 John 3:2-3:
“Beloved, now we are children of God . . .We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure”

When it comes to the heart there appears a theme of contrast:
A deceitful and sick heart vs. A pure heart
Trust in humankind (self/money) vs. Trust in God
Cursed vs. Blessed

When we make the move from trusting in ourselves to trusting in Jesus,
Jesus makes the change in our heart, from one that’s contaminated to one that’s pure.

My giving more, helping more, sacrificing more, did not create within me a pure heart any more than it secured for me favor, or a future, with God.

Presently, a pure heart is the state of those whose trust is Jesus.
Imminently, the future for these pure hearted ones is this:

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True . . .Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it . . . And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new’ . . I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. . . His servants will worship Him, they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
- Rev 19:11, 20:11, 21:5,22, 22:4.

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”

Such is the hope of all those whose hearts have been made pure by Jesus.


My 1.5 cents,

Jamie Hussain

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”

Just this past weekend I was told, yet again, how special and patient a person I must be to be able to work with people with developmental disabilities. It is because of my field of work that I sometimes receive such praise and admiration. My compassion, patience, and love is often judged or perceived to be greater than those who say: “I could never do what you do.” They see me as a ‘good’ person because of my job . . . . . But if they only knew!

Making assumptions about a person’s ‘goodness’ based on what we see is like judging the size and shape of iceberg below the water based on what we see above the water. It was once suggested to me that you could know it’s safe to approach a strange dog by the waging of its tail. Don’t believe it! I learned that the hard. If you’ve ever looked at buying a used car you know that even the expert mechanic you bring along can’t tell for sure whether the car will be a good purchase. Going only by what they see, they too can only give their best guess.

A little later in Matthew Jesus would rebuke the Pharisees for their striving to look pure on the outside while remaining impure on the inside. He said to them “So you also appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matt. 23:28). We should be careful not to equate a humanitarian’s works with a humanitarian’s heart. In other words, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, or rather not at all.

Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God,” is meant, as the other beatitudes are, to provoke introspection of one’s own heart. The matter of the heart has always been at the heart of the matter. Listen to Moses’ words to Israel about the heart:

Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD'S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good . . . So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer
- Deuteronomy 10:12-16

A pure heart involves a heart directed unreservedly toward God in fear, in walk, in love, and in service. Yet God, knowing the shortcomings of all human hearts did the circumcising of our hearts for us, which we receive through faith in Jesus. He had promised it to Israel this way:

And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul that you may live.
- Deuteronomy 30:6

Being employed in a field of work considered to be humanitarian, even at great sacrifice, does not indicate the involvement of a ‘pure heart’. Fear of God however does. As does walking in God’s ways, loving Him, and serving Him. These are the indicators we can use to judge for ourselves whether we have a ‘pure heart’ and will see God.

My 1.5 cents,

Jamie Hussain

Blessed are the merciful... Pt 3

חסד

This week as I have been thinking about “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” I keep being drawn to the Hebrew word “Hesed” (or Khesed). It is translated into English as loyalty, loving kindness, covenant love, and mercy. In all instances it has the inference of commitment. It is the word traditionally translated as “mercy” in Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:6 (KJV) 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.


I think it is amazing that hesed can mean both loyalty and mercy. I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising. God has committed to be loyal to me, I am a sinful being, and therefore God has committed himself, in a way, to be merciful.


Isn’t that the way it is with human relationships? It is much easier to forgive someone, at least the minor offences, to whom you are committed. That is what the marriage covenant is about, at least in some way. In fact all love is about forgiveness.


Paul writing about love says to the Corinthians:


5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)


Committing to any relationship implies committing to mercy. After all, is there any human we can be in relationship with who is not going to require our forgiveness at some point? Is there any human relationship that we can be in where we won’t need to be forgiven?
God asks us to be merciful to one another, to be loyal to His family. It isn’t too much to ask since after all there is no one who is going to test our loyalty as much as we test God’s.


I praise God that he knew what He was getting Himself into when He committed His loyalty to us sinful creatures.


Mark Wallace

Blessed are the merciful. Part 2

Micah 6:8 (NIV) 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Justice and Mercy follow each other in this well-known Old Testament verse as well as in the beatitudes.

