Jesus The Sage – “Portraits of Christ” series
Steve Simala Grant - Feb. 2/3, 2002
Intro:
I have a picture here taken in Disney World, outside of the “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” pavillion. I want you to look at it closely: What’s wrong with this picture?
Look closely at the waterfall. Think for a moment – what happens when water falls? It splashes. Where in the picture is water splashing? At the top! The waterfall is upside down. That is actually what it is known as – “The Upside-Down Waterfall.”
Today I want to take a look at another portrait of Jesus – Jesus the Sage or Wisdom Teacher. I want to contrast the wisdom of Jesus with the wisdom of our world, the values Jesus taught and the values our world teaches. And we will see that the Kingdom of Jesus is truly a Kingdom Upside-Down.
Context:
What is a “Sage”? Quite simply, a Sage is a very wise person, one to whom others go for guidance and direction. Often they were teachers, sometimes simply people whom others would go to for advice and counsel when facing difficult decisions. Books such as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and even Song of Songs are known to us as “Wisdom Literature,” and are typical examples of the kind of teaching that would come from a Sage.
Our Portraits of Christ series would not be complete without looking at this aspect of Jesus – Jesus as Wisdom Teacher (or Sage). It is not as familiar or maybe as obvious as Jesus as Prophet and Priest and Suffering Servant or Suffering King, the portraits we have looked at so far, but it is an important picture. I particularly want to spend time on this portrait because the Wisdom of Jesus is so radically different from the wisdom of our world. Probably the one place where we see this most clearly is in the Beatitudes, Matt. 5:1-12.
The Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12):
These are exactly the kind of statements we would expect from a Sage: short words of wisdom – easy to remember, to the point. But as we reflect on the content of them, we see how radical these words of wisdom really are.
Each starts with the word “Blessed.” Some translations use the word “happy,” but the idea is far more than the feeling we associate with “happy.” Probably the best way for me to describe it is to do it from God’s perspective, for us to understand the word in the context of “favored (or gifted) by God;” and to understand here then that Jesus is referring to our ultimate well-being, to a state of spiritual joy because God’s favor is upon us. It doesn’t mean “lucky,” or “fortunate,” or “given the ideal now.” Each of these beatitudes look longer term, and point out what the end result is.
Pope John Paul was speaking to a group of teens in the Holy Land in March of 2000. He made an acute observation about our culture, and whom it is that appear “blessed.”
Modern Beatitudes
(Pope John Paul II) Christ’s Beatitudes
(Matt. 5:1-12)
Blessed are the proud Blessed are the poor in spirit
Blessed are the violent Blessed are they that mourn
Blessed are those who prosper at any cost Blessed are the meek
Blessed are the unscrupulous Blessed are those who hunger after righteousness
Blessed are the pitiless Blessed are the merciful
Blessed are the devious Blessed are the pure in heart
Blessed are those who fight Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed are the persecutors Blessed are the persecuted
I think he makes a good case – in our culture, those who are proud get promoted, the violent get there way, those who are unscrupulous and devious and who don’t care about the cost often end up with the most prosperity, they often get the promotions. Those are many of the things, if modern entertainment is any indication, that our society values and holds in high esteem.
J. B. Phillips wrote a similar critique, called: “The People’s Beatitudes: Happy are the pushers for they get on in the world. Happy are the hard-boiled for they never let life hurt them. Happy are they who complain for they get their own way in the end. Happy are the blase for they never worry over their sins. Happy are the slave drivers for they get results. Happy are the knowledgeable men of the world for they know their way around. Happy are the troublemakers for they make people take notice of them.”
Contrast that with Jesus’ list. Blessed are the poor in spirit (luke says simply “the poor”): these are those people who recognize their dependence on God, who recognize that all they have and are is a gracious gift of God. This is the opposite of the person who feels they “have it all together,” that has life under control and can manage everything on their own, with no need of God. Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs not to them, but to the poor. That is upside-down.
