1 00:00:00,199 --> 00:00:02,913 Follow along there if you'd like. As we 2 00:00:02,913 --> 00:00:05,547 are beginning a a new series today that's 3 00:00:05,547 --> 00:00:07,781 gonna take us over the next 8 weeks 4 00:00:07,781 --> 00:00:08,260 or so. 5 00:00:09,388 --> 00:00:11,371 From Matthew chapter 5. 6 00:00:12,244 --> 00:00:14,782 Well, it was in 20 10 that a 7 00:00:14,782 --> 00:00:16,789 multi millionaire from 8 00:00:17,099 --> 00:00:18,934 New Mexico had an idea. 9 00:00:19,493 --> 00:00:21,967 Was an idea that he hoped would see 10 00:00:22,206 --> 00:00:24,701 America turn off the televisions a bit more 11 00:00:25,173 --> 00:00:26,686 tune out of the video games a bit 12 00:00:26,686 --> 00:00:29,870 more and go on an adventure. So this 13 00:00:29,870 --> 00:00:33,053 gentleman forest fern, or fan, excuse me. Forrest 14 00:00:33,133 --> 00:00:35,798 Fan is a Vietnam vet run, a pilot 15 00:00:36,734 --> 00:00:38,568 and he became a a an art dealer 16 00:00:38,568 --> 00:00:40,323 that he made a fortune in in art 17 00:00:40,323 --> 00:00:43,433 dealing, and he had a bronze treasure chest 18 00:00:43,433 --> 00:00:44,550 that he had created. 19 00:00:45,202 --> 00:00:47,373 Somewhere in the Rocky Mountains 20 00:00:47,828 --> 00:00:49,261 in early 20 10. 21 00:00:50,057 --> 00:00:52,842 The chest was filled with gold coins and 22 00:00:52,842 --> 00:00:56,142 diamonds and Emerald in jewelry and other valuables, 23 00:00:56,994 --> 00:00:58,686 worth a small fortune. 24 00:00:59,856 --> 00:01:02,424 Now, mister Fan encoded the secret 25 00:01:02,814 --> 00:01:04,593 to finding the treasure 26 00:01:05,052 --> 00:01:07,529 within a 6 stands a poem at the 27 00:01:07,529 --> 00:01:09,147 end of his auto 28 00:01:09,766 --> 00:01:11,934 entitled the thrill of the chase. 29 00:01:13,127 --> 00:01:16,468 And thousands of people went off looking for 30 00:01:16,468 --> 00:01:17,604 this hidden treasure 31 00:01:18,232 --> 00:01:21,876 using that poem with its 9 embedded clues. 32 00:01:23,461 --> 00:01:25,046 Thousands of people. Look. 33 00:01:26,178 --> 00:01:28,016 Thousands failed. In fact, 34 00:01:28,735 --> 00:01:29,235 many 35 00:01:29,773 --> 00:01:32,570 underestimated the dangers of the wilderness of the 36 00:01:32,570 --> 00:01:35,210 rock Mountains and had difficulty along the way. 37 00:01:35,449 --> 00:01:38,710 And at least 5 people even died while 38 00:01:38,710 --> 00:01:41,016 searching for this hidden treasure. 39 00:01:42,308 --> 00:01:45,745 That was not until July of 20 21, 40 00:01:46,064 --> 00:01:47,183 11 years later, 41 00:01:48,062 --> 00:01:50,954 that a 32 year old medical student from 42 00:01:51,113 --> 00:01:52,171 Michigan finally 43 00:01:52,548 --> 00:01:53,846 found the treasure 44 00:01:54,223 --> 00:01:55,759 in the Wyoming wilderness. 45 00:01:56,854 --> 00:01:58,847 And then mister Forrest fan, 46 00:01:59,739 --> 00:02:03,027 He died just 2 months later in September 47 00:02:03,483 --> 00:02:05,794 of 20 21 at the age of 90 48 00:02:05,794 --> 00:02:06,511 years old. 49 00:02:07,641 --> 00:02:10,191 An auction of some of the selected items 50 00:02:10,191 --> 00:02:13,219 from that treasure chest took place in December 51 00:02:13,219 --> 00:02:14,255 of 20 22, 52 00:02:14,589 --> 00:02:16,660 and it resulted in sales of more than 53 00:02:16,660 --> 00:02:18,753 1300000.0 54 00:02:19,050 --> 00:02:19,550 dollars. 55 00:02:20,882 --> 00:02:22,258 Now in his auto, 56 00:02:22,714 --> 00:02:25,679 mister Fan writes this. He says, the most 57 00:02:25,679 --> 00:02:26,796 valuable things. 58 00:02:27,673 --> 00:02:31,103 The most beautiful things are not easily found. 59 00:02:31,741 --> 00:02:33,256 They're just out there. 60 00:02:34,150 --> 00:02:36,150 They're hidden. He says. 61 00:02:36,709 --> 00:02:38,949 And you've got to search for them. You've 62 00:02:38,949 --> 00:02:41,909 got to get out seek, look for the 63 00:02:41,909 --> 00:02:42,409 valuable 64 00:02:42,870 --> 00:02:43,370 things 65 00:02:43,922 --> 00:02:45,189 of this life. 66 00:02:46,299 --> 00:02:49,230 And folks, he wasn't writing about diamonds and 67 00:02:49,230 --> 00:02:50,181 gold coins. 68 00:02:51,229 --> 00:02:53,866 Well, today, we're beginning a a new series 69 00:02:53,866 --> 00:02:56,842 of messages We're calling this series, the life 70 00:02:56,982 --> 00:02:58,041 that flourish. 71 00:02:59,152 --> 00:03:01,458 And over the next 8 weeks, we're gonna 72 00:03:01,458 --> 00:03:02,515 explore the 73 00:03:02,970 --> 00:03:03,470 introduction 74 00:03:03,924 --> 00:03:05,617 to the most famous 75 00:03:05,929 --> 00:03:07,607 Sermon ever preached. 76 00:03:08,247 --> 00:03:09,546 The sermon of Jesus 77 00:03:10,085 --> 00:03:12,722 called the Sermon on the mount. It's recorded 78 00:03:12,722 --> 00:03:14,660 in Matthew chapter 5 79 00:03:15,054 --> 00:03:16,251 6 and 7. 80 00:03:17,369 --> 00:03:19,683 Our focus is just gonna be on the 81 00:03:19,683 --> 00:03:20,902 first 12 verses 82 00:03:21,519 --> 00:03:24,804 of Jesus sermon section that is often known 83 00:03:24,804 --> 00:03:26,635 as the beat attitudes. 84 00:03:27,591 --> 00:03:29,343 We're gonna go on, I guess you could 85 00:03:29,343 --> 00:03:31,016 say a bit of a treasure hunt together, 86 00:03:31,175 --> 00:03:32,425 and it's my hope that 87 00:03:32,865 --> 00:03:35,844 for... We will discover together what a rich 88 00:03:35,985 --> 00:03:38,085 rich treasure is provided 89 00:03:38,544 --> 00:03:40,865 by Jesus himself, a secret treasure. 90 00:03:41,358 --> 00:03:44,785 That reveals the truth of the kingdom of 91 00:03:44,785 --> 00:03:46,379 heaven. And like any treasure, 92 00:03:46,937 --> 00:03:49,064 we will all have to look for it 93 00:03:49,504 --> 00:03:53,099 seek after it, pursue it. In fact, later 94 00:03:53,099 --> 00:03:55,976 in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus speaks a 95 00:03:55,976 --> 00:03:56,955 couple of parable 96 00:03:57,349 --> 00:04:00,250 using the analogy of hidden treasure 97 00:04:00,710 --> 00:04:03,670 to illustrate the truth of his kingdom, Listen 98 00:04:03,670 --> 00:04:06,164 to these words from Matthew chapter 13. The 99 00:04:06,164 --> 00:04:08,485 words of Jesus He says, the kingdom of 100 00:04:08,485 --> 00:04:11,685 heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, 101 00:04:12,164 --> 00:04:14,740 which a man found and covered up And 102 00:04:14,740 --> 00:04:17,319 then in his joy, he goes and sells 103 00:04:17,379 --> 00:04:20,420 all that he has and buys that field. 104 00:04:21,873 --> 00:04:24,498 Again, Jesus says, the kingdom of heaven is 105 00:04:24,498 --> 00:04:25,634 like a merchant 106 00:04:26,248 --> 00:04:29,204 in search of fine pearls who on finding 107 00:04:29,204 --> 00:04:31,132 1 pearl of great value 108 00:04:31,505 --> 00:04:33,829 went and sold all that he had 109 00:04:34,202 --> 00:04:34,916 and bought it. 110 00:04:36,361 --> 00:04:39,622 So let's begin this treasure hunt together. We're 111 00:04:39,622 --> 00:04:42,088 gonna read from Matthew 5. And by the 112 00:04:42,088 --> 00:04:44,338 way, we're gonna read this entire passage 113 00:04:44,730 --> 00:04:47,149 over the next 8 weeks, several 114 00:04:47,529 --> 00:04:49,709 different times from several different 115 00:04:50,250 --> 00:04:52,490 versions, English versions of the new testament, 116 00:04:53,222 --> 00:04:55,636 though we are only going to explore 1 117 00:04:55,694 --> 00:04:57,847 small portion of it each week. And by 118 00:04:57,847 --> 00:05:00,318 doing so, it's my hope that we will 119 00:05:00,318 --> 00:05:01,057 be firmly 120 00:05:01,608 --> 00:05:04,730 placing in our minds, the treasure map 121 00:05:05,421 --> 00:05:08,996 that Jesus provides for us to discover the 122 00:05:08,996 --> 00:05:09,496 reality 123 00:05:10,283 --> 00:05:12,909 of his kingdom. So let's read Matthew 5 124 00:05:12,909 --> 00:05:15,615 verses 1 through 12 together. The words are 125 00:05:15,615 --> 00:05:16,331 on the screen. 126 00:05:17,938 --> 00:05:20,487 Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the 127 00:05:20,487 --> 00:05:23,059 mountain and when he sat down, his disciples 128 00:05:23,116 --> 00:05:25,426 came to him. And he opened his mouth 129 00:05:25,426 --> 00:05:26,701 and taught them saying, 130 00:05:27,432 --> 00:05:30,213 Blessed are the poor and spirit for theirs 131 00:05:30,213 --> 00:05:31,405 is the kingdom of heaven. 