If I said, “There goes a blessed person” What would you expect to see? Someone who’s really healthy? Who has plenty of money? Who gets along with their family and has a good job?
Not according to Jesus! The people that Jesus called “blessed” are people with hardships and struggles. People who make the world a better place. People like you and me.
Welcome to the first week of 50 Days with Jesus, and our theme this week is Blessings. This week Jesus shows us that (1) God blesses us and (2) we share God’s blessings with others.
We tend to think someone is blessed if they’re in a good situation. They are healthy or wealthy, they have a good social position. They have an easy time at work or school or whatever they do. They get along with everyone, they don’t have any struggles.
People in Jesus’ time thought the same thing!
And then we look at these people and wonder, WHY did God bless them with health and wealth and an easy life? Does God like them better than me? What have I done to deserve this? Why is my life so difficult?
Jesus knows we have those questions. And he knew, back when he started speaking, that the people around him had the same questions. There was this one time:
Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them because they were worried and helpless—like sheep without a shepherd to lead them. Matthew 9:36 (ERV)
Now that’s a little later, but it sums up how the people felt. They didn’t feel blessed or confident. They were worried. They had issues and no one was helping them. They could not tell if God was around, if God even cared.
How did Jesus respond? He felt sorry for them. The original says he was deeply moved.
What did Jesus do about it? He got involved with them, and he gets involved with us. Jesus healed people. Jesus restored people to their families, their friends, their communities. And he restored them to God
Jesus was deeply moved, Jesus cared. And his actions show that God cares. Jesus showed everyone that God cares. And he told them, too. Jesus told them and he tells us that God cares.
1 When Jesus saw the crowds of people there, he went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came and sat next to him.
2 Then Jesus began teaching the people. He said, Matthew 5:1–2 (ERV)
And what’s the first thing Jesus talks about? Blessings!
3 “Great blessings belong to those who know they are spiritually in need. God’s Kingdom belongs to them.
Are you surprised? I sure am. I think the people who heard it were surprised too!
We think blessed people don’t need anything! God blessed them, so they must be really close to God! They must not be spiritually in need.
But Jesus said God’s kingdom belongs to people who KNOW they are spiritually in need. It’s literally “poor in spirit”. Maybe you don’t just know it, you FEEL spiritually poor.
4 Great blessings belong to those who are sad now. God will comfort them.
5 Great blessings belong to those who are humble. They will be given the land God promised. Matthew 5:3–5 (ERV)
There’s more blessings, but I want to know, do these sound like you at all?
Are you humble, either because you choose to be, or you’ve been humbled by circumstances, maybe by people.
Are you sad? Literally it’s those who mourn, those who grieve. Is that you?
Or maybe you’re poor in spirit. You’re not confident with God. You KNOW you need God, you FEEL it.
If any of these sound like you, Jesus has good news! God CARES about you, about all of us. You don’t have to already be blessed. You don’t have to have it all together. If your life is messy – if YOU’RE a mess – God loves you!
Truth is, we’re all a mess, and God loves all of us. And Jesus shows us that God doesn’t just care, God does something about it. God blesses us!
Jesus isn’t done with the blessings. He has four more blessings for us. Let’s keep listening:
6 Great blessings belong to those who want to do right more than anything else. God will fully satisfy them.
7 Great blessings belong to those who show mercy to others. Mercy will be given to them.
8 Great blessings belong to those whose thoughts are pure. They will be with God.
9 Great blessings belong to those who work to bring peace. God will call them his sons and daughters. Matthew 5:6–9 (ERV)
These kinds of people sound a little different. The first ones sounded like circumstances – spiritually in need, sad, humble. But people who want to do right? Who show mercy, or stick with pure thoughts, or work to bring peace? Those sound like choices.
This is more good news. When we thought being blessed ** was an accident. We couldn’t figure out why some people were blessed and some weren’t. Maybe they were just lucky or fortunate?
Jesus answers that question. God blesses people who choose to bring peace. When we choose to have pure thoughts, or show mercy, or do right – God blesses us!
So, look back over these blessings. Pick the one that resonates with you right now, and look at the results.
All the results are in the future. “God WILL give them mercy. They WILL see God.” You might think, “So, when does this actually happen? If I show mercy, do I have to wait forever to be given mercy?”
We focus on time – when will this happen? But Jesus is focused on the guarantee. God WILL do these things. It’s not that these results, these blessings could happen, or should happen. They absolutely positively without a doubt WILL happen.
So please, connect with God through one of these blessings. God will definitely bless you. Don’t hesitate to work for peace, do it now! Start purifying your thoughts today! Now is the time to show mercy, to want to do right, to be humble!
If you’re mourning, or you know someone who is and you mourn along with them – God will definitely bless you!
And if you’re spiritually in need, God’s kingdom is for you! It’s for you and me and everyone who knows they are spiritually in need.
Now there’s one more blessing, but it definitely stands out from all the others:
10 Great blessings belong to those who suffer persecution for doing what is right. God’s kingdom belongs to them.
11 “People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do that, know that great blessings belong to you.
12 Be happy about it. Be very glad because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did these same bad things to the Prophets who lived before you.
Matthew 5:10–12 (ERV)
This week, we will see Jesus bless all sorts of people, in all sorts of situations. Most of them have medical problems. Jesus miraculously heals each person! But that’s not the biggest thing happening. Watch what happens around the miracle. Listen to what Jesus says about each person’s situation.
People with health problems were separated from their community—their neighbors, family and friends. Their problems even keep them away from God. People with medical conditions weren’t permitted in the temple or the religious gatherings at their local synagogue.
When Jesus heals people, he doesn’t just give them their health back, he gives them their life back. Each person reconnects with their community and friends and family—and with God. Jesus truly blesses people this week.