1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:00,400 All right. 2 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,370 Well, good morning, brothers and sisters. 3 00:00:04,059 --> 00:00:04,699 Amen. 4 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:05,520 Amen. 5 00:00:05,530 --> 00:00:06,830 My name is Marcel Hall. 6 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,699 I want to definitely welcome you again here to the O. 7 00:00:09,700 --> 00:00:09,950 C. 8 00:00:09,950 --> 00:00:10,350 Church. 9 00:00:10,709 --> 00:00:13,350 And I definitely want to thank the worship team and A. 10 00:00:13,350 --> 00:00:13,539 V. 11 00:00:13,540 --> 00:00:16,510 Team and everybody helps us have a worship service. 12 00:00:16,510 --> 00:00:20,239 It wasn't mentioned earlier, but a lot of our college students are gone today. 13 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:21,989 They're actually in Irvine. 14 00:00:21,989 --> 00:00:22,689 There's two U. 15 00:00:22,689 --> 00:00:22,859 C. 16 00:00:22,859 --> 00:00:23,039 I. 17 00:00:23,049 --> 00:00:25,110 Students who are getting baptized right now. 18 00:00:25,110 --> 00:00:27,150 So we're excited about that. 19 00:00:27,764 --> 00:00:30,314 Uh, if it wasn't mentioned earlier, we're part of a worldwide 20 00:00:30,314 --> 00:00:33,495 fellowship and we actually have churches all across the globe. 21 00:00:33,504 --> 00:00:37,055 But here in Orange County, we have about five ministries 22 00:00:37,084 --> 00:00:38,365 all throughout Orange County. 23 00:00:38,365 --> 00:00:43,975 Here in North Central OC, South OC, a Spanish ministry that meets in Santa Ana, 24 00:00:43,984 --> 00:00:47,865 a Korean speaking ministry that meets in Irvine, as well as a ministry that 25 00:00:47,865 --> 00:00:50,265 meets over in the Huntington Beach area. 26 00:00:50,715 --> 00:00:51,605 I'm excited. 27 00:00:51,605 --> 00:00:55,524 I don't know about you, but fall is here and that means football is back. 28 00:00:57,790 --> 00:01:01,970 And you know, your boy's fired up about the football season. 29 00:01:02,430 --> 00:01:04,660 I see I have a hater over there, Steve York. 30 00:01:04,660 --> 00:01:05,150 He's a U. 31 00:01:05,150 --> 00:01:05,330 C. 32 00:01:05,330 --> 00:01:05,500 L. 33 00:01:05,500 --> 00:01:05,590 A. 34 00:01:05,590 --> 00:01:08,570 Bruin and I'm a proud Trojan. 35 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,949 And we didn't play yesterday, but we won. 36 00:01:11,330 --> 00:01:15,529 And you know, I'm so excited because my son is playing flag football 37 00:01:15,530 --> 00:01:19,800 again and his team are the U. 38 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:19,960 S. 39 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:20,070 E. 40 00:01:20,340 --> 00:01:20,470 Trojans. 41 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,289 And so you know, your boy was fired up about that. 42 00:01:25,785 --> 00:01:29,045 And if they were the Bruins, we would have left the league right away. 43 00:01:29,305 --> 00:01:30,795 I'm just being vulnerable with you. 44 00:01:31,105 --> 00:01:33,025 But we had our first game, and I'm excited. 45 00:01:33,035 --> 00:01:34,594 Actually, I'm the assistant coach. 46 00:01:34,595 --> 00:01:36,935 You know, I've shared with you guys, I'm the assistant coach again this year. 47 00:01:37,095 --> 00:01:40,065 And so the head coach, the head honcho is actually here today. 48 00:01:40,065 --> 00:01:40,595 I'm excited. 49 00:01:40,595 --> 00:01:41,445 Him and his wife here. 50 00:01:41,595 --> 00:01:43,074 The Robinsons are over here. 51 00:01:43,075 --> 00:01:43,694 There you go. 52 00:01:43,735 --> 00:01:44,275 Come on. 53 00:01:45,185 --> 00:01:45,965 There you go. 54 00:01:46,715 --> 00:01:49,965 So he's the the Andy Reid of of, uh, flag football. 55 00:01:50,265 --> 00:01:50,925 for us there. 56 00:01:50,955 --> 00:01:51,615 Bill Belichick. 57 00:01:51,634 --> 00:01:54,835 Well, maybe not Bill Belichick now, but anyhow, Andy Reed right there. 58 00:01:54,835 --> 00:01:57,295 So, you know, we need your prayers. 59 00:01:57,914 --> 00:02:00,485 We are coaching kindergartners. 60 00:02:02,954 --> 00:02:04,755 You already left because you already know. 61 00:02:06,115 --> 00:02:08,945 We tell them, hey, the play's going right. 62 00:02:09,085 --> 00:02:10,014 Which way is right? 63 00:02:10,044 --> 00:02:10,574 They go this. 64 00:02:10,585 --> 00:02:11,874 I go, no, which way is right? 65 00:02:11,874 --> 00:02:12,304 They go this. 66 00:02:12,434 --> 00:02:13,164 Your other right. 67 00:02:13,164 --> 00:02:15,185 Okay, you are gonna go that way. 68 00:02:15,495 --> 00:02:16,124 I got it. 69 00:02:16,685 --> 00:02:17,625 Ready, set, hike! 70 00:02:20,345 --> 00:02:21,985 I had to stop a kid one time. 71 00:02:21,985 --> 00:02:25,485 I stopped him, literally said, No, you go that way, okay? 72 00:02:25,485 --> 00:02:26,245 You know what I'm saying? 73 00:02:26,525 --> 00:02:29,285 And so we need your prayers, and thankfully, by the grace of God, 74 00:02:29,525 --> 00:02:31,535 I again, I did you all a service. 75 00:02:31,575 --> 00:02:33,675 I did not embarrass myself or the church. 76 00:02:33,675 --> 00:02:34,075 Amen. 77 00:02:35,395 --> 00:02:36,905 I didn't get into any fights. 78 00:02:37,715 --> 00:02:39,085 I didn't yell at any kids. 79 00:02:39,085 --> 00:02:39,875 You know what I'm saying? 80 00:02:39,965 --> 00:02:42,135 Now don't ask me what was going on inside. 81 00:02:43,155 --> 00:02:46,065 But the Lord is good to me and allowed me to have some self control. 82 00:02:46,065 --> 00:02:46,564 Amen. 83 00:02:47,325 --> 00:02:49,025 And so let me ask you a question here. 84 00:02:50,285 --> 00:02:52,915 What does it mean to be blessed? 85 00:02:54,235 --> 00:02:58,204 What comes to mind, in general, in the world, what comes to mind when 86 00:02:58,204 --> 00:03:00,715 we think of blessed or blessings? 87 00:03:00,715 --> 00:03:03,294 What are some things that come to mind? 88 00:03:04,545 --> 00:03:06,224 Material, is that what you said? 89 00:03:06,494 --> 00:03:08,334 Material possessions, right? 90 00:03:08,334 --> 00:03:13,265 We can think of maybe iPhones, iPads, or cars or whatnot. 91 00:03:13,265 --> 00:03:13,765 Yes. 92 00:03:15,975 --> 00:03:17,704 Being able to experience peace. 93 00:03:17,735 --> 00:03:18,165 Come on. 94 00:03:18,175 --> 00:03:19,225 Dork is deep over here. 95 00:03:19,225 --> 00:03:19,555 All right. 96 00:03:19,555 --> 00:03:21,045 We went from iPhone to peace. 97 00:03:21,245 --> 00:03:21,595 All right. 98 00:03:21,595 --> 00:03:24,895 Yes Something good to happen. 99 00:03:24,904 --> 00:03:26,494 So a circumstance, right? 100 00:03:26,495 --> 00:03:26,845 Okay. 101 00:03:26,845 --> 00:03:29,405 Yes Grace. 102 00:03:29,694 --> 00:03:29,994 All right. 103 00:03:30,005 --> 00:03:31,235 Somebody's experiencing grace. 104 00:03:31,235 --> 00:03:31,864 They're blessed. 105 00:03:31,865 --> 00:03:37,315 Yes Being awake this morning you are blessed that is for sure. 106 00:03:37,315 --> 00:03:38,365 Yes in the back of that gene. 107 00:03:38,365 --> 00:03:40,850 Yes Superpower. 108 00:03:43,190 --> 00:03:43,560 Amen. 109 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,600 Well, Gene is the only one that's blessed in here. 110 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:46,740 He's got a superpower. 111 00:03:46,740 --> 00:03:47,380 There you go. 112 00:03:47,870 --> 00:03:48,370 Awesome. 113 00:03:48,370 --> 00:03:48,810 Awesome. 114 00:03:48,810 --> 00:03:49,150 All right. 115 00:03:49,150 --> 00:03:50,610 Well, I definitely am not blessed with that. 116 00:03:50,610 --> 00:03:50,820 Yes. 117 00:03:50,829 --> 00:03:51,520 So we'll go one more. 118 00:03:52,790 --> 00:03:53,440 Favor. 119 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:53,740 All right. 120 00:03:53,740 --> 00:03:54,400 We'll go one more. 121 00:03:55,850 --> 00:03:56,609 A job. 122 00:03:56,619 --> 00:03:56,918 Right. 123 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:57,120 Okay. 124 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:57,339 All right. 125 00:03:57,340 --> 00:03:57,940 One more Kevin. 126 00:03:57,940 --> 00:03:58,329 Go ahead. 127 00:03:59,400 --> 00:03:59,990 Family. 128 00:03:59,990 --> 00:04:00,300 Right. 129 00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:01,560 So we have the whole gamut there. 