132 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,662 Blessed are those who mourn for they shall 133 00:05:34,662 --> 00:05:35,480 be comforted. 134 00:05:36,428 --> 00:05:39,060 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit 135 00:05:39,060 --> 00:05:39,538 the earth. 136 00:05:40,256 --> 00:05:42,888 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for 137 00:05:42,888 --> 00:05:43,388 righteousness. 138 00:05:44,005 --> 00:05:45,462 For they shall be satisfied. 139 00:05:46,573 --> 00:05:49,686 Blessed are the mer for they shall receive 140 00:05:49,686 --> 00:05:50,165 mercy. 141 00:05:50,883 --> 00:05:53,437 Blessed are the pure in heart for they 142 00:05:53,437 --> 00:05:54,395 shall see God. 143 00:05:55,209 --> 00:05:56,508 Blessed are the peace 144 00:05:57,127 --> 00:05:59,444 for they shall be called sons of God. 145 00:06:00,164 --> 00:06:03,221 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness 146 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:03,760 sake. 147 00:06:04,332 --> 00:06:06,717 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 148 00:06:07,592 --> 00:06:10,375 Blessed are you when others rev revive you 149 00:06:10,375 --> 00:06:12,761 and per you and utter all kinds of 150 00:06:12,761 --> 00:06:15,406 evil against you falsely on my account. 151 00:06:16,364 --> 00:06:19,398 Rejoice and be glad for your reward is 152 00:06:19,398 --> 00:06:20,457 great in heaven 153 00:06:20,915 --> 00:06:23,331 for so they persecuted the prophets 154 00:06:23,644 --> 00:06:25,162 who were before you. 155 00:06:25,881 --> 00:06:27,719 Amen. The words of Jesus. 156 00:06:29,237 --> 00:06:29,737 So 157 00:06:31,008 --> 00:06:33,178 we call this section the beat. 158 00:06:34,190 --> 00:06:36,417 And today, we're gonna be exploring the very 159 00:06:36,417 --> 00:06:39,692 first statement in verse 3. We're calling today's 160 00:06:39,692 --> 00:06:40,908 message, less 161 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,382 is more. Less is more, But before we 162 00:06:44,382 --> 00:06:46,388 get into that part, I wanna do just 163 00:06:46,388 --> 00:06:48,942 a bit of background on this whole section 164 00:06:48,942 --> 00:06:50,539 of the sermon under the mouth that we 165 00:06:50,539 --> 00:06:52,774 call the beat attitudes. Now we might think 166 00:06:52,774 --> 00:06:54,951 of this as 8 clues 167 00:06:55,343 --> 00:06:58,789 that Jesus gives us to find to discover 168 00:06:58,926 --> 00:07:01,872 the treasure of kingdom life. To find what 169 00:07:01,872 --> 00:07:03,088 it really means 170 00:07:03,639 --> 00:07:06,909 to live life as citizens of God's kingdom, 171 00:07:07,786 --> 00:07:10,497 which we partially enter when we come to 172 00:07:10,657 --> 00:07:13,803 Christ when we're born again, but we 173 00:07:14,180 --> 00:07:16,593 will not fully enter the kingdom 174 00:07:17,289 --> 00:07:20,637 until Jesus comes again. And so these clues 175 00:07:20,637 --> 00:07:21,456 that Jesus 176 00:07:21,769 --> 00:07:24,666 gives us in this sex of scripture, help 177 00:07:24,805 --> 00:07:25,305 reveal 178 00:07:25,684 --> 00:07:29,280 the real life, the full life, the kingdom 179 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:29,735 life 180 00:07:30,175 --> 00:07:33,314 that God has for us beginning now 181 00:07:33,615 --> 00:07:35,314 and stretching into 182 00:07:35,694 --> 00:07:36,194 eternity. 183 00:07:36,974 --> 00:07:39,863 Now, Here's an important piece of information to 184 00:07:39,863 --> 00:07:42,996 know as we dive into this section. Jesus 185 00:07:43,294 --> 00:07:44,672 was a rabbi. 186 00:07:45,303 --> 00:07:48,008 That word and hebrew literally just means teacher. 187 00:07:48,168 --> 00:07:49,384 He was a hebrew 188 00:07:49,918 --> 00:07:54,056 religious teacher. And every rabbi had disciples. 189 00:07:54,867 --> 00:07:56,481 That word means followers, 190 00:07:57,094 --> 00:08:00,936 learning, doing followers. They listen to their rabbi. 191 00:08:01,470 --> 00:08:04,668 They breathed in his teachings, and then they 192 00:08:04,668 --> 00:08:06,044 copied or followed 193 00:08:06,419 --> 00:08:07,716 those instructions. 194 00:08:08,410 --> 00:08:11,059 Now in those days, in the first century, 195 00:08:11,608 --> 00:08:14,256 every rabbi had their own unique 196 00:08:14,870 --> 00:08:15,847 interpretation, a different 197 00:08:16,540 --> 00:08:19,184 application of god's word. And so a certain 198 00:08:19,184 --> 00:08:21,101 rabbi would study God's word and he would 199 00:08:21,101 --> 00:08:23,019 say then here's how I interpret it. 200 00:08:23,818 --> 00:08:26,535 And therefore, here's how you should live it 201 00:08:26,535 --> 00:08:26,775 out. 202 00:08:27,588 --> 00:08:28,725 Then followers 203 00:08:29,181 --> 00:08:32,447 of those rabbi would determine who they would 204 00:08:32,447 --> 00:08:35,018 follow based upon that rabbi 205 00:08:35,793 --> 00:08:37,955 interpretations an app location of God's word. 206 00:08:38,750 --> 00:08:41,793 Now it's interesting to me what a rabbi, 207 00:08:43,121 --> 00:08:45,266 interpretation and application was called. 208 00:08:46,076 --> 00:08:49,195 It was called the yoke of the rabbi. 209 00:08:49,807 --> 00:08:51,633 If you're familiar with that term, A yoke 210 00:08:51,633 --> 00:08:54,192 is a wooden harness that is put over 211 00:08:54,192 --> 00:08:56,268 the the neck of an animal or 2 212 00:08:56,268 --> 00:08:56,768 animals 213 00:08:57,225 --> 00:08:58,023 like oxen, 214 00:08:58,422 --> 00:09:01,636 and this yolk guides and directs the animals 215 00:09:02,029 --> 00:09:04,269 in the way that they should go. 216 00:09:04,909 --> 00:09:08,029 And so a rabbi would say, here's my 217 00:09:08,029 --> 00:09:11,341 yoke. Here's my understanding. Here's my 218 00:09:11,953 --> 00:09:15,369 application of the holy scriptures. And then the 219 00:09:15,369 --> 00:09:17,038 follower was would say, okay? 220 00:09:17,689 --> 00:09:19,763 I'm gonna put that on. And that's what 221 00:09:19,922 --> 00:09:22,554 I'm gonna use to direct to guide my 222 00:09:22,554 --> 00:09:22,953 life. 223 00:09:23,990 --> 00:09:25,984 And so friends, I tell you that because 224 00:09:25,984 --> 00:09:27,122 that is exactly 225 00:09:27,594 --> 00:09:30,541 what Jesus is doing for us in the 226 00:09:30,541 --> 00:09:32,874 sermon on the mount. And particularly 227 00:09:33,330 --> 00:09:35,719 in this opening section of the beat attitudes. 228 00:09:35,879 --> 00:09:39,473 He's saying, okay. People of God. People seeking 229 00:09:39,631 --> 00:09:41,936 God. Here is my yoke. 230 00:09:42,652 --> 00:09:45,709 Here is my teaching. Here is my 231 00:09:46,162 --> 00:09:48,783 application of the word of god. Here is 232 00:09:48,783 --> 00:09:50,315 what should really 233 00:09:50,847 --> 00:09:53,666 guide and direct your life 234 00:09:54,677 --> 00:09:56,291 because I'm no ordinary 235 00:09:56,746 --> 00:09:57,246 rabbi. 236 00:09:57,780 --> 00:09:59,393 I am the sun 237 00:09:59,942 --> 00:10:00,738 of God. 238 00:10:02,090 --> 00:10:04,897 And 1 thing that is just blatantly 239 00:10:05,431 --> 00:10:09,343 obvious right away is that Jesus yoke is 240 00:10:09,343 --> 00:10:13,080 very much different from what these people who 241 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,886 are listening to him initially have ever heard 242 00:10:16,023 --> 00:10:18,932 before. In fact, it's gonna be counter 243 00:10:19,630 --> 00:10:21,728 to them. It's gonna be the opposite 244 00:10:22,347 --> 00:10:25,954 of what people would expect. And opposite things 245 00:10:25,954 --> 00:10:26,853 can be very 246 00:10:27,549 --> 00:10:30,899 disconcerting at first, Can't they? For instance. Do 247 00:10:30,899 --> 00:10:33,372 you remember when you first learned how to 248 00:10:33,372 --> 00:10:33,770 drive? 249 00:10:34,664 --> 00:10:37,144 And then at some point, after you got 250 00:10:37,144 --> 00:10:40,264 the the driving part down pretty good, you 251 00:10:40,264 --> 00:10:41,725 had to drive in 252 00:10:42,105 --> 00:10:42,504 reverse. 253 00:10:43,144 --> 00:10:43,384 Right? 254 00:10:44,358 --> 00:10:44,858 And 255 00:10:45,396 --> 00:10:46,833 maybe some of us are still learning to 256 00:10:46,833 --> 00:10:47,711 do that part. Right? 