Sermon Tone Analysis

Imagine if you can…what life would be like to be and feel blessed 100% of the Time.

Pause

It would be amazing wouldn’t it?

I mean think about it!…

The feeling you could have if no matter how good or bad life is going for you in any given moment to know that God is not only interested in you but God is totally involved in your life right then!

Does anyone think that would be a great thing?

Betty Long?

Dustin?

Todd?

Johanna?

Everyone would love this type of feeling.

If only it were possible?....I think it is possible!

In fact I think it is what God prefers for us.

Jesus first major address and I would argue Jesus foundation for the rest of his ministry was centered around telling us that we are all blessed....regardless of our circumstance.

I do not think that God is saying that you are not blessed if you are doing well in life…That is often how this passage is preached.

However to do so makes suffering a source of pride as well.

I have seen people wear their lack of abundance or good luck as a badge of honor just like I have seen people where their abundance as proof of their blessing.

I think that Jesus is saying that you and I are blessed no matter what side of the material world we are on.

I also think that God is trying to tell us that what we often see as blessing is not actually blessing.

What are Those Who Are Blessed, Blessed With

i.

Those who are poor in spirit are blessed with the kingdom of heaven.

Already this is a departure.

It’s not the kingdoms of this world, the systems of power in place around them—but something completely different, bigger, and better.

ii.

Those who mourn are blessed with comfort.

iii.Those who are meek will inherit the earth—a contrast from whom we believe the earth belongs to, even in our time.

(Russia believes land should be taken by force)

iv.

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

Those who are merciful will receive mercy.

Those who are pure in heart will see God.

Those who are peacemakers are called the children of God.

v.

Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness will be blessed with the kingdom of heaven.

Note that both those who are poor in spirit and those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed with the kingdom of heaven

This passage is not saying the God blesses the have nots more than the haves, God is defining the idea of blessing

If we want to live and feel Blessed by God 100% of the time we must do three things.

Change your definition of blessed

Have a blessed day…This is a saying I hear a lot these days.

When I get my Chick Filet, Pick up or drop off my dog from doggie day care....(Yes I do that it is cheaper to do that than it is to leave him at home so don’t judge me) and at a variety of other places I do business.

I do not have any problems when I hear this…in fact I feel good knowing that they want me to be blessed…but I can’t help but wonder if we have allow the term blessed to be somewhat hijacked but our culture.

Our society sees Blessing as: having a high paying job, achieving fame power and influence, or never experiencing a set back or loss.

This is not blessing the blessing of God come to us regardless of material success…

When biblical blessings are elevated above secular blessings contentment and happiness is the result.

Blessing is spiritual…not material so the lack of or abundance of is not blessing at all.

This is not the idea that the western Church has embraced and as such people will struggle to give up the idea that blessing equals smooth sailing.

Expect People to actively oppose God’s definition of Blessed

Those listening to Jesus would be shocked to hear “blessed” followed by “the poor in spirit.”

They would expect to hear Jesus talk favorably about the powerful.

As a result they were actively opposed to Jesus ministry.

They opposed Jesus right up until they watched him die on a cross.

It was at this point they thought they had won…But in Just three days Jesus would win the blessed argument.

We have already talked a lot about Many times the blessedness of a Christians is determined by how much material blessing they have....

In the same we We often judge a Church on the size of their building and the number of people that attend.

The problems with this is that if we don’t measure up to a cultural standard here we often see a church as not success full or blessed and it makes it hard to celebrate was God is really doing through the congregation.

What if a church were blessed despite the attendance?

What if followers of Jesus were blessed even if they were poor?

What if the material metrics we used had nothing to do with what it looks like to be blessed?

What if some of you today were blessed but you didn’t even realize it?

I can’t help but think that some of you have read through this passage and identified with one of all or the categories Jesus points to as blessed…But you don’t feel very blessed becuase your life does not meet the Pop Christianity definition of Blessed?

Be Blessed anyway

Jesus is telling you today through this passage however that you are in fact blessed.

The result of redefining blessing, Accepting the others will actively oppose God’s blessing and Being blessed anyway will help you to feel the Holy Spirits blessing no matter what your circumstance.

When you adopt a spiritual view of blessing over a societal view of bless you will find that the things that caused you the most trouble no longer have a hold on your life.

You will be free…Free to Love, Free to Live, and Free of unrealistic expectations.

When a community looks and feels God’s blessing despite their circumstance their humble confidence draws people looking for the joy of salvation they are living in.

When Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Communion he was pointing to the blessing that every believer has in Christ.

He was pointing out that everyone that believes in Him is blessed not becuase of what they have but becuase of What Jesus was about to do.

He was also pointing out the we are continually blessed becuase just as Jesus fulfilled the promise of coming and dying for our sins Jesus will be coming again...

So redefine blessing, expect push back and above all be Blessed anyway.

Communion

Closing Prayer

Being like Christ, in the ways Christ laid down his rights and became a servant, loving others well—these things that lead to persecution are blessed.

Conclusion

The world has its own beatitudes—ways of living and existing.

They usually encompass power, money, violence, and control, but the people of God are first and foremost to live as citizens of the kingdom of God.

Even now, we are to live in this already/not-yet kingdom, and that way of being, doing, and existing looks different from the world.

It’s not about power and control but meekness and righteousness.

It’s not about violence and money but poverty of spirit and peacemaking.

Living in this way may very well cause us hardship in this world— it certainly did for Jesus—but we know from these words that those who live as citizens of the kingdom of God are truly blessed.