130 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:01,790 Right. 131 00:04:01,790 --> 00:04:02,320 We can think. 132 00:04:02,460 --> 00:04:05,370 But when we think about blessings, it's the most. 133 00:04:05,810 --> 00:04:09,350 Usually, the common thing in our society, and for you and I, 134 00:04:09,670 --> 00:04:12,390 tends to be something tangible. 135 00:04:14,030 --> 00:04:18,899 Tends to be something like, uh, maybe it's a job, or it's money. 136 00:04:18,899 --> 00:04:21,740 We tend to think, prosperity, whoa, that person is... 137 00:04:22,930 --> 00:04:23,480 Blessed. 138 00:04:24,220 --> 00:04:28,040 Or if you're a big strapping young fella like Thomas who got baptized, right? 139 00:04:28,050 --> 00:04:29,440 Tall and muscular and handsome. 140 00:04:29,580 --> 00:04:32,600 You're like, man, that brother's blessed with some gifts right there, right? 141 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,000 We can think talents too, right? 142 00:04:35,010 --> 00:04:37,780 You can run real fast, or maybe you're like Emily in the worship 143 00:04:37,780 --> 00:04:39,579 team, and you can sing, right? 144 00:04:39,630 --> 00:04:40,610 You're like, well, they're blessed. 145 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:46,540 And all of that is true, but we tend to think about tangible things, especially 146 00:04:46,550 --> 00:04:50,200 prosperity in some form or fashion. 147 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,680 But as we will see over the next several weeks, and maybe a lot of us already 148 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:02,230 know, you know, God turns our views of what it means to be blessed upside down. 149 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,870 He completely flips the script on us, and says, you know what, what 150 00:05:07,870 --> 00:05:12,099 you think and what society thinks is blessed, let me re educate you. 151 00:05:12,369 --> 00:05:14,439 Let me put you up on real game. 152 00:05:14,869 --> 00:05:16,830 That's where my hood brother's in the house, alright. 153 00:05:17,745 --> 00:05:23,095 But let me help you understand what it means to truly be blessed. 154 00:05:24,225 --> 00:05:29,055 And so we're going to see here that Jesus helps us with the upside down blessings. 155 00:05:30,125 --> 00:05:32,975 And that's our new series that we're starting today. 156 00:05:33,034 --> 00:05:35,685 The upside down blessings. 157 00:05:35,695 --> 00:05:37,084 Let's go to God in prayer. 158 00:05:37,084 --> 00:05:38,065 Will you pray with me? 159 00:05:38,405 --> 00:05:41,175 Father, thank you so much for this chance to worship you. 160 00:05:41,580 --> 00:05:43,940 God, we've been able to raise a hallelujah. 161 00:05:43,940 --> 00:05:46,480 We've been able to think about your power. 162 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,880 We've been able to encourage and be encouraged. 163 00:05:50,290 --> 00:05:54,669 And God, right now we pray for your spirit to move miraculously through 164 00:05:54,860 --> 00:05:56,400 the words you want me to speak. 165 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:57,860 Move me to the side, dad. 166 00:05:58,310 --> 00:06:04,900 And allow your message to communicate what's true, what's real, what is eternal. 167 00:06:05,325 --> 00:06:07,005 We pray this in the name of Jesus. 168 00:06:07,095 --> 00:06:07,695 Amen. 169 00:06:08,315 --> 00:06:08,905 Amen. 170 00:06:08,905 --> 00:06:13,045 Alright, so, uh, maybe when you walked in, you might have received a handout. 171 00:06:13,355 --> 00:06:15,665 Uh, we also have it on the church app. 172 00:06:16,065 --> 00:06:20,704 And, uh, on the church app there, it's a little breakdown of the Beatitudes. 173 00:06:21,564 --> 00:06:25,785 And so, first off, if you didn't know that the Beatitudes, uh, that 174 00:06:25,785 --> 00:06:31,595 phrase actually, uh, basically is the Latin word for blessing or blessed. 175 00:06:32,545 --> 00:06:36,605 So, uh, basically when they started, uh, from from when they, in, in 176 00:06:36,605 --> 00:06:40,325 Latin, when they translated the Bible into, into Latin, this was 177 00:06:40,330 --> 00:06:41,915 the word that was used for blessed. 178 00:06:41,915 --> 00:06:45,965 And so as they went and through times it, it basically transliterated the 179 00:06:45,965 --> 00:06:47,615 word and it became the be attitude. 180 00:06:47,620 --> 00:06:49,534 And so that's what we have the be attitude. 181 00:06:49,534 --> 00:06:53,135 So it's not talking about the attitude you should be or have, even though 182 00:06:53,135 --> 00:06:57,215 that doesn't imply, but it's that that's what the be attitudes mean. 183 00:06:57,630 --> 00:07:02,030 And as you can see on the sheet there, the Beatitudes actually is the beginning of 184 00:07:02,030 --> 00:07:03,950 what is called the Sermon on the Mount. 185 00:07:04,830 --> 00:07:08,169 And so it's the beginning, it kind of sets up everything, and there's a whole 186 00:07:08,170 --> 00:07:11,110 lot of good stuff, we're not going to go through everything on there. 187 00:07:11,309 --> 00:07:13,339 But Jesus said this probably about A. 188 00:07:13,340 --> 00:07:13,640 D. 189 00:07:13,660 --> 00:07:14,449 28, A. 190 00:07:14,450 --> 00:07:14,700 D. 191 00:07:14,700 --> 00:07:19,930 30, at the beginning of his ministry, and it was probably his go to sermon. 192 00:07:20,410 --> 00:07:24,350 So when he would go to town, this would be his go to sermon, if you will. 193 00:07:24,570 --> 00:07:27,640 And he would have variations of it, depending on the audience, 194 00:07:28,190 --> 00:07:29,330 which I can understand. 195 00:07:29,330 --> 00:07:33,260 I've done, uh, messages where I've spoken to adults, and then I've done 196 00:07:33,260 --> 00:07:36,959 a message for the junior high and high schoolers, and I adjusted it. 197 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,150 And so it wasn't like I had two different messages. 198 00:07:40,170 --> 00:07:40,830 Wait a second. 199 00:07:40,830 --> 00:07:41,480 What's going on? 200 00:07:41,490 --> 00:07:44,820 No, it was the same message, but I had to understand who my audience was 201 00:07:44,820 --> 00:07:48,400 and you see that in scriptures Which helps us when we try to figure out 202 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:52,479 why sometimes it's worded differently is because sometimes Jesus did worded 203 00:07:52,490 --> 00:07:54,670 differently Depending on the audience. 204 00:07:54,670 --> 00:07:55,860 He was speaking to church. 205 00:07:55,860 --> 00:07:56,610 Are you with me? 206 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,070 Okay, just to help us out a little bit. 207 00:07:59,070 --> 00:08:02,940 All right So before we get into the Beatitudes we have to understand 208 00:08:02,940 --> 00:08:07,090 something Right now here in Matthew chapter four, we're going to read here. 209 00:08:07,090 --> 00:08:09,290 We actually read it last week, but let's read it again. 210 00:08:09,770 --> 00:08:13,980 Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good 211 00:08:13,980 --> 00:08:19,139 news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 212 00:08:19,799 --> 00:08:22,749 News about him spread all over Syria and the people brought to him all 213 00:08:22,750 --> 00:08:26,599 who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon 214 00:08:26,599 --> 00:08:29,899 possessed, those having seizures and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 215 00:08:30,460 --> 00:08:33,539 Large crowds from Galilee, the Acropolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the 216 00:08:33,539 --> 00:08:36,068 region across the Jordan followed him. 217 00:08:36,370 --> 00:08:37,740 And so what do we see here? 218 00:08:37,740 --> 00:08:40,328 This is helpful for us to understand everything that's 219 00:08:40,380 --> 00:08:42,400 going to take place afterwards. 220 00:08:42,610 --> 00:08:43,799 Is this right here? 221 00:08:44,439 --> 00:08:47,659 He was proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. 222 00:08:48,170 --> 00:08:51,470 That implies that the kingdom news is what? 223 00:08:52,090 --> 00:08:52,730 Good! 224 00:08:53,910 --> 00:08:56,310 The gospel is good news! 225 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:01,240 It's not 11 o'clock news on channel 4 or channel 7, you guys get what I'm saying. 