Grace Church | "Living Blessed: Come Empty"

Devotional

Day 1: Empty Hands, Overflowing Hearts: Receiving the Kingdom Like a Child

Jesus invites us to approach Him not as self-sufficient achievers, but as beggars aware of our spiritual poverty. True blessing begins when we stop clinging to our filthy rags of righteousness and open empty hands to receive His kingdom. This childlike dependence contradicts our culture’s obsession with self-reliance, yet it’s the only posture that allows God’s grace to fill us until we overflow. The kingdom isn’t earned through religious checklists, but given freely to those who admit their need. [13:53]

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, ESV)

Reflection: What “good deeds” or achievements do you secretly cling to as spiritual résumé items? How might laying these down today create space for God’s unearned grace?

Day 2: Tears That Unlock Comfort: Mourning the Sin That Breaks God’s Heart

Genuine blessing requires brutal honesty about sin’s wreckage – both in our world and our private choices. Jesus calls us to grieve sin like a parent mourning a child’s self-destruction, not minimize it as “no big deal.” This holy sorrow isn’t about shame, but recognizing how our rebellion fractures relationship with God. Comfort comes when we stop making excuses and let His tears over sin mingle with ours. [01:05:13]

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: What sin have you been tolerating as a “comfort blanket”? How might confessing it today – to God or a trusted believer – release His healing?

Day 3: Blessed in the Mud: Finding Favor When Life Feels Like a Pigsty

God’s favor isn’t reserved for cleaned-up, Instagram-ready lives. The prodigal son discovered blessing not after scrubbing off the stench, but while still covered in pig filth. Our “blessed and highly favored” status comes from the Father’s relentless love, not our presentable moments. Even when consequences of poor choices linger, His ring of belonging remains on our finger. [01:03:00]

“But when he came to himself, he said… ‘I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.”’ And he arose and came to his father.” (Luke 15:17-20, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you still trying to “clean up” before approaching God? How might receiving His favor today – right in your mess – change your next step?

Day 4: The Strength of Weakness: Trading Self-Sufficiency for God’s Supply

Our culture celebrates the “self-made” life, but Jesus blesses those who admit their limitations. Like a diabetic needing insulin, we’re designed for daily dependence. True strength emerges when we stop pretending we’ve got it all together and instead lean into His endless supply. The blessed life isn’t about mustering willpower, but plugging into the Vine’s supernatural sustenance. [01:06:32]

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you digging in your heels with “I’ve got this” when God whispers “Let me carry that”? What one burden can you transfer to Him today?

Day 5: Wiping Away Tears Now: Living in the Promise of Revelation’s Comfort

The final comfort isn’t just a future hope – it’s present reality. Every time we let God wipe today’s tears through a friend’s hug, Scripture’s truth, or worship’s healing, we taste eternity’s promise. Our mourning becomes a sacred space where heaven’s tissues absorb earth’s pain. Comfort multiplies when we stop hoarding sorrow and let it flow into His scarred hands. [01:13:38]

“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.” (Revelation 21:4, ESV)

Reflection: What current sorrow feels too raw to bring to God? How might letting Him hold this pain today – not fix it – change your capacity to comfort others?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 5 brings Jesus close to his disciples and names the kind of heart that actually lives in his kingdom. The Beatitudes do not hand out medals for self-achievement; they open the door for the empty. “Blessed” sounds like joy, but Jesus fills that word with a deeper thing: undeserved favor, a happiness rooted in God that is not tossed around by circumstances. The first and last Beatitudes both promise, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” framing the whole section with a present gift, not a distant maybe. The kingdom is at hand when pride steps aside and dependence steps in.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” calls for a humble, honest arrival before God. Self-reliance is the air of the age, but Scripture calls every self-made righteousness “filthy rags.” Jesus does not ask anyone to impress him; he asks for surrender. Childlike God-reliance replaces self-confidence, and grace replaces self-determination. When the heart comes empty, Jesus does not shame it; he seats it in the kingdom.

“Blessed are those who mourn” presses past generic sadness into grief over sin. The world’s comforts come quick and cheap, but they hollow the soul. Sin often starts as a soft pillow and ends as a wrecking ball. Jesus names that pattern so the heart can hate the thing that hurts it and turn to the One who heals it. Real mourning is not self-loathing; it is Godward sorrow that wants holiness more than the old fixes. That is where comfort lands: forgiveness now, cleansing now, and, one day, God wiping every tear.

The kingdom Jesus offers is the opposite of drifting toward the nearest bright pole in the dark. The light is not a lure to crash into; it is a path to walk by. So the call is clear: come empty and learn. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Confess sin as sin, not as a quirk to manage. Trade quick relief for lasting rest. Jesus came to give life to the full, and that fullness flows as the heart trusts, repents, and follows. Then “blessed and highly favored” stops sounding like a slogan and starts sounding like the quiet confidence of a child who knows the Father’s hands are good.

