Matthew 5:1-20
Preached at Bethel College Mennonite Church, September 14, 2025
“It’s Not What You Think”

Once upon a time, there was a mighty civilization, a world power known for its wealth and military might. They operated with an economic system that allowed the rich to maintain and grow their wealth on the backs of the poor. They created a political system that provided the elite with unchecked power and elicited patriotism–through manipulation and coercion–demanding obedience from its citizens.

This civilization operated with a strict hierarchy with wealthy male citizens decidedly at the top and “manly” characteristics of toughness and strength prized above all else. In this society, religion was not about having a relationship with God and God’s people; it was about saying the right religious words in the right context so you would be seen as a properly religious person.

I am, of course, talking about ancient Rome. Maybe you had another empire in mind?

But this is how Rome operated, and this is the context the people are living in when Jesus gives this sermon: blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek . . .

Jesus, like prophets before and after him, was proclaiming the way of God over and against the way of empire. We should note here that he wasn’t speaking to the powers of empire, but to the people of God who were being both oppressed by and co-opted by empire.

I imagine it was tricky for Jews in the first Century in much the same way it is tricky for people of faith today. God’s teachings of love, justice, compassion, peace, and radical hospitality were not valued–and in some cases not even tolerated–by the broader society. It is difficult to live in this kind of opposition to the dominant values all around you–it’s exhausting.

Which makes it really tempting to listen to the religious apologists for empire–and there are always religious apologists–who insist that God’s realm and the Empire can co-exist–that we are actually serving God when we serve Empire. God wants us to fight to be “winners.” God wants particular political outcomes and whatever we need to do to get there is justified. God is on the side of the successful and powerful. You can have your religious cake and eat your imperial pie too.

With so many competing and false messages coming at us, it’s easy to get lost, to get turned around. We begin to question which path is which.
Empire–the Roman one and the American one–it turns out, is really good at gaslighting people–at making us think that their lies are the truth.

All of the people who hear Jesus’ first sermon are living in this confusing political and theological landscape. They are Jews struggling to be faithful to God in the midst of empire.

To these people, Jesus says: It’s not what you think. It’s not how they are telling you it is.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
Now in Luke’s version of the sermon, Jesus just says “poor,” which is probably an even more controversial statement. But whether it is just “poor” or “poor in spirit,” poverty is not something that empire values in any realm. It is the aristocratic elite that are prized and held up as examples. The rich are rewarded by getting richer.

“Blessed are those who mourn,” says Jesus, in a society in which you weren’t supposed to have–or at least not show–any feelings. You weren’t supposed to mourn. You also weren’t supposed to dance or kiss your spouse in public or do anything that showed individuality, liveliness.

“Blessed are the meek.” In a recent speech in UK, Elon Musk, addressing the issue of immigration, insisted that you either fight back or you die. This was a common sentiment in ancient Rome just like it is today. The meek get run over. Jesus, though, says that they are blessed.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” This is part of what got Jesus killed. This teaching is dangerous to empire, because empire relies on people’s hunger for their daily bread, their hunger for satisfying their own needs, and when people start to hunger for goodness and justice in the world beyond them, that is the end of their obedience to empire.

“Blessed are the merciful,” says Jesus. There’s conversation in certain segments of the Christian world right now about the “sin of empathy;” about how terrible it is to enter into the suffering of another person because it makes us weak. And Christians have to hold strong on “the way God wants things to be” and when we try to understand other people too much it takes us off of the path. Right? “The sin of empathy.” Empire requires strict divisions of us/them; empathy crushes those divisions and empire falls. Mercy makes the imperial project impossible.

Jesus says, “blessed are the pure in heart.” Today I think we hear that and we focus on the word pure. But for Jesus’ original congregation, I think it’s the word heart that would have stuck in their ear. They knew all about purity–one had to maintain external purity to be able to enter the temple. Purity of body is something those in power can seek to control–or at least monitor. Purity of heart is outside the realm of imperial surveillance and control.

“Blessed are the peacemakers.” We, as Mennonites, know how offensive this is to empire. We are doing a conscientious objection class this month and learning about some of the ways that people suffered for refusing to participate in the violence that empire demands. The Roman Empire lived and breathed warfare.

I know, says Jesus, that empire has a good propaganda machine. That they make it seem like their way is the right way, maybe the only way–or at least the most comfortable way–to be in the world. I know that empire has given you this picture of blessedness, of happiness, of success through loyalty to to them. But I’m here to tell you that they are lying. It’s not the stoic who is blessed, but those who let their hearts be broken; not the powerful, but the meek; not the soldier, but the servant.

While it might look like the ones who go along with empire receive all the blessings, it’s not what you think, Jesus tells them. True blessedness comes to those who live within God’s reign, not Caesar’s.

For people struggling to follow God’s way in a hostile world, The Beatitudes counter that temptation to go along with empire.

There’s another temptation we face, which is to retreat. To flee from empire. To isolate ourselves. To form and live within a community that reflects our beliefs and let everyone else fend for themselves. Anabaptists have a long history of this type of isolationist leaning. In many ways, it seems better than accommodating to empire.

And yet, Jesus doesn’t end his sermon with The Beatitudes, but goes on to say: You are salt for the earth. You are light for the world.

It’s not enough to reject empire. We are called to change it. Not through force or violence, but through our salty and enlightening participation in this broken world. Salt does not enhance the taste of food it doesn’t touch. The light is not helpful if it’s under a bushel. (In fact, I’m pretty sure that it becomes a fire hazard.)

Jesus doesn’t want us to live perfect lives in isolation, but messy lives in community. He doesn’t want us to reject empire, but to transform it.

I’m going to be honest, that feels like an impossible and overwhelming task. And so I want to share with you the one word in the midst of all of these words that Jesus spoke, that is giving me a little bit of breathing space these days: ARE.

Blessed are . . . These beatitudes are not requirements, not commandments, not extra work. Jesus isn’t telling them what they should be doing. Jesus is stating how they are living as God’s people in the world and pointing out to them that despite what empire says and tries to make reality, these people of God are actually blessed. In the face of all the opposition, difficulty, confusion, we are blessed when we live out God’s gentleness, peace, and openness.

Blessed are . . .

And you are salt for the earth. And you are light for the world.

Jesus is not telling us to go be salt and light. He is saying we already are. Yes, we can lose our saltiness or we can hide our light. But it is in our God-given nature to enliven and enlighten the world.

Once upon a time, there were people trying to follow the life-giving way of God in the face of the destructive ways of empire. And once upon a time, God came to earth in the vulnerable person of Jesus to teach and guide and bless us.

That once-upon-a-time bears a striking resemblance to our current day and time. And thanks be to God that we still have the words of Jesus to teach us. We still have the Holy Spirit to guide us. We still are invited to live within the blessing of our Creator. Thanks be to God.

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Benediction:

You who are poor in spirit and pure of heart
You who mourn and you who make peace
You who are meek and merciful
You who hunger and thirst for righteousness–
You are blessed.
May you know this blessedness down to your bones.
May you go forth now, in all of your blessedness,
To be light
And to be salty.
Amen