The Lutheran Hour
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"Do You Want This Blessing?"
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Text: Matthew 5:1-12
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Jesus’ disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia! All who put their faith in Him are blessed!
Amen.
Do you believe that? Do you believe that? I pray by the end of this message that you will.
It was August 29, 2005. Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast of the United States bringing 100-140 miles per hour winds, massive flooding, tragic loss of life, and more than $100 billion in damage. After the storm passed, the needs of the people on the ground were overwhelming. But little by little, bright spots of help and compassion began to surface. One creative venture was started by a laundry soap company. It was called “Tide Loads of Hope.” Believing that “in times of crisis, clean clothes look, smell, and feel like hope,” Tide outfitted a semi-truck trailer with 32 washers and dryers, drove into the disaster zone, and did people’s laundry for free. The truck handled 300 loads every day and brought assistance and dignity to struggling disaster victims. To date, more than 45,000 families have been helped in the aftermath of disasters.
There is no selling, no marketing. Loads of Hope washes, dries, and folds people’s clothes. The fresh clothes are even wrapped up in crisp paper with a ribbon around the package. It’s a moment of humanity brought back to our broken lives. Tide values its relationships with homes across America and just wants to give back.
That’s how people act when they are grateful. That’s what people do when they’ve received so much. That is how the blessed behave. They know where their real source of blessing comes from and they give back in kind. They bless others.
Now, you know I’m not talking about Tide and washing clothes now. I’m talking about receiving and giving life because you know the Lord of Life, Jesus. That’s what it means to be God’s people. They are blessed, they know that’s a gracious gift in Jesus Christ and they give back by blessing others.
Let me be bold. If you are a believer, this, in fact, is your story too. In Jesus, you are blessed. You see, near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He taught the crowds of people who followed Him about this. The lesson was basic. It was about blessing. The simple truth was that when you are so blessed, you bless people back. Jesus said in Matthew, chapter 5: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4).
This section of the Bible is called “The Beatitudes.” The term just means “blessing.” In the first eleven verses of Matthew 5, Jesus begins His teaching with the word “blessed.”
Why is that word so meaningful for your life today? Because the word “blessed” means you receive something wonderful from God. God is the One Who blesses first. He takes the initiative to reach out to broken lives and broken hearts with His love and with His help. When life is a disaster, God steps in to give you much more than clean clothes. He comes to cleanse and to restore your life.And let’s be honest: when isn’t life a bit of a disaster? True, life brings so many beautiful moments, amazing experiences, and wonderful people; but it doesn’t take long to see and feel the ongoing struggle of life in this world-and of life in your shoes! Hurt and pain are all around us. Conflict and arguments fill the airwaves. Worry and fear plague our hearts and minds. Grief gives you a heavy heart. Your own failures and weaknesses pile the burden of guilt and brokenness right on your back.
That’s why Jesus came. He came to bless you. Is your life stained with strife and suffering? Jesus gave His life to wash away the stifling impact of sin. Is your life stuck because of faults and failures? Jesus died and rose again to cleanse you, forgive you, and make you brand new in God’s eyes. Because of God’s love, by faith in Jesus your Savior, you are blessed with a refuge and strength in times of trouble and with the very gift of eternal life.
That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who mourn.” Anyone who is broken is blessed when God steps in with His grace. That’s God’s promise for you. That’s His gift given to you today. Blessing originates with God and through Jesus Christ you are blessed!
Listen to how the Apostle Paul described the blessing of God’s work in your life. In Romans 3 he said, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).
Then in Romans 5 he expands on that blessing saying: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we also have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).
That’s the blessing; peace with God, hope in our Savior. This is the ultimate blessing. This is the blessing all have in Jesus; to put your faith in Him. You have been justified by grace. Paul summarized this blessing so well when he said: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…..that we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).
You probably caught a word in all those statements. It’s a term for God’s forgiveness and restoration totally and completely given by Him because of His love for you. It’s the word “justification.” Justification is a gift, by God’s grace, His blessing of forgiveness and eternal salvation in your life. Justification means that God declares you righteous, cleansed from the stains of a broken life, through faith in Jesus Who died on the cross and rose from the dead for you. It’s all God’s doing. He is the One Who blesses. He’s the One Who justifies. And that blessing is for you.
So, here’s the question. God says you need it. Deep in your heart you know that you need it too, but do you want it? Do you want this blessing? Know this. This blessing is a gift in Jesus and it’s right here, right now just for you.
That’s why He is our Savior. He came to wash you and me clean, to give us His eternal hope, and to bless us with His forgiveness and presence every day. By hearing and trusting this promise of God today, you are blessed!
