Aldersgate United Methodist Church

Sunday, February 1, 2026

“Blessed…How So?”

Pastor Sue McNicol

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12 - The Message Bible

 ^1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

³ “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

⁴ You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

⁵ You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

⁶ You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

⁷ You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

⁸ You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

⁹ You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

¹⁰ You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

^11-12 Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”

I specifically asked (our liturgist) to share with us this more contemporary interpretation of Matthews gospel on The Beatitudes this morning, because sometimes I need to visit familiar scripture and teachings with fresh ears…to rattle my theological perspective and awaken my spirit. We are accustomed to hearing these verses stated as…”blessed are those (who hunger)”…or…”blessed are the (poor in spirit)”… but today we heard “you are blessed when”…YOU (not those other folks…YOU). There’s a sense of intimacy in this sermon Jesus delivers from a hill in northern Israel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. His teaching focuses on a deep trust in God’s grace - abundant, life-giving grace. Repeatedly, we hear “God is there” (with us) – when we’re at the end of our rope, when we’re mourning, when we’re hungry, when we’re persecuted…God is there, offering blessing. And because of this deep trust and connection with God, we can dare to be “meek” (which doesn’t mean, non-responsive), but rather nonviolent, we can dare to be peacemakers and endure persecution.

The Beatitudes are at the core of Jesus’ teaching on how we might trust in God’s grace to bring blessing and hope out of what appears, to the world’s eyes, to be vulnerability, bleakness and tragedy. In this trust, we live lives that are radically peaceful and brave, serving for the sake of restoration. It’s important to note the blessing comes not out of the circumstance, but rather God’s presence at the center of it all. Jesus is not saying it’s better to mourn than be happy, he’s saying God is with us in our mourning. So often we hear messages from the pulpit (and beyond) which suggest God’s grace works like a punishment and reward economy. Not so. This type of retribution theology is based on fear, not spiritual wisdom. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, spoke of how our separation from God’s grace, (our rejection of God’s love for us) is what leads to our separation from God’s salvation. The spirituality of the beatitudes is one of unwavering trust in grace. And promise of constant relationship with God, no matter what!

One of the places I feel fortunate to see this grace in action is at the annual Walk to Emmaus retreats held in my hometown of Helena (and across the world, for that matter). Walk to Emmaus is an ecumenical program designed for Christians seeking to deepen their faith and live out Christian action in their homes, churches and communities. The three-day retreat is a once in a lifetime experience

for an attendee (we call them pilgrims), with opportunities to return in future years and serve on the team for retreats. Many folks in our churches (here at Aldersgate UMC and at Grace UMC in Dillon) have attended a Walk to Emmaus retreat. If this is something you wish to learn more about, please contact me, and I will give you more information and connect you with someone in our church who is connected with the Emmaus community. The men’s and women’s retreats take place in late February and mid-March so now it the time to get signed up if you’re interested in attending this year. Words cannot describe the impact Walk to Emmaus has had on my life since I attended my retreat in 1987. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to deepen one’s faith and grow through connections with other laity and clergy. Spiritual growth and relationship are at the heart of our scripture message today.

So too is another imperative message…our revised common lectionary for this 4th Sunday after the Epiphany includes another powerful directive from the prophet Micah. Listen to Micah 6:6-8:

⁶ “With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
    and to walk humbly with your God?  

Let’s explore that last verse piece by piece:
     To walk humbly with God is not just to “believe in” God, but to seek God’s presence in others and in all Creation; to actively open ourselves to God; to listen for God’s Word in our lives; and to follow that guidance, trusting God’s grace above our own willfulness. When do I most resist God? When I know I’m right, of course!  Overcoming that struggle to be right, all on my own, and instead inviting God into the situation for support and direction…that is true humility, and it’s a tough one to welcome at times.
     To be kind is the heart of all biblical teaching. To walk humbly with God is that part of our faith that’s “between us and God.” But faith also involves relationships with others. Kindness as people of faith is about extending goodness to all, not just those who we find easy to share goodness with. Kindness for all is true faith. Where might we place boundaries around our offering of kindness? When is it hardest to extend kindness?
     To do justice is not just about individual relationships; it’s the work of reforming the structures of society. It’s about how we live with one another.  For God, justice means everyone gets what they need. To do justice is to work against structures of privilege and exclusion. This is not about a political tug-of-war or partisan agenda, it’s the constant tug in all societies, cultures and factions between what are human devised principles and God’s divine principles. As Christians, are we a people of clenched fists or open arms? This past week, our United Methodist Council of Bishops have been sharing pastoral messages with members of our faith. I’ve printed copies of our Bishop Kristin Stoneking’s letter and they’re available at the back table. Here’s just a piece of her message as it relates to Micah 6:8 – she writes: “I entreat you to keep the words of scripture foremost: to speak the truth in love and act for justice always, but especially now. Violence is not our way and betrays once again the invitation to new life that Christ has offered us.”

Sadly, I have started a new sermon-writing practice, one where I’m hesitant to formally craft a message more than a day in advance of standing in the pulpit. I find myself thinking, what if the climate of our world shifts dramatically overnight, what if disaster strikes, or a painful, senseless tragedy occurs again? What if my words feel hollow or my message is too light-hearted for the mood of the moment. What if? What if? I hear my own sense of caution and my need to maintain control creeps in and…in that moment realize, it’s imperative, now more than ever, to return to the teachings, return to scripture foremost, as we have been discussing.

^{Matthew 5:4} You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

Allowing God’s embrace is sometimes the hardest thing. If God’s embrace feels too far from reach, the “what if’s” gain even more power. Let’s turn the “what if’s” on their head and begin again, as Jesus taught on the Mount…start asking “I’m blessed? (we’re blessed?)…how so?” Am I blessed with a community of friends and helpers willing to give of themselves for others? Am I blessed to feel connected to God even when the world is unraveling? We should consider the context of the beatitudes from the perspective of the first century and appreciate the theological muscle contained in them. “Blessed are those who mourn” is much larger than sadness the accompanies the loss of a loved one. Matthew was speaking to the mourning of the faithful who acknowledged the current condition of the world is far from God’s purpose. We are blessed in deep spiritual connection when we understand the expansiveness of this message and enter into God’s call to be grace in our world.  The short and sweet summation of today’s message is this – Jesus is teaching others how to BE God’s people. Are we God’s people? Blessed are you who are gentle, for God’s gentleness enfolds you. Blessed are you! Amen.