Embracing True Blessedness

Luke 6:17-26

He came down with them and stood on a level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. 20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Embracing True Blessedness

Preface:

It would be so easy to write a sermon concerning this teaching of Jesus because he makes such a bold statement. I could focus on the woes, or curse, that Jesus places on the rich who do not seek God’s will in their life, but I will not. Mainly because it has been my understanding that the people who fit into this category will not listen to what I have to say; they will not listen because I am not rich and I have no political or social power. I very much identify with those people seeking to touch Jesus and feel the power that came out from him. So, instead, I intend to focus on what Jesus is saying in the blessing of those who seek God’s will in their life.

People from all walks of life surrounded Jesus. His words are not just comforting; they are revolutionary. When he begins to speak, Jesus turns the world's expectations upside down, offering a message that challenges societal norms and speaks directly to the heart of human experience. The Beatitudes, as recorded in Luke 6:17-26, are not merely pleasant sayings but a radical call to live differently. They remind us that God's kingdom operates on principles vastly different from those of this world. It calls us to embrace a life of true blessedness, not as the world defines it, but as God does.

Embracing Poverty and Dependence on God

Even in Jesus’ time, society valued wealth and self-sufficiency. Jesus, however, emphasizes the importance of acknowledging reliance on support systems, communities, and God. This perspective transcends material poverty and underscores a deliberate attitude of humility. Many ideologies discourage the accumulation of excessive wealth. E. F. Shumacher, a British economic theorist known for his work on Buddhist economic theories, effectively captures this view. Interestingly, Schumacher shows us that the Buddhist understanding is similar to Jesus’.

To summarize his ideas, it is not the possession of wealth that restricts freedom but the attachment to it; it is not the enjoyment of things but the desire for them that restricts liberation. He writes, “Since consumption is merely a means to human well-being, the aim should be to obtain the maximum of well-being with the minimum of consumption.” (Shumacher 1999) If indeed we all took just what was needed to be comfortable, all would be comfortable. These were the teachings and practices of the early church. A practice that ensured that the poor, the widow, and the orphan would be cared for.

Take a moment to reflect on your journey and identify areas where you could have practiced humility, strengthened your sense of community, and supported someone less fortunate. By recognizing our shortcomings, we open ourselves to a broader understanding of well-being and invite true enrichment into our lives. Such a posture invites the Holy Spirit to guide us and brings us closer to understanding the profound benefits of a meaningful relationship with God in Christ.

Jesus invites us to lament both our wealth and our poverty. The hope is that we will embrace the notion that true fulfillment arises not from what we own but from how we connect with others, leading us to understand our place in the world. When we lament our wealth, we recognize the burden that attachment to material possessions imposes on our lives. This recognition allows us to seek joy and contentment in simpler, more meaningful experiences and relationships.

Similarly, mourning our poverty—be it material, emotional, or spiritual—helps us acknowledge our vulnerabilities and fosters compassion for ourselves and others. It opens the door to genuine support and solidarity within our communities, reinforcing the notion that our greatest strengths often lie in our ability to lean on one another. Through this process, the Spirit will show us hope in the shared human experience and collective well-being.

Acknowledging and embracing our wealth and poverty develops a deeper sense of humility and interconnectedness. Jesus lays the foundation, and this mindset, this surrender to God’s will for us, opens the door to a more fulfilling life based on mutual support and enriched by genuine connections that allow us to harness the transformative power of humility and community.

Finding Hope in Hunger and Mourning

Next, Jesus speaks to those who are hungry and weeping, promising them satisfaction and joy. When we humble ourselves before Christ, our deepest longings and sorrows can draw us closer to God. Consider the story of Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor who found meaning and hope amidst the unimaginable suffering in German WWII concentration camps. In his 1946 book, *Man’s Search for Meaning*, he draws on his training as a psychotherapist to express faith in God and demonstrate resilience in how God created us. Seeking God in such a harsh circumstance instead of falling prey to self-pity is precisely what Jesus is teaching us in Luke. Remembering examples like Frankl’s should remind us that even in our darkest moments, God's promise of comfort and fulfillment endures (Frankl 2004). While Viktor Frankl’s experience is extreme, it should remind us that as we face hunger and grief, we should see mourning—whether it be for physical or spiritual hunger—as pathways to deeper faith and fulfillment through the Spirit. Our pain can catalyze growth, bringing us closer to the heart of God and His promise of ultimate joy.

Rejoicing in Persecution and Exclusion

Perhaps the most counterintuitive call of all is Jesus' call to rejoice in persecution for the sake of righteousness. Yet, history and current events show that faith often grows stronger through adversity. History is replete with stories of people who faced persecution with unwavering faith. One can search the internet and find thousands of stories about early church martyrs or modern-day believers in regions where faith is still suppressed. Their stories of resilience in the face of suffering are designed to inspire us to stand firm in our beliefs. But we do not need to seek these stories to find persecution and exclusion.

Every day, we encounter injustices in our news feeds: discrimination, poverty, and violence. As followers of Christ, we are called to stand against these injustices and find joy and strength in advocating for righteousness, even at a personal cost. Jesus’ counterintuitive call reminds us that all of creation is twisted and deviates from God’s intended purpose. Our selfishness, greed, personal desires, and ultimately our sins have distanced us from God. Jesus reminds us that in mourning our situation, humbling ourselves, seeking guidance, and rejoicing the promise of redemption, we can return to communion with God, which is why we were created to begin with.

Conclusion

Simply put, the Beatitudes are a powerful call to live counterculturally, focusing on eternal rewards rather than worldly gain. They encourage us to find value in situations often disregarded by society, such as poverty, hunger, grief, and persecution.

This week, I encourage everyone to focus on one Beatitude and reflect on how you can embody it in your daily life. Let us prayerfully commit to embracing these teachings and seeking the true blessedness that Jesus describes. If you followed my advice last week and found someone to confide in about your commitment to surrender to Christ’s invitation, you can discuss with this confidant which area of the Beatitudes resonates with you the most and how you can apply it.

May we find joy in our dependence on God, hope in our suffering, and strength in our stand for righteousness. Let us live as citizens of God's kingdom, embodying His love and justice in a world that desperately needs both. Amen.

Works Cited

Frankl, Viktor E. 2004. Man's search for meaning: the classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust. Revised and Updated. Translated by Ilse Lasch and Gordon W. Allport. London [etc]: Rider.

2022. "NRSVue." NRSVue Holy Bible with Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Shumacher, E. F. 1999. small is beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered. Point Roberts, WA: Hartley & Marks Publishers. https://archive.org/details/smallisbeautiful00schu_0/page/n4/mode/1up.