Dear Friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The great Swiss Roman Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote, “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” All our lives start somewhere.  Some are born with opportunities all around them.  Others are born into a world where the opportunities are scarce.  We are each endowed with certain gifts. Some receive more, and some less.  But the best part of your and every human story isn’t about what you were, or what you have collected or acquired, but the best part of you is what you have become.  “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.

I am not sure that Jesus twelve disciples understood what that meant when they were chosen.  No doubt they thought it was all about them.  We read in St. Luke’s gospel, “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”

We don’t know much about the twelve from scripture beyond their names. We do know that first four were fishermen. Andrew, Peter James and John. Thomas was said to be a twin, but we never read whether it was a brother or sister. Matthew worked as a tax collector for the Roman government.  He was so wealthy that he invited Jesus to his home and threw a reception for his colleagues. Who knows, Matthew’s wealth may have helped fund Jesus’ ministry.  On the other end of the political spectrum was Simon the Zealot.  He was actively opposed to everything that Matthew represented.  And then there was Judas, who served as the treasurer for Jesus’ band of Twelve, the one who betrayed Jesus.  He was known as a thief.

These twelve disciples had very little in common, politically, socially, economically. They were certainly not of one mind. Sometimes they were mercilessly intolerant of each other’s views and opinions.  But for some odd, divine reason, Jesus called them together to be his merry, little band… to become Christlike. Surprisingly, and indeed miraculously, Jesus drew them together to become a movement that would turn the world upside down.  He knew who they were and what they could become.

My friends, “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” Jesus is not inviting you simply to follow him, and to call yourself Christian.  No, God is far more interested in what you will become.  This morning, I would like us the meditate on three convictions drawn from Jesus’s Sermon and the Plain and the Beatitudes. 1) Jesus knows what you are to become, so he is inviting you to reset your priorities and values, 2) Jesus knows what you are to become, so be prepared to change, 1n 3) You have a choice to build wisely or poorly.

You may be surprised to discover that the words of the Beatitudes actually occur twice in the Bible.  The more familiar version is the one found in St. Matthew’s Gospel.  It is the opening proclamation of good news on the Sermon on Mount.  There are no words of woe in that version.  The second version, which we had read today in St. Luke’s Gospel, includes the words of woes.  It is the opening portion of the Sermon in the Plain or the Sermon on the Level Ground. In both sermons, and both gospels, Jesus concludes with the parable of the two men who built their houses upon the sand and rock.

The word blessed is a noble greeting.  It is a word of grace for you, and means happy and contented are they.  It is God’s gift to you in times of joy and marks your identity as a child of God. “Blessed are those who are poor, blessed are those who are hungry now, blessed are those who weep now, and blessed are you when people hate you.  Rejoice in the day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven.”

The late American poet Maya Angelou wrote simply and eloquently of the blessing which comes from her Christian faith.

When I say … “I am a Christian” I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin.”

I’m whispering “I was lost, Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say … “I am a Christian” I don’t speak of this with pride.

I’m confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say … “I am a Christian” I’m not trying to be strong.

I’m professing that I’m weak And need His strength to carry on.

When I say … “I am a Christian”  I’m not bragging of success.

I’m admitting I have failed And need God to clean my mess.

When I say … “I am a Christian” I’m not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible  But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say … “I am a Christian” I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches So I call upon His name.

When I say … “I am a Christian” I’m not holier than thou,

I’m just a simple sinner Who received God’s good grace, somehow.

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you will become is your gift to God.”  Jesus knows what you are to become, so be prepared to change.  Jesus loves you just as you are.  Jesus is your savior, but if he let’s you stay where you are, from what has he truly saved you?  That is what the “woes” in St. Luke’s gospel refer to. “But woe to you who are rich, woe to you who are full now, woe to you who are laughing now, woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”

Now, you may be wondering why Jesus needs to include both the woes with the blessings?  I think it has to do with making choices in life and how we treat our neighbors. Jesus taught his disciples that where ever there is disparity and injustice in this world, they should work for equality and justice. Jesus’ strong words cannot be glossed over.  There are blessings and there are woes in this world and in the world to come.  That is both our warning and our hope, and like those first twelve disciples, Jesus desires that you and I work for his Kingdom so that no one is left hungry or mourning or poor or disregarded at the very same time that others are those in this world who are abundantly well-fed, rich, laughing, and respected.  Jesus knows what you and are to become. We are to become a part of the great Christlike movement of disciples that turned the world upside down. So be prepared to be changed.

The late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu struggled with the Beatitudes and beautifully captured this sentiment in his Children’s Bible. He chose not to use the word woe, but instead focused on what happens when God’s faithful people truly put aside their differences and biases and work for a better world for all.  He wrote.

One day, Jesus told his followers about God’s dream of a world where all the children of God are loved and cared for, and no is left out.

Blessed are you who feed the poor, for you are the hands of God.

Blessed are you who comfort the sad, for you are the arms of God.

Blessed are you who work for peace, for you are the voice of God.

Blessed are you who are loving and kind, for you are the heart of God.

God knows what you are to become.

Finally, you have a choice as a disciple to build wisely or poorly. The wise man in Jesus’ parable at the end of both sets of beatitudes knew how to build a house.  He knew that a house built even on a rock, must be built solid with good materials to withstand the elements. “The rains fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house.”  The solid foundation did not spare him from these storms. There are, of course, occasions in life when the signs of disaster are clear, and where peril is expected. You and I have learned to live with life’s little, unscheduled trials. And so we ready ourselves for these occasions.  There are no shortcuts. You need to build with good materials and time.  You need to plant yourself as God’s ancient people beside the streams of God’s word and teaching.

Unfortunately, many people today choose to build a house easily and quickly on anything but a solid foundation. They see no need to select building materials that will take time and energy. Many marriages are set up on sand. They have been built upon a weak foundation of dreams. Many families dwell in houses built with no foundation at all. Mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, fail to devote time to the care and nurture of their families. The promises of such houses are weak and short lived.  And when they fall, it is a great fall.  The wise, however, live with a different perspective. They do not know what tomorrow will bring, whether it will be laughter or tears, but they trust that the solid foundation of Christ’s love and mercy will support them.  In the midst of sorrow and pain, they can rejoice and be glad.

My friends, “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.”   Choose to live wisely on the foundation’s love and mercy.  God knows what you can become. Then let the world know that we are Christians by our words and our deeds and our love let us dare to work together to be God’s hands and arms and voice and heart in this world. Amen.

May the peace God which passes all understanding keep you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.