And with that I’ve got even more exciting news for you. There’s a blessed life to live, waiting for you right now as well. In Christ, the blessing doesn’t stop with you. This is something very important for every follower of Jesus to hear. The blessing of new life in Jesus-justification-comes with a bonus. That bonus is a new life that blesses people around you as well.
Paul said it this way: “We were buried therefore with [Jesus] by baptism into His death, in order that, just as Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
We get to walk in the newness of life! And that’s a powerful way to live right now, no matter what is going on in the world or what’s going on even in your life.
Again, Matthew, chapter 5: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:5-10).
Those aren’t just words; those are the new realities for all who trust in Jesus. You receive His blessing by grace through faith and then you get to pour it out to others. Because of God’s love and salvation, you walk in meekness-in humility for them. Because of God’s grace in your life, you hunger and thirst for what is right and good. Because of God’s unconditional love, you are someone who then shows mercy to others. Because of God’s blessing, you live with a pure heart, foster peace instead of division, and endure suffering so others may see God’s love and God’s blessing for them.
That’s a new life of blessing. It is a meaningful life. It is a life that makes a difference. It is a life lived by the grace of God, empowered by His Spirit.
They call that a sanctified life. You’ve heard that word before; maybe in church, maybe around-sanctified. I mentioned it comes from 1 Corinthians 6. Because of Jesus’ saving work on the cross, you were washed, you were; here it comes, sanctified. All that means is that your life has been cleansed and made a holy instrument now in God’s hands. You have been blessed to be a blessing. You now affect people in this world in profound ways. You are, in effect, part of God’s toxic clean-up crew in this world. As a follower of Jesus, you are here to do good for others in His Name.
Listen again to how the Apostle Paul described people who are blessed to be a blessing. He said in Ephesians, chapter 2: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of your works, so that no one may boast.” Here it comes. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
God blesses you and then He blesses others through you. So, let me ask again, by the power of the Holy Spirit; do you want this blessing?
Years ago, in 1917, a small group of men met in Milwaukee at the home of Mr. Fred Pritzlaff. Their church, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, was plagued by a $100,000 debt. That was a heavy debt back in those days. The debt prevented any additional Gospel outreach by the church body. These men wanted to help solve the problem so the church could move forward, so that the good news of Jesus Christ could keep on being shared. At their meeting, they resolved to raise the money to pay the debt. And raise it they did. They gave personal donations and reached out to their friends throughout the church to contribute to the cause. A hundred thousand dollars back then, that would be like raising $2 million today! These men were blessed and they wanted to give back; they wanted to be a blessing to others. That’s how the blessed behave.
In the fall of that same year, these men formed an organization called “The Lutheran Laymen’s League.” Its purpose was “to aid [the church] with word and deed in the business and financial matters that helped keep getting that message out.”
Let me tell you a little secret. These men, The Lutheran Laymen’s League, were the people who stepped in to make sure that this radio broadcast, The Lutheran Hour, could be a leading Gospel radio program in America, way back in 1930.
For the past 86 years, millions upon millions of people have heard about this blessing of God for their lives through this broadcast, The Lutheran Hour. Hundreds of nations around the world in dozens of languages have heard Christ’s Good News that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” How did it all happen? When you are blessed with God’s grace and forgiveness, blessing overflows from your life to others. You become a blessing from God. That’s just how the blessed behave.
Do you want this blessing?
Justification, declared righteous. Sanctification, made holy. God’s grace, your gratitude. Blessed to be a blessing. That’s what God gives. That’s the life He has in store for you.
Have you been blessed with faith in your Lord Jesus Christ? What a gift! I give thanks for your walk with your Savior! But let me challenge you right now to look around in your life and seize the day, see yourself as a conduit of Christ’s blessings to those who are in your life right now! Seek your life, your strength in Jesus alone and then, live with a humble heart seeking the right and good ways of God for others, show His generous mercy whenever you can, live as a peacemaker in the midst of the brokenness of life; because that’s the blessing you have to bring in Jesus Christ.
To be a believer in Jesus is an incredible thing, my friends; and because you are believers you begin to realize what a blessing it is to have Him as your Lord and Savior. And then, living in His gracious power and merciful care, you get to grow in that life by blessing others in His Name, on His terms, in His way!
This is no pie in the sky teaching. This is faith life, the power to live life boldly here and now, and eternally with Jesus Christ!
That’s why Jesus also says at the end of this passage, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice, then, and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who went before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
With these words, Jesus was giving you your marching orders as people blessed by God. We bring what is good to a world in need.