257 00:10:48,430 --> 00:10:49,648 It can be difficult 258 00:10:50,026 --> 00:10:52,581 to drive to learn to drive and reverse 259 00:10:52,581 --> 00:10:54,294 because it is counter 260 00:10:55,154 --> 00:10:55,654 intuitive. 261 00:10:55,955 --> 00:10:58,134 Right? You have to do the opposite 262 00:10:59,075 --> 00:11:02,288 of what feels right. And so, yeah, you 263 00:11:02,288 --> 00:11:03,187 turn around 264 00:11:03,646 --> 00:11:05,424 and you look over your shoulder, 265 00:11:06,602 --> 00:11:08,360 or if you got a newer car now, 266 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,053 you got a little screen there and you're 267 00:11:10,053 --> 00:11:11,491 trying to watch that thing, 268 00:11:12,050 --> 00:11:13,269 and it's counter 269 00:11:14,048 --> 00:11:14,548 intuitive. 270 00:11:15,086 --> 00:11:16,066 And that word 271 00:11:16,539 --> 00:11:18,234 it it just means not easily 272 00:11:18,770 --> 00:11:20,284 understood in an instinct, 273 00:11:21,001 --> 00:11:21,957 unconscious way. 274 00:11:22,754 --> 00:11:25,463 On the surface, it doesn't seem to make 275 00:11:25,463 --> 00:11:25,861 sense. 276 00:11:26,910 --> 00:11:27,785 But it works. 277 00:11:29,057 --> 00:11:32,418 It works. And friends, this is the hidden 278 00:11:32,634 --> 00:11:35,496 nature of the teaching of Jesus Christ. 279 00:11:36,227 --> 00:11:38,400 So much of it is counter. 280 00:11:39,493 --> 00:11:42,519 It doesn't always seem to make sense, but 281 00:11:42,519 --> 00:11:45,325 it is, in fact, what works. 282 00:11:45,884 --> 00:11:49,585 It is the yoke that leads to real 283 00:11:49,804 --> 00:11:50,205 life. 284 00:11:51,004 --> 00:11:53,425 Even though it seems at times 285 00:11:53,819 --> 00:11:55,035 to be the opposite 286 00:11:55,569 --> 00:11:57,182 and the upside down 287 00:11:57,717 --> 00:12:00,182 of what we might think is the right 288 00:12:00,182 --> 00:12:00,421 way. 289 00:12:01,309 --> 00:12:03,530 And so Jesus begins this sermon on the 290 00:12:03,530 --> 00:12:04,823 mount with this 291 00:12:05,274 --> 00:12:08,074 introduction of the beat attitudes, and each beat 292 00:12:08,129 --> 00:12:08,629 attitude 293 00:12:09,019 --> 00:12:12,220 begins with the word blessed or blessed. 294 00:12:12,940 --> 00:12:14,940 And so Jesus says to the crowd, do 295 00:12:14,940 --> 00:12:16,379 you want to be blessed? 296 00:12:17,112 --> 00:12:19,968 And the folks listening to this new exciting 297 00:12:19,968 --> 00:12:22,507 rabbi say, yeah. We want some of that 298 00:12:22,507 --> 00:12:23,539 blessing, man. Bring it. 299 00:12:24,268 --> 00:12:25,382 We wanna be happy. 300 00:12:26,257 --> 00:12:27,689 And then Jesus says, 301 00:12:28,325 --> 00:12:28,825 blessed 302 00:12:29,439 --> 00:12:30,575 are the 303 00:12:31,284 --> 00:12:33,620 and then he gives 8 distinct characteristics 304 00:12:34,557 --> 00:12:37,271 of a life that is blessed. 305 00:12:37,830 --> 00:12:40,225 The kingdom life of a disciple. 306 00:12:40,638 --> 00:12:41,354 A learning, 307 00:12:41,830 --> 00:12:43,897 doing follower of Jesus. 308 00:12:44,294 --> 00:12:47,155 To live this blessed life to put on 309 00:12:47,155 --> 00:12:48,053 his yoke 310 00:12:48,363 --> 00:12:51,780 to walk in this direction to think like 311 00:12:51,780 --> 00:12:55,539 this, act like this, believe this truth, follow 312 00:12:55,755 --> 00:12:56,947 my example. 313 00:12:57,599 --> 00:12:58,478 Says Jesus. 314 00:13:00,156 --> 00:13:02,792 That is blessed. And then finally, before we 315 00:13:02,792 --> 00:13:05,842 get into today's attitude, I wanted define just 316 00:13:05,842 --> 00:13:07,997 a couple of words a little further. The 317 00:13:07,997 --> 00:13:11,190 words of Jesus seen in our passage today 318 00:13:11,349 --> 00:13:14,179 I've already mentioned, we call them the beat 319 00:13:14,318 --> 00:13:14,718 attitudes. 320 00:13:15,517 --> 00:13:17,753 Now you might think that it means, oh, 321 00:13:17,993 --> 00:13:19,052 be beautiful 322 00:13:19,751 --> 00:13:21,916 attitudes. Right? But that's not what it means. 323 00:13:22,075 --> 00:13:24,063 That has a catchy ring. That's kinda cool, 324 00:13:24,222 --> 00:13:26,232 but that's not what it means. The beat 325 00:13:27,004 --> 00:13:28,697 are blessed sayings. 326 00:13:29,787 --> 00:13:32,341 Blessed sayings, The word be attitude, it it 327 00:13:32,341 --> 00:13:34,031 comes from a Latin word be, 328 00:13:35,038 --> 00:13:36,387 meaning, blessed ness. 329 00:13:37,259 --> 00:13:40,376 The phrase bless said are seen in each 330 00:13:40,376 --> 00:13:41,753 of Jesus statements 331 00:13:42,368 --> 00:13:43,665 implies a current 332 00:13:44,041 --> 00:13:45,236 state of being. 333 00:13:46,192 --> 00:13:47,786 It's not something off in the future. 334 00:13:48,517 --> 00:13:50,507 Strange and far off. It's right now. 335 00:13:51,064 --> 00:13:54,566 And this expression held a powerful meaning for 336 00:13:54,566 --> 00:13:55,862 these first century 337 00:13:56,238 --> 00:13:57,432 listeners of Jesus. 338 00:13:58,241 --> 00:13:58,741 Blessed 339 00:13:59,510 --> 00:14:01,516 refer to divine joy 340 00:14:02,284 --> 00:14:05,004 and perfect or complete happiness. 341 00:14:06,265 --> 00:14:08,809 That's what they heard when Jesus said that 342 00:14:08,809 --> 00:14:11,853 word blessed. In other words, Jesus was saying 343 00:14:12,307 --> 00:14:14,715 divine happy and fortunate. 344 00:14:15,660 --> 00:14:17,667 Are those who possess 345 00:14:18,357 --> 00:14:18,857 these 346 00:14:19,547 --> 00:14:20,444 inward qualities 347 00:14:21,372 --> 00:14:22,879 that we're going to look at? 348 00:14:24,330 --> 00:14:27,709 The word seen in our passage for blessed 349 00:14:29,129 --> 00:14:32,269 in the Greek language, the language of Jesus 350 00:14:32,409 --> 00:14:32,909 day 351 00:14:33,384 --> 00:14:33,884 means 352 00:14:34,820 --> 00:14:35,697 super happy. 353 00:14:36,575 --> 00:14:40,026 Super happy. Blessed this in the new testament 354 00:14:40,418 --> 00:14:44,794 is infinitely higher and better than just mere 355 00:14:44,794 --> 00:14:45,294 happiness. 356 00:14:46,226 --> 00:14:46,465 Okay? 357 00:14:47,674 --> 00:14:50,714 Comment William Barclay writes that in the Christian 358 00:14:50,714 --> 00:14:54,174 faith, we have a divine and god like 359 00:14:54,394 --> 00:14:54,794 joy. 360 00:14:56,086 --> 00:14:58,573 And that the word blessed in this passage 361 00:14:59,106 --> 00:15:02,467 describes that joy, which has its secret 362 00:15:03,238 --> 00:15:04,192 within itself. 363 00:15:05,565 --> 00:15:08,225 The... That joy which is serene 364 00:15:08,605 --> 00:15:09,585 and untouchable 365 00:15:10,044 --> 00:15:12,419 and self contained. That joy, which is 366 00:15:13,018 --> 00:15:13,518 completely 367 00:15:14,454 --> 00:15:14,954 independent 368 00:15:15,970 --> 00:15:18,066 of the chances and changes 369 00:15:18,763 --> 00:15:19,720 of this life. 370 00:15:20,533 --> 00:15:22,048 I love that last statement. 371 00:15:23,802 --> 00:15:27,949 Real joy is independent of the chances and 372 00:15:27,949 --> 00:15:29,246 changes changes 373 00:15:29,718 --> 00:15:30,834 of this life. 374 00:15:31,391 --> 00:15:34,202 And so we we encounter this word blessed 375 00:15:34,419 --> 00:15:36,809 in our passage. We're gonna understand that, it 376 00:15:36,809 --> 00:15:39,142 means joyful, but that joy 377 00:15:40,014 --> 00:15:41,855 is based on the right attitude, 378 00:15:42,414 --> 00:15:43,154 a proper 379 00:15:43,535 --> 00:15:46,995 inward thought pattern and not merely on current 380 00:15:47,467 --> 00:15:47,967 outward 381 00:15:48,422 --> 00:15:48,922 circumstances. 382 00:15:49,536 --> 00:15:51,923 Right? We say, oh I'm happy because it's 383 00:15:51,923 --> 00:15:55,026 a good sunny day or I'm down because 384 00:15:55,026 --> 00:15:55,742 it's raining. 385 00:15:56,393 --> 00:15:59,510 I'm happy because my bank account is full 386 00:16:00,041 --> 00:16:02,816 or I'm bummed because it's over drawn. 387 00:16:04,658 --> 00:16:07,632 See, our happiness is like a roller coaster. 