Musical Prelude and Service.

Micah 6:1-8 & Matthew 5:1-12
At times like this with so much turmoil in the world; when we are experiencing increased levels of
anxiety and stress; where fear and pressure to make a stand are so intense, today’s scripture
readings can absolutely be read as a call to action. And that’s there. Love kindness, seek justice walk
humbly with God. Blessed are the peacemakers.
But those calls to action; those calls to declare where we stand, have been part of our reflections in
recent weeks. I think there must also be time to hear some words of reassurance. To hear again,
that we are loved and comforted and held in the arms of an ever-present and steadfast God.
I certainly hear that message in today’s scripture, and as much as we may tell ourselves that God’s
love is never ending, I think it is important to tell each other that we are God’s beloved children.
Micah 6 is one of the most read passages of scripture. In particular, the eighth verse. What does God
require of you but to love kindness, seek justice and to walk humbly with your God. But the
preceding verses are also significant.
The prophet is essentially putting the people of Israel on trial. He sets up the image of a trial, that
God as prosecutor is putting Israel on the witness stand. You have failed to look out for the most
vulnerable amongst you.
Despite God’s constant messaging of compassion and justice.
Despite God guiding you out of slavery, led by Moses, Aaron and Miriam.
Despite protecting you from the plots of other rulers, you have forgotten God’s law; God’s urging to
care for one another. You have failed to create the world – the society God envisions for all.
Micah continues. He posits that Israel’s response is not to deny, but to simply say, what do you want
from me; more sacrifice? How many calves and rams do we need to offer? How much oil do we need
to pour out to satisfy you God? Sacrifice our first born?
That fear that we are so far gone; that we are beyond redemption; we have gone so deeply into
injustice and inhumanity, that there is no coming back. Here Micah challenges the transactional vision
of our relationship with God. That we must satisfy God’s desire for sacrifice; that God demands that
we give up possessions, relinquish our wealth, sacrifice our children before a hungry and angry God.
But no, that is not who God is argues Micah. God merely wants us to be in a genuine loving
relationship. To walk this world with humility and to truly seek justice and to be kind to one another.
In our genuine relationship with the rest of the world, we are showing our gratitude and our wonder
for all that God has done and continues to do for us.
As much as we have failed to live into the peaceful and justice-filled relationship with God’s creation
that they envision for us, God’s love for us never ends. God continues to have faith in our ability to
be who we are created to be.
And further, God continues to bless us. Even in our struggles, even in our pain and our heartbreak,
we are blessed. God sees our worth, God loves us and comforts us.
As Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mountain, he looks at the people who have gathered, he sees
people seeking comfort, people yearning for a sense of hope as they are oppressed, as they wonder
where their next meal will come from as they mourn the death of loved ones and he tells them God
sees them and blesses them.
Those who are poor I spirit, those who hunger for righteousness, those who are peace makers; they
are all blessed. Don’t lose hope. Keep on. Don’t forget that you are God’s. As you work for peace, as
you hold on to who you are; whose you are, despite how others treat you, God doesn’t forget you.
God remains with you.
And so, today’s scriptures are a reassurance of God’s love and God’s continued work in our lives.
But they do remain a call for action. They are also a reminder of where Jesus stands. We can get
fooled into seeing Jesus as a comfortable friendly man telling us God loves us and we are all
supposed to be nice. To be kind. But I think that can soft sell Jesus’ message.
Jesus does make a stand and calls on us to stand with him. And Jesus calls for peace. Not an
absence of violence; but a peace rooted in justice. A peace that calls out the oppression of God’s
people. A peace that names the mistreatment of the meek.
Jesus stands with us and hungers and thirst for righteousness, because Jesus recognizes that those
who are gathered to listen to him and to hear that they are not alone are poor in spirit. They are
forgotten by the powers that rule over them, until there is a knock on the door demanding taxes or
further service. They know that the empire or the local authorities are not concerned with their
health or their lives. And Jesus tells them that God sees them. God blesses them and encourages
them.
Do you hunger for righteousness? You will be filled.
Are you working for peace? You are a child of God.
Are you among the meek? You will inherit the earth.
Are you poor in spirit? Are you so ground down by this world you can’t imagine what comes next?
Yours is the kingdom of heaven.
And do you mourn for all that we have lost? For the loved ones who are no longer with us?
For the assumptions about how this society works?
The assurance that those in authority might actually care for the lives of those in their care?
Remember – please. You will be comforted. Perhaps not by the reckoning for this world, but by a
compassionate God and those who are moved by words encouraging us to love kindness; to seek
justice and to walk humbly, with our God.
Jesus offers us a reassurance of God’s love. A reassurance that God stands with those who are tired
of a world that only seems to work for those who are cynical and self interested. Jesus tells us that
God blesses those who are worn down by this world and its apparent cruelty. God sees us and stands
with us. We are encouraged to dig in and keep working. To hold on to our sense of compassion, our
empathy and our desire for change.
We may be discouraged. We may be persecuted, or we may witness others being persecuted in their
work for a just world. But God is still with us, and the Kingdom of Heaven that we are called to work
towards – it will be ours.
Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But it is a destination we are called to journey towards.
God set us on our path and the journey is worth taking. There is so much to experience along the
path. So many people we will meet along the way that make it a journey worth taking.
Love kindness. Seek justice. Walk humbly on our path with our God, knowing we never walk alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Rev. Warner Bloomfield

Music provided with permission through licensing with CCLI License number
2701258 and One License # A-731789