Sermon: The Good Life

Lectionary Epiphany 4(A)

Texts: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew5:1-12

Sermon on the Mount
Laura James, 2010

What does “living the good life” look like to you? To most, I suspect the good life includes leisure, recreation, and relaxation. It most likely excludes working for a paycheck and people with more power and authority than you ordering you around. It likely includes good health, physical safety, financial security, and freedom from all kinds of worries. And oh yeah, time spent with people I like and enjoy.

When we imagine people who are blessed, or when we apply the term blessed to ourselves, it usually means something fortunate has happened: receipt of good news, unexpected income, offer of a dream job, good family relationships, etc.

We tend to associate blessings with prosperity. And to think about it that way would place us in good company with ancient peoples. What is translated as “blessed are” or “happy are” in the Beatitudes is the Greek work makarios. “In classical Greek, makarios denoted a state of enviable fortune, a privileged position, often associated with worldly success, power, and prosperity.”[1] The Greek gods on Mount Olympus were makarios. They were living the good life, at least in the eyes of mortals down below.

“We want what the gods have!” the cries of humankind rise throughout history. They employ the means employed by the gods, violence and deceit, to acquire. They create hierarchies of social classes and economic standing to codify power and wealth. And they appeal to religion to keep people in their place.

“But followers of the true God certainly wouldn’t fall prey to the games of power and privilege, would they?” one might ask. But the Hebrew scripture and Christian writings contain the sordid history of God’s people falling into the same traps that allow some to enjoy the privileges of wealth and comfort at the expense of others. History of Christianity beyond the canon of the New Testament reveal the same pattern. From the time of Constantine, through medieval Christianity and European royalty’s belief in divine right, through Manifest Destiny, through the history of slavery and the Civil Rights movements, and to today’s Christian Nationalism, the allure of power and privilege of a select few over the rest continues. Any means of pursuing and maintaining power can be justified by appealing to an interpretation of “Christianity.”

The Beatitudes and the rest of the Sermon on the Mount are relevant today as it was when Jesus spoke those words and when Matthew put them down in writing.

A large crowd has been following Jesus, and he goes up a mountain, evoking the image of Moses at Sinai. Jesus’ disciples draw closer to him, and Jesus begins to speak. “Makarios are,” he begins. But what comes next is unexpected. It is not gods, emperor, nobles, priests, the wealthy, or those at the upper echelons of the social hierarchy that are makarios. Jesus tells them, “You are makarios.” Those who are at the bottom of the social ladder: laborers, slaves, women and children. “God is with you,” Jesus tells them. “God’s favor rests upon you. You are living inside God’s good life.” Later in the Sermon, Jesus will tell them that worldly status and riches mean nothing when it comes to the kingdom of God. In fact, they will be great obstacles to finding the kingdom.[2]

The Beatitudes, especially the one in Matthew, is often interpreted in mostly spiritual and inner life terms. It is often read as something that will be fulfilled in the future. Although spiritual and future elements are in the text, it is mostly concerned with the present state of his audience.

The poor and the meek describe those who are literally poor and lack wealth but also include those who are powerless and oppressed. Considering this, those who mourn are those who do so because of the oppression and suffering at the hands of the wicked.

When we hear “righteousness” our minds typically think about good and moral character. But in the Bible, righteousness cannot be divorced from following God’s demand for justice, i.e., how people relate to and treat one another. And here we can review some of our other readings today. From Micah, we heard, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”[3] From the Psalms we heard that those who are in God’s presence speak the truth, do not slander, do not cause evil and shame to fall upon others, will stand by their word even when it hurts, and do not take advantage of others.[4] The Beatitudes describes these actions and attitudes as showing mercy and being of pure in heart.

Those who are makarios are also peacemakers. Peacemaking is not about avoiding conflict, however. For the audience of Jesus, they were experiencing Pax Romana, Rome’s peace. However, this came at the imposition of violent military power. The peace spoken of by Jesus is something altogether different. It is the kind of peace that restores and reconciles. It is a peace that does not seek revenge for wrongdoings. It is a peace where no one takes advantage of another. Peace-making includes not simply living this in one’s own life, but in advocating for this kind of society and speaking out against actions and words that go against.

Those who actively pursue this kind of righteousness and justice, who advocate for the oppressed and powerless, who speak out against violence and atrocities that are being committed in society, can expect pushbacks, can expect persecution, and might even experience loss of their lives. Those who seek to maintain the status quo and those who see the world’s power and might as benefiting them will slander you and label you as evil and agitators. But this is makarios. This is where God is already present. This is where one will encounter the power and favor of God.

The pursuit of justice through non-violent activity is weak and foolish in the world’s eyes. The movement initiated by Jesus, the kingdom of God, is a pursuit of the transformation of communities through the non-violent power of God. We heard from 1 Corinthians,

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God… For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength… God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are.[5]

Jesus faced and overcame the temptations of self-glorification and power. Jesus overcame the powers and principalities of this world. Through the last two millennia, however, his church has been far less successful in avoiding the allure of worldly power and glory. In that wake is a history of violence and atrocities committed and justified by the church.