226 00:09:02,210 --> 00:09:04,380 You don't usually turn in the first story, it's like, man, 227 00:09:04,380 --> 00:09:06,240 that was so uplifting, wow. 228 00:09:06,330 --> 00:09:08,859 No, you're like, I need to turn this off, I'm discouraged. 229 00:09:09,819 --> 00:09:14,859 But this is good news that Jesus brings. 230 00:09:15,675 --> 00:09:17,185 And it's about this kingdom. 231 00:09:17,585 --> 00:09:21,205 And it had been prophesied, and so the God's people knew about this idea that 232 00:09:21,205 --> 00:09:22,955 God's gonna establish a kingdom one day. 233 00:09:23,145 --> 00:09:26,244 They're thinking a physical kingdom, like the, like the Roman Empire. 234 00:09:26,355 --> 00:09:28,655 We're gonna have something like that, we're gonna take down those Romans, 235 00:09:28,655 --> 00:09:29,785 and yeah, it's gonna be awesome. 236 00:09:29,985 --> 00:09:31,684 But God turned it upside down. 237 00:09:32,635 --> 00:09:34,815 And said, no, I wanna bring a spiritual kingdom. 238 00:09:35,695 --> 00:09:39,465 That's gonna manifest itself through my church that I will establish. 239 00:09:40,329 --> 00:09:43,000 And so we see here, here's what happens. 240 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,589 He's going around preaching, so by the time we get to Matthew chapter 5, we get 241 00:09:46,589 --> 00:09:50,369 to the Sermon on the Mount, we get to the Beatitudes, what's he talking about? 242 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,409 He's talking about the good news of the kingdom. 243 00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:56,999 So that is the context as we read it. 244 00:09:57,030 --> 00:10:00,900 He's explaining what is it like to be a citizen in God's kingdom. 245 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:04,500 He's explaining the promises of God's kingdom. 246 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:10,230 And he's explaining this is what it's like if you want to be in God's kingdom. 247 00:10:10,650 --> 00:10:14,710 Kingdom, and he's going to reveal God's kingdom values. 248 00:10:15,070 --> 00:10:16,140 You guys with me here? 249 00:10:16,690 --> 00:10:17,770 So let's continue moving. 250 00:10:17,780 --> 00:10:20,470 We get to Matthew chapter five, verse one. 251 00:10:21,389 --> 00:10:24,880 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 252 00:10:25,389 --> 00:10:27,750 His disciples came to him and he began to teach them. 253 00:10:27,750 --> 00:10:31,369 He said, blessed, or excuse me, we'll stop right there. 254 00:10:31,919 --> 00:10:36,455 So So, what we're about to see, Jesus has these statements 255 00:10:36,455 --> 00:10:37,665 here, these are the Beatitudes. 256 00:10:37,675 --> 00:10:42,395 Again, each one of them begins with the word blessed, or the Greek 257 00:10:42,415 --> 00:10:44,225 Markaros, or something like that. 258 00:10:44,535 --> 00:10:50,565 And, uh, and so that word, it's somewhat hard for us to fully capture 259 00:10:51,035 --> 00:10:52,995 when we translate it as blessed. 260 00:10:53,955 --> 00:10:57,945 Because it also means, or can be translated as happy. 261 00:11:00,515 --> 00:11:05,375 But now, when we say happy, aren't Understanding is a little different than 262 00:11:05,375 --> 00:11:07,155 what even that word is trying to convey. 263 00:11:07,155 --> 00:11:08,064 You guys with me here? 264 00:11:08,495 --> 00:11:11,324 If I said, I'm happy that USC won, you would know, okay, 265 00:11:11,324 --> 00:11:12,464 he's happy for that moment. 266 00:11:12,665 --> 00:11:14,215 But you wouldn't say he's blessed. 267 00:11:15,355 --> 00:11:16,375 You get what I'm saying? 268 00:11:16,855 --> 00:11:19,474 And you know that that's short term because eventually USC will 269 00:11:19,474 --> 00:11:20,615 lose, but hopefully not this year. 270 00:11:22,814 --> 00:11:24,175 But you would understand that. 271 00:11:24,475 --> 00:11:27,245 So, but there is this connotation of happy, so we can get that. 272 00:11:27,415 --> 00:11:31,465 But also maybe a better way to phrase it as fortunate. 273 00:11:32,515 --> 00:11:35,665 Or it is well with them, or it will go well. 274 00:11:36,224 --> 00:11:37,555 You guys get what I'm saying? 275 00:11:37,954 --> 00:11:40,035 So I, I didn't do anything evil. 276 00:11:40,064 --> 00:11:43,545 But I inserted that here in the scripture so that we can understand it. 277 00:11:43,545 --> 00:11:46,025 Okay, I know we have some people like, Ooh, you added to the text. 278 00:11:46,025 --> 00:11:46,795 No, I didn't. 279 00:11:48,145 --> 00:11:51,354 Okay, I'm helping us understand the message here. 280 00:11:51,505 --> 00:11:54,824 So that you can, I can extract what God wants us to take. 281 00:11:55,324 --> 00:11:56,444 So let's get into it here. 282 00:11:56,444 --> 00:11:56,745 All right. 283 00:11:56,915 --> 00:12:00,474 So as you can see here, so it says blessed, happy. 284 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,819 Fortunate are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 285 00:12:06,069 --> 00:12:10,560 Blessed, happy, fortunate are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 286 00:12:10,839 --> 00:12:14,510 Blessed, happy, fortunate are the meek, for they will inherit the whole earth. 287 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,910 Blessed, happy, fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for 288 00:12:17,910 --> 00:12:20,130 righteousness, for they will be filled. 289 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,950 Blessed, happy, fortunate are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 290 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,920 Blessed, happy, fortunate are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 291 00:12:27,089 --> 00:12:28,970 We'll make sure we're having some, you know, we're still 292 00:12:28,970 --> 00:12:29,960 getting our kinks out over here. 293 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,449 We'll make sure the screen is alright, alright? 294 00:12:31,609 --> 00:12:32,449 But it goes on. 295 00:12:32,650 --> 00:12:35,420 Blessed, happy, fortunate are the peacemakers, for they will 296 00:12:35,420 --> 00:12:37,280 be called children of God. 297 00:12:37,830 --> 00:12:41,080 Blessed, happy, fortunate are those who are persecuted because of... 298 00:12:45,780 --> 00:12:49,880 Blessed, happy, fortunate are you when people insult you, persecute 299 00:12:49,890 --> 00:12:53,520 you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 300 00:12:53,839 --> 00:12:57,599 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. 301 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:03,730 For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 302 00:13:05,180 --> 00:13:06,170 Now you think about that. 303 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,250 Blessed, happy, fortunate. 304 00:13:11,260 --> 00:13:20,920 Are the poor in spirit, the meek, the ones who mourn, the ones who are persecuted? 305 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:24,160 Repita? 306 00:13:26,339 --> 00:13:26,389 Que? 307 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:28,960 That's Spanish for all my Spanish speakers, non 308 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:29,850 Spanish speakers right there. 309 00:13:30,339 --> 00:13:31,019 That was what? 310 00:13:31,039 --> 00:13:31,930 And repeat, okay? 311 00:13:32,079 --> 00:13:32,260 Alright. 312 00:13:32,260 --> 00:13:33,030 You're like, what's he doing? 313 00:13:33,050 --> 00:13:33,850 He's speaking in Greek. 314 00:13:33,850 --> 00:13:34,390 No, I'm not. 315 00:13:34,650 --> 00:13:34,980 Alright. 316 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:37,190 And so, what is he saying? 317 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,339 You gotta be like, whoa, this doesn't make any sense, right? 318 00:13:40,995 --> 00:13:42,015 You wouldn't know the map. 319 00:13:42,015 --> 00:13:44,835 I said, hey, bless are the downtrodden and those who are discouraged. 