Jesus next says Blessed are those who mourn. What does Jesus mean here? How can those who are in mourning be considered “blessed?” Isn’t the opposite true – shouldn’t we consider those who mourn as people to be pitied? Jesus claims that they will be comforted, and again I believe He is looking long-term, and reminding us that we will find comfort in God’s kingdom. The other thing that I think is going on here is this: in our culture, we are not encouraged to mourn. We might be permitted, for a little while, but not much time passes and people start to say/think, “It’s time for you to move on. Get over it. Stop mourning and get on with it.” And there may be a time when we stop mourning and start pitying ourselves, and then need to be told this. But generally I think our culture says this way too quickly (tie in Phillipino culture here?). Jesus’s wisdom here turns ours on its head – He claims that it is blessed to mourn, for those who mourn will be comforted. That is upside-down.
How about Blessed are the meek? The meek are those who are not pushing themselves to the front of the line, those content to let others jostle for position while they stand a little bit on the outside. These are not the go-getters, the take-chargers, the self-promoters. It is not that they are not able, or have no power, but rather that they willingly put others needs ahead of their own. Compared to our society, that is upside-down. Jesus’ wisdom says that they shall inherit the earth.
Next Jesus says Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. These are those with a God’s Kingdom perspective, who are focused on pursuing righteousness. The cares of this world are not their primary concern, the cares of God’s Kingdom are. Again compared to our indulgent society, that is upside-down.
Some of our cultural sayings include “every man for himself;” “take no prisoners;” “second place is the first loser;” and I’ve even seen t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “No Mercy.” Against that, Jesus says Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are those who reach out to others in need, again placing others ahead of themselves. That is upside-down.
Blessed are the pure in heart. Our culture doesn’t value purity of heart, in fact it subtley questions whether such a thing exists. I remember an episode of the sit-com “friends.” One of the characters makes the statement “there is no such thing as a truly good deed. There is always some selfish motivation behind every good deed.” The “wierd” character on the show then spends the rest of the show trying to prove this statement false, even allowing a bee to sting her. The message comes through loud and clear – there is no purity of heart. Jesus’ wisdom, however, promises that the pure in heart will see God.
I don’t know much about hockey, but I do know that the guy with the reputation for stopping fights isn’t going to be nearly as noticed as the guy who is willing to drop the gloves. Jesus says Blessed are the peacemakers. Compared to our culture, that is upside-down.
The final beatitude states Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Who of us has ever looked at someone being persecuted and had our first thought “wow are they ever blessed.” Our response is “wow am I ever blessed that it is not me in their situation!” Jesus turns this upside-down, and promises the very kingdom of heaven to those who endure hardship and persecution because they are righteous.
That is a really quick run-through of the wisdom of Jesus as expressed in the Beatitudes. Each of those simple statements could be a sermon unto themselves; my intention in looking at them briefly today is simply to point out how radical Jesus’ wisdom is, how counter-cultural, how opposite to the wisdom of our world. The question this leaves is: whose wisdom shapes the pursuits of our lives? The wisdom of God’s Kingdom or that of the kingdom of this world?
I want to invite you to take a hard look at that question this morning. Look at your life – how you spend your time, what you seek after, what things bother you, where your priorities are. Now I’m not going to ask you to share this with the rest of us, so you don’t need to sit there trying to think of the “right” answer. What wisdom does your life run by?
As you examine that question, I want to turn to 1 Cor. 1:18-25 (READ).
There is a lot to think about in this passage. There is a lot of God’s Upside-down Kingdom, with God making the wisdom of this world into foolishness. In the face of all of the wisdom of the world, Paul simply says, “we preach Christ crucified.” That doesn’t make sense! Where is the wisdom in an horrific death, the death of a common criminal? Where is the wisdom in the One Son of God dying on a cross? And for us, where is the wisdom in following this message, or spreading this message?
The answer is in vs. 25. If I could paraphrase that verse, the answer is to follow God’s ways instead of man’s, to rely on God’s strength and not our own. Even when it doesn’t make sense, like “Blessed are those who mourn,” or like answering the demand for miracles and/or wisdom with a simple story about Christ crucified: even then, to focus on God. Even then to obey. Even then, to live by the wisdom of Jesus and not the wisdom of our world.
Our society says “better start saving now for retirement so that you can live out your final years in luxury.” Jesus says “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21).
Our society says “look out for number one.” Jesus says “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24).
Our society says “strive to be rich and powerful so that others will serve your needs.” Jesus says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45).
Our society says “go to university, become a wise scholar.” Paul tells us that “God (has) made foolish the wisdom of this world.” (1 Corinthians 1:20).
