Brian's Sermons

... for they will receive mercy. Matthew 5:8 One of my favorite movies is the Lord of the Rings – well, as a trilogy, it’s technically three of my favorite movies, but that’s beside the point. In this movie, two Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, have a dangerous task – to take an evil, magical ring of power deep into enemy territory to destroy it. While they are on their way, Gollum, the creature who formerly owned the Ring, attacks them and tries to kill them. When they finally overpower him, Sam wants to kill him. Frodo won’t let him. Instead, Frodo shows mercy. As it turned out, Gollum led Frodo and Sam to their destination. He did not show them mercy – this was his way to later try to steal the Ring for himself. But his actions eventually helped destroy the Ring and seal victory for good over evil. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Showing mercy is counter-cultural. Instead of going for the jugular, mercy gives second chances. This beatitude walks hand-in-hand w...

...for they will be filled. Matthew 5:7 Have you ever been hungry? I mean really, really hungry, where your stomach won’t leave you alone. I have participated in the Thirty Hour Famine several times – it’s an event that World Vision does to raise awareness and funds for world hunger. Part of the event is going without food for (you guessed it) thirty hours. One year when we were doing it, we took a group of homeless kids to Cosi Museum in Columbus. Each of the homeless kids was given some money to spent, and I remember one of them bought pizza… and made one of our kids, who was fasting, hold the pizza and carry it around all afternoon. If you’ve gone without food for a significant amount of time, you know what it’s like to be hungry. But what about when you are hungry for something specific, and nothing else will do? There are times when I have a few of that kind of cravings – El Famous Burrito is one such craving, and there’s a Thai restaurant in Lima I really like. I remember ...

...for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 What do you think of when you hear the word "meek?" A mouse? I’ve found that it’s not an extremely positive word – people generally don’t want to be described as meek. It seems to carry the connotation of being weak or being a push-over. The Greek word pra-os that has been translated "meek" or "humble" or "gentle" is also used to describe a soothing medicine, is used by sailors to describe a gentle breeze, and is used by farmers to describe a broken colt. What do these have in common? They all describe something with great power, held under control. So can we work with a definition of meek as strength under control? Think about this: superheroes always had their alter-egos: Superman had Clark Kent, Spiderman was Peter Parker. Both Clark Kent and Peter Parker were known for being nerdy. They held their super strength under control. These are good examples of meekness. Why would anyone want to hold th...

...for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:1-12 Mourn = to feel or express sorrow; lament; grieve; to grieve for someone who has died Last week we heard that God blesses the poor in spirit – those who are at the end of their rope and realize their need for God. While it doesn’t feel much like a blessing while you’re at the end of your rope, being in complete trust in God is the best place you can be in. Today we hear that God blesses those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Any of us who has lost a loved one knows what it feels like to mourn. How is that a blessing? And though most of us have been comforted from that loss, is the benefit we get from the comfort actually worth the loss? Let’s look at it from a cost/benefit point of view: when we buy something, whether we think about it consciously or not, we’re always making a judgment about something’s worth. Is it worth what I’m paying? Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances; we all complain about gas prices, but they haven...