I can clearly remember a time when I was reading a book to an individual with a developmental disability. Suddenly and without warning (as is often the case with this individual) he reached out and gripped my arm with his fingernails. I quickly pulled my arm away and turned to face him leaving red scratches on my forearm. Anger began to rise in me and I had a strong desire to push him, to make sure he understood that he had hurt me, to punish him for what he had done. Praise be to God that I did not act on that impulse but was able to restrain myself. I looked at him and said “No”. Then I left the room.

It wasn’t fair.

Why should he be able to hurt me and receive no punishment?

He had no right!

This was a very momentary feeling. Even a few minutes after the event I felt silly for my anger. I knew this individual had huge obstacles in his life that I could never understand.

Matthew 5:7 (NIV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
When we are wronged we cry for Justice.

When we are in the wrong we cry for Mercy.

God wants us to forgive one another, to be merciful to each other. This requires us to set aside our rights. The cross is the ultimate example of this. Imagine how much restraint it took to Jesus to take that unjust punishment for us, for him not to say

This isn’t fair.

Why should they be able to hurt me and receive no punishment?

They have no right!

God wants us to forgive as we have been forgiven. He isn’t an outside observer. He knows the cost. Jesus lived a perfect life and was crucified for it. And we think we have the right to not show mercy…to say it isn’t fair?


Mark Wallace

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

“Lord, Have mercy on me!”

This is the most common use of the word “mercy” (Greek eleeo) in the New Testament. Everywhere Jesus went he had people asking him for mercy. People who were blind, who had leprosy, whose children were demon possessed - they all asked Jesus for “mercy”.

As we continue to look at the “beatitudes” we come to Jesus who says:

Matthew 5:7 (NIV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

When I hear the word mercy, I think of Elvis Presley exclaiming “Mercy!” or having “mercy fights” as a kid with my friends. These clearly are not examples of the ‘mercy’ Christ is referring to.

mercy – 1. n. compassion, forbearance, shown by one to another (esp. offender) who is in his power and has no claim to kindness; God’s forbearance and forgiveness of sins.
– The Concise Oxford Dictionary (Oxford University Press: 1989)

Mercy refers to going above and beyond. Doing more than is required. We know that God did much more for us than we deserved. Those healed by Jesus did not request a healing – rather, they asked only for mercy.

In our society we are obsessed with our rights. Few of us like to admit that we are in someone else’s power and therefore at their mercy. We focus on what we deserve rather than what we get. As we look at mercy over the next week, I think it would be good to first look at ourselves and identify the ways we are receiving mercy both from God and others. We need to change our way of thinking about the healings we desire (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) and see them as cries for mercy and not about our rights. We need to recognize each breath as a gift of God’s divine mercy. We need to understand that giving me today my daily bread is no less an act of God’s mercy than forgiving my sins.

This beatitude in a sense is backwards. We have already received mercy and are now called to be merciful. If we want to be merciful to those we serve, to those in our families, to everyone around us, the key is to focus on the undeserved kindness that has been shown to us.

Romans 5:8 (NIV) 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Undeservedly,

Mark Wallace

Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for Justice…pt 2

What does it mean to ‘seek justice’? Moses, while out in the chariot one day, encounters an Egyptian beating a fellow Hebrew. He becomes so enraged that he kills the Egyptian. Is that justice? Samson, after discovering that his Philistine father-in-law gave his promised wife to another, gathers 300 foxes, ties them together in pairs, sets their tails on fire and releases them in the dry, ripe grain fields. Is that justice? There are Christians, standing outside an abortion clinic with signs – yelling and screaming at the young girls as they enter, that they are killing their babies and God’s judgment will be upon them. Is that justice? Bruce Willis takes matters into his own hands, and though he overcomes the evil terrorists and saves the ‘day’, incredible destruction and death is left in his wake. Is that justice? Celebrities take on a cause and use their celebrity status to bring awareness to the cause of the day but seem to maintain the centre stage for themselves. Is that justice?

We like the idea of justice – especially justice for ourselves. But generally, we have a very poor concept of justice. I’ve been thinking a fair bit about this lately, particularly related to the kind of work we do in our programs and increasingly on the world stage. We desire those with exceptional needs experience justice where before, they had none.

Amos 5:24 says, “But let justice roll down like waters and righteous like an ever-flowing stream”. Hear those words! There is healing and hope in them. Another passage that has been causing a disturbance within my soul is Matthew 12:18 -21. The idea is clearly connected to the “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Justice”.

“BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL IS WELL PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. :19 HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. :20 A BATTERED READ HE WILL TO BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. :21 AND IN HIS NAME GENTILES WILL HOPE”

The ‘how’ of justice in God’s mind is intriguing to me. ‘He will not quarrel, nor cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the street’. This is significantly different than then the images of justice that we seem to have around us. We at CH are involved in bringing justice to others. However, we need to closely examine our methods and the motivations of that justice. Have we accepted the world’s concept of justice (my personal rights, entitlement, what impacts me) or do we emulate the justice of Christ? It’s a trickier question than perhaps we think. I wanting to discover how to 'do justice' Jesus style. That it is not about me, or my opinions, or what I think is important, or what I want to see happen, but, that the focus of that Justice is on those who are the broken reeds, and the smoldering wicks. The gentleness that surrounds Jesus Justice. Are my actions of justice defined by gentleness, that bring hope, courage and benefit to another? I don’t have all the answers of what this ‘Jesus style’ of justice is all about, but I’ve become convinced that I need to discover His “just” way. Read this passage in a different way, which I think God would permit. As well, apply your own personal name.

“BEHOLD, MY SERVANTS, CHRISTIAN HORIZONS, WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL IS WELL PLEASED; I HAVE PUT MY SPIRIT UPON THEM, AND THEY SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THOSE WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS. :19 THEY WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR THEIR VOICE IN THE STREETS. :20 A BATTERED REED THEY WILL TO BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK THEY WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL THEY LEAD JUSTICE TO VICTORY. :21 AND IN HIS NAME THOSE WITH EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS WILL HOPE”

I don’t know what all this entails – but I’m convinced we’ve got a lot to learn. But I’m excited about the journey. You?

Anyway, I was just thinking.

Neil

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice.

Ever been really thirsty? I mean so thirsty that if you didn’t get a drink in the next few minutes you’d die? Probably, most have us have never found ourselves in the middle of the desert – the scorching sun blazing in the sky beating down mercilessly, buzzards circling overhead, numerous encounters with bleached white skulls of cattle. I hear Marty Robbins, the ole cowboy crooner singing in the background:

“Keep a-movin, Dan, dontcha listen to him, Dan

He's a devil, not a man

He spreads the burning sand with water

Dan, can ya see that big, green tree?

here the water's runnin' free

And it's waitin' there for me and you?

Cool, clear, water

Cool, clear, water”

I know, most of you are saying “Marty who?” …I’m old - what can I say. Anyway, all that to say, there have been times in my life when I have been so thirsty that to me, it felt almost as bad as a trip through the desert. I can remember numerous hot, hot summers, when I worked all day on the hay wagon or in the hay mounds – sweating off far more than I was taking in – and then finally finishing and rushing down ahead of the others to grab that icy cold jug of water and feel it flow down my parched, dusty throat. There are few moments of greater satisfaction – “Cool, clear water”. As we turn our attention to this particular beatitude, I am immediately challenged with its intensity: “God blesses those that hunger and thirst for Justice”. Most recognize the translation of “Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness’ so there may be some confusion as to ‘which is the right’. Well, the answer is – both. In our western mind we separate out the ideas of Righteousness (inward, personal, being) and Justice (outward, corporate, doing). The Greek word used is ‘dikaiosune’ – and is typically translated as ‘righteousness’. But, it can equally be translated as Justice. For the ancient Hebrew mind, these concepts also appear inseparable – to be ‘righteous’ person and a ‘just’ person are interchangeable. I have sided here with the New Living Translation which has chosen to use the word justice, rather than righteousness. However, we need to see these two words not as opposing, or different, but like two sides of a coin – both images appear to have different faces, but share the same entity. When we are hungry and thirsty our mind is consumed with the thoughts of food and water. The hungrier and thirstier you become the more urgent the need to find satisfaction. But, we have a context problem – in our part of the world, we don’t fully understand this concept of truly being hungry or thirsty to the point of desperation, satisfaction is always close at hand.

To participate in God’s Kingdom is to become as desperate as the man crawling and dying in desert who would willingly do anything to have that drink of water. He’s so aware of his thirst, knowing that if it is not quenched he will certainly die. Our desire and commitment to Justice is to be like that – all consuming. Over the next few days, we are going to explore this justice idea – and seek to understand what God means when He asks us to ‘to do justice’ (Micah 6:8 NASB).