We too, must decide. Will we take the side of those that God calls makarios? Will we give to God our worldly possession, reputation, and even our lives to join with those that are poor and oppressed, to mourn at the injustices that are causing fear, loss, and hunger. Will we join those who actively pursue genuine wholeness, peace, and justice?

Or will we choose to hold on to what comfort and security we have in this world? Will we rather be complicit in the injustices that are excused as necessary to maintain what the world tells us is “peace”?

In the name of God who creates,

In the name of God who confounds,

And in the name of God who discomforts, amen.

Bibliography

Bailey, K. E. (2008). Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Bartlett, D. L., & Brown Taylor, B. (2010). Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 1. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

France, R. T. (2007). New International Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Garland, D. E. (2001). Reading Matthew: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing.

Hermandad del Cautivo of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. (2026, January 25). Understanding the Greek Makarios: More Than Just "Blessed". Retrieved from Cautivo Estrella: https://cautivoestrella.org/en/greek-makarios/?expand_article=1

Jarvis, C. A., & Johnson, E. E. (2013). Feasting on the Gospels--Matthew, Volume 1: A Feasting on the Word Commentary. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Van De Laar, J. (2026, January 25). Lectionary Reflection for Epiphany 4A on 1 Corinthians 1:18–31. Retrieved from Sacredise Your Life!: https://sacredise.substack.com/p/lectionary-reflection-for-epiphany-f89

Van de Laar, J. (2026, January 22). Revolutionary Blessedness. Retrieved from Sacredise Your LIfe!: https://sacredise.substack.com/p/revolutionary-blessedness

William B. Eerdmans. (2003). Eerdman's Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.

Wilson, W. T. (2022). Eerdmans Critical Commentary: The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

 

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[1] (Hermandad del Cautivo of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, 2026)

[2] Matthew 6:19-21, 24.

[3] Micah 6:8.

[4] Psalm 15.

[5] 1 Corinthians 1:18, 25, 28.

Sermon: The Little Things

Lectionary: Epiphany 6A

Text: Matthew 5:21-37

Introduction – Global Concerns

On Monday [Feb. 6, 2023] a violent and catastrophic earthquake hit the region of Turkey and Syria, causing major devastation and thousands of lost lives. Global aid has been quick to respond, but the magnitude of the destruction and difficulties with the terrain and logistics have made it difficult for aid workers.

Later this month will mark the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war continues and the best analysis is that Russia will try to escalate the conflict. Several million residents have fled their homes; many thousands, both military and civilian, have been killed. Cities and villages have been destroyed, and those who remain suffer from lack of sufficient infrastructure, lack of basic necessities, and the cold. Aid from many quarters and organizations continue to pour in, yet there is still no end in sight.

These are, but just two of the more recent catastrophic global incidents that take up our attention. It doesn’t take much effort to come up with other incidents that vie for our attention and concern. Go to a site like Global Giving and one can find scores of needs around the globe: from disaster response, climate action, educational needs, food security, and more.

In this kind of present-day context, we encounter the text for today. To be frank, I struggled with this text’s relevance for me in February 2023. What relevance does Jesus’ midrash, or commentary, on Jewish law have for any of us right now? How does a stricter interpretation of ancient laws relate to the 21^st century?

Sermon on the Mount, an Overview

Today’s text is from a portion of Matthew’s gospel frequently referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. When the entirety of the Sermon is examined, it addresses mostly relationships within the kingdom of heaven that is being inaugurated by Jesus. It has almost nothing directly concerned with larger global, or even national affairs. It is mostly about how citizens of this new society or community are to live.

I will be taking a somewhat different approach today. Instead of focusing this time specifically on today’s text, I want to get a higher altitude look at the overall Sermon on the Mount and in doing so, perhaps better understand how all the pieces fit together.

The Sermon as Vision-Casting

I’m sure that most of us are familiar with vision and mission statements. If you’ve worked or volunteered for any kind of an organization, including churches, you probably have seen them. And I suspect many of you have been involved in forming or revising such statements. And some of you may even have taken the initiative to form personal vision and mission statements. These vision and mission statements are supposed to act as guides in forming organizational policies and personal behaviors.

I see in the Sermon on the Mount some similarities. The Beatitudes, which form the very beginning of the Sermon, could be likened to the vision statement of the kingdom of heaven, the new society, the community that Jesus is forming. The Beatitudes describe the characteristics that those who are part of this community will display.

At this point this community is still tiny. The Sermon is addressed directly to Jesus’ disciples, and at this point only four have been named explicitly (in Matthew 4:18-22).

