Blessed Are the Broken: Embracing God's Upside-Down Kingdom

 

Summary

Good morning, church. Today, we are invited to explore the profound truths of the Beatitudes, as presented in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. This sermon challenges our understanding of happiness and blessedness, contrasting the cultural pursuit of happiness with the kingdom life Jesus offers. Despite living in a society that promises happiness through success and material wealth, research shows a decline in general happiness. This paradox highlights the limitations of a happiness defined by circumstances and comparison.

The Beatitudes, often misunderstood and moralized, are not a list of virtues to achieve but rather a proclamation of blessing upon those in dire circumstances. Jesus invites those who feel they have nothing to offer—those who are poor in spirit, mourning, meek, and yearning for righteousness—into His kingdom. This invitation is not based on merit but on grace, reflecting the gospel's essence. The Beatitudes are structured to communicate this gospel, starting with grace and leading to a transformed life characterized by mercy, purity, and peacemaking.

Jesus' message is counter-cultural, turning our expectations of the good life upside down. While society values success, power, and happiness, Jesus blesses those who are marginalized, forgotten, and broken. This upside-down kingdom challenges us to see blessing not in our circumstances but in our relationship with God. The tension of time in the Beatitudes, with some blessings present and others future, reminds us of the "already but not yet" nature of God's kingdom. We experience glimpses of His kingdom now, even as we await its full realization.

For those whose lives do not align with cultural narratives of success, Jesus offers a radical message of hope and blessing. He invites us to embrace His kingdom, where the last are first, and the broken are blessed. In our pain and problems, we can find blessing if we receive it from Jesus. This invitation is for all, regardless of our circumstances, and it calls us to live in the hope of a kingdom where all sad things will come untrue.

Key Takeaways:

- The Beatitudes are not a moral checklist but a proclamation of grace. Jesus invites those who feel empty and broken into His kingdom, emphasizing that entry is based on grace, not merit. This challenges us to see the Beatitudes as a reflection of the gospel, where God's blessing is offered to those in dire circumstances. [46:00]

- Jesus' kingdom is counter-cultural, redefining the good life. While society values success and happiness, Jesus blesses those who are marginalized and broken. This upside-down kingdom challenges us to find blessing not in circumstances but in our relationship with God. [50:26]

- The Beatitudes communicate the gospel's structure, starting with grace and leading to a transformed life. This progression reflects the nature of discipleship, where grace compels us to live mercifully, purely, and as peacemakers. [54:47]

- The tension of time in the Beatitudes highlights the "already but not yet" nature of God's kingdom. We experience glimpses of His kingdom now, even as we await its full realization. This tension encourages us to find blessing in the present, despite our circumstances. [59:55]

- Jesus' invitation is for all, regardless of circumstances. In our pain and problems, we can find blessing if we receive it from Jesus. This radical message of hope calls us to live in the expectation of a kingdom where all sad things will come untrue. [01:03:07]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Opening Prayer
- [01:45] - Introduction to the Beatitudes
- [03:20] - The Paradox of Happiness
- [05:10] - Misunderstanding the Beatitudes
- [07:00] - The Gospel in the Beatitudes
- [09:15] - Counter-Cultural Kingdom
- [11:30] - The Tension of Time
- [13:45] - Invitation to the Kingdom
- [15:30] - Living in the Already but Not Yet
- [17:00] - Embracing the Upside-Down Kingdom
- [19:00] - Closing Prayer
- [20:30] - Final Blessing and Dismissal

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Beatitudes and the Upside-Down Kingdom

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 5:1-12 (The Beatitudes)
2. Psalm 34:1-3

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the sermon suggest is the common misunderstanding about the Beatitudes, and how does it differ from Jesus' intended message? [50:26]

2. According to the sermon, how does Jesus' invitation in the Beatitudes contrast with societal values of success and happiness? [54:47]

3. How does the sermon describe the "already but not yet" nature of God's kingdom as seen in the Beatitudes? [59:55]

4. What examples does the sermon provide to illustrate the counter-cultural nature of Jesus' kingdom? [01:06:29]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon explain the role of grace in the structure of the Beatitudes, and what does this reveal about the nature of discipleship? [01:03:07]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the Beatitudes challenge our cultural understanding of the "good life"? [01:13:54]

