Renew San Diego

Luke 10:25-37

Today we hear about the work that our partners Mama Lilly and her husband, Dennis, are doing for orphans, widows, and those who are vulnerable in South Sudan.   

Matthew 5:1-12

Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

It costs to be a Christian. We don’t gain points for choosing not to go with the crowd. 

But there’s also a gift that we receive from the friction we experience — it purifies and deepens our connection to God. 

Matthew 5:1-12

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

When we are hurt, we hurt others both intentionally and unintentionally. Jesus breaks the cycle of violence and gives us the power to do the same. 

Matthew 5:1-12

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

In and through Jesus, we learn to follow the narrow and difficult path of peacemaking and to allow the kingdom of God to bring wholeness and shalom into the world through us.

Matthew 5:1-12

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

The word “pure” means to be integrated, to have a whole heart. The opposite of exhaustion is not just rest, but whole-heartedness. 

Is it possible to go through this fast-paced life, and not become more scattered and disintegrated, but to become focused, whole-hearted, present, and fully alive? 

MATTHEW 5: 1-12

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

The claim of Christianity that we see embodied in Jesus Christ is justice, mercy, and grace, all wrapped together. 

Mercy is the key that unlocks the door to the good news of God’s salvation.

MATTHEW 5: 1-12

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled

What if the kingdom of heaven really is at hand? Jesus says that in the midst of everything going on in our world, there is always hope. 

MATTHEW 5: 1-12

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Meekness is not weakness, but strength under control. We are meek when we know who we are and no longer need to use our power or privilege to get ahead.

MATTHEW 5: 1-12

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

How do we deal with our grief? Do we put on a happy face and pretend like it’s not there? 

The beatitudes teach us that mourning is a healthy and necessary part of being human and following Jesus. 

If we have nothing to mourn about, maybe we aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around us. 

MATTHEW 5: 1-12

Blessed are the poor in spirit

The Beatitudes are not prescriptions of how we should try to live, but descriptions.

Even when you find yourself poor in spirit, when the world tells you that God has forgotten you, you are still blessed in the presence of the One who knows you.