Mission Statement for the Kingdom of Heaven

The next section of the Sermon is where Jesus equates the community to salt and light. I see this as the mission statement of the kingdom of heaven. The mission is not for the community to go and try to change the world, but to simply display the characteristics of the new society and by doing so perhaps those outside might be attracted into the community.

An Ideal Vision of Kingdom Life

The next section, which is not part of this year’s lectionary sequence, reveals that Jesus is not replacing the Law and the Prophets, but he is expanding on already established authorities and providing his stricter interpretations of them. Beginning with this section and the rest of the Sermon could be seen as how the vision and mission takes on more concrete forms of relational behaviors within the kingdom of heaven. These offer examples of and an aspirational look at what “love for another” looks like in action. In modern corporate-speak, these statements might be called policy statements. Our gospel text this morning forms the first few such statements.

The rest of the Sermon deals with specific topics on personal piety and how that ought to be practiced, how prayer ought to be offered, the pitfalls of wealth and what genuine treasure is, dealing with anxiety, the tendency to be judgmental, taking care of one another in the community, and what it means to live as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.

The Sermon as a Gospel Framework and Pattern

The Sermon provides the major themes and framework for the entire gospel of Matthew. In Matthew, Jesus is meant to be seen as a new Moses. Hence just as Moses went up Mt. Sinai to receive the Law, Jesus is seen going up a mountain to offer a new interpretation of the Law for his new kingdom. The portion of Matthew preceding the Sermon offer foreshadowing of themes that will be revealed in the Sermon. The rest of the gospel account after the Sermon offer examples of how Jesus lives out the Sermon.  

Seen in its entirety, the Sermon is about how member of the new kingdom, the new society, the community, relate to one another. The community consists of those who make it a priority to look after one another’s needs. For those who have the means, to pay it forward to those who are unable. A community where authority is not lorded over another, but rather where authority is accompanied by responsibility to care for those under authority. Where justice and mercy are found in balance. A community where none strive for fame, power, or status. Where all are willing to sacrifice their own self-interest for the good of another and the community. Where each member values their own integrity and honesty such that the community has no reason to doubt the integrity of one another.

“Big” Things vs. “Little” Things

I want to return to the questions I posed toward the beginning of my sermon. Restating them with some of what I have mentioned so far: considering the huge, global concerns and needs, what relevance does the instructions for the kingdom of heaven, with its focus on relationships in the immediate community, have for me? For us?

As I thought about this question, I began to realize that in many ways it is much easier to be concerned about far-off places, about groups of people I don’t personally know and will never interact with. It’s easy to write a check and offer a prayer about a big, global concern.

But what about our family, neighbors, those with whom we work alongside, our bosses, our employees, our fellow church members?

A few verses near the end of the Sermon on the Mount grabbed my attention.

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’ (Mathew 7:21-23 NRSVue)

This text is frequently interpreted in terms of self-righteousness; i.e., those who loudly and visibly profess to be Christian, may be leaders in Christian ministries and churches, but are only performing good works to be praised and admired by others or to fatten their wallets. None of us would ever be tempted to do that, would we?

But as I pondered the warning, I found another line of thought running through it. Perhaps it is also a warning for the rest of us against placing too much priority on working toward making a big impact on the world at the expense of taking care of those things and people that are right in front of us every day. Perhaps it is a warning against temptation to use our concern for making a big impact as a distraction and an excuse from taking care of the more immediate, little things.

The Kingdom is Relational

The Sermon on the Mount is about how members of the kingdom are to live and get along with one another, each and every day. The ones closest to us are often the ones that irritate and anger us the most. How we relate with those in our immediate circles, whether good or bad, likely won’t have a huge impact on a global scale, but it matters to God. And how we treat one another, how we handle the difficulties of relationships and differences of personalities and opinions will be seen by a slightly wider circle of those on the periphery. And that is how being salt and light works. Our mission is not to be the Great Salt Lake or a bank of searchlights. We are just a few grains of salt and perhaps a flame or a single light bulb. But that is how the relational gospel of Jesus spreads and attracts people to take a closer look.

Holding Things in Balance

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be concerned about bigger things and dismiss global needs. But what the world may view as little things – our individual relationships with one another – are as important as what the world sees as the big, important things. This is another reversal that is found in the kingdom of heaven – what the world considers less important, may be more important in God’s kingdom.

Here is how I might rewrite Matthew 7:21-23 considering today’s thoughts:

“Lord, Lord. I gave to relief organizations. I gave to missions. I tried to make a difference in the world for you.” And the Lord will answer, “But how were your relationships with family, those you worked with daily, and with others who are part of my family, the church?”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains that the principles of shalom, that is relational wholeness and peace, are timeless. He quotes selections from the Torah and refers to long-held Jewish traditions around the Law and explains how there are essential principles that carry into the new kingdom of heaven.

Let us be vigilant about tending to our close-in relational needs with as much vigor, care, and generosity as we are about caring for global needs.