320 00:13:45,175 --> 00:13:47,255 Uh, what church did I just walk into? 321 00:13:49,055 --> 00:13:55,025 Jesus is doing what he's Turning some things upside down on us And one of the 322 00:13:55,025 --> 00:13:59,155 thing that Jesus reveals and this is so powerful We've seen it throughout 323 00:13:59,155 --> 00:14:04,625 scripture is that our God is Well one these are the first thing cuz of my these 324 00:14:04,625 --> 00:14:08,645 are obviously upside down blessings But here's the thing our God is the God of 325 00:14:08,645 --> 00:14:13,535 paradoxes Our God is a God of paradoxes. 326 00:14:13,535 --> 00:14:14,755 Well, Marcel, what do you mean? 327 00:14:14,925 --> 00:14:17,525 Some of us might know what that word means, but here's paradox. 328 00:14:17,795 --> 00:14:18,714 Oh, here we go. 329 00:14:18,714 --> 00:14:21,404 What happened to bless the okay. 330 00:14:21,405 --> 00:14:21,974 Well, there we go. 331 00:14:21,974 --> 00:14:22,395 All right. 332 00:14:22,434 --> 00:14:23,865 Well, I thought I had it on there. 333 00:14:23,865 --> 00:14:24,224 Here we go. 334 00:14:24,224 --> 00:14:25,375 Let me break it down for you. 335 00:14:25,665 --> 00:14:30,595 A seemingly absurd or self contradictory statement or proposition that 336 00:14:30,595 --> 00:14:34,775 when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true. 337 00:14:35,325 --> 00:14:36,805 So it's a statement. 338 00:14:37,380 --> 00:14:41,820 That on the surface sounds like, well, that doesn't make any sense. 339 00:14:42,510 --> 00:14:46,930 But when you start to investigate it, you go, oh, that's true. 340 00:14:47,620 --> 00:14:49,080 And we have paradoxes all the time. 341 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,249 Some are good, some are maybe terrible advice. 342 00:14:51,490 --> 00:14:54,679 For example, I said, hey, let my girlfriend go out 343 00:14:54,679 --> 00:14:55,814 and she'll come back to me. 344 00:14:57,345 --> 00:15:00,185 If you really want to try that one, but that's a paradox, right? 345 00:15:00,375 --> 00:15:02,455 I got to let her go so that she'll come back to me. 346 00:15:02,605 --> 00:15:06,094 But Jesus says it several times throughout the scriptures, right? 347 00:15:06,315 --> 00:15:06,825 What did he say? 348 00:15:06,825 --> 00:15:11,025 You have to lose your life in order to save your life. 349 00:15:11,445 --> 00:15:13,394 I lose it to save it? 350 00:15:14,855 --> 00:15:18,665 He says you have to humble yourselves and then you will be exalted. 351 00:15:20,345 --> 00:15:21,765 That's not natural for me. 352 00:15:22,575 --> 00:15:23,515 He all says what? 353 00:15:23,645 --> 00:15:26,635 If you want to be great, you need to be the least. 354 00:15:28,045 --> 00:15:30,505 You see, our God is a God of paradoxes. 355 00:15:30,944 --> 00:15:32,725 And we see it throughout scripture. 356 00:15:33,454 --> 00:15:37,565 That when we actually maybe lower ourselves, He actually lifts us up. 357 00:15:37,844 --> 00:15:40,885 When we deny ourselves, we actually gain. 358 00:15:41,855 --> 00:15:45,015 Our God is a God of paradoxes. 359 00:15:46,365 --> 00:15:50,805 He says in order to be truly blessed, you need to be poor in spirits. 360 00:15:51,194 --> 00:15:54,135 Humble, mourning, and persecuted. 361 00:15:55,315 --> 00:16:00,825 You see, Jesus reveals that these kingdom values are totally different 362 00:16:01,064 --> 00:16:03,935 than what society has always valued. 363 00:16:06,045 --> 00:16:10,095 What our society, especially here in America, what we value is actually 364 00:16:10,095 --> 00:16:14,304 many times often in conflict with the values of the kingdom of God. 365 00:16:15,965 --> 00:16:20,935 And so Jesus is helping them and he's helping us today as we read his words 366 00:16:21,005 --> 00:16:26,454 to understand we now have to exit and detach ourselves from what we commonly 367 00:16:26,455 --> 00:16:31,654 know and now enter a spiritual realm in which God reigns and his values 368 00:16:31,684 --> 00:16:34,045 are different than what we came from. 369 00:16:36,415 --> 00:16:42,825 And then as we experience them, we see that this is the true and fulfilling life. 370 00:16:44,445 --> 00:16:49,685 If this is the life that we were designed to live, and this is the life that 371 00:16:49,685 --> 00:16:56,555 we actually truly crave, and the life in which we will raise a hallelujah. 372 00:16:59,635 --> 00:17:02,635 And so Jesus shows us how to find real happiness through the 373 00:17:02,635 --> 00:17:05,635 Beatitudes, through the fulfillment of living these things out. 374 00:17:05,635 --> 00:17:09,325 He teaches us that the world's philosophy is wrong, that actually 375 00:17:09,325 --> 00:17:10,964 the world has some stinking thinking. 376 00:17:12,265 --> 00:17:15,555 And that we need to adjust our thinking and start to align 377 00:17:15,555 --> 00:17:18,045 it with what Jesus instills. 378 00:17:18,464 --> 00:17:20,915 Because let's think about this, our idea of being blessed, again, 379 00:17:20,925 --> 00:17:22,595 usually is wealth or prosperity. 380 00:17:23,655 --> 00:17:24,825 Somebody has a lot of money, what do you think? 381 00:17:24,825 --> 00:17:26,075 Man, that dude's blessed. 382 00:17:27,324 --> 00:17:29,724 They have a lot of possessions, oh wow, they're blessed. 383 00:17:30,045 --> 00:17:32,695 You know what's interesting here though, did you catch that? 384 00:17:32,875 --> 00:17:35,695 When Jesus talked about being blessed, none of those things 385 00:17:35,875 --> 00:17:37,495 were tangible blessings. 386 00:17:41,375 --> 00:17:44,345 It wasn't health and wealth, and that's why that prosperity gospel 387 00:17:44,345 --> 00:17:47,915 and health and wealth is actually contradictory to what Jesus teaches. 388 00:17:50,204 --> 00:17:53,085 Now, is it a blessing to have prosperity? 389 00:17:53,085 --> 00:17:54,845 Yes, I think it is. 390 00:17:54,855 --> 00:17:58,955 But we have to make sure we align it with God's will, and what are we using it for? 391 00:18:00,645 --> 00:18:03,795 But we see here that Jesus doesn't tell us, Hey, you're blessed 392 00:18:03,795 --> 00:18:07,705 if you have the nicest whip or you have the latest whatever. 393 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,200 These blessings aren't tangible, they're not prosperity. 394 00:18:13,290 --> 00:18:17,360 And as we can see here, the true blessings, here's the overall thing. 395 00:18:17,900 --> 00:18:24,339 The true blessings are the things that drive you and me to God. 396 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:35,700 The true blessings are the things that lead you and me to a closer, intimate 397 00:18:35,820 --> 00:18:37,879 relationship with our Father in Heaven. 398 00:18:39,390 --> 00:18:43,530 Yesterday I was walking around my, uh, neighborhood in, uh, in, uh, my little 399 00:18:43,530 --> 00:18:47,010 complex area, and I do a prayer walk, uh, just, just about every morning. 400 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,431 And so I'm walking and, you know, we're, we're still in this, uh, uh, 401 00:18:50,431 --> 00:18:53,280 uh, realm of art and neighboring, so I'm trying to apply these things. 402 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,920 And, and so I'm walking around my neighborhood and I see this neighbor, 403 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:56,940 and I usually don't see 'em. 404 00:18:56,940 --> 00:18:57,780 So I'm like, okay, great. 405 00:18:57,780 --> 00:19:00,090 Let me, let me get a chance to connect with this neighbor. 406 00:19:00,300 --> 00:19:03,510 So I'm walking and he's wa he's washing his car and it's a, 407 00:19:03,510 --> 00:19:05,970 it's like a 2019, uh, Corvette. 408 00:19:06,770 --> 00:19:07,340 It's red. 409 00:19:07,340 --> 00:19:07,850 It's nice. 410 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:08,730 I'm like, whoa. 411 00:19:09,250 --> 00:19:11,040 So I'm like, hey man, you know, what car is that? 412 00:19:11,590 --> 00:19:12,639 And we start talking. 413 00:19:12,930 --> 00:19:15,790 And I'm like, wow, man, man, this dude, that was a nice car. 414 00:19:15,950 --> 00:19:18,570 And I thought, and I didn't say this, but I thought, wow, what a blessing. 415 00:19:19,070 --> 00:19:19,430 Right? 416 00:19:20,149 --> 00:19:22,599 And then something hit me and said, Marcel, remember you said 417 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,090 you wanted to start asking your neighbors, what can you pray for? 418 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:26,680 So I made this decision. 