Odd Todd Part Two

Matthew 5:11-12

Blessed and happy are you when others revile you, pursue you, and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

When you live for Jesus you live against Satan and his sin system. You can’t help it. That’s how the Christian life works. If you never feel that pressure from Satan’s forces to conform, you might be trying to hide from being an “Odd Todd.” (You’ll have to read last week’s blog.)

If those around you don’t know you are a Christ follower, you’re not doing it right. Because Jesus didn't say  if  you are persecuted and pursued on His account  but  when  you are. Yes, I looked it up in my lexicon and it’s  when.

This is so like the earthly life of our loving Christ. If there ever was a peacemaker it’s Christ. And yet everywhere He went He was pursued by those wanting to learn from, believe in, and be forgiven by Him and those who wanted nothing more than to discredit and destroy Him. His life was a confrontation of sin. His life conquered sin. His life, death, and resurrection gave us victory over Satan’s hold over our lives. That can’t make Satan and his forces happy.

   

So for we, Christians, it’s a wonderful, awful, victorious, scary, happy, sad, life filled with the best sister/friends you’ll ever know and the worst enemies that hound your heels you’ll ever know. It comes with our surrender to the Christ like life.  

Whew, that’s a little harsh and hard to totally surrender to. But throughout the history of Christ followers it has been that way. So why do we still to this day commit to Jesus Christ? Why do we follow this controversial God? Because we were drawn to Him. Because in our pursuit to find the wonderful life, we found wonderful Him.

The delightful thing about these happy instructions from Jesus (yes, the Odd Todd is coming out) is that these ungodly people are pursuing us. They are drawn to us and our Christian peculiarity. They notice us because we are so Odd Todd. And they want to know why. And they want to know if it is real. Wow, this puts us in a great position. Whether they like it or not this persecution puts the persecutors right into our Gospel giving hands.

This is God giving us an opportunity to show the world what He can do with a life, what He did in our lives. God gives us not only the gift of salvation, His promise to be with us for all our life, and heaven beyond but leads others to pursue us so that we can automatically share His plan of salvation.

Is it always fun and exciting? Sometimes Yes. Sometimes No.

 Is it always pleasant? Sometimes Yes. Sometimes No

Will it make us happy? Always Yes.

Odd Todd to the max!

Odd Todds

First Grade teachers are a peculiar bunch. I should know. I was one for many years. And it has left a permanent mark on my personality. We, first grade teachers, have a song for every event and learning point in life and break out into singing at a moment’s notice. We have a game for everyday of the week. We have pictures to illustrate everything on God’s earth. And we have a book to read to kids for everything we teach.

This brings me to one of my favorite kiddie books; “Even Steven and Odd Todd” by Kathryn Cristaldi, Hank Morehouse and Henry Morehouse.

Even Steven does everything in even numbers. He blends in with societies’ “normal.” Odd Todd, well, he sticks out because he doesn't  conform. He does everything in odd numbers and goes against the fairness law of life. There will always be one left over with him. There will always be one that doesn't belong with the other with him. And you know our world works better if everything swings along evenly.

Since that book, I call everything that sticks out as an Odd Todd. This brings me to the irrefutable fact that Christians are Odd Todds. We don’t travel along with the current of the popular. We stick out. And because we stick out sometimes the world treats us without respect. We go against the grain. We don’t bend or bow to things that do not conform to the Word of God.

Now Jesus said that this peculiar road we Christians walk would be filled with persecution and happiness. That is really Odd Todd because those two things don’t usually go together. We don’t go around saying, “Make fun of me.Tell me just how different I am. Point out my faults. Show me how I go against everything around me. I like it!”

Matthew 5:10 Blessed or happy are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

One pastor says it like this: (The comments are mine.)

“These are the truly happy people.” (What? What?) “These are the people that are really blessed with a kingdom of heaven attitude. When we have the kingdom of heaven attitude we are going to find that there will be a process of pain and suffering involved.” (Did I sign up for this?) “You will be a peacemaker, yes, but you’ll be a troublemaker, too.” (OK, here is the Odd Todd part.) “And the more you live the Beatitudes, the more likely there is to be a reaction from people. You will create a response, positively or negatively in the world.” (I don’t get a choice about how the world reacts to me. I am supposed to have this happy attitude, this kingdom of heaven attitude, this gracious attitude.)

