Prayer: Lord, help us to believe that in You, for Jesus’ sake, we are blesséd. And strengthen our faith so that we believe that although here we are sinners, because our sins are taken away, we are saints, citizens of heaven. Amen.

Dear saints, Blessed are you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

There are two words here that we need to learn.

First, saint. People confuse that word. They see a long-suffering wife and say “she’s such a saint.” Or someone praises you and you say, “I’m no saint.” This is the idea that a saint has to be someone who’s super-holy by their deeds. But you can’t tell someone’s a saint by seeing what they do or how they talk. What we do should show our faith, but it’ll always be imperfect.

Let’s be clear: A person is holy in God’s sight by faith in Jesus. That’s the only holiness that counts, that actually is holiness. Only Jesus’ righteousness is good enough. A person is a saint by faith in Jesus.

We’re a communion of saints, not because we are so holy in ourselves; we come to be made holy –cleansed – by being forgiven. “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Being a saint, holy in God’s sight, is not something done by us but received by us. I can address all of us as saints. The people in heaven are saints, not because they had no sins but because their sins were taken away!

This brings us to the second word: since you have your sins washed away in baptism, and forgiven in absolution and the Lord’s Supper, your sins don’t count against you. Because of that, what are you? Blesséd. Our second word.

It’s what we hear Jesus say over and over in these verses. It’s what He says to all whose sins He takes away: “Blessed are … you!” These Blessed’s that Jesus says, we need to know that He’s saying: “Blessed are you.” We’re tempted to think we aren’t blesséd.

This actually comes from Satan. He brought sin into the world through his tempting of Adam and Eve and their fall into sin. What came with the Fall was the curse, which is the opposite of a blessing. Satan brought the curse into the world. So we’re tempted to think that we’re cursed – but we might say it this way, “My life stinks” – thinking our lives aren’t blessed, we’re not blessed. This happens as we look at our struggles and troubles.

But these are the results of sin, by sin being in the world. We think: Take away the struggles, remove this stress or trouble, then I’ll be blesséd, then I’ll be happy. We’re tempted to think that “Blesséd are you,” isn’t true as we look at life.

It can sound here to us like Jesus is saying you’re blesséd if these things are true of you. Because of our sinful nature we hear these things as “if … then” statements.

For instance, when Jesus says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” we hear Him saying: “If you are poor enough in spirit – spiritual enough, you seek God and put Him first – then heaven will be yours.”

When He says: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” we hear Him saying: “If you are ‘the meek’ – gentle enough when your patience is tested – then you will ‘inherit the earth,’ being blessed on earth and in heaven.”

And when He says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled,” we hear Him saying: “If you’re hungry enough for God’s gifts, and show it, if you do that well, then you’ll be filled.”

And so on. See how that works? We naturally hear these as “if-then” statements, where the promise that we are blesséd is only true if we hold up our end. We’re hearing them as Law. We see ourselves not hungering enough for righteousness; not bearing it in meekness when people test us or when sickness comes; not mourning and grieving in hope; not being peacemakers or treating others with mercy; not being steadfast when persecution comes.

So we doubt that Jesus can be saying His “Blessed are” to the likes of us. The Law always accuses.

But Jesus isn’t saying you get the blesséd life of a saint in heaven if you do these things. He’s saying you get it despite doing these things. That’s right: even if you’re the very best at it, it would still condemn you since we don’t do it perfectly. Based on how we do these things, we can’t be the recipient! What He describes, we aren’t like that, we don’t know anyone like that. Yes, we do:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” – Then He said to them, “My soul is over-whelmed with sorrow, even to death.” (Mt 26:38)

“Blessed are those who mourn.” – Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. (Lk 19:41)

“Blessed are the meek.” – He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. (Isa 53:7)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” – After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” (Jn 19:28)

“Blessed are the merciful.” – Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Lk 23:34)

“Blessed are the pure in heart.” – Pilate said to them, “… I find no fault in Him.” (Jn 19:4)

“Blessed are the peacemakers.” – One of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” And He touched his ear and healed him. (Mt 26:52, Lk 22:50, 51)

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” – “We deserve the due reward for our deeds, but this Man has done nothing wrong.” (Lk 23:44)

This is the Gospel. This is how Jesus’ words “Blessed are they,” can be true: how someone can be considered poor in spirit, meek, merciful, etc. The answer, first, is that Jesus Himself came down from heaven to do it. He did all of this perfectly. He left nothing undone. He did it to count for you. He gives His perfect righteous standing before the Father to you. It’s for Jesus’ sake, by faith, that God pronounces you “blesséd” in His sight.