3. How does the sermon interpret the tension between present and future blessings in the Beatitudes, and what implications does this have for believers today? [01:17:56]

4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between suffering and blessing in the context of the Beatitudes? [01:24:24]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt empty or broken. How does the message of grace in the Beatitudes offer you hope in that situation? [01:03:07]

2. Consider the cultural values of success and happiness. How might Jesus' counter-cultural message in the Beatitudes challenge your personal goals and aspirations? [01:06:29]

3. The sermon describes the "already but not yet" nature of God's kingdom. How can you find and celebrate glimpses of God's kingdom in your current circumstances? [01:17:56]

4. Think about a situation where you felt marginalized or forgotten. How does Jesus' invitation to the kingdom in the Beatitudes encourage you to see your circumstances differently? [01:13:54]

5. Identify an area in your life where you feel the tension between present struggles and future hope. How can you lean into the blessings Jesus offers in the midst of this tension? [01:21:48]

6. The sermon suggests that those who suffer with God are transformed. How can you support someone in your life who is going through a difficult time, helping them to see God's blessing in their situation? [01:24:24]

7. Reflect on the idea that Jesus' kingdom is for the "least likely" people. How can you extend grace and blessing to someone in your community who might feel excluded or overlooked? [01:03:07]

Devotional

Day 1: Grace Over Merit
The Beatitudes are a profound proclamation of grace, inviting those who feel empty and broken into the kingdom of God. This invitation is not based on personal merit or achievements but on the grace that Jesus offers to all. The Beatitudes challenge the notion that one must earn their way into God's favor, instead highlighting that God's blessing is extended to those in dire circumstances. This reflects the essence of the gospel, where grace is the starting point, leading to a life transformed by mercy, purity, and peacemaking. Jesus' message is a reminder that in our emptiness, we are met with divine grace, and it is this grace that welcomes us into His kingdom. [46:00]

Isaiah 57:15 (ESV): "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel empty or broken? How can you invite God's grace into these areas today?


Day 2: Redefining the Good Life
Jesus' kingdom is counter-cultural, redefining what it means to live a good life. While society often equates success and happiness with power and material wealth, Jesus blesses those who are marginalized and broken. This upside-down kingdom challenges us to find our blessing not in our circumstances but in our relationship with God. It calls us to see beyond societal values and to embrace a life that prioritizes spiritual richness over worldly success. In doing so, we are invited to experience a deeper, more fulfilling sense of happiness that is rooted in divine connection rather than external achievements. [50:26]

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Reflection: How does your current pursuit of happiness align with the values of Jesus' kingdom? What changes can you make to prioritize your relationship with God over societal expectations?


Day 3: The Gospel's Transformative Structure
The Beatitudes communicate the gospel's structure, beginning with grace and leading to a transformed life. This progression reflects the nature of discipleship, where grace compels us to live mercifully, purely, and as peacemakers. The transformation that follows grace is not about adhering to a moral checklist but about embodying the values of God's kingdom. As we receive grace, we are called to extend it to others, living out the principles of mercy, purity, and peace in our daily interactions. This transformative journey is a testament to the power of the gospel to change lives from the inside out. [54:47]

Titus 2:11-12 (ESV): "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age."

Reflection: In what ways can you allow God's grace to transform your daily actions and interactions with others today?


Day 4: The Tension of Time
The Beatitudes highlight the "already but not yet" nature of God's kingdom, where we experience glimpses of His kingdom now, even as we await its full realization. This tension encourages us to find blessing in the present, despite our circumstances. It reminds us that while we may face challenges and uncertainties, we are part of a kingdom that is both present and future. This dual reality calls us to live with hope and expectation, trusting that God's promises will be fulfilled in His perfect timing. As we navigate the complexities of life, we are invited to embrace the blessings available to us now, while looking forward to the complete fulfillment of God's kingdom. [59:55]

Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV): "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."