So in the face of persecution just for being a Christian we say, “Bring it.”

We can handle it.

It makes us happy.

And, yes, we are Odd Todds.

Do Not Disturb

I stayed at a hotel recently and I’m always fascinated with the little “Do not disturb” signs you hang on the outside door handle. You know me and my wacky sense of humor. I always think, “What are you telling people when you don’t hang it on your door? Disturb me please? Yes, even though we are all strangers to each other, please feel free to disturb me.” So I always hang it out because who wants any Tom, Dick, or Harry to disturb you? Not me.

Anyway, this brings me to the seventh happy beatitude:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9

The word “peacemaker” here is used as an adjective. It is supposed to describe us. We are supposed to be able to put it front of our name to define our character. We are not just to keep the peace as a status quo but we are supposed to make peace everywhere we go. We are in essence a walking “Do not disturb” sign.

“Peacemaker” is only used this one time in this way in the whole New Testament. So you know Jesus was serious when He said this as an instruction for daily living.

If verse 7 is the “mercy” verse, then this verse 9 is the grace verse. Mercy = not giving a punishment that is due. Grace = giving a reward not due. And that is just what peacemakers do. We are supposed to come into situations and give peace where there is no peace, love where there is no love, comfort where there is not comfort and Jesus where there is no Jesus. Grace (peace) is a giving gift not a receiving gift.

If we can bring these peace blessings to others Jesus said in this verse that we will be called God’s kids. Not only can we claim our family heritage in Christ but we will even look like our Father God.

When all around us is chaos we can continue God’s message that He gave to the shepherds at Christ’s birth:

Peace on earth and good will to all blessed people..

And just before Christ went back to heaven He said:

Peace I give to you, My peace I give to you.

From the beginning to the end of Jesus’ life on earth and beyond into eternity there is the call to the peacemakers.

Here is a quote I found in a commentary:

“Peacemakers are happy. They love, desire, and delight in making peace. They maintain peace in peaceful situations and recover it when situations are in disarray. If peacemakers are blessed then woe to the peacebreakers!”

Wow, this do not disturb is serious stuff!

Pure + Heart = Happiness

Matthew 5:8 Blessed and happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

I have been studying the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and I’ve come to realize that what Jesus said in His 9 happy instructions are not that easy to live by. Well, they are not accomplishable without Jesus anyway. And getting ourselves out of the way and letting Jesus do it through us is challenging.

And number 6 in the way to happiness list is about actually experiencing being in the presence of God. It reminds me of one of my favorite verses from Psalm 16:11 "You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

I like being happy. I like having access to God. I need having access to God to experience all the joy I can.

It all boils down to having a pure heart.

Now you know how geeky I get with the Greek words. Well here “pure heart” is: katharos kardia (Hey, you don’t have to know how to pronounce it, just know that it is put together.) And what I found interesting is that these two words are put together 3 times in the New Testament:

             Matt. 5:8 - (That’s the beatitude.) Happy are those with a pure heart for they shall see God.

            1 Tim. 1:5 – But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.   

           

            2 Tim. 2:22 – Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.

“Pure” here means clean and free from the contamination of sin.

“Heart” here means your very core seat of your physical and spiritual life.

So “pure heart” is a life free from sin inside and outside. It is holiness. And only holiness can be in the presence of our holy God. My Sunday School Teacher Eddie says that everyday should be set apart and kept holy for God. So everyday we should be in His presence.

So how do we get rid of the sin in our lives that keeps us from being accepted into His presence? How can we everyday experience this happiness by being with God? Sorry, we can’t get rid of this sin on our own. We can’t clean ourselves up enough to have a pure heart. Oh rats! It’s not possible.

Is there no way to be in the happy company of God? Yes. Jesus, Himself, said that He was the way to the presence of the Holy Father.(John 14:6) We just let Him forgive us and clean our hearts. We let Him be the holiness for us. We just stand behind His pure heart as we go into God’s presence. With His forgiveness we have a pure heart too.

So here are 2 mathematical equations for geeky me:

Jesus + Forgiveness = Pure Heart

Pure + Heart = Happiness