But how is this given to each person? How does it become yours? It’s spoken. It’s spoken. Well, just because it’s spoken, is it true? Can the words, “Blessed are,” wipe out all the sins and everything that’s lacking or wrong?

Yes! Notice, these are promises, all the parts with the word “shall”: “They shall be comforted … They shall inherit the earth … They shall be filled … They shall obtain mercy … They shall see God … They shall be called sons of God.” This is promise language. It’s Gospel: “the Gospel is the power of God.” the Gospel is efficacious, the Word is powerful, to create this reality in you.

In the beginning of the world, “He spoke and it was done.” It’s still the same. He speaks – “Blesséd are you” – and it is done. The reason this speaking has such power is this: Jesus puts the blood He shed into the words, and “in the flood of Jesus’ blood [we] are cleansed from guilt and blame.”

Learn to listen for this speaking of Jesus. “Blesséd are,” is the Gospel. It’s been spoken this way from the time Noah came out of the ark, and it was said to his son Shem, the ancestor of the Savior. It was said to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, and all through the history of God’s church. “Blessed are …” is spoken to you in baptism, in absolution, and in the Lord’s Supper. It’s the blessing of Christ. The forgiveness of your sins. Which brings you to heaven.

We know that it will be blesséd in heaven. We know the people there – who now include our friend Richard – have a blessedness and happiness that is perfect and complete, and nothing is lacking for them.

But are we blesséd here too? Loved ones who struggled with cancer or had prolonged illness at the end, was their life blesséd in the midst of their pain? What about the Lord’s brother James, when his skull was being crushed? What about the other apostles and all the martyrs who were killed by lions, flames, cross, sword, or after prolonged torture? Was their life blesséd?

What of the saints who don’t shed their blood? Many saints bleed on the inside. What about those who have no one to talk to? The person afflicted with depression? Or family members who bear the burden too? What about parents who have had children – or their children’s innocence — taken from them? What about the abused, who have so much stolen from them, along with their ability to trust? What of all the pastors and Christians who see their church ravaged by false doctrine or destroyed through unnecessary arguing?

Is this life blesséd as “we feebly struggle” and have so many “troubled days” when we “in anguish weep and sigh?” Yes. Jesus does not say, “Blesséd are” to the people in heaven. They don’t need Him to say it or bring it about. They already have it. The only way to have that blessedness in heaven is to first have it here on earth. The way you have it is: It’s spoken to you. You have it by faith, which is only created and preserved by the speaking of His Word.

We pay attention to what Jesus says “is” and what Jesus says “shall be.” You hear in the midst of the troubles and struggles on earth that yours “is the kingdom of heaven.” You hear in the midst of your hurts that you “shall be comforted.” You hear in the midst of your losses that you “shall be filled.” You hear in the midst of your sin and guilt, you “shall obtain mercy.” And then He says: “Great is your reward in heaven.”

Jesus’ words answer our doubt: “Blessed are you.” Do you struggle to believe it? You just need to hear it more. Not your feelings, but the Gospel defines your blessedness. It’s not by our strength, but by His grace!

Finally, knowing your blessedness is purely by His grace and doing, Jesus’ Blessed’s encourage you. This is how He strengthens you to do His will more and more. You don’t live under the pressure of being under the Law, to achieve something; you’re encouraged to live in the Law. So in all these things Jesus names – being meek and gentle, being merciful, making peace – you now do this not to earn blessedness but because you’ve received it.

So Christians are to grow in these things. Martin Luther says our status as saints comes first by faith; but secondly it comes by works of love. If mercy and gentleness, making peace, purity in heart and grieving with hope are going to be in the world, it’ll be by Christians leading the way, doing it more. Not as a competition or to put on a show, but because we are sure, in Christ, this is who we are. His saints! Who are blesséd – and fearless. Amen!