419 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,760 I want to go up to my neighbors, and I started this already, and 420 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,340 I want to say, hey, is there one thing that I can pray for? 421 00:19:32,340 --> 00:19:34,280 Anything in your life right now that I can pray for? 422 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,840 And so I've already had a couple of neighbors share with me. 423 00:19:36,889 --> 00:19:38,120 So I go back to this neighbor. 424 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:39,899 I forgot his name already. 425 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:41,290 You know, you know that's me, right? 426 00:19:41,479 --> 00:19:42,280 So I go back. 427 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:42,959 I'm like, Neighbor! 428 00:19:43,709 --> 00:19:46,030 I said, Hey, is there, is there something right now in your 429 00:19:46,030 --> 00:19:47,159 life that I could pray for? 430 00:19:47,899 --> 00:19:49,360 And he's kind of a little startled by it, right? 431 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:51,419 And he says, Uh, no, no, no, no, no. 432 00:19:51,419 --> 00:19:52,300 I don't need anything. 433 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:53,909 There's a lot more people worse off than me. 434 00:19:55,409 --> 00:19:57,070 And I thought, Huh, that's interesting. 435 00:19:58,159 --> 00:19:58,899 I said, Okay. 436 00:19:59,179 --> 00:20:00,429 I said, Well, I'll pray. 437 00:20:01,120 --> 00:20:02,879 I'll pray that you'll still have a good attitude. 438 00:20:04,075 --> 00:20:08,925 And I walked off and I started thinking, I thought, wow, you know what? 439 00:20:08,935 --> 00:20:11,495 Honestly, he's not that blessed. 440 00:20:14,555 --> 00:20:19,045 He's actually spiritually in a place where he doesn't see his need for God. 441 00:20:20,175 --> 00:20:22,715 And so he could have 20 nice Corvettes. 442 00:20:22,715 --> 00:20:27,155 It doesn't really matter, but he doesn't see his need for God. 443 00:20:28,165 --> 00:20:30,595 And I thought, wow, that's so sad. 444 00:20:31,345 --> 00:20:33,315 And I was convicted by this, because a second ago I was 445 00:20:33,335 --> 00:20:34,595 like, man, what a nice car. 446 00:20:34,725 --> 00:20:37,045 I'd love to go out here and ride with him, you know what I'm saying? 447 00:20:37,245 --> 00:20:39,485 But now I'm just like, wow, I need to pray even more. 448 00:20:39,485 --> 00:20:40,805 So I started praying more for him. 449 00:20:41,015 --> 00:20:43,915 I was like, God, I help him to see his need for you. 450 00:20:44,595 --> 00:20:46,765 Help him to see what truly is valuable. 451 00:20:49,784 --> 00:20:53,904 You see, the true blessings are the things that drive us toward God. 452 00:20:55,875 --> 00:20:59,675 And if we think about our idea of blessed usually as being the man 453 00:20:59,675 --> 00:21:04,434 or having influence or outward appearances or, or circumstances, right? 454 00:21:05,385 --> 00:21:06,735 That's what we tend to think of. 455 00:21:07,054 --> 00:21:11,724 But again, Jesus turns this upside down. 456 00:21:13,544 --> 00:21:17,324 The citizens of God are those who are poor in spirit, those who are 457 00:21:18,114 --> 00:21:20,995 sad or sorrow, those who are humble. 458 00:21:21,540 --> 00:21:26,540 Righteous, Merciful, Pure, Peacemakers, and the Persecuted. 459 00:21:27,290 --> 00:21:31,780 If we were to get a description of the people that we think are blessed, 460 00:21:31,999 --> 00:21:33,949 would those be included in that list? 461 00:21:35,189 --> 00:21:38,449 Probably not, or if so, it would be later on in the list. 462 00:21:40,709 --> 00:21:43,789 And so Jesus again flips it upside down. 463 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,560 The people that the world, and even us, we can tend to look 464 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,750 down upon, despise, or ostracize. 465 00:21:50,010 --> 00:21:53,260 Those are the ones who are blessed when they have a deep, intimate, 466 00:21:53,260 --> 00:21:54,740 personal relationship with God. 467 00:21:57,649 --> 00:21:59,660 Turning upside down. 468 00:22:00,379 --> 00:22:03,669 And you know, it's interesting, these blessings, they're for 469 00:22:03,670 --> 00:22:06,030 the present and the future. 470 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,850 There's things that we experience in the now, but also 471 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,160 have not yet and are to come. 472 00:22:13,764 --> 00:22:16,004 But we see that throughout scripture with Jesus. 473 00:22:16,145 --> 00:22:19,344 Hey, we're a part of God's kingdom now, but it will be totally 474 00:22:19,344 --> 00:22:21,084 fulfilled when Jesus returns. 475 00:22:21,564 --> 00:22:24,935 We are saved now, but we know our salvation and completion 476 00:22:25,084 --> 00:22:26,314 is when Jesus returns. 477 00:22:26,334 --> 00:22:27,484 You guys get what I'm saying? 478 00:22:28,409 --> 00:22:31,629 And so we experience eternal life now because we have a relationship with God. 479 00:22:31,790 --> 00:22:36,159 But we know when Jesus returns, we'll see paradise and eternity in a different way. 480 00:22:36,409 --> 00:22:38,379 So it's the now, but not yet. 481 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:43,749 So all these blessings are for the now, hallelujah, but also for what's to come. 482 00:22:44,769 --> 00:22:51,360 So we can rejoice now, but we also can rejoice of what God will do in the future. 483 00:22:52,629 --> 00:22:55,710 Again, it's a mind shift here. 484 00:22:56,335 --> 00:22:58,915 It's values that we don't normally think of. 485 00:22:59,775 --> 00:23:06,265 Usually our idea of happy, of being happy, is, uh, based on, again, on 486 00:23:06,265 --> 00:23:08,304 circumstances, but Jesus flips it. 487 00:23:09,104 --> 00:23:14,444 In God's kingdom, joy is not dependent on circumstances, but on God's work and 488 00:23:14,455 --> 00:23:16,874 rule in our hearts and in our lives. 489 00:23:17,824 --> 00:23:20,424 Because remember, the kingdom of God is not just the church. 490 00:23:20,424 --> 00:23:23,434 The kingdom of God is wherever God reigns and rules. 491 00:23:24,020 --> 00:23:26,050 That's why it says the kingdom is within you. 492 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:32,560 And so that's not based on a circumstance, not based on did 493 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,890 I get the promotion at my job? 494 00:23:34,980 --> 00:23:37,320 Did I get into this college that I wanted to? 495 00:23:37,380 --> 00:23:40,170 Or is the weather the way I like it or not? 496 00:23:40,230 --> 00:23:43,370 Those are all circumstances that dictate and determine 497 00:23:43,590 --> 00:23:45,569 our joy or happiness at times. 498 00:23:45,790 --> 00:23:49,070 But as we live in citizens in the kingdom of God, no matter what the 499 00:23:49,070 --> 00:23:55,190 circumstance is, I am blessed because his rule and reign is in my heart and life. 500 00:23:56,865 --> 00:23:57,695 I have peace. 501 00:23:57,695 --> 00:23:58,605 I have something to look forward. 502 00:23:58,605 --> 00:23:59,425 I have a hope. 503 00:23:59,645 --> 00:24:00,705 I have his presence. 504 00:24:00,705 --> 00:24:01,945 I have his protection. 505 00:24:02,545 --> 00:24:05,625 I have his relationship in favor. 506 00:24:06,775 --> 00:24:08,864 Church, are you with me here? 507 00:24:10,525 --> 00:24:15,475 You see, the fortunate, the well off, the happy, the blessed is when God's presence 508 00:24:15,715 --> 00:24:22,285 is in our lives and we are aligned with his values, his desires, and his will. 509 00:24:23,525 --> 00:24:27,785 You see, Jesus revealed that God's kingdom's citizens, at an initial 510 00:24:27,785 --> 00:24:33,745 glance, might be the most pitied, but because of their present and future 511 00:24:33,745 --> 00:24:36,344 reality in God, they are the most envied. 512 00:24:37,755 --> 00:24:41,694 See, the world thinks, oh wow, man, you guys do what, you sacrifice all this, 513 00:24:41,925 --> 00:24:45,125 but they don't understand because they're still living in this world, but once 514 00:24:45,125 --> 00:24:49,735 you enter the real spiritual world, you go, wow, we're actually the most envied. 