388 00:16:08,409 --> 00:16:11,144 But Jesus says happiness, his blessed, 389 00:16:11,521 --> 00:16:14,115 his joy is not based on circumstances 390 00:16:15,054 --> 00:16:17,934 on what's going on around us. And this 391 00:16:17,934 --> 00:16:21,169 is important because as we've already mentioned, everything 392 00:16:21,307 --> 00:16:24,521 that Jesus is about to say is almost 393 00:16:24,660 --> 00:16:25,719 completely opposite 394 00:16:26,735 --> 00:16:29,151 of what his listeners and what we 395 00:16:29,622 --> 00:16:32,906 reading this 2000 years later have been taught 396 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:34,417 to believe 397 00:16:34,792 --> 00:16:37,019 and understand. And so over the next week, 398 00:16:37,258 --> 00:16:39,814 8 weeks you're gonna hear some things that 399 00:16:39,814 --> 00:16:41,187 are just opposite 400 00:16:42,274 --> 00:16:45,686 perhaps what you've believed or understood your entire 401 00:16:45,686 --> 00:16:46,083 life. 402 00:16:46,894 --> 00:16:49,134 Or maybe all the people around you going 403 00:16:49,134 --> 00:16:51,615 in this direction, and these things are gonna 404 00:16:51,615 --> 00:16:53,934 say, go in this direction. You're like, whoa. 405 00:16:54,254 --> 00:16:54,495 What? 406 00:16:55,787 --> 00:16:56,926 That's what Jesus 407 00:16:57,303 --> 00:16:58,659 is talking about here. 408 00:16:59,297 --> 00:17:01,849 Alright. That's the background for this whole section. 409 00:17:02,089 --> 00:17:03,444 So now we're gonna get to the very 410 00:17:03,444 --> 00:17:05,061 first be from versus 411 00:17:05,373 --> 00:17:07,923 2, and 3. I'll read it again. Jesus 412 00:17:07,923 --> 00:17:09,140 opened his mouth 413 00:17:09,596 --> 00:17:11,030 and taught them saying, 414 00:17:11,747 --> 00:17:14,398 blessed are the poor in spirit 415 00:17:15,108 --> 00:17:17,123 for theirs is the kingdom 416 00:17:18,058 --> 00:17:18,935 of heaven. 417 00:17:20,131 --> 00:17:22,603 And so here, Jesus says that it when 418 00:17:22,603 --> 00:17:23,535 it comes to the 419 00:17:24,131 --> 00:17:26,439 spiritual realm, the kingdom life, 420 00:17:26,916 --> 00:17:29,167 it is better to have less 421 00:17:30,099 --> 00:17:30,736 than more. 422 00:17:31,628 --> 00:17:34,020 In the economy of the kingdom of heaven, 423 00:17:34,339 --> 00:17:35,695 less is more. 424 00:17:36,493 --> 00:17:38,247 Now to most of us who have lived 425 00:17:38,247 --> 00:17:39,784 our lives in prosperity, 426 00:17:41,771 --> 00:17:43,606 This is strange math, 427 00:17:44,324 --> 00:17:47,137 and it was pretty strange math in Jesus 428 00:17:47,355 --> 00:17:48,232 day as well. 429 00:17:49,030 --> 00:17:51,855 These words are a as astonishing 430 00:17:52,308 --> 00:17:55,324 today as they were when Jesus first spoke 431 00:17:55,324 --> 00:17:57,888 them. And so let's consider some principles. 432 00:17:58,755 --> 00:18:00,455 Of this super happy 433 00:18:01,075 --> 00:18:01,575 joyful 434 00:18:02,115 --> 00:18:04,674 kingdom math. And first, I want us to 435 00:18:04,674 --> 00:18:07,075 see this. First, in the kingdom of heaven, 436 00:18:07,634 --> 00:18:08,089 less 437 00:18:08,447 --> 00:18:09,345 is more 438 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:13,004 when we are compelled to see our need 439 00:18:13,618 --> 00:18:16,492 to see our need. At the outset of 440 00:18:16,492 --> 00:18:19,504 this sermon, Jesus kinda sends us reeling with 441 00:18:19,504 --> 00:18:22,200 his opening statement, blessed are the poor. 442 00:18:23,089 --> 00:18:23,409 What? 443 00:18:24,128 --> 00:18:27,585 Blessed are the poor. Jesus links to seemingly 444 00:18:28,123 --> 00:18:29,822 incompatible things. Poverty, 445 00:18:30,521 --> 00:18:31,320 and blessing. 446 00:18:32,448 --> 00:18:32,687 Now, 447 00:18:33,323 --> 00:18:35,309 I suppose many of us have heard some 448 00:18:35,309 --> 00:18:37,296 version of this passage or a sermon on 449 00:18:37,296 --> 00:18:40,489 this passage before And so perhaps the shock 450 00:18:40,489 --> 00:18:42,714 has worn off for us if it ever 451 00:18:42,714 --> 00:18:44,303 registered in the first place. 452 00:18:44,939 --> 00:18:46,313 We actually think 453 00:18:46,782 --> 00:18:49,008 that what Jesus says here is kinda kinda 454 00:18:49,008 --> 00:18:49,326 sweet, 455 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,403 but make no mistake about it. What Jesus 456 00:18:53,459 --> 00:18:55,326 says here would have been 457 00:18:55,702 --> 00:18:57,396 completely dis disoriented 458 00:18:58,169 --> 00:19:00,238 to those people who were listening to him. 459 00:19:00,636 --> 00:19:03,038 It's as if with a word. 460 00:19:03,595 --> 00:19:06,379 He has suddenly turned the laws that govern 461 00:19:06,379 --> 00:19:07,277 the universe 462 00:19:07,731 --> 00:19:08,709 on their head 463 00:19:09,259 --> 00:19:10,057 And in a way, 464 00:19:10,935 --> 00:19:12,691 that's exactly what he did. 465 00:19:14,048 --> 00:19:16,922 1 of Jesus goals in this sermon is 466 00:19:16,922 --> 00:19:18,061 to contrast 467 00:19:18,534 --> 00:19:19,274 the governing 468 00:19:19,653 --> 00:19:22,630 principles of this world as we know it 469 00:19:22,849 --> 00:19:25,327 with those of the kingdom of God. 470 00:19:26,046 --> 00:19:28,133 So for a minute, I want you to 471 00:19:28,133 --> 00:19:29,640 try and hear these words, 472 00:19:30,592 --> 00:19:31,885 the way that Jesus 473 00:19:32,338 --> 00:19:33,234 original audience 474 00:19:33,686 --> 00:19:34,480 would have heard them. 475 00:19:35,273 --> 00:19:39,129 So how would this statement have sounded? Blessed 476 00:19:39,186 --> 00:19:39,981 are the poor? 477 00:19:40,618 --> 00:19:43,403 How would it have sounded to someone whose 478 00:19:43,403 --> 00:19:43,903 only 479 00:19:44,358 --> 00:19:44,858 possessions 480 00:19:45,408 --> 00:19:46,922 were the clothes on their back? 481 00:19:47,638 --> 00:19:48,754 Blessed are the poor? 482 00:19:49,311 --> 00:19:51,861 What are you talking about, Jesus? What would 483 00:19:51,861 --> 00:19:54,432 have meant to that single mother 484 00:19:54,743 --> 00:19:57,947 who didn't have any idea where her child's 485 00:19:58,004 --> 00:19:59,834 next meal was gonna come from? 486 00:20:00,709 --> 00:20:01,480 How would those 487 00:20:01,996 --> 00:20:04,617 words from Jesus sound comforting at all. 488 00:20:05,809 --> 00:20:07,000 Blessed are the poor. 489 00:20:07,636 --> 00:20:10,257 How would those words fall upon the ears 490 00:20:10,257 --> 00:20:11,051 of a beg? 491 00:20:11,781 --> 00:20:14,642 Who was dependent on the hand outs of 492 00:20:14,642 --> 00:20:17,501 strangers every day for survival. 493 00:20:18,708 --> 00:20:21,166 You know, it's amazing that Jesus wasn't laughed 494 00:20:21,166 --> 00:20:23,014 off the mountain at that point 495 00:20:23,466 --> 00:20:26,454 because the crowd that was listening to him 496 00:20:26,654 --> 00:20:27,794 was predominantly 497 00:20:28,174 --> 00:20:30,434 made up of poor people 498 00:20:31,214 --> 00:20:32,914 like these that I just 499 00:20:33,214 --> 00:20:33,534 illustrated. 500 00:20:34,744 --> 00:20:37,632 But here's what's important to know folks. Jesus 501 00:20:37,689 --> 00:20:39,917 wasn't just teaching some theory, 502 00:20:40,633 --> 00:20:41,610 some vague 503 00:20:42,065 --> 00:20:42,543 idea. 504 00:20:43,755 --> 00:20:44,255 Jesus 505 00:20:44,955 --> 00:20:47,515 didn't say this because he gone on a 506 00:20:47,515 --> 00:20:49,275 field trip or write a book or take 507 00:20:49,275 --> 00:20:50,974 it a poll about poverty. 508 00:20:52,407 --> 00:20:52,907 Jesus 509 00:20:53,365 --> 00:20:53,865 himself 510 00:20:54,242 --> 00:20:55,780 lived in poverty. 511 00:20:57,115 --> 00:20:59,844 You know, according to Matthew chapter 8, Jesus 512 00:20:59,844 --> 00:21:03,679 told 1 would be follower, 1 would be 513 00:21:03,679 --> 00:21:06,417 disciple. He said to the man, foxes 514 00:21:06,876 --> 00:21:07,595 have holes. 515 00:21:08,328 --> 00:21:10,558 Birds of the air have nests, but the 516 00:21:10,558 --> 00:21:13,506 son of man has no place to lay 517 00:21:13,506 --> 00:21:14,063 his head. 518 00:21:15,338 --> 00:21:16,851 That's how poor Jesus was. 519 00:21:18,060 --> 00:21:20,468 Jesus depended on the charity 520 00:21:20,842 --> 00:21:22,829 of others. You ever thought about that. 521 00:21:23,942 --> 00:21:24,578 Every meal. 522 00:21:25,628 --> 00:21:27,303 Dependent upon the charity of others. 