Reflection: How can you find and embrace the blessings of God's kingdom in your current circumstances, even as you await its full realization?


Day 5: A Radical Invitation
Jesus' invitation is for all, regardless of circumstances. In our pain and problems, we can find blessing if we receive it from Jesus. This radical message of hope calls us to live in the expectation of a kingdom where all sad things will come untrue. It is an invitation to embrace a life of faith, where we trust in God's promises and look forward to the day when His kingdom will be fully realized. This hope is not just for the future but is available to us now, offering comfort and strength in the midst of life's challenges. As we accept this invitation, we are encouraged to live with a sense of anticipation and joy, knowing that God's kingdom is at hand. [01:03:07]

Revelation 21:4-5 (ESV): "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to embrace Jesus' invitation to hope and blessing? How can you live in anticipation of God's kingdom today?

Quotes


The Beatitudes are very well known to the point where I think we have presumed to understand them, and in doing so, we understand them incorrectly. In fact, when I first approached it, I realized much of my own understanding, maybe actually not exactly what is going on here. A lot of writing and teaching misreads and even often communicates what is good intentioned, not bad truths, actually truthful things, but actually not what Jesus intends in his Beatitudes. [00:51:29] (28 seconds)


The most common error when it comes to these blessings from Jesus is to moralize them, turning them into good things, virtualizing them. And by doing so, we often miss the exact point Jesus is trying to communicate, which is supposed to be shocking to us. We make them much more approachable to us. For example, blessed are the poor in spirit. [00:52:25] (25 seconds)


The Beatitudes are organized to communicate the gospel. Actually, they communicate discipleship in this organization. But I want you to really hear it communicates the gospel. Scholars disagree on the organization. And also they disagree on how many there are. It's either eight or nine, depending on how you look at the last couple about persecution. [01:00:36] (19 seconds)


Jesus comes in these blessings in the same way the gospel comes to the world from a position of grace where we don't deserve it, where we do nothing. He's coming to bless broken people. The Beatitudes first come as a gift of grace, and if you don't see that, you turn it into good things or things you have to do, then you miss the point. [01:01:48] (23 seconds)


Notice the Beatitudes are not commands. In fact, that's one of the things that happens if we moralize them or turn them into good things. I mean, it almost becomes like something we have to do, right? Blessed are the poor in spirit. It's dependence on God, which again, I want to make clear, is a good thing taught in the Bible, but it's not what Jesus is saying. [01:02:34] (16 seconds)


He's not uplifting a poverty life. These are proclamations, not commands, of blessing on people in bad situations because the kingdom of God is offered to people who are in terrible situations. The kingdom of God is a gift offered in grace and entered into by grace because that is what the gospel is all about. [01:03:20] (30 seconds)


The Beatitudes are organized to communicate the gospel. They don't communicate morals first don't moralize them second see the grace of god see the gospel third jesus is turning our expectations of the of the good life upside down he is turning our expectations of god's kingdom upside down think about this list of blessings from jesus for a second. [01:10:29] (30 seconds)


The cultural narrative of our country is that blessing comes for the successful, those who have their life together, which means it's all circumstantial. Even the English word for happy comes from the English word happenstance, which is based on circumstances. But the problem is that many of our circumstances are completely out of our control. [01:12:13] (21 seconds)


The tension is we can have blessings today, even in the midst of horrible circumstances, because we have future hope of a complete blessed life. If you are here and you don't see yourself in any of these bad situations, praise God, first of all. If you're not, if you're rich, if you're happy, if you're powerful, please tie to the church, right? [01:17:41] (29 seconds)


If your life doesn't match up, here's Jesus' words for you. The culture may say you don't have any blessing, nothing going for you. I'm going to bless you. You are welcome. I love you. And we all need that news because we will all have some time in our life where we will be like that. [01:23:12] (19 seconds)


I love how it describes the hope of the kingdom. It describes it as one day where all sad things will come untrue. No more mourning, no more sadness, for the old things have passed away. That is the kingdom Jesus invites us into. And he invites those who are mourning, who are sad, who are messed up, and says, welcome, come to me. [01:25:49] (25 seconds)


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Transcript
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