515 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,370 We're the ones that everybody wishes they could be or have because 516 00:24:54,370 --> 00:24:56,890 of what we have in Christ Jesus. 517 00:24:59,439 --> 00:25:01,819 Upside down blessings. 518 00:25:03,340 --> 00:25:08,260 And you can say, at least for me, I thought, no wonder this was good news. 519 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:10,820 It says the good news of the kingdom. 520 00:25:11,660 --> 00:25:15,870 When you hear this and you realize this, you're like, whoa, this is phenomenal. 521 00:25:16,505 --> 00:25:20,085 It doesn't matter my family tree, it doesn't matter my circumstances. 522 00:25:20,525 --> 00:25:23,685 I can enter this kingdom and have this relationship with the king 523 00:25:23,685 --> 00:25:25,325 of kings and the lord of lords. 524 00:25:26,654 --> 00:25:30,835 And I have a future to look forward to and he will also sustain me in the present. 525 00:25:31,074 --> 00:25:32,184 Hallelujah. 526 00:25:34,005 --> 00:25:35,404 This is awesome news. 527 00:25:35,835 --> 00:25:38,575 Just imagine if you heard this when you were there. 528 00:25:39,405 --> 00:25:44,005 And you heard him, you're like, whoa, this is, this is not what I, I, I imagined. 529 00:25:45,355 --> 00:25:46,394 And he's offering. 530 00:25:46,970 --> 00:25:53,310 This entrance, this entry into his kingdom, and he's offering this grace. 531 00:25:55,660 --> 00:25:58,690 You go, wow, this is good news. 532 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:03,930 I want to follow this man, this carpenter's son. 533 00:26:03,930 --> 00:26:07,970 I want to hear more of his teachings, and I want to apply it to my life. 534 00:26:08,820 --> 00:26:13,910 Because boy oh boy, it sounds good, but I want to experience it even more. 535 00:26:17,835 --> 00:26:22,635 You know, we're going to break down two of the beatitudes right now. 536 00:26:23,475 --> 00:26:27,425 Real quickly here, it's interesting because each beatitude has a 537 00:26:27,425 --> 00:26:30,474 statement of who is blessed and then a statement of why they're blessed. 538 00:26:31,075 --> 00:26:34,295 So it starts off with the character of the blessed person being 539 00:26:34,305 --> 00:26:36,414 highlighted in the promise of God. 540 00:26:36,895 --> 00:26:39,745 That, that the person, uh, that the promise is then explained. 541 00:26:39,745 --> 00:26:42,055 And so, let, let's look at this here again here, alright? 542 00:26:42,205 --> 00:26:47,874 It says, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 543 00:26:48,154 --> 00:26:50,265 Now, he's not talking about physical poverty. 544 00:26:50,265 --> 00:26:52,545 And a lot of us are like, hallelujah, thank you for that. 545 00:26:54,404 --> 00:26:55,424 I don't want to be broke. 546 00:26:55,425 --> 00:26:56,825 Okay, you know, I, I get that. 547 00:26:57,115 --> 00:26:58,705 He's not talking about physical poverty. 548 00:26:58,705 --> 00:27:00,215 He's talking about spiritual poverty. 549 00:27:00,215 --> 00:27:05,605 What he's talking about is being humble and broken. 550 00:27:10,540 --> 00:27:13,720 He's talking about being poor in spirit and humility. 551 00:27:13,810 --> 00:27:16,030 Let's look at this verse right here, Isaiah 66. 552 00:27:16,030 --> 00:27:17,130 This helps us out a little bit. 553 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:19,549 It says, Has not my hand made all these things? 554 00:27:19,550 --> 00:27:21,520 And so they came into being, declares the Lord. 555 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:22,149 Here's the thing. 556 00:27:22,450 --> 00:27:24,649 These are the ones I look on with favor. 557 00:27:24,819 --> 00:27:30,989 Those who are humble and contrite in spirit who tremble at my word. 558 00:27:32,729 --> 00:27:33,749 It's recognizing. 559 00:27:34,965 --> 00:27:36,595 That we need God. 560 00:27:37,635 --> 00:27:42,514 If any one of us became a Christian, the only way you became a Christian 561 00:27:42,645 --> 00:27:45,844 is you had at some point, and this was the turning point for you, 562 00:27:46,024 --> 00:27:47,955 you had to see your need for God. 563 00:27:49,175 --> 00:27:52,684 There's not a soul in here who entered God's kingdom who 564 00:27:52,685 --> 00:27:53,915 didn't see their need for God. 565 00:27:54,750 --> 00:27:56,679 Because you couldn't enter God's kingdom. 566 00:27:56,860 --> 00:27:58,439 That's why it's the first of the Beatitudes. 567 00:27:58,610 --> 00:28:00,540 Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. 568 00:28:00,669 --> 00:28:01,169 You know what? 569 00:28:01,169 --> 00:28:03,139 Spiritually, I am bankrupt. 570 00:28:03,179 --> 00:28:05,620 I need God in my life. 571 00:28:07,430 --> 00:28:08,540 And that requires what? 572 00:28:09,039 --> 00:28:09,779 Humility. 573 00:28:11,050 --> 00:28:12,140 I don't have it all. 574 00:28:12,140 --> 00:28:13,559 I'm not the man or the woman. 575 00:28:13,779 --> 00:28:15,920 I need God. 576 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:18,810 And so this is the first quality. 577 00:28:19,540 --> 00:28:24,569 And step to experiencing God's blessing and true fulfillment. 578 00:28:25,470 --> 00:28:26,390 And this is the cool thing. 579 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:27,830 God embraces humility. 580 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:29,260 It's attractive to him. 581 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,510 When my wife said, you know what, I love barbecue. 582 00:28:33,510 --> 00:28:34,609 And this is when we were dating. 583 00:28:35,020 --> 00:28:36,380 Like, like our first or second date. 584 00:28:36,380 --> 00:28:37,860 She's like, barbecue is one of my favorite foods. 585 00:28:37,860 --> 00:28:39,060 I was like, oh my goodness. 586 00:28:40,479 --> 00:28:42,080 I said, man, I'm already attracted to her. 587 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:42,870 But man, oh man. 588 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:44,850 Well, this is going to be fun. 589 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:45,640 You know what I'm saying? 590 00:28:46,430 --> 00:28:47,540 That was attractive to me. 591 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,440 When God sees us humble, He's like, I'm attracted to that. 592 00:28:51,090 --> 00:28:52,130 That looks good. 593 00:28:53,075 --> 00:28:54,095 That's better than our money. 594 00:28:54,095 --> 00:28:55,625 Suit on that brother right there. 595 00:28:56,945 --> 00:28:58,575 Not saying this is our money because I can't afford that. 596 00:28:58,675 --> 00:28:59,655 But you get what I'm saying. 597 00:29:00,914 --> 00:29:02,715 He's saying, man, I'm attracted to this. 598 00:29:02,715 --> 00:29:03,655 And what does he do? 599 00:29:03,715 --> 00:29:05,404 He pulls it in closer to him. 600 00:29:05,874 --> 00:29:08,224 Again, the paradox, the upside down blessing. 601 00:29:08,344 --> 00:29:10,754 Because to the world, this is the opposite. 602 00:29:11,624 --> 00:29:13,894 But those who realize they have nothing spiritually are the 603 00:29:13,894 --> 00:29:16,734 ones who really have everything. 604 00:29:19,534 --> 00:29:22,185 You see, God can't use or bless us when we're filled with pride. 605 00:29:25,330 --> 00:29:28,620 I was going to bring in a, I somehow forgot, but we can, we 606 00:29:28,620 --> 00:29:30,110 can still walk with this analogy. 607 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:36,270 And so if we have a jar that has some liquid in there, let's say this liquid has 608 00:29:36,270 --> 00:29:41,150 been muddied up with some dirt and some mud, would anybody want to taste that? 609 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:42,290 No. 610 00:29:42,290 --> 00:29:42,610 Okay. 611 00:29:42,610 --> 00:29:42,905 All right. 612 00:29:42,905 --> 00:29:43,250 That's right. 613 00:29:43,250 --> 00:29:44,030 All the teenagers left. 614 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:45,720 We'd have some boys be like, yeah, I'll do it. 615 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:46,250 You know what I'm saying? 