The Heart of God – January 29, 2023

Micah 6:1-8, Matthew 5:1-12
January 29, 2023

Two weeks ago, we talked about how we are “Believers.”  That day, we continued our recent “tradition” of renewing our commitment to Jesus Christ at the beginning of a New Year, using our Baptismal Vows.  Last week we talked about how we are “Disciples” – followers of Jesus, and how that takes us to a new level in our faith.

Today, I’d like us to think about what it means to be “disciple” of Jesus.  In other words, what does that look like?  And one of the simplest ways of thinking about that is that we are called to be like Jesus.  Sometimes we use the term “Christ-like.”  We are called to be “Christ-like” in our words and our actions.

But what does that mean?  Are we to be loving and caring people?  I think so.  What other things should we be?  As you think about that, listen to what Paul said to the Philippians.  He said, “Have this mind among you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)  Think about that.  We are to have the mind of Christ.  That’s a pretty tall order, isn’t it?  Especially when he elaborates on that in the last part of that verse.  “Have the mind of Christ, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to hold onto, but instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.” (Philippians 2:6-7)

Paul is telling us that that’s the first part of being like Jesus.  It is having his “servant mind.”  It’s taking seriously Jesus’ statement that, in his kingdom, “the first shall be last and the last shall be first, and whoever would be great among you, must be your servant.”  And while you’re thinking about that, while you’re thinking about what it means to have the mind of Christ, I’d like you to consider that, through Jesus – what he said and what he did – we can see the Heart of God.  And that’s what we’re talking about today.  “The Heart of God.”

As you’re thinking about that, listen again to what the prophet Micah told us, long before the time of Jesus.  He said, “What does the Lord require of you?”  And his answer – “To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

I believe that’s what the Lord requires of you, because that’s what lies in the heart of God – justice, kindness, and humility.  When Jesus came along, he reflected that.  Maybe you remember the verse where Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will gave you rest.”  That’s a wonderful verse, isn’t it!  But remember also the last part of that, where he went on to say, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:28-29) Gentleness, kindness, lowliness.  Jesus showed us that that is heart of God.

In our New Testament lesson, we read what has been called, “The Beatitudes.”  And I believe the Beatitudes are all about the heart of God.  God’s heart is with the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.  And he has a heart for the persecuted, the downtrodden, and the outcast.  And we see that in Jesus, don’t we!  Those would be the people that he would reach out to throughout his ministry.  He had God’s heart for the poor, the downtrodden, and the outcast.

Remember also, that Jesus is just beginning his ministry, here.  Yes, there was a time right before this when it says that “He went all around Galilee, preaching and teaching in their synagogues and healing all their diseases.  So his fame spread around all of Syria.”  That’s where Jesus’ ministry began, Syria!  But “Then the crowds followed him as he went south to Jerusalem and Judea.”  And we can just imagine that scene!”  We can just imagine all those people following along with him in a huge crowd.

Then one day – again, early on – as the crowds were following, he went up on the side of a mountain, so all the people could see him and hear him, and he gave them what many have said was the greatest sermon of all time.  And I believe that sermon was all about the heart of God.  It was about seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.

So these are among the first recorded words that Jesus spoke.  Before this, we only know that he preached and taught in the synagogues.  But we don’t have his words, other than, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  But I can imagine him saying many of these same things.  I can imagine him even quoting Micah.  “Seek justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God!

As I’ve often said, we live in a world that doesn’t know these things.  In our world, we’ve lived through the “me generation,” we’ve heard people telling us about how we should be “looking out for number one.”  And for many people today, the word “humility” sounds too much like the word “humiliation,” and they want nothing to do with it.  But humility is a huge word for Jesus!  Right before Paul’s words about “Having this mind among you that was in Christ Jesus, he wrote, “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.  Let each of you look, not only to his own interests, but to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)  We live in a world that thinks opposite of that!

And don’t get me wrong!  This is an age old problem.  Jesus had to deal with that in his world, too.  When he was on the way to Jerusalem, to go humbly to his own death, he found his disciples doing what?  He found them arguing among themselves about who was the greatest of them all!

Yes, they had the same problems we have in our world.  But it seems to have gotten worse!  And I think, as people in our world have tried to take God out of our world, they have become even less able to know the heart of God.  And that is a loss that is hard to measure.  Turn on the news and you’ll see example after example.

As “believers,” as “Disciples” of Jesus Christ, I believe we are called to show the heart of God to our world.  We are called “to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.”  And yes, I believe that God wants us to be happy in this life, but even more, he wants us to know what it means to be blessed!  And Jesus told us that day the kind of people that God saw as blessed – the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers.

I don’t mean to say this is easy!  It is not easy, by any means!  Jesus said that here.  The last thing he said was, “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.  For so the prophets were persecuted before you.”  When we strive to be Christ-like, it won’t be easy!  But that is how we are called to live!  We are called to live in a way that shows the heart of God, and we are called to show people that that’s a better way to live!  And this is something I think we need to be reminded of all the time.  And when we do that, when we seek to follow Jesus, when we strive to be like him, we will live a better life, and we will be among those who Jesus calls blessed!

Prayer

Eternal God help us to know your heart.  Help us to live as people who strive to be like Jesus.  Help us to seek justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you.  Help us to show the world your still more excellent way!  For we ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.