Matthew 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
In admission to my fondness for vintage movies, I reference as a title this morning the Gene Kelly classic, “Singing in the Rain”. Sorry kids, but this is a “top10” consideration for us old movie buffs. The movie is centered around one iconic dance scene where Gene Kelly sings and performs the title song in the soaking rain, seemingly without care or concern. And it’s all because he’s in love. It’s amazing what love will make you do.
When reading this morning’s scripture, this song title (and its implications) immediately came to mind. As the elect of God, the circumstances, conditions and situations we all face should never determine our outlook. In good times, bad times, happy or sad times, we have the assurance that Jesus is always with us. What a tremendous consolation that is in times of trouble, doubt or fear. In matter of fact, we are so extremely blessed that like Gene Kelly, we will sometimes find ourselves singing and dancing in the rain.
Clearly this morning when I speak of rain, I’m using it as a metaphor for the untimely disappointments in life we sometimes encounter. When problems come we often say, ‘when it rains, it pours’. As much as we all know rain is needed, it still represents an obstruction to an otherwise beautiful day. But rain is inescapable. We all will go through some rainy seasons in our lives. So it’s not whether we will have rain, it’s how well we will respond in the rain that really counts.
Matthew 5 is the chapter we commonly refer to as the Sermon on the Mount or Beatitudes. This morning we are reviewing the closing portion of the chapter where Jesus calls the true followers of God to make a definitive declaration of their love for their Father and follow His equitable and impartial example. Remember, when you were a sinner and enemy of the cross, you didn’t just have rain, you still had sunshine. And now that you are a child of the King, servant and child, you will continue to have sunshine, but also periods of rain, just like you did before. Life happens. Things happen. When you got saved the world didn’t change; you did! And we must continue to.
If I may, I’d like to press just a bit more out of this rain analogy. Think I’ve found the three biggest reasons rain bothers us in the first place.
The main reason rain would bother anyone is because they get plenty of it. Folk in arid and dry lands long for the same rain you and I complain about. That’s a whole new sermon!!! Rain is essential to life. Both figuratively and literally. You gotta have rain. But you gotta know how to handle it when it comes.
The second reason that comes to mind when we think of rain is how it will impact out clothing. We feel a bit better when we’re dressed appropriately for the weather. But when rain catches us in our ‘good clothes’, we are out of sorts and run for cover. But may I remind you good soldiers that we are commissioned to stay dressed for spiritual battle at all times? I’m not worried about rain boots when my feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, or my head when it’s covered by the helmet of salvation. What can unnerve us when we are girded with Truth, and protected by a Shield of Faith, Breastplate of Righteousness and Sword of the Word? Let it rain!
And finally, one of the more perturbing aspects of rain is how it has a tendency to seep into your subconscious to remind you of past storms you’ve been through. It’s unnerving and unsettling to think you may have to re-experience those thunderous storms and frightening squalls that once upended your life. But I got good news.
A smart farmer, a savvy dresser and astute student of the Word of God all have the same remedy. All they need is a reliable forecast. The farmer turns to his almanac. In it he will see trends and remedies for flood or drought. The snazzy dresser turns to the daily news to get the most recent update, and then dresses accordingly. And the child of God has the Word to cover, comfort, direct, protect and seal them with promise. You just have to read the forecast.
Dear Children of the King, you’ve successfully come out of too many storms to now worry about a few raindrops. The God that brought you out of the typhoon, tsunami, hurricane and earthquakes of life will surely bring you out of a period of rain. Reflect only on His goodness, knowing though it rains for everybody, we were made to worship, dance and sing in the rain.
God bless
NEW** Sunday’s Sermon Video: https://youtu.be/jFOKI1tg2lg