616 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,380 But we wouldn't want to, and when it's filled up and God has this 617 00:29:50,410 --> 00:29:52,200 pure water, he wants to purify us. 618 00:29:52,340 --> 00:29:54,960 And so God wants to actually pour into us. 619 00:29:55,180 --> 00:29:59,480 But when our jars, our souls, are filled up with pride, which is muddy, 620 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:03,989 dirty, there's nothing that God can do because it's not going to work. 621 00:30:04,029 --> 00:30:04,570 Because why? 622 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:06,050 It's filled up already. 623 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,100 And it's filled up with what's not good. 624 00:30:09,790 --> 00:30:15,200 So in order for God to pour into us, we have to pour out what's not good. 625 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:16,370 You guys get what I'm saying? 626 00:30:17,420 --> 00:30:19,330 That's our pride, our ego. 627 00:30:20,100 --> 00:30:23,500 And so in order for God to work in our lives, in order for God to work 628 00:30:23,570 --> 00:30:28,310 through our lives, we got to make sure we empty ourselves of our pride. 629 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,790 And once we do, then God can fill us up with what's good, 630 00:30:32,790 --> 00:30:34,299 what's pure and what's holy. 631 00:30:35,450 --> 00:30:40,020 And now he can not only work on us, but he can work through us. 632 00:30:41,450 --> 00:30:47,230 Blessed, blessed, blessed, happy, fortunate. 633 00:30:49,230 --> 00:30:55,470 Are the ones who are poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 634 00:30:56,300 --> 00:30:59,660 You know, I don't know about you, but for me, this is, this is something I can get. 635 00:30:59,670 --> 00:31:06,099 But what's happened over time is I can now start to think I don't need God 636 00:31:06,099 --> 00:31:07,720 maybe as much because I know as much. 637 00:31:07,730 --> 00:31:11,600 I don't say that mentally, you know what I'm saying, consciously, but my behavior, 638 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:13,000 my lifestyle shows that sometimes. 639 00:31:14,135 --> 00:31:15,225 And so I'm not as dependent. 640 00:31:15,225 --> 00:31:16,985 I'm not like, man, I'm just spiritually broke. 641 00:31:16,995 --> 00:31:17,775 God, I need you. 642 00:31:17,775 --> 00:31:21,205 I'm like, God, I think I got enough of you and I think I can do this on my own. 643 00:31:22,765 --> 00:31:26,915 And so I'm not poor in spirit the way I once was. 644 00:31:28,175 --> 00:31:29,425 And so now I'm frustrated. 645 00:31:29,425 --> 00:31:31,105 God, why aren't you working in my life? 646 00:31:31,105 --> 00:31:33,665 Why am I not growing and changing and why? 647 00:31:34,935 --> 00:31:35,945 Can anybody relate? 648 00:31:38,125 --> 00:31:41,155 It's because maybe I once had it, and this is the thing about these blessings. 649 00:31:41,215 --> 00:31:43,785 It's not just, oh, I do it once, then God blesses, and cool, 650 00:31:43,785 --> 00:31:45,015 that's a great math equation. 651 00:31:45,235 --> 00:31:50,915 No, this is something that we need to continually go after. 652 00:31:51,845 --> 00:31:54,155 Adopt, maintain, and live out. 653 00:31:54,815 --> 00:31:56,655 Let's quickly go over Matthew chapter 4 here. 654 00:31:56,835 --> 00:31:57,965 Church, are you still with me here? 655 00:31:58,625 --> 00:32:02,145 Alright, it says, Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 656 00:32:03,265 --> 00:32:06,895 Now, some say this mourning means you mourn over your own sin or you're 657 00:32:06,895 --> 00:32:09,105 mourning over the sin in society. 658 00:32:09,275 --> 00:32:11,365 I think that that's definitely applicable. 659 00:32:11,514 --> 00:32:15,765 However, my conviction is, I believe it is, it is mourning in life because you 660 00:32:15,765 --> 00:32:17,405 and I will go through mourning in life. 661 00:32:17,975 --> 00:32:19,954 There are things in our lives that we can't prevent. 662 00:32:19,965 --> 00:32:23,024 There are sadness, there's sickness, there's health challenges, death, there's 663 00:32:23,064 --> 00:32:25,085 whatever the case is, we can mourn. 664 00:32:25,085 --> 00:32:25,945 But here's the thing. 665 00:32:25,945 --> 00:32:29,795 We are blessed when we mourn as a citizen of God. 666 00:32:30,170 --> 00:32:33,470 In his kingdom then when we mourn outside of his kingdom. 667 00:32:35,860 --> 00:32:36,340 Well why? 668 00:32:36,340 --> 00:32:38,980 Well, because God provides his comfort. 669 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:39,340 Yeah. 670 00:32:39,700 --> 00:32:47,020 God provides hope and God provides his presence in profound ways. 671 00:32:47,020 --> 00:32:47,021 Yeah. 672 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:49,450 You see, sorrow can show us. 673 00:32:49,450 --> 00:32:51,490 I want, I wanna read this quote here. 674 00:32:51,700 --> 00:32:54,700 It says, soul can show us as nothing else can. 675 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,380 The comfort and compassion of God. 676 00:32:58,635 --> 00:33:02,445 Many and many a man in the hour of his sorrow has discovered fellow men 677 00:33:02,475 --> 00:33:04,915 and his God as he never did before. 678 00:33:05,375 --> 00:33:09,445 When things go well, it is possible to live for years on the surface of things. 679 00:33:09,804 --> 00:33:14,095 But when sorrow comes, a man is driven to the deep things of life, 680 00:33:14,474 --> 00:33:19,105 and if he accepts it aright, a new strength and beauty enter his soul. 681 00:33:20,775 --> 00:33:25,605 He's saying, when we go through hard times, when we have this mindset, this 682 00:33:25,615 --> 00:33:30,645 kingdom value, We can experience God in profound ways that we never could 683 00:33:30,645 --> 00:33:32,655 have if everything was fine and dandy. 684 00:33:34,305 --> 00:33:36,885 Personal example, not personal, but example, this is Brian 685 00:33:36,885 --> 00:33:38,915 Craig with his wife Tessa. 686 00:33:39,175 --> 00:33:40,775 Brian's famous in our church. 687 00:33:40,775 --> 00:33:45,035 He's, uh, he's, you know, created many songs, you know, Be with me 688 00:33:45,035 --> 00:33:46,204 Lord, all that good stuff, right? 689 00:33:46,364 --> 00:33:47,824 All the old school jams there, right? 690 00:33:48,084 --> 00:33:51,785 Uh, and so Brian recently here was, uh, diagnosed with brain cancer. 691 00:33:52,885 --> 00:33:53,805 And so it's been this year. 692 00:33:53,805 --> 00:33:56,085 Maybe some of you guys know it's been online or whatnot. 693 00:33:56,085 --> 00:33:58,985 And so Brian, and he actually has, I don't really know how it all works. 694 00:33:58,985 --> 00:34:02,375 He's explaining like two or three times, but he's doing this like experiment 695 00:34:02,375 --> 00:34:04,055 where he wears this thing on his head. 696 00:34:04,055 --> 00:34:08,154 And somehow the electro something is basically trying to prevent the, 697 00:34:08,165 --> 00:34:09,614 the, the cancer from spreading. 698 00:34:09,614 --> 00:34:11,143 So he's connected to this pack. 699 00:34:11,145 --> 00:34:13,205 I mean, it's, it's, it's pretty wild stuff. 700 00:34:13,205 --> 00:34:16,594 And so we're in on a meeting on Tuesday with all the, uh, L. 701 00:34:16,594 --> 00:34:16,685 A. 702 00:34:16,695 --> 00:34:17,295 leadership. 703 00:34:17,565 --> 00:34:19,245 And, uh, and so Brian shares. 704 00:34:20,014 --> 00:34:22,225 And so he says, look, I, I want to live longer. 705 00:34:22,545 --> 00:34:23,955 I, you know, I had, he has three kids. 706 00:34:23,955 --> 00:34:25,085 They're all out of high school now. 707 00:34:25,085 --> 00:34:26,355 He says, I want to live longer. 708 00:34:26,594 --> 00:34:28,105 Uh, I, I don't want cancer. 709 00:34:28,105 --> 00:34:29,585 I want this cancer to go away. 710 00:34:29,635 --> 00:34:32,815 He said, but one of the things that's happened, he said, I was at 711 00:34:32,815 --> 00:34:34,945 one of the lowest spots physically. 712 00:34:35,674 --> 00:34:41,764 And he says, I actually felt the presence of God in a profound way 713 00:34:41,764 --> 00:34:43,704 that I've never experienced before. 714 00:34:46,139 --> 00:34:48,820 And he said, you know, God doesn't promise that I'm going to be healed, 715 00:34:49,110 --> 00:34:51,679 but he promises me his presence. 716 00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:58,149 And here he is sharing with us, and he goes, man, there's nothing I can do that, 717 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:01,549 that could have got me to that point where I experienced God in this way. 718 00:35:03,069 --> 00:35:04,260 And I'm just floored. 