Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The text on which this morning's message is based comes from our Gospel lesson (Matthew 5: 1-12, The Beatitudes) read earlier.

You've all seen those Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes commercials. A vanful of Sweepstakes officials come to the door of some unsuspecting person, their hands filled with video cameras, balloons and party favors. They carry along with them a huge check, both in size and in dollars. They ring the doorbell and announce to the person who opens the door "Congratulations! You've just won $10 million."

Now, if we're honest with ourselves, probably all of us have wished that Publisher's Clearinghouse would come to our door, even those of us who have never filled out the forms to enter the sweepstakes. We've all wanted to hear those surprising words "Congratulations! You've just won $10 million."

But as far as I know, none of us here have ever won $10 million or even a million or $100,000. But we've probably all been told "Congratulations" before. Think back to what you've been congratulated for. Graduating? Wedding? The birth of a new child or grandchild? A new home? Winning a race or sports event or academic event? What have you been congratulated for?

Congratulations always seem to be reserved for special circumstances, for great events that happen in our lives, for blessings received from God. According to the dictionary, "Congratulations" means "an acknowledgement of an achievement with praise."

"Congratulations" is actually a good translation of what Jesus is telling his disciples here in the Beatitudes. The Greek word "makarioi" is translated several ways in English versions "Blessed" or "Happy."

It essentially means something like "fortunate are those who are in good circumstances, who are in good shape." It essentially means "Congratulations." ,P>The world would announce Beatitudes like these:
1. Congratulations to the man who makes a fortune.
2. Congratulations to the woman who earns six figures.
3. Congratulations to the man who has a mansion in the city and a summer home in the mountains.
4. Congratulations to she who has won the applause and recognition of her peers.

But notice what Jesus is announcing 'congratulations' for.
1. Congratulations to the poor in spirit, to those who have nothing to offer God. Congratulations to those who know they often fall short of God's expectations, but yet want to please Him.
2. Congratulations to those who mourn, to those who have first hand experience with the misery that death and loss in this sinful world bring, who know that they cannot keep death away from themselves or others. Congratulations to those who have a Godly sorrow and turn to Christ alone for their hope.
3. Congratulations to the meek, the humble, the unassuming, those who lack self-esteem.

What? Why would anyone ever be "Congratulated" for poverty, grief and humility? What kind of teaching is this?

You may have noticed when Jesus began this sermon, these Beatitudes that begin the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds are all around him, but His disciples have come to him, and He began to teach His disciples. These Beatitudes will never help you or me, they will never help either a Christian or an unbeliever become more successful by worldly standards. These beatitudes are only for those who know they fall short of God's expectations, but know that, in Christ, God has seen our need and fulfilled it. These beatitudes can only be understood by those who belong to the kingdom of heaven already. These beatitudes are only for those who understand and trust the king of that kingdom and what He is like. These beatitudes are only for those who know that their king is one who himself is poor in spirit for them, who mourned for them, who was meek and humble for them. These beatitudes are only for those who know this king, Christ Jesus, has died for them and that they have been buried with him in baptism. These beatitudes are only for those who know this king and their inability to stand before him and his righteousness on their own merits. These beatitudes are only for those who stand before him, helpless, humble, sorrowful for their sin, poor in spirit. These beatitudes are for us who follow Christ, his cross, his resurrection.

For those who are followers, who do hear his Word calling us to repentance and forgiveness, Jesus says what life is and will be like for them. When the Publisher's Clearinghouse commercials first make their appeal, they begin by saying "Send in your entry forms and you might be, you can be a winner." Jesus doesn't say might be or can be. Jesus doesn't say "Blessed might be the poor in spirit, the sorrowful, the humble, for theirs might be the kingdom of heaven. He doesn't say "they might inherit the earth", or "they might be filled with righteousness." NO, He says "theirs IS the kingdom of heaven." He says "they WILL BE comforted." "They WILL inherit the earth", the new heaven and new earth that Jesus has promised to send.

When I was putting this worship service together, Becky asked me why we were singing these "funeral hymns" like "How Great Thou Art" and "Be Still My Soul." You may have wondered the same thing. But these are not really "funeral hymns" per se. Granted, they are hymns that are commonly sung at funerals, but more than that they are hymns of trust and humility, hymns that remind us of our helpless condition before God, and even more importantly, his helping character before us. These hymns capture the essence of what Christ is teaching in the Beatitudes

"O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder
, consider all the works thy hands have made."
"But when I think, that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my savior God to thee.
How great thou art, How great thou art."

"Be still my soul. The Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to your God, to order and provide.
In every change he faithful will remain.
Be still my soul, your best, your heavenly Friend,
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end."

'In 1529 Ferdinand Magellan struggled for an entire year to try to find a passage around South America. Finally he arrived at the very southern tip of that continent, and that is where the real battle began. There he encountered frigid waters with towering icebergs. There he encountered raging seas and huge waves. On top of the natural obstacles, he also faced a mutinous crew, wondering if they should rid themselves of a captain that put them in such peril. But finally he made his way through the straits, which today bear his name – the Straits of Magellan. Then he and his men entered a vast body of water that was quiet and calm. They lifted their faces to heaven and gave thanks to God. Magellan named this new ocean "The Peaceful One – the Pacific." (from Sermonillustrations.com, May 2001). After the storms of the straits there waited for Magellan a vast ocean of peace. In the same way, after the storms and challenges of this life, there awaits for us a vast, eternal heaven of peace with our Lord.

So, congratulations! You may never win the Publisher's Clearinghouse $10 million prize. But you have been gifted with a prize much greater than $10 million. When you are humble and poor in spirit, when you have a Godly sorrow about your seemingly helpless condition, rejoice, for yours is the kingdom of heaven. Congratulations, you will be comforted by the Lord who humbly gave himself for you. Congratulations because you can say with St.Paul when he wrote to Timothy "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing". (1 Timothy 4: 7-8).

The grace, peace and congratulations earned by our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. Amen.