It’s said the beatitudes are about attitudes.

Matthew and indeed Luke tell the story of how Jesus leads the disciples out into the hills. Its as if they are going for a breath of fresh air – for a break. It’s a chance to get away from it all and to reflect.

It’s a retreat. It’s also a watershed experience in their spiritual journey.

Yes, the crowds are nearby but the focus is on the disciples. Jesus has something specific to say to them. They have shared in his healing ministry, they have walked many a long road with him, they have listened, they have learned.

Of course their emotions have been tossed about. Perhaps, at times, they have hesitated, doubted if they were doing the right thing.

And when they have sensed the hostility in the establishment, well they may have thought this is all a bit too much to ask, too risky.

Nevertheless, following Jesus has been exciting, an adventure even. They have marvelled at his teaching, been moved by his compassion, astonished at his courage.

And these rivers of emotion have run through their veins, swirling about and carrying them forward they know not where.

But Jesus knows. They have come to this spiritual watershed. Jesus wants to encourage them and at the same time challenge them to continue to grow in understanding and much more.

His Sermon on the Mount then is an encouragement to them and he begins with a series of sayings, a summary of his teaching, the beatitudes.

Jesus is not teaching his disciples about the Kingdom of God: he is opening up their hearts and minds to the idea that they are the Kingdom: the Kingdom is within them: in their character, in their attitudes, in their actions.

Indeed the beatitudes come across like a team talk. Like all good teachers Jesus is at pains to congratulate them and affirm them in their spiritual progress and insight. The word ‘blessed’ is a word of congratulation – we might say ‘well done’. 

‘Well done’ – says Jesus, in these momentous days, as you have found your life turned upside down, you have become poor in spirit.

You have accepted and recognised your dependence upon God. A dependence expressed in prayer, in all humility, in trusting service, in simple words –‘Lord help me.’

Jesus recognises their gentleness of character. Not people with little spirit but people dependent on God.

The attribute Jesus himself showed as he entered Jerusalem on a donkey – ‘Here is your King who comes to you in gentleness.’

So he affirms their unworldly attitude of humility, their response to his invitation ‘to take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and humble-hearted and you will find rest for your souls.’

And he affirms their growing capacity and willingness ‘to mourn.’ It’s not about bereavement.

It’s about what Luther described as ‘ sorrow-bearing’. The attitude that comes alongside in time of trouble or sorrow, that gives all to make things better.

It is a supportive attitude of spirit that is not worn down or embittered by sorrow. It is the attitude of helpfulness.  Jesus is telling them they are to be helpers, bearers of sorrow.

So he says ‘Well done’. Such helpfulness is in striking contrast to the attitudes of the wicked and the self-centred who care only about themselves and couldn’t care less about their neighbour.

Jesus also recognises their genuine aspiration to do what is right. Their hunger and thirst for righteousness is about seeking the mind of God and learning obedience rather than rules. It’s about their willingness to trust in God and being prepared  ‘to do that, which is good’.

‘He has told you what is good’ says the prophet Micah. ‘And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God’.

In the period leading up to this watershed experience the disciples had shared in the Lord’s ministry of healing. Now he affirms in them that most potent and precious healing instrument – mercy.

He is talking about that attitude of mercy that gives ‘the benefit of the doubt’ or a ‘second chance’.

He affirms their desire to see the best in people, to encourage the downcast, to help the fallen get back on their feet.

‘Well done’ says Jesus, for ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

Such a merciful attitude is in sharp contrast to the merciless oppressor described in the book of Job, who ‘gave no water to the weary, who withheld food from the hungry, who sent the widows away empty handed, who said ‘What does God know?”

Then Jesus encourages their aspiration to be pure in heart. 

It’s a term not restricted to moral purity. It’s more than that. Jesus encourages them to aspire to a purity of soul, an inner integrity from which right conduct comes.

‘Well done’ – says Jesus, hold fast to the vision of purity, to the determination to do the right thing for ‘who may ascend to the hill of the Lord? He who has clean hands and a pure heart who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.’

This purity is the backbone of Christian living. It’s a purity of intent that seeks ‘to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.’

Finally Jesus encourages them to be peacemakers. It’s not enough to be peace lovers of the kind who say, “For peace sake do nothing”. No, they are to be peacemakers.

‘Well done’ says Jesus. You are learning to be peacemakers; you are my partners in the world seeking justice for all, working to establish wholesome virtues in society – decent values and fair play.

It is a costly service for being a peacemaker is never a soft option. It’s about facing issues and the grim realities of life. 

Jeremiah had a stern word for those who cop-out of peace making; who cop out of doing the right thing; who fudge the issue and allow injustice and corruption to fester.

He observed that ‘All high and low are out for ill-gotten gains; prophets and priests are frauds; every one of them. They dress my people’s wounds, but skin deep only with their saying: ‘All is well’. All is well? Nothing is well’

So Jesus encourages the disciples to grasp the nettles of peacemaking.

‘Well done’: continue to do good, seek peace and pursue it at all costs.

Of course when they eventually came down from that hillside and faced all the issues and the realities of their daily lives, they made mistakes: the lofty visions became blurred, the good intent faded and the firm resolve weakened.

Sometimes they expressed their faith with facile enthusiasm and, as in Peter’s case, found themselves humiliated when it came to the crunch of confessing allegiance to Jesus.

And the doubts returned, fear overwhelmed them and for the sake of a few bob, as we would say, one of them betrayed His Lord.

Following Christ is a continuing and at times bitter learning experience. 

And from a worldly point of view as we look at their incompetence and failures we may well wonder how Jesus could have been so confident and reassuring about their destiny as channels of grace in the world.

Nevertheless the emphasis in the beatitudes is the certainty that their discipleship will not be in vain – notwithstanding all their human weaknesses and perversity.

Christ Risen inspires us still to be the Kingdom; to be the Kingdom in all gentleness; to be the Kingdom in all compassion; to be the Kingdom in all integrity and in our determination to see right prevail.

 ‘Well done’ –  ‘I am with you, I am your strength and I will help you’: be the Kingdom in yourself – in your character and in your actions. 

 

The writer Christopher Lee observed the other day that Remembrance Sunday should be an opportunity to reflect on our frailties and to stir ourselves to “all good works”, to be peacemakers in the broadest sense, healers, bridge builders, reconcilers.

He said: “It’s not cool to tell your children about old values. I think it’s time more of us did.”

Old values. Traditional values. God’s values. The values expressed in the beatitudes.

Are they cool? Whatever that means they are here and now and our guiding light, the stuff of our hope of a better world.

Living them out in faith and expressing them in our way of life and in our attitudes is the best way to remember and honour the sacrifice of those whose lives have been taken defending us from the tyranny of evil.

Jesus encourages us to live in this hope.

The hope that looks for good in people, that says ‘well done’, that affirms what is right.

The hope that opens doors where despair closes them.

The hope that lights a candle instead of cursing the darkness.

Amen