The Pursuit of Happiness
(Luke 6: 20-31)
Many people if asked where the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is found would say in the Constitution of the United States, and they would be wrong. It’s in the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration, written in 1776, states: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” It establishes these rights as the fundamental basis for government, which is created to secure them. And it’s the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1868, that states “no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law” which makes it a legally binding protection to any person in the United States. There are no disqualifiers, it says “any person”. The Founders saw the Declaration and the Constitution as a unified system: the Declaration stated the principles, and the Constitution provided the detailed structure to implement and protect those principles.
And, if you’ve been paying any attention to what’s been going on in the United States for the past nine months it’s not hard to see that who is or who is not entitled to these constitutional rights has now become a focal point of much controversy. They don’t seem to understand that all means exactly what it means: all, no more no less. There are no exclusions, qualifiers, or disqualifiers. And if that’s not bad enough, we have a new breed of slick talking hucksters, false teachers, who are trying to put their own spin on the teachings and words of Jesus Christ. Jesus is too woke for them and his plain and simple teachings do not fit into their narrative of the prosperity gospel, having untold wealth and wanting more, and callously laughing at those who are struggling to get by, buried under crushing debt and going without in the land of plenty. And that’s what Jesus was telling his disciples in the sixth chapter of Luke’s gospel, that the day of happiness is coming for the true believers and the day of reckoning is coming for their oppressors.
Jesus’ popularity is increasing as more and more people gravitate to his teachings, teachings that resonate with the disenfranchised and marginalized, and speak truth to power. In the verses preceding our reading for this morning we are told that Jesus had just come down from a mountain where he was met by his disciples and a huge crowd from all around Judea, Jerusalem, and the area around Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed from their diseases and those bothered by unclean spirits were healed. The whole crowd, we’re told, wanted to touch him, because power was going out from him and he was healing everyone, no questions asked, and no strings attached.
Jesus recognizes that he has a huge crowd of people present and that many of them are suffering in one way or another. They’ve been marginalized and devalued and are looking for words of hope and assurance. Luke tells us that Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said: Happy are you who are poor, because God’s kingdom is yours. Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One. Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets. For many in the crowd I have no doubt that they were coming to seek immediate relief as they had been pushed to the point of despair and were willing to travel great distances to hear words of hope from someone who might be able to do something. What did they have to lose? And Jesus did grant relief to many who were suffering from physical and mental ailments and needed immediate relief, plus the healings showed that he had God’s power and was not just another charlatan. I think that what Jesus was saying to the crowd was that he acknowledged their poverty and lack of the necessities but to have hope in the fact that one day the kingdom of God, a kingdom that meant something, would be theirs. When he spoke about the hungry I believe he was talking about those who hungered for justice, due process, and that because they were created equal in the eyes of their creator that they would be endowed with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He acknowledges that there are those who weep now but he promises one day they will be overjoyed at their inheritance and will laugh a joyous laughter. And he tells them that being one of his followers will come at a cost because they will be hated and vilified by those in power, those who want to keep what they have for themselves. Their persecutors know they are on the wrong side of history, and it infuriates them, so they lash out.
And then, just in case there is anyone in the crowd who has not come to hear the words of hope, Jesus says: But how terrible for you who are rich, because you have already received your comfort. How terrible for you who have plenty now, because you will be hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep. How terrible for you when all speak well of you. Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets. Yeah, he’s firing a warning shot across their bow. He’s pointing out how short-sighted they are as they have put all of their hope into creature comforts at the expense of others. He’s essentially telling them to enjoy it while it lasts because their day is coming and it will not be pleasant. I have no doubt that many of the marginalized and downtrodden in the huge crowd were pleased to hear that these folks would soon get their comeuppance, hoping they would be alive to see it for themselves.
Knowing what many in the crowd are thinking Jesus gives them an admonishment on how to act in the meantime. He says: But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you. For many, then and now, that would be a bitter pill to swallow. He’s asking them to be kind to those who have gone out of their way to make their lives miserable, those who haven’t even lifted one finger to ease their suffering. He tells them that if someone slaps your cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks and do not demand your things back from those who take them. You can just hear the quiet rumblings and grumblings in the crowd. It’s as if those in power were stripping them of their food assistance, healthcare, and retirement benefits all so the rich could get richer.
In a nation where riches were seen as a sign of God’s favor, Jesus startled his hearers by pronouncing blessings on the poor and disenfranchised. This was nothing new as there were several references in the Old Testament where God, through his prophets, expressed his love and compassion for the poor, a message had since been lost on them. So here the four blessings and the four woes of which Jesus speaks reflect a divine value system in which the privileged no longer exploit their privileges for their own benefit but instead share their privileges with those without privilege; and in which those without privilege become blessed. I think it’s safe to say that we aren’t quite there yet, but we have Jesus’ assurance that the day is coming. Something we can certainly count on and live for.
Ironically, Christ’s words about loving their enemies and persecutors turned many away from Christ. To them it was a big ask and not a lifestyle they wanted to commit to. I’m sure they felt that being nice and praying for those who made their lives miserable would do little to change the status quo. It is difficult as this isn’t the kind of love you can “fall into”. It takes a conscious effort and loving our enemies means acting in their best interests. It seems counterintuitive. We just have to remember that Jesus, our Savior, loves the whole world, even thought the world is in rebellion against God.
So, in our pursuit of happiness, we have to practice this love as we would like others to practice it, a love that is never conditioned upon the other person’s behavior, a love that is motivated and empowered by its giver and not its receiver. In Christ we have life, liberty, and the freedom to pursue happiness in his name.
Let us pray.
Blest are they, the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of God. Blest are they, full of sorrow; they shall be consoled. Yes, gracious and merciful God, how blessed we are because we are yours. You know us and have chosen us as your own. You know the thoughts of our minds and the pain in our hearts when we suffer unjustly. But we know of your promise not to forget us or to abandon us. We take comfort in the knowledge that you are in control and long for that day when your creation will be restored. We rejoice in our hope for the future of all mankind. This we pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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The Pursuit of Happiness
It’s as if those in power were stripping them of their food assistance, healthcare, and retirement benefits all so the rich could get richer.
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