Do you want this blessing? I have good news for you. In Christ, the gift is yours today; here and now. By God’s grace, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, there’s a blessing of rescue, restoration, and renewal for you so that you can bless others with that too. In His Name.
Amen.
Action in Ministry for November 6, 2016
Guest: Ray WallsANNOUNCER: You’re listening to The Lutheran Hour and this is Action in Ministry. Pastor Seltz, as you explained in your message today, this ministry, this broadcast, was born out of the generous giving of a group of people who were willing to make sacrifices.
SELTZ: Right now we are going to talk about another group of people who chose a life of sacrifice. Later this week our listeners in the U.S. will observe Veteran’s Day. Our veterans risked their life and their limb to defend our freedom and we do owe them a great debt of thanks.
ANNOUNCER: And in appreciation of our veterans we are offering a video resource called Warriors of Faith. This addresses the challenges our service men and women face both on and off the battlefield. Ray Walls is a veteran of the Vietnam War and he knows those challenges all too well.
SELTZ: And again, Ray, thanks for being here with us. Thank you for your service to our country. Again, we’re honoring you as we honor the folks who have given that sacrifice.
WALLS: Thank you very much. It’s an honor for me to be here.
SELTZ: All right. Well you served in Vietnam. When were you there and what was your job?
WALLS: I spent my whole first tour with the 9th Division in the southern part of Vietnam, mostly in the Mekong Delta. My second tour, I was in the Central Highlands with the 25th Division at Chu Chi. I was only there for four months and 16 days. I received my third Purple Heart and come home.
SELTZ: Now, you were called a tunnel rat. Tell us a little bit about that because I saw that on a documentary the other day and that was dangerous work.
WALLS: The only way I could really put it; if you could imagine yourself to be in an enclosed place that was only maybe an inch bigger than your body, and you could put your hand in front of your face and not see your hand. You had a flashlight which you never used and a .45, or in my case, a .38 in your hand. That and a knife is the only weapon you had. You go through a tunnel and what you are looking for is the enemy. You are looking for stowed away ammunition; but you also know in this tunnel that they left booby traps. Those booby traps weren’t necessarily always explosives. They could be a two-step snake tied with fishing twine. And the reason they called it a two-step snake is that it would bite you and you would take two steps and die. And then also you stood a good chance to come upon, I did several times, Viet Cong in those tunnels. I rolled out of a tunnel one time into an open room that was about maybe half the size of this room and there were six Viet Cong in there. I had six rounds in my .38 and I’m here.
ANNOUNCER: What was going through your mind as you’re going through that dark tunnel?
WALLS: It’s hard to put into words what goes through your mind when you know that every little crawl that you make could be your last. Even though you’ve had training, mentally you’re not equipped to do that.
SELTZ: But then you faced things when you came home that were really, really difficult to deal with. Tell us a little bit about that.
WALLS: Well, Vietnam vets were treated horribly. We were called baby killers, we were spit upon, people would demonstrate against us; those types of things. It was just like you came back to a…your world that you left, and your world had turned against you. You were fighting for them.
SELTZ: Well, then, how did you deal with these things?
WALLS: Before I went to Vietnam I’d been saved. So I knew the Lord. I wasn’t following in the Lord’s footsteps the way that I should but I knew the Lord and the Lord knew that I needed someone in my life to help me and He brought Joy my way…my wife.
SELTZ: Your wife’s name is Joy?
WALLS: Joy.
SELTZ: The Lord works in mysterious ways, doesn’t He?
WALLS: We’ve been married 48 years. The different things that she would do; not just telling me “Don’t pay any attention to that. It’ll get better;” those types of things. She just loved me with Christian love. She was a saved lady also whenever we got married. She was the pivot point and got me out to where we got involved in church; started following the Lord and step by step brought me to where I am at today. She was a big instrument. The Lord looks at…knew that I needed that.
ANNOUNCER: Ray, in closing today, what message would you have for your fellow veterans that might encourage them in getting the help and support they need?
WALLS: You have to come to the realization that you’ve got some guilt that you have to deal with. You’ve got fears you have to deal with. You’ve got periods of time whenever it seems like the world is just closing in on you and you try to do these things yourself and get yourself out of these situations. You can’t do it. The only way you can do it is with the help of the Lord. Like I said I had my wife and then He put men around me; Christian men. They have helped me in ways that I can’t even put into words. The one picture that I use in my mind all the time was a picture that I was shown probably a month or so after Joy and I got married. It was a set of footprints on a beach, only one set of footprints. I finally read what it was. It was me and the Lord, only He was carrying me.