523 00:21:28,260 --> 00:21:30,174 And when Jesus died, 524 00:21:31,051 --> 00:21:31,870 the only 525 00:21:32,248 --> 00:21:35,375 possessions he owned were literally the close on 526 00:21:35,375 --> 00:21:36,015 his back. 527 00:21:37,615 --> 00:21:41,055 That friends is why people didn't laugh Jesus 528 00:21:41,055 --> 00:21:41,934 off the mountain. 529 00:21:43,067 --> 00:21:43,863 In this sermon? 530 00:21:44,978 --> 00:21:47,924 But what does Jesus really mean? Is he 531 00:21:47,924 --> 00:21:51,282 saying that poor people are more receptive? To 532 00:21:51,282 --> 00:21:52,711 the gospel than others. 533 00:21:53,822 --> 00:21:56,124 Now, some people believe that, they even teach 534 00:21:56,124 --> 00:21:56,362 that. 535 00:21:56,997 --> 00:21:59,537 But I, I... I'm not convinced of that 536 00:21:59,537 --> 00:21:59,776 idea. 537 00:22:00,349 --> 00:22:02,830 I'm not at all certain that people who 538 00:22:02,830 --> 00:22:03,330 are 539 00:22:03,950 --> 00:22:05,410 financially poor are 540 00:22:05,710 --> 00:22:06,210 necessarily 541 00:22:06,670 --> 00:22:09,444 more open to the gospel will simply because 542 00:22:09,564 --> 00:22:10,121 their poor. 543 00:22:11,634 --> 00:22:13,328 My concern is that we 544 00:22:13,864 --> 00:22:15,376 who are not poor, 545 00:22:16,412 --> 00:22:17,526 by the way, you're not poor. 546 00:22:18,178 --> 00:22:19,611 I want you to understand that. If you 547 00:22:19,611 --> 00:22:21,600 can... If you turn on your water this 548 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,351 morning, you are not poor. 549 00:22:24,704 --> 00:22:25,523 Do you realize 550 00:22:25,833 --> 00:22:27,822 that millions of people in this world have 551 00:22:27,822 --> 00:22:30,152 to walk miles every day 552 00:22:30,606 --> 00:22:32,197 to get a bucket of dirty water. 553 00:22:33,250 --> 00:22:35,250 We are not poor at all folks. We 554 00:22:35,250 --> 00:22:37,509 have no idea of poverty. 555 00:22:39,330 --> 00:22:41,910 And yet we at times can romantic 556 00:22:42,383 --> 00:22:42,883 poverty 557 00:22:43,417 --> 00:22:46,042 because of what Jesus says here. If the 558 00:22:46,042 --> 00:22:48,667 poor have an advantage over the rich, 559 00:22:49,478 --> 00:22:51,967 then why does the wise man in proverbs 560 00:22:52,023 --> 00:22:52,523 30 561 00:22:53,217 --> 00:22:53,773 say this? 562 00:22:54,887 --> 00:22:56,023 Give me neither 563 00:22:56,573 --> 00:22:58,009 poverty nor riches, 564 00:22:58,807 --> 00:23:00,801 but give me only my daily bread. 565 00:23:01,519 --> 00:23:01,917 Otherwise, 566 00:23:02,635 --> 00:23:04,013 I may have too much 567 00:23:04,629 --> 00:23:06,954 and dis you and say, who is the 568 00:23:07,034 --> 00:23:07,352 Lord, 569 00:23:08,067 --> 00:23:09,918 or I might become poor 570 00:23:10,372 --> 00:23:13,789 and steal and so dish honor the name 571 00:23:13,789 --> 00:23:14,584 of my god. 572 00:23:15,713 --> 00:23:18,824 You see, the poor and the rich, each 573 00:23:18,824 --> 00:23:20,759 have their own unique 574 00:23:21,296 --> 00:23:25,180 temptation. 1 condition does not necessarily provide a 575 00:23:25,537 --> 00:23:27,204 spiritual advantage over the other. 576 00:23:27,999 --> 00:23:29,746 Some might be hardened by trouble. 577 00:23:30,698 --> 00:23:33,239 Just as others are loa into a false 578 00:23:33,239 --> 00:23:34,272 sense of security, 579 00:23:34,763 --> 00:23:35,661 by their prosperity. 580 00:23:36,593 --> 00:23:40,013 So poverty does not automatically make us more 581 00:23:40,013 --> 00:23:41,047 open to god. 582 00:23:41,778 --> 00:23:44,643 So what is the benefit of being poor? 583 00:23:45,518 --> 00:23:47,985 Because Jesus clearly says, there's a blessing. 584 00:23:49,595 --> 00:23:51,214 The term that is translated 585 00:23:52,234 --> 00:23:54,394 into English as poor I think can help 586 00:23:54,394 --> 00:23:58,019 us understand the point that Jesus is making 587 00:23:58,074 --> 00:23:58,312 here. 588 00:24:00,613 --> 00:24:01,351 It means 589 00:24:02,279 --> 00:24:03,176 to cow 590 00:24:03,724 --> 00:24:04,702 and cringe 591 00:24:05,556 --> 00:24:06,512 like a beg. 592 00:24:08,185 --> 00:24:09,698 Get that picture in your mind, 593 00:24:11,307 --> 00:24:13,082 object poverty, cow 594 00:24:13,459 --> 00:24:13,959 cri 595 00:24:14,415 --> 00:24:15,451 like a beg. 596 00:24:16,567 --> 00:24:19,609 In the new testament, it bears something of 597 00:24:19,609 --> 00:24:20,746 this idea 598 00:24:21,121 --> 00:24:23,927 because it denote a poverty so deep 599 00:24:24,541 --> 00:24:26,728 that the person must obtain 600 00:24:27,105 --> 00:24:28,802 his very existence 601 00:24:29,179 --> 00:24:30,158 by begging. 602 00:24:30,934 --> 00:24:32,072 He is fully 603 00:24:32,529 --> 00:24:33,029 dependent 604 00:24:33,406 --> 00:24:36,554 on the giving of others. He can't survive 605 00:24:37,091 --> 00:24:39,725 without the help from the outside, and this 606 00:24:39,725 --> 00:24:41,023 friends is the kind 607 00:24:41,801 --> 00:24:45,248 of benefit that Jesus is talking about the 608 00:24:45,248 --> 00:24:45,748 blessing 609 00:24:46,604 --> 00:24:47,423 of poverty 610 00:24:48,919 --> 00:24:50,137 is in the awareness 611 00:24:50,754 --> 00:24:51,552 of our need. 612 00:24:52,684 --> 00:24:54,598 Let me say that again. The blessing of 613 00:24:54,598 --> 00:24:55,098 poverty 614 00:24:55,635 --> 00:24:56,932 is in the awareness 615 00:24:57,549 --> 00:24:58,506 of our need. 616 00:24:59,304 --> 00:25:01,856 That's the first press principle to recognize that 617 00:25:01,856 --> 00:25:04,491 when it comes to god and to his 618 00:25:04,491 --> 00:25:05,943 grace, you cannot 619 00:25:06,316 --> 00:25:06,816 survive 620 00:25:07,427 --> 00:25:09,173 without help from the outside. 621 00:25:10,617 --> 00:25:13,316 That's a core tenant of the gospel of 622 00:25:13,475 --> 00:25:13,975 Jesus. 623 00:25:15,381 --> 00:25:16,040 The great 624 00:25:16,413 --> 00:25:18,557 composer, Johan Sub sebastian Ba. 625 00:25:19,449 --> 00:25:22,246 Was once standing outside and inn in the 626 00:25:22,246 --> 00:25:23,864 city of Luna. 627 00:25:24,643 --> 00:25:25,862 He was a struggling 628 00:25:26,241 --> 00:25:28,731 student at the time. And Ba had just 629 00:25:28,731 --> 00:25:30,967 returned from a long trip. He was hungry, 630 00:25:31,765 --> 00:25:33,063 but he was too poor 631 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,075 to even pay for a morse of bread. 632 00:25:36,886 --> 00:25:37,863 Or for lodging, 633 00:25:39,272 --> 00:25:41,500 which is why he was hanging around the 634 00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:42,852 back door of the inn. 635 00:25:43,822 --> 00:25:46,470 When someone threw a couple of fish heads 636 00:25:46,845 --> 00:25:48,595 out the door in the trash heap, 637 00:25:50,583 --> 00:25:51,777 and our friend Ba. 638 00:25:52,588 --> 00:25:54,103 Decided to retrieve them. 639 00:25:55,059 --> 00:25:57,451 As he examined them to see if there 640 00:25:57,451 --> 00:26:00,263 was any part that was still edible 641 00:26:01,134 --> 00:26:02,489 Can you imagine being that hungry? 642 00:26:04,401 --> 00:26:05,698 Ba was surprised 643 00:26:06,553 --> 00:26:08,328 to see a gl of gold 644 00:26:09,439 --> 00:26:10,338 in the mouth 645 00:26:11,036 --> 00:26:12,894 of each of those fish. 646 00:26:15,190 --> 00:26:15,690 Perhaps 647 00:26:16,243 --> 00:26:17,460 aware of the young 648 00:26:17,996 --> 00:26:20,090 struggling composer need someone 649 00:26:21,104 --> 00:26:22,697 had placed a gold coin. 650 00:26:23,829 --> 00:26:25,670 In each fish had for him to find. 651 00:26:27,829 --> 00:26:29,029 That interesting story. 652 00:26:29,910 --> 00:26:31,441 And friends in a way, 653 00:26:32,238 --> 00:26:35,824 this is exactly what Jesus has done for 654 00:26:35,824 --> 00:26:36,620 you and for me. 655 00:26:37,258 --> 00:26:37,895 When he says, 656 00:26:38,469 --> 00:26:40,467 blessed are the poor. 657 00:26:41,106 --> 00:26:43,844 He shines the light of his truth 658 00:26:44,303 --> 00:26:46,700 on the trash heap of our life. 659 00:26:47,830 --> 00:26:48,728 And suddenly, 660 00:26:49,660 --> 00:26:51,648 we see a gl of gold. 661 00:26:52,921 --> 00:26:54,694 What we thought was lost 662 00:26:56,198 --> 00:26:57,232 proves to be gained. 663 00:26:57,948 --> 00:26:59,880 What we counted as worthless, 664 00:27:00,414 --> 00:27:02,584 Jesus says has great value. 