1 Feb 2026, Matthew 5: 1-12, 1 Corinthians1: 26-31 “The Blessing of the 13th Tense”

Now, before we begin... I’m going to do something a bit unusual. I mean, today, I’m going to turn you all… into Koreans! Yes, you heard me right. Just for a moment, I want you to imagine... that you were born in Korea. You are a Year 12 student, and today is the 'Big Day.' You’re sitting in a quiet classroom, taking the University Entrance Exam. And the subject? It’s English.

As some of you may have noticed in the newsletter, there are two English questions. To start with, I’ll give you exactly one minute for the first one. Let’s look at the screen together.

Q1.

“For decades, educators have believed that critical thinking skills are developed primarily through traditional classroom instruction. In the past, these methods were considered indispensable, and many institutions had invested heavily in refining them. However, as digital learning environments continue to evolve, some of these long-standing assumptions are being challenged. By the time today’s students graduate from university, much of what has been taught as essential academic practice (.......................................), and future generations will likely view earlier educational models as transitional rather than definitive.”

And remember, I even made it easier for you! It was a multiple-choice question with five different options to choose from…..

[Options to insert]

A. will be redefining

B. has been redefined

C. will be redefined

D. will have been redefined

E. redefined

Have a go! Try to find the correct answer. For you, this should be a 'piece of cake,' right? ... Time's up! So... anyone got the answer? The correct answer is... D! How can this be?

Don’t lose heart just yet! I’ve got a second question for you. I promise, this one is a little bit easier. Let’s take a look.

Q2.

“For decades, educators have believed that critical thinking skills are developed primarily through traditional classroom instruction. In the past, these methods were considered indispensable, and many institutions (.......................................) heavily in refining them.”

[Options to insert]

A. invest

B. have invested

C. were investing

D. had invested

E. invested

Are we ready? The answer is... D! Anyone?

But look, it’s okay. I understand. It’s been a 'million years' since you finished high school. But here is the amazing part: Believe it or not, this is a real question from the exam for Year 12 students.

So, when you see me struggling with a word or two here and there... please be kind! I’ve already done my hard work back then.

You probably noticed the pattern. These questions were all about 'tenses'—how we use verbs to talk about time. Now, because English is my second language, I had to learn this the hard way. I had to memorize and practice all these complex rules Just to make sense.

But for you? I reckon you don’t even think about grammar when you speak. It’s just in your DNA. It’s second nature to you. But for someone like me, grammar is a must—and let me tell you, 'tenses' are the biggest headache of all. 

Like this on the screen…

	Simple	Continuous	Perfect	Perfect Continuous
Present	I eat	I am eating	I have eaten	I have been eating
Past	I ate	I was eating	I had eaten	I had been eating
Future	I will eat	I will be eating	I will have eaten	I will have been eating

For all of you, navigating through these twelve different tenses is completely subconscious. You do it without thinking in every conversation, without even realizing how complex it is.

But for Koreans, it’s a whole different story. In their culture, , people depend mostly on context …..context is everything. There is an underlying assumption that everyone is already 'on the same page,' so they don’t always feel the need to spell everything out when it comes to time.

But English? It puts the exact 'status' of time into every single sentence. It’s not just about 'when' something happened, but about 'how' that moment still lives and breathes in the present.

So, when I speak English, my brain is working overtime! It’s constantly trying to sort my three basic tenses into these twelve specific boxes. It takes a lot of brainpower!

The point is, this isn’t just a struggle with grammar; it’s about a cultural shift in how we organize our lives and our memories. Now, please don't misunderstand me…I’m not saying one language is 'better' than the other. It’s simply about how different cultures perceive time and how we value the moments we've lived.

So, I believe that learning a language, English is not just about memorising twelve different tenses. Rather, it is a new 'frame'—a new lens through which we see the world. But it’s also about letting go. It’s releasing the only view we’ve ever known—everything that is familiar and comfortable.

I’d like to apply this to our faith journey. You see, embracing faith is not just about memorising one more Bible verse—that’s like just memorising another grammar rule. True faith is about gaining a fresh vision: eyes that see Jesus through every story in the Bible. It’s about seeing ourselves, and our neighbours, as the true 'Image of God.' It’s about gaining a whole new way of looking at the world.

This is how our faith stays alive every single day. When we face the challenges of life, this new lens allows us to find a deeper, spiritual meaning in them. In that sense, the Beatitudes we’re looking at today are deeply connected to this idea of 'tenses.'

Now, I want to invite you to step back in time with me... back two thousand years. There is Jesus. He sees the crowds gathering, so he makes his way up the hillside, and his disciples follow close behind. Finally, Jesus begins to speak. His voice is clear, firm, and filled with authority. The Beatitudes are proclaimed—that beautiful, famous sermon on the mountain.