SELTZ: He was carrying you.
WALLS: I’ve kept that picture in my mind all the time.
SELTZ: That’s what Warriors of Faith is about. We’re really talking about the Lord Who is the strength for all of us. You’ve had some incredible experiences. Thank you for sharing those with us. Ray, thank you for your service to our country and, even now, your service to our Lord because a lot of people will be blessed when they get to know Him like you have.
WALLS: It was my honor.
SELTZ: That’s our Action in Ministry segment today; to bless, to empower, and to strengthen your life in Christ for others.
ANNOUNCER: And the name of this resource is Warriors of Faith. You can view or download this content for free at our website. Go to lutheranhour.org and click on Action In Ministry. Or call 1-855-john316. That’s 1-855-564-6316.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for November 6, 2016
Topic: Is Obeying God Important Or Does God’s Grace Eliminate Any Need for Good Deeds?ANNOUNCER: Now Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer and today a listener says, “We hear a lot about God’s grace, but not so much about obedience to Him. Is obedience to God important or does God’s grace eliminate the need for good deeds?”
SELTZ: Now that’s a mouthful, Mark, but let me tell you this. In a way, the listener is asking something very important. It’s often been called “cheap grace.”
ANNOUNCER: That term was coined by German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was also a Christian martyr and he wrote works such as “The Cost of Discipleship.” So, cheap grace, what does that mean?
SELTZ: Bonhoeffer said that “cheap grace” is essentially “grace without discipleship,” as if obedience has no part in the graced life.
ANNOUNCER: So how do God’s grace and our obedience to God fit together?
SELTZ: God’s Word does a wonderful job of making this clear too. In Ephesians, chapter two, Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And that’s not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that nobody can boast.”
ANNOUNCER: But it doesn’t stop there. It goes on.
SELTZ: It goes on to say but you are “God’s workmanship,” so you were graced to live a graced life. And then he says you were “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10). There are some very clear points to those words. We are saved by grace through faith alone. The most important thing; that’s not of ourselves at all; no result of works.
ANNOUNCER: It brings to mind what St. Paul wrote in chapter 3. He said, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-24 NIV).
SELTZ: Exactly, no one is justified by his works or deeds-no matter how many good things we do. Being justified before God-which again means being declared completely righteous on His terms-not because of what we do. Here’s the key. None of us is able to be perfect. God wouldn’t be telling the truth if He called you or me completely righteous on our own. But then it comes to this Good News; Jesus died as a punishment for our sin-in our place-He rose from the dead for us, God accepts His sacrifice, looks at us, and, because of Jesus, declares us righteous.
ANNOUNCER: That’s what we mean by justification.
SELTZ: It’s a Biblical term then to be declared righteous and that’s the key to it all.
ANNOUNCER: But where do good deeds fit in? Our listener is wondering about the importance of obedience to God.SELTZ: You’ve got to get the source of it right first. Now, God’s Word goes on even further. Jesus says in Matthew: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV). Jesus tells us the relationship between His grace and good deeds. Baptism, His gift, brings us grace freely. Then it transforms our hearts and lives. We yearn to live in obedience because of that grace.
ANNOUNCER: In Matthew 5, the words of Jesus: “Let your light then shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 ESV).
SELTZ: There again you see the relationship between faith and works. By grace we are made lights of Christ in the world. Our good deeds give God glory and they shine God’s light, if you will, to others.
ANNOUNCER: So, obedience to God is important.
SELTZ: It is and there’s another word that expresses how God cleanses and purifies our lives. It’s called “sanctification” or being “made holy by His Holy Spirit” but here’s the point; so that we can serve others. So, these good deeds don’t save us. They’re even gifts to be given away. I love how the Lutheran Confessions describe it: “Faith should produce good works and we must do these good works as God has commanded, but we do them for God’s sake and we don’t place our trust in them as if we merit favor before Him” (AC VI).
ANNOUNCER: It’s been said God doesn’t need our good works, but our neighbor does.
SELTZ: That’s the point. Works, obedience to God, is a blessing because it’s a right way to live, but that way of living isn’t even for ourselves; it should give God glory and serve others in His Name!
ANNOUNCER: Obedience to God is also a gift from God as He transforms our hearts.
SELTZ: You heard it in Ephesians, chapter 2. God prepares the good works for us in advance to live so I guess the best way to say this, if you are saved by grace, why wouldn’t you want to follow in obedience, the One Who saved you; both for your sake and for others.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Seltz. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“For All the Saints” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“How Can I Thank You, Lord” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)