mySundaySermons

1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [NRSA]

1. “Blessed are those who have a lukewarm faith.
2. Blessed are those who grieved over suffering in the world and feel helpless to overcome it.
3. Blessed are those who know what is good and righteous in their head but fail to live by what is good and right.
4. Blessed is those who hunger for the approval of the world.
5. Blessed are the merciful because they love mercy over righteousness.
6. Blessed are those who sit on the sidelines blameless, yet complicit in aiding and abetting the enemies.
7. Blessed are those who keep the peace so no one’s feathers get ruffled or feels uncomfortable.
8. Blessed are those who persecute the intolerant.
9. Blessed are those who insult, shame and intimidate those who would speak for God will.

The sermon on the mountain is a radical and controversial set of teaching on how disciples and followers of Jesus are to live, and what to expect when confronted by the culture of the world.

We are get along with the world and the culture it feels safe, comfortable, and we are rewarded with approval, “likes”, and warm fuzzy feelings of belonging. But at what cost to our relationship with God and God’s people?

This passage is often referred to as the Beatitudes, and it is a great example of Jesus’ teachings on how to live a godly life. Jesus here tells us that those considered outcasts in society, such as the poor, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, are blessed and will be rewarded in heaven. This message was revolutionary in Jesus’ time and is still relevant today.

Society is casting out the church. Look at the over-all percentage of persons attending church or even self-identifying as a Christian, or even as a religious person. This is an downward arrow that that has been diving for nearly fifty years.

We live in a world that values power, wealth, and success. We are often told that the only way to be happy and truly blessed is to strive for these things. But Jesus teaches us something different. He teaches us that those who are humble, compassionate, and righteous are the ones who are truly blessed.

We can also learn from this passage that we are blessed when we are persecuted for being followers of Jesus. This is a difficult concept to swallow, but Jesus is telling us that our reward in heaven will be great if we continue to follow Him even when we face opposition.

HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE ARE Being these ATTITUDES?

In many ways, if the culture is against us, we are more likely doing things God’s way.

If we are comfortable in our paths and thoughts, we need to be be aware of being complicit with the world and rejecting the things of God.

In this passage, Jesus speaks about how the blessings of the Lord are poured out on the meek, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are persecuted, and the pure of heart. Jesus tells his disciples that the meek will inherit the earth, those who are poor in spirit will receive the kingdom of heaven, those who mourn will be comforted, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled, those who are persecuted will be rewarded, and the pure of heart will see God.

When we are faithful to God we become the blessing to Others

Therefore, let us accept these blessings and be thankful for them. Let us live our lives with gratitude and joy, knowing that God has blessed us with abundant love and grace.

HOW TO GROW THE CHURCH, ‘BE’come the attitudes of our minds and thoughts in CHRIST.

So, let us take Jesus’ words as our road map and heart and strive to live the blessed life He has set before us. Let us be humble, merciful, and peacemakers. Let us hunger and thirst for righteousness and not give in to the temptations of worldly success. Let us be willing to be persecuted for our faith, knowing that our reward in heaven will be great. May God bless us all as we strive to live a blessed life. Amen.

 Thank you and God bless as we seek to become God’s blessing for other seeking life, hope, power, mercy, meaning through Jesus Christ.