We have a solo episode today, and to help begin a transition away from the spooky season of Halloween, and into Christmas, Keith presents a recorded sermon he gave last July, 2016. The topic should do the trick, to move into the treats that Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about.

Usually the only thing that gets recorded is the message. On this day in July, the recorder was running, and the song service was also captured. Spaces between the songs were trimmed out to condense things, and to give this presentation a better flow.

Get ready to enjoy a song from our very own, 10 year old CGMA artist, Michaela. Following is our pastor, and a congregational hymn.

The message is from the Sermon on the Mount, so open your bibles to Matthew 5, and see what Jesus said about blessings. The familiar passage turns the concept of being truly blessed on its head, and is different than the world thinks of what blessings are. Think hard before asking for blessings in your life, and try to see them as Jesus does. Here’s my actual notes… more or less… Enjoy., but listen anyway. It comes out a little differently.

Learn from Jesus the Teacher (Matt. 5:1-2 HCSB)

1When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

2Then He began to teach them, saying:

These verses set the stage for the rest of the Sermon on the Mount.His audience was his disciples ,r students.

Live the Upside-Down Life (Matt. 5:3-10 HCSB)

3″Blessed are the poor in spirit,

because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

4Blessed are those who mourn,

because they will be comforted.

5Blessed are the gentle,

because they will inherit the earth.

6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

because they will be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful,

because they will be shown mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart,

because they will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers,

because they will be called sons of God.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness,

because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

What comes to mind when we use the word blessed in every day life?

* Being happy,

* Enjoying a comfortable life,

* A promotion at work

* Having well-behaved children

From a biblical viewpoint, we may be misusing blessed when we describe someone this way. Jesus defined eight godly qualities and said that the person who displays these qualities will be blessed. But how might these come across in a modern worldview?

* Poor in spirit. Broken, defeated, deflated, down trodden.

* Mourn. A downer, a drag, sorrow and sadness.

* Gentle. Soft, limp, weak, loser.

* Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Extremist, bigot, hater, terrorist.

* Merciful. A push over, gullible, easy mark.

* Pure in heart. Unreal, a target to pollute, , do goober, self righteous, hypocrite.

* Peacemakers. The enemy, bullies, infringing on personal rights.

* Persecuted for righteousness. Fools, pathetic, extremist, unreal, stubbor

The world enjoys these qualities when shown to them, but don’t ask them to display these qualities

How is the person who shows evidence of these 8 godly qualities living a blessed life?

* Because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

* Because they will be comforted.

* Because they will inherit the earth.

* Because they will be filled.

* Because they will be shown mercy.

* Because they will see God.

* Because they will be called sons of God.

* Because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Did you notice?

* They – Will – receive a reward, but to the broken hearted, and persecuted, the kingdom – is – theirs.