Continuing on after Jesus started doing his thing around Galilee. The crowds gathered around Jesus. These people were hurting - they were the "least of these," as Jesus says in other places. He looks at this crowd and says they are blessed. We'll talk about what that word "blessed" means - and meant in their context. Calling that crowd - full of THOSE people - it didn't make sense for them to be called blessed. This whole thing doesn't feel right - seems backwards.

Blessed are the poor in spirit. If you've got nothing left in the tank, here's the good news. God is with you. God is on your side. You've got nothing left of your own resources - nothing to keep God from pouring the Spirit into your life.

Blessed are those who mourn. Again - sounds backward. Why? Because we now feel what God feels. We are now living in solidarity with the Divine.

Blessed are the meek. Yeah, super backward. The meek get trampled on in our world. Well, maybe - maybe not. That word "meek" doesn't mean "weak" as we've come to understand it. It means "power restrained." We're familiar with a very relevant current example of this. When the non-violent protest kind of power restrained is met with violence, the ugliness of violence is seen for what it really us. Evil.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Jesus calls "blessed" those who look at what's wrong in the world and put their back into making it right again. Jesus calls "blessed" those in this world who work for justice for all people.

Speaker: Aaron Vis

Scripture: Matthew 4:23-25; 5:1-12

http://bible.com/events/49555918