665 00:27:03,534 --> 00:27:05,771 And Jesus shows that shows us that where 666 00:27:05,771 --> 00:27:09,547 the economy of the kingdom is concerned, less 667 00:27:09,846 --> 00:27:10,905 is more 668 00:27:11,538 --> 00:27:12,356 The blessing 669 00:27:12,890 --> 00:27:16,334 that Christ offers is reserved for those 670 00:27:16,789 --> 00:27:17,823 who need it. 671 00:27:18,872 --> 00:27:19,848 And who recognize 672 00:27:20,301 --> 00:27:21,096 that need. 673 00:27:22,049 --> 00:27:25,067 But there's also an important and necessary outcome 674 00:27:25,067 --> 00:27:25,703 to that truth. 675 00:27:26,338 --> 00:27:27,871 Poverty is a blessing 676 00:27:29,940 --> 00:27:32,039 Only if it prompts us 677 00:27:32,980 --> 00:27:33,940 to respond, 678 00:27:35,220 --> 00:27:37,320 just like Ba had to pick up those 679 00:27:37,380 --> 00:27:37,835 heads 680 00:27:38,594 --> 00:27:40,132 we have to respond 681 00:27:40,991 --> 00:27:42,050 to god's offer 682 00:27:42,749 --> 00:27:44,586 of grace. And this leads us to the 683 00:27:44,586 --> 00:27:46,125 second important principle 684 00:27:46,519 --> 00:27:49,799 of Jesus super happy joyful kingdom math. 685 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:51,720 In the kingdom of heaven, 686 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:56,127 less is more when we are prompted to 687 00:27:56,127 --> 00:27:56,627 call 688 00:27:57,005 --> 00:27:57,962 on Christ. 689 00:27:58,679 --> 00:28:00,673 To call on Christ, and it's important to 690 00:28:00,673 --> 00:28:03,247 note that this blessing is associated 691 00:28:03,799 --> 00:28:06,297 with a particular kind of poverty. 692 00:28:07,156 --> 00:28:09,553 You see, Jesus is, he's drawing an analogy 693 00:28:09,553 --> 00:28:12,750 here, rather than making a statement about economics, 694 00:28:13,879 --> 00:28:17,085 it it's not about poverty in general, but 695 00:28:17,778 --> 00:28:20,738 spiritual poverty that Jesus has in view. In 696 00:28:20,738 --> 00:28:24,428 verse 3, Jesus says blessed are the poor 697 00:28:24,726 --> 00:28:26,023 in spirit. 698 00:28:27,038 --> 00:28:29,644 And the addition of the second part of 699 00:28:29,844 --> 00:28:31,701 phrase is the important 700 00:28:32,398 --> 00:28:32,637 clarification. 701 00:28:33,994 --> 00:28:37,026 In Luke chapter 18, Jesus tells the story 702 00:28:37,026 --> 00:28:39,113 of of of 2 men 1 day that 703 00:28:39,113 --> 00:28:41,102 went up to the temple to pray. 1 704 00:28:41,102 --> 00:28:43,012 of the men was a a ph. He 705 00:28:43,012 --> 00:28:44,206 was a respected, 706 00:28:44,683 --> 00:28:45,183 wealthy 707 00:28:45,957 --> 00:28:46,673 religious leader. 708 00:28:47,722 --> 00:28:49,950 The other was a tax collector, 709 00:28:50,905 --> 00:28:54,428 despise by his own people, a notorious sinner 710 00:28:55,934 --> 00:28:58,246 And as Jesus saw these 2 man listen 711 00:28:58,246 --> 00:29:00,956 to what he says. The ph stood up 712 00:29:00,956 --> 00:29:04,082 and prayed about himself God, I thank you 713 00:29:04,082 --> 00:29:06,955 that I am not like other men, Robbers 714 00:29:06,955 --> 00:29:08,813 and evil doers and adult 715 00:29:09,510 --> 00:29:11,585 or even like this tax collector. 716 00:29:12,397 --> 00:29:15,020 I fast twice a week. I give a 717 00:29:15,020 --> 00:29:16,689 tenth of all that I receive. 718 00:29:18,358 --> 00:29:20,743 But the tax collector stood at a distance. 719 00:29:21,714 --> 00:29:23,634 He would not even look up to heaven. 720 00:29:24,914 --> 00:29:26,775 He beat his breast 721 00:29:27,234 --> 00:29:28,115 and said, 722 00:29:28,848 --> 00:29:31,560 God have mercy on me, 723 00:29:32,597 --> 00:29:33,394 a sinner. 724 00:29:35,468 --> 00:29:38,100 Jesus says that it was the tax collector. 725 00:29:38,993 --> 00:29:39,971 Not the ph 726 00:29:40,747 --> 00:29:41,545 who went home, 727 00:29:42,183 --> 00:29:42,582 forgiven. 728 00:29:44,017 --> 00:29:44,815 So here, 729 00:29:45,532 --> 00:29:47,787 Jesus is not teaching the poor 730 00:29:48,497 --> 00:29:50,823 to pray their own version of the ph 731 00:29:51,038 --> 00:29:53,500 prayer. You know, say, oh, God, I thank 732 00:29:53,500 --> 00:29:55,405 you that I'm not like other men, the 733 00:29:55,405 --> 00:29:58,282 wealthy, the middle class, the 1 percent? 734 00:30:00,356 --> 00:30:00,595 No. 735 00:30:02,988 --> 00:30:04,525 You see, without clarifying 736 00:30:04,902 --> 00:30:08,027 this phrase, blessed are the poor in spirit, 737 00:30:08,425 --> 00:30:10,996 we might actually miss the personal 738 00:30:11,930 --> 00:30:15,195 application that Jesus wants us to take from 739 00:30:15,195 --> 00:30:16,151 this attitude. 740 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:17,518 You see, 741 00:30:19,107 --> 00:30:20,799 you know, I kinda like the thought 742 00:30:21,571 --> 00:30:24,273 that the poor are blessed simply because they're 743 00:30:24,273 --> 00:30:24,591 poor. 744 00:30:25,799 --> 00:30:27,559 And that's because it it relieve me of 745 00:30:27,559 --> 00:30:28,940 the guilt that I might 746 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:30,759 feel over not being poor. 747 00:30:32,039 --> 00:30:34,039 I don't have to feel bad about having 748 00:30:34,039 --> 00:30:34,519 so much. 749 00:30:35,333 --> 00:30:37,826 Because I can comfort myself with the thought 750 00:30:37,884 --> 00:30:41,414 that Jesus also has a blessing for those 751 00:30:41,791 --> 00:30:42,828 who don't have much. 752 00:30:44,359 --> 00:30:47,160 But that's not what Jesus intends with this 753 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:47,480 statement. 754 00:30:48,039 --> 00:30:51,480 Jesus isn't only talking about those folks who 755 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:52,359 have no money. 756 00:30:53,013 --> 00:30:54,445 He's talking about you. 757 00:30:55,002 --> 00:30:56,752 He's talking about me. 758 00:30:57,468 --> 00:30:59,638 He didn't pronounce this blessing 759 00:31:00,029 --> 00:31:02,450 to make the poor feel better 760 00:31:02,750 --> 00:31:04,589 about the fact that they have no money. 761 00:31:05,630 --> 00:31:08,444 He didn't pronounce it so that we could 762 00:31:08,444 --> 00:31:11,164 feel better about being in the middle class. 763 00:31:12,845 --> 00:31:14,845 Jesus is serving notice. 764 00:31:15,417 --> 00:31:17,638 That when it comes to the economy of 765 00:31:17,638 --> 00:31:20,494 the kingdom of god, the rich and the 766 00:31:20,494 --> 00:31:23,216 poor enter on the same basis. 767 00:31:24,159 --> 00:31:25,826 In the economy of the kingdom, 768 00:31:26,302 --> 00:31:28,049 less is more. 769 00:31:28,842 --> 00:31:31,621 The only ones who enter the kingdom are 770 00:31:31,621 --> 00:31:33,490 the ones who know 771 00:31:33,950 --> 00:31:35,309 what they don't have. 772 00:31:37,630 --> 00:31:41,070 Those who know what they don't have. 773 00:31:42,125 --> 00:31:44,304 Do you ever calculate your finances, 774 00:31:44,605 --> 00:31:46,284 say at the beginning or the end of 775 00:31:46,284 --> 00:31:46,764 the month? 776 00:31:47,724 --> 00:31:49,644 And have you ever found yourself coming up 777 00:31:49,644 --> 00:31:49,884 short? 778 00:31:51,174 --> 00:31:53,164 No matter the amount you have, even if 779 00:31:53,164 --> 00:31:54,596 you got extra that month, 780 00:31:55,233 --> 00:31:57,962 the results are often the same. It's never 781 00:31:58,273 --> 00:32:00,024 quite enough. Do you know that feeling? 782 00:32:00,660 --> 00:32:01,695 We always wish, 783 00:32:02,331 --> 00:32:04,082 I wish I had just a little bit 784 00:32:04,082 --> 00:32:04,400 more. 785 00:32:04,957 --> 00:32:05,196 Right? 786 00:32:06,728 --> 00:32:09,705 Well, believe it or not, that's how Jesus 787 00:32:10,085 --> 00:32:13,122 wants you to feel when it comes to 788 00:32:13,122 --> 00:32:14,580 the kingdom of god 789 00:32:15,374 --> 00:32:18,750 It is no accident that Jesus begins his 790 00:32:18,970 --> 00:32:20,328 description of this blessed. 791 00:32:20,887 --> 00:32:22,905 Super happy awesome life 792 00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:24,359 with a negative, 793 00:32:25,539 --> 00:32:26,039 blessed 794 00:32:26,899 --> 00:32:28,579 are the poor in spirit. 795 00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:32,985 Blessed are are those who know they are 796 00:32:32,985 --> 00:32:33,462 lacking. 