Turning towards the light

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Rory Grant

Timaru Presbyterian

Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 15:07

Matthew 5:1–12

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Sunflowers

Thursday night, sunflowers

I was there for about an hour, must have been at least 20 other people who came and went during that time.

Sun behind a great big cloud. Had to wait for the light

Only a few seconds at a time

When it did, it was like a revelation

Sunflowers are amazing plants

Heliotropic

Turn their face toward the sun

And that’s a bit like our reading today.

Beatitudes have been loved for generations

Hearing these words is like turning your face towards the light

Feels like the revelation of something new

But at the same time seems like the deepest truth you’ve ever known. A truth that lies at the heart of the way that the world is meant to be

Maybe that is because these words have become so familiar to us, but I think it goes deeper than that.

I suspect that as Jesus took his disciples aside from the crowds gathered around, and these words were heard for the first time, the disciples had that same feeling of two realities re-orienting themselves in the light of God’s revelation:

The reality of “the way of the world” where the strong prosper and poor go without is shown up as the hollow facade that it has always been. A reality not worth investing your life in.

And the reality of God’s kingdom of freedom and blessing being revealed in all of its simplicity and glory

In our lives today, although superficaially we may look so different to Jesus’ first followers all those years ago, those two same realities are competing for our attention. Will we turn our faces towards the world and its hollow promises of power, strength, and security, or will will we turn our faces towards the deep truth of Jesus. The truth of blessing and humility. Will we turn our faces towards the Son?

Slide - face

This is not something that happens on its own.

This is something we have to work at. It’s so easy to be distracted by the busy-ness of all that surrounds us. It’s so easy to lose track of the position of the sun.

The amazing thing about sunflowers, is that not only do they track the position of the sun while it is out, but overnight, they slowly turn their heads back towards the east. Anticipating the sunrise. Every day, no matter what, they expect the light to return.

Imagine if we could be like that?

Imagine if even through our darkest moments, we could turn our face towards the sun, expecting his return?

What difference would that make in our lives?

What difference would it make in the lives of those around us if we could hold true to the reality of God’s kingdom and God’s blessing even when the chips are down?

slide - storm

There have been times in my life, and maybe in yours as well, when it’s felt like the sun is not going to come up in the morning.

And, if for some reason they are prevented from doing so, they cannot thrive. They just don’t grow the way that they are supposed to.

So JEsus words are not just a revelation of the new light of day, they are a reminder that, even in the darkest times, light will come again.

They area litany that helps us to grow towards the light, even when the light is nowhere to be seen.

Blessed are the...

poor in spirit,

those who mourn

the meek

those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

the merciful

the pure in heart

the peacemakers

those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Slide - sun-drenched

This is more than just a moral code. This is a promise. A promise,. that after the dark comes the dawn. A promise that we are not in this on our own. A promise that our reality is where God’s blessing will be found.