Franklin Graham tells the following story:
Sami Dagher had been a maitre’d at the world famous Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut before Lebanon’s terrible civil war. Just before the war broke out he left the hotel to plant a small church in one of the poorest areas of the city. When he approached the hotel manager to inform him that he was resigning, the following dialog occurred:
"God has called me to preach," Sami told the manager. "I’m leaving the hotel."
"Leaving? You’re a fool! You’re crazy! A man in your position making good money, and you quit?"
"I leave for something more important than money. I’m going to preach the name of Jesus Christ."
"You’re going to give up this good position to preach for some god? You must be crazy. No! I’ll tell you the right thing to do. You stay here and make money, Sami. I need you."
"No, I can’t stay any longer. I’ve prayed and this is what I must do."
Then the hotel manager grew angry and shouted, "I curse you! One day, Sami Dagher, you will come to the threshold of my door, and you will beg for a crust of bread, and I won’t give it to you. I will let you starve! Do you hear my words? Not a crust!"
Quite sometime later, during some of the heaviest fighting since World War II, Sami heard a knock at his door. It was late at night, so Sami told his wife and children to stay in bed. He answered the door himself. When he opened the door, the hotel manager stood before him.
"I couldn’t sleep," the man said. "I wanted to see how ou are doing and talk."
Sami made coffee and they discussed the old days they enjoyed at the Phoenicia. Sami sensed the man had come for another reason, but the man wouldn’t say. Finally Sami said, "My friend, it is late. Why have you come to me?"
"Oh, nothing, Sami. I just wanted to talk of old times."
The man walked to the door and opened it. As he stood in the doorway with his head hung low, he turned to Sami and said, "I have no food. I have not eaten for two days. Do you have anything you could spare?"
Conclusion:
Following Jesus simply does not make sense if we judge it by the wisdom of our world. It didn’t make sense for Sami to quit his job and go preach to the poor. And in this story, we are priviledged to see how it all worked out well. But that is not always the case. In the Beatitudes we looked at earlier, most of the rewards were not in this kingdom, but the next.
Jesus the Sage calls us to citizenship in a different Kingdom, a Kingdom where things are upside-down, where the last are first, where foolishness is wisdom, where the poor are rich, the dead alive.
Let me borrow a conclusion from a sermon of Charles Spurgeon, the great British preacher of the last half of the 19th century:
I put, then, the question to you again: Have you been turned upside down? How about your companions? You loved those the best who could swear the loudest, talk the fastest, and tell the greatest falsehoods: now you love those who can pray the most earnestly, and tell you the most of Jesus. Everything is changed with you. If you were to meet your old self going down the street, you would not know him, except by hearsay; you are no relation to him at all. Sometimes the old gentleman comes to your house, and he begins to tempt you to go back; but you turn him out of doors as soon as you can, and say, "Begone! I never got on so long as I knew you; I had a ragged coat to my back then, and I was always giving the publican all my money; I never went to God’s house, but cursed my Maker, and added sin to sin, and tied a mill-stone round my neck. So away from me, I will have nothing to do with you; I have been buried with Christ, and I have risen with him. I am a new man in Christ Jesus, old things have passed away, and behold all things have become new."
I have some here, however, who belong to a different class of society, who could not indulge in any of these things; but ah! ladies and gentlemen, if you are ever converted, you must have as great a sweeping out as the poorest man that ever lived. There must be as true a turning upside down in the salvation of an earl, or a duke, or a lord, as in the salvation of a pauper or a peasant. There is as much sin in the higher ranks as in the lower, and sometimes more, because they have more light, more knowledge, more influence, and when they sin, they not only damn themselves, but others too. O you that are rich, have you had a change too? Have the frivolities of this world become sickening things to you? Do you turn away with loathing from the common cant and conventionalism of high life? Have you forsaken it? and can you now say, "Although I am in the world, yet am I not of it; its pomps and vanities I do eschew; its pride and its glory I trample under feet; these are nothing to me; I would follow my Master bearing his cross, through evil report and through good report?" If such be not the case, if you are not changed, remember, there are no exceptions; one truth is true for all—"Except ye be born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of heaven." And that amounts in substance to my test: except ye be thoroughly renewed, turned upside down, ye cannot be saved. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;" for he that believeth shall be sanctified and renewed—shall he saved at last—but he that believeth not must be cast away in the great day of God’s account.
The Lord bless you; for Jesus’ sake!