797 00:32:34,736 --> 00:32:36,667 You see he wants us to calculate 798 00:32:37,202 --> 00:32:38,259 our resources. 799 00:32:39,203 --> 00:32:40,893 When it comes to our own righteousness 800 00:32:41,423 --> 00:32:44,436 and recognize that as much as we may 801 00:32:44,436 --> 00:32:45,649 think we have 802 00:32:46,593 --> 00:32:47,968 It is not 803 00:32:48,343 --> 00:32:48,661 enough. 804 00:32:49,854 --> 00:32:52,002 We can go even further and say that 805 00:32:52,002 --> 00:32:54,888 he wants us to calculate our resources 806 00:32:55,279 --> 00:32:57,055 when it comes to our own righteousness, 807 00:32:57,991 --> 00:33:00,644 and we need to realize that by kingdom 808 00:33:00,702 --> 00:33:01,181 standards, 809 00:33:02,298 --> 00:33:03,675 we are bankrupt. 810 00:33:05,264 --> 00:33:07,178 The ledger book is in the red. 811 00:33:08,773 --> 00:33:12,224 Once again, we come up against the strange 812 00:33:12,442 --> 00:33:12,942 math 813 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:14,675 of the kingdom of God. 814 00:33:15,407 --> 00:33:15,907 Less 815 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:17,396 is more. 816 00:33:18,430 --> 00:33:18,930 Bankruptcy 817 00:33:20,101 --> 00:33:22,065 is a sign of riches 818 00:33:23,691 --> 00:33:24,509 spiritual bankruptcy 819 00:33:25,199 --> 00:33:26,255 is the prerequisite 820 00:33:27,262 --> 00:33:28,159 to blessing 821 00:33:29,326 --> 00:33:30,619 because Jesus Christ 822 00:33:31,089 --> 00:33:32,945 only offers grace 823 00:33:33,562 --> 00:33:35,419 to those who know 824 00:33:36,036 --> 00:33:37,951 that they have nothing to add. 825 00:33:39,082 --> 00:33:42,105 It begins at the point of salvation. 826 00:33:43,298 --> 00:33:45,366 We turn to Christ and say, God, 827 00:33:45,938 --> 00:33:48,797 be mer on me, a sinner. 828 00:33:50,863 --> 00:33:51,680 We recognize 829 00:33:52,451 --> 00:33:55,881 that we have a debt before God and 830 00:33:55,881 --> 00:33:57,174 we have no means 831 00:33:57,785 --> 00:33:59,053 to make good on that debt, 832 00:34:00,243 --> 00:34:02,884 and we also recognize that Jesus Christ 833 00:34:03,669 --> 00:34:05,528 has canceled that debt 834 00:34:05,906 --> 00:34:07,824 when he died on the cross. 835 00:34:09,981 --> 00:34:10,800 The blessing 836 00:34:11,193 --> 00:34:14,151 that Jesus talks about in this attitude 837 00:34:14,523 --> 00:34:17,378 begins at the point of salvation, but it 838 00:34:17,378 --> 00:34:18,489 doesn't end there. 839 00:34:19,459 --> 00:34:21,398 Notice that there is a promise 840 00:34:22,016 --> 00:34:22,516 connected 841 00:34:22,895 --> 00:34:23,875 with this 842 00:34:24,254 --> 00:34:27,151 attitude. Blessed are the poor in spirit 843 00:34:27,690 --> 00:34:28,190 for 844 00:34:29,380 --> 00:34:31,313 Theirs is the kingdom 845 00:34:31,689 --> 00:34:32,485 of God. 846 00:34:33,202 --> 00:34:34,578 You see this is Jesus 847 00:34:35,034 --> 00:34:37,917 answer to the inevitable question and that's raised 848 00:34:37,917 --> 00:34:39,513 by this be attitude. Why? 849 00:34:40,311 --> 00:34:43,024 Why God are the poor in spirit blessed? 850 00:34:45,034 --> 00:34:47,211 Because they know how to reckon 851 00:34:48,069 --> 00:34:50,466 according to the strange math of the kingdom 852 00:34:50,466 --> 00:34:51,105 of God. 853 00:34:51,997 --> 00:34:55,098 They recognize that less is more when it 854 00:34:55,098 --> 00:34:58,200 compels us to see our need. Less is 855 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:01,179 more when it prompts us to call only 856 00:35:01,632 --> 00:35:03,063 upon Jesus Christ. 857 00:35:03,936 --> 00:35:06,081 And so then this leads right into the 858 00:35:06,081 --> 00:35:06,796 third part, 859 00:35:07,289 --> 00:35:11,197 of Jesus super happy, joyful kingdom math in 860 00:35:11,197 --> 00:35:12,553 the kingdom of heaven, 861 00:35:13,191 --> 00:35:16,243 less is more when we are focused 862 00:35:17,113 --> 00:35:18,489 on our inheritance 863 00:35:19,980 --> 00:35:21,197 are inheritance. 864 00:35:21,811 --> 00:35:22,528 When Jesus, 865 00:35:23,086 --> 00:35:25,315 what Jesus says in this is beat attitude. 866 00:35:25,728 --> 00:35:27,183 Is a word of 867 00:35:27,558 --> 00:35:28,058 promise. 868 00:35:28,911 --> 00:35:29,809 But it's also 869 00:35:30,184 --> 00:35:31,241 a word of 870 00:35:31,695 --> 00:35:32,014 correction. 871 00:35:33,064 --> 00:35:34,043 It assumes 872 00:35:34,662 --> 00:35:36,201 that we have a tendency 873 00:35:36,979 --> 00:35:39,695 to live by different math than god's math. 874 00:35:40,507 --> 00:35:42,255 You see, we don't live in a world 875 00:35:42,255 --> 00:35:44,559 that believes less is more. Do we? 876 00:35:45,990 --> 00:35:48,374 We live in a world where more is 877 00:35:48,374 --> 00:35:48,692 more. 878 00:35:49,502 --> 00:35:51,568 More and more and more, and everything needs 879 00:35:51,568 --> 00:35:53,397 to be super improved and better. 880 00:35:53,953 --> 00:35:54,271 Right? 881 00:35:58,262 --> 00:35:59,239 There is a great 882 00:35:59,615 --> 00:36:01,149 temptation to value 883 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:04,707 that which is of little value in this 884 00:36:04,707 --> 00:36:05,105 world. 885 00:36:06,234 --> 00:36:08,088 To consider to be gain 886 00:36:09,101 --> 00:36:10,715 what may actually work 887 00:36:11,411 --> 00:36:12,286 to our loss. 888 00:36:13,083 --> 00:36:15,961 To think we have much when we really 889 00:36:15,961 --> 00:36:17,151 have little. 890 00:36:19,135 --> 00:36:21,039 And friends, frankly, that's 1 of the reasons 891 00:36:21,039 --> 00:36:21,539 why 892 00:36:21,911 --> 00:36:23,205 some of us are nervous 893 00:36:23,993 --> 00:36:25,189 about following Christ. 894 00:36:26,067 --> 00:36:28,619 We're worried about what we might lose in 895 00:36:28,619 --> 00:36:29,278 the process. 896 00:36:30,613 --> 00:36:32,048 What will I have to give up? 897 00:36:33,499 --> 00:36:34,718 What will I have to? 898 00:36:36,536 --> 00:36:39,012 And I suppose there's some basis for such 899 00:36:39,012 --> 00:36:39,512 concerns 900 00:36:40,131 --> 00:36:41,190 in those questions. 901 00:36:41,823 --> 00:36:44,237 Jesus does talk about loss 902 00:36:44,934 --> 00:36:47,407 in connection with being a disciple. 903 00:36:48,364 --> 00:36:50,219 Following Jesus certainly 904 00:36:50,916 --> 00:36:52,048 involves loss, 905 00:36:53,485 --> 00:36:55,741 but it is not a matter of earning 906 00:36:56,597 --> 00:36:57,337 the right 907 00:36:58,433 --> 00:36:59,630 to become a disciple. 908 00:37:00,602 --> 00:37:01,899 Jesus doesn't say 909 00:37:02,515 --> 00:37:04,986 if you must give up this or that 910 00:37:04,986 --> 00:37:06,580 to become a disciple. You know what he 911 00:37:06,580 --> 00:37:09,064 says? You've gotta give it. All up. 912 00:37:09,940 --> 00:37:10,838 Give it everything 913 00:37:11,213 --> 00:37:11,531 up. 914 00:37:12,168 --> 00:37:13,623 That's what he talks about 915 00:37:14,237 --> 00:37:15,192 in his teachings. 916 00:37:16,324 --> 00:37:17,385 Following Jesus 917 00:37:17,684 --> 00:37:18,184 involves 918 00:37:18,724 --> 00:37:19,684 complete loss. 919 00:37:20,164 --> 00:37:20,664 It's 920 00:37:21,204 --> 00:37:21,944 a matter 921 00:37:22,244 --> 00:37:23,385 of exchange. 922 00:37:24,419 --> 00:37:26,757 We exchange our life 923 00:37:27,935 --> 00:37:28,894 for his life. 924 00:37:30,812 --> 00:37:31,951 But in this first 925 00:37:32,330 --> 00:37:34,344 attitude, He looks at it from a little 926 00:37:34,344 --> 00:37:35,065 different angle. 927 00:37:35,465 --> 00:37:36,764 Here, Jesus 928 00:37:37,304 --> 00:37:39,144 emphasizes, what is gained? 929 00:37:39,945 --> 00:37:41,784 What is there for the poor and spirit? 930 00:37:42,519 --> 00:37:43,555 Well, there's a kingdom. 931 00:37:44,431 --> 00:37:47,162 The kingdom of heaven is theirs. 932 00:37:47,618 --> 00:37:49,610 So what does Jesus mean when he says, 933 00:37:49,943 --> 00:37:52,571 the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor 934 00:37:52,571 --> 00:37:53,287 and spirit. 935 00:37:54,243 --> 00:37:57,052 We know that what he says is literally 936 00:37:57,348 --> 00:37:57,666 true. 937 00:37:58,479 --> 00:38:00,796 There will be a literal kingdom. The bible 938 00:38:00,796 --> 00:38:02,795 tells us at 1 day, the kingdoms of 939 00:38:02,795 --> 00:38:04,952 this world will come to an end, and 940 00:38:04,952 --> 00:38:07,370 the kingdom of Christ will endure 941 00:38:07,684 --> 00:38:08,184 forever. 