Poor in Spirit: Inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven

So Jesus starts this Sermon on the Mount by saying God's favor is with you if your life force is depleted for you are royalty inheriting a kingdom. That's bonkers. Am I the only one who thinks that that's bonkers? That's bonkers. Jesus, what in the world are you talking about? I've been separated from my family my whole life. I am struggling with a physical or a mental disability. God, I'm struggling with all these things, and you show up today, and you tell me that your favor is with me, and I'm not a loser. I'm not least likely to succeed. I am an heir to the kingdom. [00:52:19] (47 seconds)  #RoyaltyInWeakness

So as we take the cup, we remember back to how Jesus has taken care of our sin once and for all through the great cost that he paid. But we also take the cup in faith and remembering and knowing that in the future, there will be a day where we drink at a table next to Jesus and next to one another in a place where there is no more sin, no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more tears. So let us take the cup together today thinking back to what Jesus has done and forward to what he will do. [00:34:09] (36 seconds)  #CupOfRemembrance

And I'm not saying you have to preach at them. Sometimes looking someone in the eye is preaching enough. Sometimes saying, you're doing okay. I see a lot of sadness in your eyes. You won't talk about it. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. You don't need a master's degree. You've got the spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead inside of you. Remember that. You have I got the same one that you got. You didn't get a better one or a better deal. I didn't get a better one or a better we all have the same spirit of God, And that spirit of God will comfort you in affliction, and will invite you to be a comforter in others' affliction as well. [01:10:50] (42 seconds)  #PresenceOverPreaching

And you might say, well, that's great. You know, I'm not a part of like a SWAT team in Cambodia that rescues people. You can clothe people with dignity wherever you are. Who are the least of these? Who are the poor in spirit? Who are the exhausted? Who are the the spiritually, emotionally, physically bankrupt around us who need it? There's likely people in this room who are there. There's likely people in your family who are there. There's people you'll see on the street that are there. There are people that come in to your life that are there. [01:05:21] (38 seconds)  #ClotheWithDignity

But for these people sitting on a hill with Jesus, they're likely feeling like they're spiritually, emotionally, physically, and relationally bankrupt. Nothing to give. Nothing to get exhausted. Have you been that exhausted before? Where God, it's just like I don't got nothing left to give. I never thought it would be this hard. I didn't think it would be this difficult. I know life isn't easy, but I didn't know it would feel this way. That describes what it means to be poor in spirit. [00:50:13] (37 seconds)  #SeenInBrokenness

And maybe there is someone in your life, someone in this room, someone today who you need to tell, I can tell you're exhausted. I'm here. Spirit of God is here, and the kingdom of heaven is yours. People need to have that testified to them. And I think that that also gives this invitation into the community at large to today, maybe at a Super Bowl game, tomorrow, maybe as you go to work or to your different places, you're going to encounter people who are exhausted, People who are spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially exhausted. People who have shame that they have not even begun to deal with. People who will not even look you in the eye because of what life has handed them. [01:08:59] (44 seconds)  #KingdomForTheExhausted

Jesus made a perfect world, and he said it's not good for humans to be alone. There is a dimension and a reality here where Jesus wants you to know this, that your relationship with God, he has you covered, but also that we are to be conduits of grace for one another. And so I think the invitation here is not just to receive the blessedness of the king who makes the kingdom of heaven yours, but also to be people who give it Because the kingdom of heaven is wide and the kingdom of heaven is grand and the kingdom of heaven always has room for one more. [01:08:25] (33 seconds)  #NotAloneInGrace

The king himself died for you. The king himself lost his dignity that you would have it. The king himself was crushed that you might be elevated in due time. The kingdom of God is yours. It's upside down, but that doesn't make it any less true. So let us come to the foot of that tree, look up at this savior who died for you and for me, and let us know that even if we feel poor, we are rich because the very presence of God dwells with you and me even now. [01:14:36] (40 seconds)  #ElevatedBySacrifice