This sermon, on Matthew 5:1-12, is the first of a three part series on saintly living. In our baptisms, God claims each of our lives and names us as one of God's "saints." God calls each of us to live out our baptisms by reflecting Christ's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

This sermon will be looking at "The Heart of a Saint." Jesus teaches the beatitudes, which outline what 'blessed' living is all about. Through the grace of God, our hearts are connected to God's heart. When our hearts beat in sync with God's, we are living the saintly life that God intended for us. We empty ourselves and approach God with an empty spirit - seeking God to fill us up. We mourn in a sure and certain hope that God is present in the midst of our losses. We approach others with a meekness that reflects Christ's approach. We are merciful in the way we deal with the failures of others. We hunger and thirst for relationships to be right. We endure the judgments and persecutions of others for the sake of one day even being in a right relationship with them - this means that we turn away from self-righteousness and vengeance. We don't seek a 'pound of flesh' when we are wronged. Wow, that's a lot - and we will find our hearts are not always able to keep up. We will fail at being saints - our hearts will go out of rhythm. It is at this point that we need to be reminded that we don't go through this life alone. God's forgiveness, love, and strength are our gifts as well.