It’s interesting to note that our pursuit of God is to be the same – as one who is hungry and thirsty. We shouldn’t allow anything else to enter into that quest if we are to truly encounter Him – not family, not spouse, not material possessions, not self. Unfortunately, we often settle for the lesser snack packs on the way, don’t we - those things that for a moment seem to satisfy or distract – or convince us that ‘we only need to go this far’.

Prayer: Father, this day, help to me hear Your Word – help me to know what it means to truly ‘hunger and thirst’ after You.

Anyway, I was just thinking.

Neil

Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Part III

As stated in the previous two Blogs, the meek are those who have been ‘bent over by the injustice of the ungodly’. According to Matt. 5:5, it is these afflicted ones who will inherit the earth, much like Israel inherited the Promised Land.

After God delivered the Hebrew people from the slavery afflicted on them by Egypt, He told them to “go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, gives you” (Deut. 4:1). Before Israel had even entered the Promised Land, it was already theirs. God had given it to them, and they only needed to trust God in acquiring it. As Israel took their land from those who occupied it, it was always God that went before them granting them the victory.

Likewise in Matt. 5:5, the meek need only to trust that they will inherit the earth. What is there in all God’s creation that He does not possess? Even now, as the earth is occupied by those who oppress others into meekness, it is only a temporary occupation. God has already given His earth to the meek. They may be ‘bent over by the injustice of the ungodly’ now, but they will one day possess the land that is theirs.

Compare Jesus’ words in Matt. 5:5 to the verses in Psalm 37 that He is alluding to:
Psalm 37:9
For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Psalm 37:11
But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
Psalm 37:29
The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

Language such as ‘inherit the land’, ‘abundant prosperity’, and ‘live in it forever’, is certainly speaking of more than just acreage. It is speaking about Kingdom; God’s Kingdom. Even this series of 8 Beatitudes in Matthew 5 is introduced in verse 3 and concluded in verse 10 with: “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Consider the plight of those described in the first four beatitudes: ‘poor in spirit, mournful, meek, and famished for justice’. These first four beatitudes are each a type of ‘affliction’, possibly caused or maintained by the injustice of the ungodly.
Being called meek twice (Mt. 11:29; 21:5), Jesus is identified with these first 4 beatitudes, yet He behaved in accordance with the last 4 beatitudes. He was merciful, pure, making peace between God and humanity, and was persecuted for it.

We can all make the claim that we are ‘meek’ and on the receiving end of an injustice. I’ve heard many stories, from getting an undeserved parking ticket to getting victimized out of hundreds of thousands by some fraudulent scam artist. We may very well be verses 3-6: poor in spirit, mournful, meek, and starving for justice; But we are still able to be verses 7-10: merciful, pure, peacekeepers, undoing the affliction of others even at the risk of being further afflicted. Regardless of our various ‘afflictions’, as an ethics professor of mine likes to say, “Its about what we do with what we have.” Or in the words of Jesus: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48).

Perhaps Revelation 21:1-4 better illustrates the point:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling of God is with men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’”

The hope and motivation available to those employed or supported by Christian Horizons may be rooted in the promise of God: “Blessed are the meek (those bent over by the injustice of the ungodly), for they shall inherit the earth.”

My 1.5 cents,

Jamie Hussain

Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek,

As the previous Blog mentioned, ‘meek’ in Matthew 5:5 does not mean ‘submissive, mild and unassertive,’ but the meek are the ones ‘bent over by the injustice of the ungodly’. It is this affliction that calls down the advocacy of God. And it is having the advocacy of God that causes the meek therefore to be blessed. After all, if God is advocating for the meek, who can stand against them? (Rom 8:31).

Luke 5:29-31 (NASB) gives us further insight into these ‘blessed’ and ‘meek’ ones.
“And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick’.”

It was in the best interest of the Pharisees that the people maintain their socially ‘bent over’ and inferior place, so that they could maintain their socially superior place. Jesus on the other hand wanted to bless these meek individuals, lift them up, and treat them with equity. In fact, sharing a meal with another in that society “implied mutual acceptance” (Walter L. Liefeld, Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 8:84).

This ‘mutual acceptance’ with ‘sinners’ should not be understood as Jesus’ lowering Himself in status. Rather, this table fellowship elevated these ‘sinners and tax collectors’ to a social status equal to Jesus and the Pharisees. It would be like royalty joining a commoner for a meal. The royal status is not diminished, but the commoner has been blessed and treated as a worthy and valuable individual. Likewise it would have been an honor and blessing to have such a prominent teacher as Jesus join them for a meal.