Key Takeaways

1. Come empty to receive the kingdom [49:20] The kingdom opens to the poor in spirit, not the self-sufficient. Empty hands can finally take what grace gives. Dependence is not weakness in Jesus’ world; it is the doorway to life. When pride loosens its grip, the heart finds it already standing in the King’s country. [49:20]
2. Mourn sin to find real comfort [01:03:32] Jesus blesses those who grieve what separates people from God. This is not vague sadness but clear-eyed sorrow that names sin and brings it to the cross. Comfort meets that honesty with forgiveness, cleansing, and the steady healing only the Spirit can work. [63:32]
3. Trade self-reliance for God-reliance [59:24] Self-made righteousness frays fast; God’s mercy holds. Jesus replaces self-confidence with confidence in God, and self-determination with sovereign grace. The shift is not cosmetic; it is a new center where Christ leads and the soul actually rests. [59:24]
4. Reject quick fixes for lasting rest [01:05:42] Sin’s comfort is fast, easy, and expensive in the end. God’s comfort can be slower, but it lasts and does not rot the foundation. Turning from counterfeit ease toward Christ’s yoke trains the heart to prefer what heals over what merely numbs. [65:42]
5. Live blessed and highly favored now [13:31] “Blessed” is not a future-only word. The Spirit fills with joy and peace as the heart trusts, and hope starts to overflow. The first and last Beatitudes promise the kingdom in the present, so assurance grows as trust and obedience deepen. [13:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:04] - God meets real needs
[13:00] - Come empty theme
[13:31] - Filled with joy and peace
[27:07] - Open to Matthew 5
[28:18] - Life to the full, not stolen
[32:23] - Light pole and drifting focus
[33:33] - Heart posture of disciples
[34:26] - Reading the Beatitudes
[36:07] - Focus on first two blessings
[41:34] - What “blessed” really means
[49:20] - Poor in spirit unpacked
[56:17] - Justified by grace, not earning
[63:32] - Mourning sin, not just loss
[65:42] - Sin as counterfeit comfort
[73:38] - Future comfort and no more tears
[81:02] - Come, learn, and find rest
[81:46] - Confession and purification
[86:01] - Prayer and sending out

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Matthew 5:1-10 (ESV)
The Beatitudes
- Isaiah 64:6 (ESV)
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…”
- Romans 15:13 (ESV)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Observation Questions

In Matthew 5:3, Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What does “poor in spirit” mean, and how does this contrast with self-reliance? [49:20]
The sermon emphasizes that mourning over sin leads to comfort (Matthew 5:4). How is this type of mourning different from general sadness or grief? [01:03:32]
Isaiah 64:6 describes human righteousness as “filthy rags.” What examples of “self-made righteousness” were mentioned in the sermon? [51:34]
According to the sermon, why does Jesus frame the first and last Beatitudes with the same promise (“theirs is the kingdom of heaven”)? [36:32]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus begin the Beatitudes with “poor in spirit” instead of a more action-oriented condition? How does this set the tone for the rest of His teaching?
The sermon states, “Sin often starts as a soft pillow and ends as a wrecking ball” [01:05:42]. How does this metaphor explain the danger of seeking comfort in sin rather than God?
Romans 15:13 ties joy, peace, and hope to trusting God. Why is dependence on God (rather than self-reliance) necessary for experiencing these blessings?
How does the promise of “the kingdom of heaven” being a present gift (Matthew 5:3,10) challenge common assumptions about God’s blessings being only future-oriented?

Application Questions

In what areas of your life do you struggle most with self-reliance? What would it look like to approach God with “empty hands” in those areas this week? [49:20]
The sermon warns against “quick fixes” that numb pain instead of healing it [01:05:42]. What is one habit or coping mechanism you use to avoid facing sin or brokenness? How can you bring this to God honestly?
How might you practically “mourn” sin this week—not with shame, but with Godward sorrow that seeks holiness? Consider writing a prayer of confession or talking with a trusted believer.
The phrase “blessed and highly favored” was described as a quiet confidence in God’s goodness [30:13]. What tangible reminder (e.g., a verse, song, or practice) could help you live this truth when circumstances feel overwhelming?
Jesus invites us to “learn from me” (Matthew 11:29). What is one specific way you can prioritize learning His way over relying on your own understanding this week?

Sermon Clips

33s

“But here's the part that we have a hard time with. We just wanna put sin on the shelf, and we just wanna keep our sin in reach. And we still wanna return to it from time to time. Because here's the part that the part that is interesting. When I was dwelling upon it this week, and it's probably the first time I heard of it, it's just it's came to me that we are comforted by our sin. Did you guys do you guys agree with that? Now not like after we see sin's deceitfulness and how it, like, hurts, But at first, we turn to sin because there's a comfort in it.”

31s

“You cannot receive what you don't need, what you don't think you need. You won't receive it. You'll say, I I don't need that. How many times and guys were were probably worse at this than than the than the ladies in the room. But how many times you said, no. I'm good. I don't need help. And then you drop something. Like, you have your hands full, and you're like, no. I got it. I got it. I got it. And then it just, like, falls. Right? And it's crazy. And God's like, hey. I could help you know what to juggle, number one, what you need to grab and put in and carry, and I I could help you have the power to do so.”

36s

“If we don't realize that we're are poor in spirit, that we can't live out our righteousness on our own, and we can't see our need for Jesus as savior who is holy, and we we cannot see ourselves ever becoming like that yet he calls us to be that way. And we can come more like him each and every day. That's what it means to as a disciple, we we wanna become more like him. If we don't see that in our need for him, then we are not part of his kingdom. And we sing songs like come to the cross because it's us then coming and dying to ourselves.”

48s

“But gods and Paul here is, like, how can you live it any longer? I offer you something so much more better and fulfilling for the long term. And the comfort might not always be immediate, and that's what's hard. Sin, oftentimes, the comfort is, the pleasure is instant. But when it comes to the things that God has, those things are gonna be lasting, not our not our always easily felt, and that's the difficulty. And he asked us to have with that that contrite heart that that Paul has. And Paul said this in in Romans seven twenty four twenty five. I don't think I have the oh, I do have the verse up there. Great. It says, what a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. There's a our Lord part.”

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Grace Church | "Living Blessed: Come Empty" | Pastor Todd Thompson