719 00:35:05,130 --> 00:35:05,480 Wow. 720 00:35:06,935 --> 00:35:11,025 I remember, uh, uh, Raquel Franklin and one time she shared on a video talking 721 00:35:11,025 --> 00:35:14,075 about she had, she had this, you know, I think it was cancer as well, right? 722 00:35:14,075 --> 00:35:16,115 And she had this, uh, uh, this condition there. 723 00:35:16,115 --> 00:35:17,985 She couldn't physically come to church anymore. 724 00:35:18,145 --> 00:35:20,405 And so she shared in a video and she's like, you know what? 725 00:35:20,415 --> 00:35:21,735 This has been a tough time. 726 00:35:21,735 --> 00:35:26,535 She says, but I wouldn't trade it in for what it's done for me spiritually. 727 00:35:28,425 --> 00:35:28,775 Wow. 728 00:35:31,205 --> 00:35:34,045 But then you think of this, blessed are those who mourn, 729 00:35:34,974 --> 00:35:37,055 for they will be comforted. 730 00:35:40,195 --> 00:35:41,715 Upside down, isn't it? 731 00:35:42,395 --> 00:35:45,055 This paradox and I'm like, look, God, I don't want to have 732 00:35:45,055 --> 00:35:45,905 to go through that experience. 733 00:35:45,935 --> 00:35:48,074 Can I, can I experience you at the mountaintops? 734 00:35:48,954 --> 00:35:52,454 But sometimes it's got to be the valleys in which we see God in a profound 735 00:35:52,465 --> 00:35:54,385 way, which we never would have before. 736 00:35:55,424 --> 00:35:57,475 And so we might not ask for that, but what's the blessing? 737 00:35:57,535 --> 00:35:58,644 It's God's presence. 738 00:35:59,905 --> 00:36:02,535 And being able to draw closer to him. 739 00:36:03,245 --> 00:36:05,985 The problem is when we get sad or sorrowful, what do we do? 740 00:36:05,985 --> 00:36:08,115 We usually try to find comfort in the wrong things. 741 00:36:09,370 --> 00:36:13,810 We turn to eating, we turn to, uh, maybe it's drugs, alcohol, sex, whatever the 742 00:36:13,810 --> 00:36:16,000 case may be, we turn to the wrong things. 743 00:36:16,140 --> 00:36:18,590 One of my things is I like to turn, I don't like to, but I 744 00:36:18,590 --> 00:36:20,210 turn to anger, I just get angry. 745 00:36:20,550 --> 00:36:23,110 Or I just want to watch TV, I'm like, let me watch the Law and Order 746 00:36:23,130 --> 00:36:25,089 episodes from season 1 to season 25. 747 00:36:28,050 --> 00:36:30,460 I don't want to deal with it, instead of going to God. 748 00:36:31,170 --> 00:36:34,190 So that He can comfort me, because Law and Order can't comfort me, they can 749 00:36:34,190 --> 00:36:35,840 entertain me, but they can't comfort me. 750 00:36:38,250 --> 00:36:40,590 Blessed are those who mourn. 751 00:36:41,315 --> 00:36:44,255 For they will be comforted. 752 00:36:45,015 --> 00:36:47,525 You see, if we adopt, maintain, and live out these kingdom values, 753 00:36:47,525 --> 00:36:50,695 then we can respond better and see the blessings in our lives. 754 00:36:50,695 --> 00:36:52,515 Here, I gotta hurry up and close out here. 755 00:36:52,675 --> 00:36:55,315 Here's what I believe the response to all of this is right now. 756 00:36:55,980 --> 00:36:58,330 To adopt, maintain, and live. 757 00:36:58,580 --> 00:37:01,510 We have to first adopt these values, these kingdom values. 758 00:37:01,730 --> 00:37:04,090 We have to subscribe to them ourselves. 759 00:37:04,090 --> 00:37:07,010 We not only have to like them, but we need to subscribe to them. 760 00:37:07,210 --> 00:37:08,750 And then we need to maintain them. 761 00:37:08,750 --> 00:37:11,660 They're not something that you have once, and then you have it for good. 762 00:37:11,829 --> 00:37:14,730 It's something that you have to continually feed and go after. 763 00:37:14,909 --> 00:37:16,670 And then most of all, to live out. 764 00:37:17,245 --> 00:37:22,285 I don't believe one bit that the Beatitudes were said by Jesus in person 765 00:37:22,465 --> 00:37:27,505 so that you and I could just Memorize them we can like them we can get nice 766 00:37:27,505 --> 00:37:31,465 little plaques posters Whatever you want and put them on different parts of your 767 00:37:31,465 --> 00:37:35,485 house and go blessed are this and it can be nice sweet poetry I don't believe 768 00:37:35,485 --> 00:37:39,915 one bit that that's what God intended when Jesus spoke those words I believe 769 00:37:39,915 --> 00:37:46,375 he said it so that we can experience it We can experience his blessings And the 770 00:37:46,375 --> 00:37:50,715 only way that you and I can do that is when we first adopt these kingdom values. 771 00:37:50,965 --> 00:37:54,875 We maintain these kingdom values and we live these values out. 772 00:37:55,825 --> 00:38:02,355 They become our worldview, our character, and our lifestyle. 773 00:38:03,954 --> 00:38:09,755 And then we will experience true fulfillment and true blessings. 774 00:38:11,025 --> 00:38:13,535 So here's a little quick thing here, action step for the week here, 775 00:38:13,535 --> 00:38:14,875 alright, like to get real practical. 776 00:38:15,135 --> 00:38:17,965 Pray through the B attitudes every day this week here. 777 00:38:18,484 --> 00:38:20,375 Just guide, let them guide you in prayer. 778 00:38:20,444 --> 00:38:21,515 I was doing that this morning. 779 00:38:21,515 --> 00:38:22,864 Let them guide you in prayer. 780 00:38:23,615 --> 00:38:25,465 And go ahead and just pray through them. 781 00:38:25,465 --> 00:38:26,755 As you read it, you can pray. 782 00:38:26,945 --> 00:38:29,575 This could be a part of your quiet time, whatever you want to do. 783 00:38:29,765 --> 00:38:31,555 But pray that they may be your values. 784 00:38:32,225 --> 00:38:34,595 That you may have those characteristics for the day. 785 00:38:34,595 --> 00:38:38,624 And that you may put them into practice whether you're at school, work, or home. 786 00:38:39,825 --> 00:38:41,195 Right now we're going to take communion. 787 00:38:41,535 --> 00:38:45,815 This is the time in which we reflect upon and meditate upon Jesus's 788 00:38:45,855 --> 00:38:47,745 life, death, and resurrection. 789 00:38:47,745 --> 00:38:51,915 And his sacrifice that was enabled for us to actually enter God's kingdom. 790 00:38:51,915 --> 00:38:54,894 And so we take the emblems that represent his body and his, and his 791 00:38:55,014 --> 00:38:57,064 blood that, that was sacrificed for us. 792 00:38:57,635 --> 00:39:01,525 And as we know, Jesus modeled every single one of these beatitudes. 793 00:39:01,555 --> 00:39:02,895 He had these traits. 794 00:39:03,245 --> 00:39:07,870 And because of the cross, because of the cross, you and I, Can now not 795 00:39:07,870 --> 00:39:12,060 only adopt these, maintain these, but we can live these out as well. 796 00:39:12,570 --> 00:39:15,670 And so we close out again with Matthew chapter 3. 797 00:39:16,070 --> 00:39:19,110 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 798 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,220 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 799 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:29,110 May Jesus sacrifice remind us that because of it, we now can enter his kingdom. 800 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:30,880 And be comforted by God. 801 00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:31,420 Let's pray. 802 00:39:31,750 --> 00:39:36,200 Father, thank you so much for this, uh, time to reflect upon Jesus, this 803 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:40,180 time to, uh, remember that we are so blessed because of the cross, that 804 00:39:40,180 --> 00:39:42,570 we have the opportunity of salvation. 805 00:39:42,570 --> 00:39:45,790 And not only salvation, but God, we have the opportunity of true and 806 00:39:45,790 --> 00:39:50,370 fulfillment life, not depending on circumstances, but depending upon who 807 00:39:50,370 --> 00:39:52,570 you are and our relationship to you. 808 00:39:53,065 --> 00:39:57,765 God, we pray that we can praise you, that we can soberly evaluate our 809 00:39:57,765 --> 00:40:01,795 lives, and we can make choices and decisions today to be more aligned 810 00:40:01,795 --> 00:40:04,565 with you and your values and your ways. 811 00:40:04,565 --> 00:40:06,895 We pray all this in the name of Jesus, Amen.