Table fellowship is but one way God blesses the meek. The many other ways God ‘blesses’ (or advocates), for these meek that have been ‘bent over by the injustice of the ungodly’ include:

He: - feeds and satisfies them (Ps. 22:26)
- guides and teaches them (Ps. 25:9)
- gives them the earth (Ps. 37:11; Mt. 5:5)
- saves them (Ps. 76:9)
- lifts them up (Ps. 147:6)
- beautifies them (Ps. 149:4)
- treats them with equity (Is. 11:4)
- increases their joy (Is. 29:19)
- brings them good tidings (Is. 61:1)
- hides them from His wrath (Zeph. 2:3)
- finds them very precious (1 Pet. 3:4)

As I discover whom the ‘meek’ are I cannot help but think of those that Christian Horizons serves. Just as the ‘sinners and tax collectors’ in Jesus’ day had been relegated to a second-class, so too people with developmental disabilities in our society have been relegated to a second-class. They are perceived and treated either with disdain or with pity. They are perceived and treated poorly or specially. They are often perceived and treated with anything but equality. Jesus treated the meek with ‘mutual acceptance’.

This above list that describes the different ways God blesses the meek can serve as a guide for those of us who provide direct or indirect support to the individuals Christian Horizons serves. Am I lifting them up? Is my support satisfying to them? Do I increase their joy? Do I find them very precious?

It is through a sincere and mutual acceptance of those who have a less than equal standing in society, that we too, alongside Jesus, can be a blessing to the meek.

My 1.5 cents

Jamie Hussien

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

Only three people in Scripture are ever called ‘meek’. Moses is called meek once (Num. 12:3), Jesus is called meek twice (Mt. 11:29; 21:5), and those that are ‘Blessed’ are also called meek.

So what does it mean to be meek?

When Jesus speaks these words: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” He is actually quoting explicitly from Psalm 37:11 and implicitly from Isaiah 61:1. In both cases it carries the sense of humility.

The Greek word in Mt. 5:5 that we translate as ‘meek’ is ‘praus’. In many other translations and verses of Scripture, meek is often otherwise rendered as ‘poor’ or ‘afflicted’. In Mt. 5:5 it therefore carries both senses of being humble and of being afflicted. It could be translated as one who has been ‘humbled’ or ‘humiliated’.

So far being meek doesn’t sound all that exciting or enticing or blessed.
So what is so blessed about being humbled?

The key is in the being made poor, humbled, or afflicted. Someone is responsible for the causing of, or sustaining of, people who live a humiliated existence. Active oppression of any kind, by those with the means to oppress, will cause people to be afflicted. Likewise, denying care for the oppressed, by those who have the means to care, actively sustains the afflicted state of the oppressed. The meaning of meek in Mat. 5:5 then, does not mean “submissive, mild and unassertive, but those who are humble in the sense of being oppressed (hence ‘have been humbled’), bent over by the injustice of the ungodly” (Stassen and Gushee, Kingdom Ethics, 40).

In our society, and perhaps in every society around the world, there are those who live in an oppressed and afflicted state. The history of people with developmental disabilities could be described as just that, ‘oppressed and afflicted’. Yet, because they have lived, and are still living an un-liberated quality of life, these are the humbled or meek that Jesus speaks of in Matt. 5:5.

They are ‘Blessed’ because God is on their side.
God anointed Jesus to:
“bring good tidings to the afflicted,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of prison to those who are bound . . .”
- Isaiah 61:1

When I read words like afflicted, brokenhearted, captives, and bound in prison, it immediately conjures up in my mind how people with developmental disabilities have been inhumanly treated in the past. Truly God has been at work in our society closing institutions and opening homes for these meek individuals. They are ‘Blessed’ because God is advocating for them. He is seeking to undo their oppressive state. That’s where we come in.

At the very moment we became a Christian we were grafted into the Body of Christ, anointed by God through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. As such, every Christian everywhere is to:
“bring good tidings to the afflicted,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of prison to those who are bound . . .”
- Isaiah 61:1
Whatever our gifts, whatever our calling, it surely must involve advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves, seeking out the oppressed and then seeking to undo their oppression.

My 1.5 cents,

Jamie Hussain.

Note: Jamie is a full time student at McMaster Divinity School. He has worked for a number of years for CH in the Hamilton area. He is presently doing a summer work placement with Pastoral Ministries. He is planning on doing advanced studies in the areas of theology and disabilities.