For some, it’s an 'upside-down mystery.' For others, a 'radical challenge.' And for many, it is a 'promise of future hope.'

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they WILL BE comforted.' 'Blessed are the meek, for they WILL INHERIT the earth.'

Mind you, I doubt everyone on that hill was cheering. We tend to assume that everyone sitting on that hillside was immediately moved and inspired. But I wonder... was it really like that?  There were children, teenagers, parents, and the elderly. For those who were struggling—the poor, the grieving, the meek—perhaps it felt like a lifeline. They might have thought, 'Okay, I can hold on a bit longer... one day, my blessing will finally arrive.'

But imagine for a moment... what if …you were starving right then? What if… you were groaning in physical and spiritual pain, and you heard Jesus say, 'You WILL be blessed'?

For some, it might have sparked anger. They might have thought, 'Are you kidding me? My life is a living hell right here, right now! What good is a "future" blessing when my "present" is falling apart?' I suspect…. some people even got up and strange, confusing, and completely disconnected from their walked away. To them, the Beatitudes wasn’t comforting; they sounded reality.

At this point, I want us to look back at those English tenses. You see, Jesus’ message is not just about the 'Simple Future.' It’s not an uncertain waiting—it's not a 'don’t worry, things might get better one day' kind of promise.

No. I am convinced it is about the 'Future Perfect' tense. And let me tell you, this makes a profound, life-changing difference.

The 'Future Perfect' is about certainty. It describes a state that 'will have been completed' at a specific point in time. You see, the blessings of God’s Kingdom are not 'maybe' rewards. They are a 'fixed conclusion'—a story that is already finished.

That is why Jesus is speaking this way. He is saying: 'The blessing is already unfolding within you, so live that future today.!' To those who journey with Him, the destination is so sure that we are, in a sense, already there.

It is more than just a hope that things will get better. It is the conviction: 'This is who we will have become.'

This is the heart of the Beatitudes—the 'Future Perfect' grace of God. This is what I call 'God’s Grammar'—the 13th Tense.

My loving brothers and sisters,

We all remember the final words of Jesus on the Cross: 'It is finished.'  In God’s grammar, these words transform everything. The Cross is what gives us 'Future Perfect certainty.' It is a victory that has already been secured for us by the blood of Christ.

Of course, the Beatitudes may be written in the future tense. But when we look through that genuine grace and unending love—we realize Jesus isn't offering a simple 'someday blessing.'  He is inviting us into a reality that is already complete in Him. This is why I call this again, 'the 13th Tense'—God’s Grammar.

So, let us re-read our lives through this '13th Tense.'  Even though the Beatitudes do not ask us to deny our struggle, they invite us to see it anew. Through this Our journey is not a series of full stops. Every challenge is simply a comma in a story that continues. It’s not over until God says it’s over.

Interestingly, the final verses of our two readings today are beautifully connected. Look at Matthew 5:12, which tells us to 'Rejoice and be glad,' and 1 Corinthians 1:31, which tells us to 'Boast in the Lord.'  

These verses offer powerful encouragement for each of us. When we live by this 'Grammar of Hope,' we don’t need to fight for victory; we are living from a Future Perfect Victory.

It is like re-reading the first page of a book when you already know the beautiful ending. We know exactly how the story ends, because the final chapter has already been written by His grace.

Let us read the Beatitudes once more, but this time, through God’s Grammar'—the grammar of hope.

The poor in spirit — Because the Kingdom of Heaven is already ours, we have the freedom to empty ourselves.

Those who mourn — Because we have already been comforted, we can now sit and weep with those who suffer.

The meek — Since we already inherit everything, we no longer need to fight or argue for our place.

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness — Because we have already tasted His goodness, we yearn for Him even more.

The merciful — Having already been forgiven, we are now able to offer mercy to others.

The pure in heart — Since we have already been made clean, we can truly see God in our midst.

The peacemakers — Because we are already reconciled with the Father, we go out to plant seeds of peace.

The persecuted — Since our victory is already fixed and final, even our suffering is transformed into glory.

Today, each of us holds a complex 'exam paper' of life, perhaps we are searching for answers not only for our individual matters but also for the world. Yes, we struggle with the questions written there. But remember, the Beatitudes do not ask us to ignore our reality. They don’t tell us to pretend that everything is fine. Instead, they invite us to place our daily circumstances into a completely different context.

So, start asking a new question: 'Where does this chapter fit in God’s grand sentence?' This is more than just enduring; this is mastering the Grammar of Hope. We will experience something beautiful.

In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul says: 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.' This is not just a verse for the end of our lives. It is a call for right now. Live this very day as if the race is already won!

So, 'Rejoice and be glad!' Go out and boast in the Lord with all your heart.

May this 13th Tense…God’s Grammar—be the strength that sustains you this week. And may our community live fully in the victory that is already ours.

Amen.