Henry Hildebrand spoke on "Inheritance at a price", drawing on the puzzling contradiction in Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." While Christians generally claim to agree with what Jesus taught, understandings of those teachings differ, some teachings are ignored and others explained away. Henry decided to focus on a teaching well-known to us, yet seldom examined. Jesus never indicated that following his teachings would be easy, and this beatitude provides an excellent example of a difficult teaching to follow. Paraphrasings of Matthew 5:5 offer "Happy" or "Fortunate" are "those who are content with who they are", or "who are content that they will inherit something of enormous value" later. If we are to receive this incredible inheritance, how are we to meet its condition that we be meek? Meekness, one of the fruits of the Spirit, might be evidenced by a lowly and gentle heart, by a quiet spirit, by such things as mildness, tenderness, by being willing to endure injury with patience and without resentment, by avoiding bearing a grudge. In other words, meekness will be evidenced through behaviour towards others. But being meek does not make one a pushover. Jesus was meek, yet he 'cleansed the temple'. He was meek when submitting to God's will and giving himself to his captors, but they immediately fell to the ground in the presence of the power of his majesty. The beatitudes are generally difficult to understand, let alone follow, and this is no exception. [JEK]

Passage: Mt 5:5
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event:
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No

Speaker: Henry Hildebrand
Worship Leader: Ken Friesen
Song Leader: Evan Kreider
Pianist: Cynthia Friesen
Usher:
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Child Care Volunteer: Nadine Neudorf