942 00:38:09,284 --> 00:38:11,925 Jesus will come in his glory, he will 943 00:38:11,925 --> 00:38:13,445 reign as king, 944 00:38:15,605 --> 00:38:19,519 but what will then be true is, in 945 00:38:19,519 --> 00:38:19,838 fact, 946 00:38:20,871 --> 00:38:21,371 true 947 00:38:21,826 --> 00:38:23,934 today already. In principle 948 00:38:24,555 --> 00:38:27,035 for those who belong to Christ. 949 00:38:28,555 --> 00:38:30,635 In Luke chapter 17, we read that after 950 00:38:30,795 --> 00:38:32,726 Jesus had been questioned and again, by the 951 00:38:32,726 --> 00:38:34,023 ph his critics 952 00:38:34,399 --> 00:38:36,630 about when this so called kingdom of God 953 00:38:36,630 --> 00:38:37,188 was coming. 954 00:38:37,985 --> 00:38:39,976 Jesus answered. And here's what he said. The 955 00:38:39,976 --> 00:38:42,543 kingdom of God does not come with your 956 00:38:42,543 --> 00:38:43,043 careful 957 00:38:43,582 --> 00:38:43,742 observation, 958 00:38:45,180 --> 00:38:47,257 nor will people say here it is or 959 00:38:47,257 --> 00:38:47,896 there it is. 960 00:38:49,269 --> 00:38:49,769 Because 961 00:38:50,148 --> 00:38:51,766 the kingdom of God 962 00:38:52,145 --> 00:38:53,663 is within you. 963 00:38:54,942 --> 00:38:56,300 It's within you. 964 00:38:57,354 --> 00:39:00,230 At its very heart, the kingdom of heaven 965 00:39:00,230 --> 00:39:02,728 is the reign of Christ within 966 00:39:03,107 --> 00:39:04,406 his followers. 967 00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:08,077 If it can be said that those who 968 00:39:08,077 --> 00:39:11,114 are poor in spirit are heirs to the 969 00:39:11,114 --> 00:39:13,591 kingdom of heaven, then it must also be 970 00:39:13,591 --> 00:39:15,164 said that the poor and spirit 971 00:39:15,843 --> 00:39:16,343 experience 972 00:39:16,801 --> 00:39:18,158 the reign of Christ. 973 00:39:19,435 --> 00:39:21,271 In other words, what is this treasure that 974 00:39:21,351 --> 00:39:22,708 Jesus speaks of in this verse? 975 00:39:23,427 --> 00:39:24,166 Is it 976 00:39:24,719 --> 00:39:27,428 the pearly gates or the streets of gold? 977 00:39:27,746 --> 00:39:29,977 Is it a mansion just over the hilltop? 978 00:39:30,455 --> 00:39:31,672 Friends, those are just 979 00:39:32,383 --> 00:39:33,841 those are just physical 980 00:39:34,299 --> 00:39:34,799 pictures 981 00:39:35,577 --> 00:39:37,194 of something that is so 982 00:39:37,732 --> 00:39:40,228 so much more. The ultimate 983 00:39:40,606 --> 00:39:41,106 treasure 984 00:39:41,659 --> 00:39:42,719 of his kingdom 985 00:39:43,019 --> 00:39:43,920 is Jesus 986 00:39:44,300 --> 00:39:44,699 himself. 987 00:39:45,179 --> 00:39:47,659 It is the person and presence of Christ. 988 00:39:49,190 --> 00:39:51,966 But there's something even more. When Jesus speaks 989 00:39:51,966 --> 00:39:53,815 of the poor and spirit in the kingdom 990 00:39:53,869 --> 00:39:56,746 here in Matthew 5 3 he uses that 991 00:39:56,746 --> 00:39:59,140 language of ownership. He says of the poor 992 00:39:59,140 --> 00:40:02,352 spirit, the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 993 00:40:04,179 --> 00:40:06,331 He doesn't merely say that they will see 994 00:40:06,331 --> 00:40:08,960 the kingdom. He doesn't even say that they'll 995 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:11,771 enter the kingdom. Jesus speaks in terms of 996 00:40:12,226 --> 00:40:12,386 possession. 997 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:14,340 It belongs 998 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:17,280 to those who follow him. 999 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:20,800 In the spring of 20 21, a man 1000 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:23,608 was peru a yard sale new near New 1001 00:40:23,687 --> 00:40:26,311 Haven Connecticut. And he purchased a a blue 1002 00:40:26,311 --> 00:40:29,570 and white Chinese bowl for 35 dollars. 1003 00:40:30,619 --> 00:40:33,724 The small blue and white flu features motifs 1004 00:40:33,724 --> 00:40:36,670 of lotus and Pe and cr anthem and 1005 00:40:36,670 --> 00:40:37,784 pomegranate blossoms. 1006 00:40:38,994 --> 00:40:41,214 And it turns out that that garage sale 1007 00:40:41,214 --> 00:40:41,714 find 1008 00:40:42,246 --> 00:40:43,460 was originally 1009 00:40:43,832 --> 00:40:46,870 commissioned by China's imperial court 1010 00:40:47,496 --> 00:40:49,425 during the fifteenth century, 1011 00:40:50,037 --> 00:40:51,252 the Ming Dynasty. 1012 00:40:52,420 --> 00:40:54,484 And so what was observed to be simply 1013 00:40:54,484 --> 00:40:55,094 a quaint 1014 00:40:55,533 --> 00:40:57,925 decorative piece sitting on somebody's shelf, 1015 00:40:59,121 --> 00:41:00,817 turned out to be an exceptionally 1016 00:41:01,354 --> 00:41:01,854 rare 1017 00:41:02,311 --> 00:41:02,811 Chinese 1018 00:41:03,427 --> 00:41:03,826 artifacts. 1019 00:41:05,036 --> 00:41:07,606 What was purchased for 35 bucks 1020 00:41:08,221 --> 00:41:11,805 at a garage sale was later sold at 1021 00:41:11,805 --> 00:41:12,783 auction by So 1022 00:41:13,254 --> 00:41:15,427 for 721000 1023 00:41:15,485 --> 00:41:15,883 dollars, 1024 00:41:17,238 --> 00:41:18,194 721, 1025 00:41:18,592 --> 00:41:19,549 800 dollars. 1026 00:41:21,797 --> 00:41:24,293 The head of the Chinese art department Saw 1027 00:41:25,150 --> 00:41:26,587 revealed in a phone in interview ahead of 1028 00:41:26,587 --> 00:41:28,742 the sale, that the man who found the 1029 00:41:28,742 --> 00:41:30,755 bowl at the yard sale said he didn't 1030 00:41:30,755 --> 00:41:33,315 even h over the 35 dollar asking price. 1031 00:41:35,075 --> 00:41:35,575 Less 1032 00:41:36,355 --> 00:41:37,255 it's more 1033 00:41:37,889 --> 00:41:39,807 You see it? Less is more the friends, 1034 00:41:39,967 --> 00:41:43,003 the economy of God's kingdom is upside down. 1035 00:41:43,403 --> 00:41:44,223 It's counter. 1036 00:41:45,161 --> 00:41:46,280 It doesn't make sense. 1037 00:41:47,013 --> 00:41:48,765 According to the math of this world, and 1038 00:41:48,765 --> 00:41:52,930 that is because god often hides great value 1039 00:41:54,437 --> 00:41:55,974 behind the veil of the ordinary. 1040 00:41:57,787 --> 00:41:59,781 That's why they didn't believe Jesus was the 1041 00:41:59,781 --> 00:42:00,100 messiah. 1042 00:42:00,898 --> 00:42:02,674 He was just an ordinary rabbi. 1043 00:42:03,863 --> 00:42:05,690 He didn't look like a mighty king. 1044 00:42:06,404 --> 00:42:07,436 He wasn't a warrior. 1045 00:42:08,231 --> 00:42:09,263 Certainly wasn't rich. 1046 00:42:10,533 --> 00:42:11,430 Wasn't powerful. 1047 00:42:15,312 --> 00:42:15,812 Greatness 1048 00:42:16,582 --> 00:42:17,082 veil 1049 00:42:17,456 --> 00:42:18,353 in the ordinary. 1050 00:42:18,885 --> 00:42:21,603 Those who are poor in spirit might not 1051 00:42:21,603 --> 00:42:23,838 have much in this life. They might be 1052 00:42:23,838 --> 00:42:26,952 a 35 dollar garage sale find. Or even 1053 00:42:26,952 --> 00:42:29,267 an un sell piece of junk left in 1054 00:42:29,267 --> 00:42:30,145 the free box. 1055 00:42:30,638 --> 00:42:31,828 At the end of the sale, 1056 00:42:33,415 --> 00:42:35,161 but they do have this much. 1057 00:42:36,113 --> 00:42:36,613 They 1058 00:42:37,144 --> 00:42:37,644 possess 1059 00:42:38,193 --> 00:42:38,911 the kingdom. 1060 00:42:39,708 --> 00:42:43,878 They have an internal inheritance worth far more 1061 00:42:44,016 --> 00:42:46,909 than anything in this world with a value 1062 00:42:47,046 --> 00:42:49,549 so great it can't even be calculated 1063 00:42:50,478 --> 00:42:53,176 in terms of human wealth. 1064 00:42:55,652 --> 00:42:57,559 And friends if you've given your life to 1065 00:42:57,639 --> 00:42:58,116 Jesus. 1066 00:42:59,626 --> 00:43:00,523 These truths 1067 00:43:00,898 --> 00:43:02,328 are for you today, 1068 00:43:03,138 --> 00:43:04,751 to shape your thinking 1069 00:43:06,478 --> 00:43:09,204 to help you in your daily walk 1070 00:43:09,817 --> 00:43:12,543 in setting your priorities and your goals 1071 00:43:12,853 --> 00:43:13,751 and your purposes 1072 00:43:15,161 --> 00:43:15,661 if 1073 00:43:16,037 --> 00:43:17,651 you are a follower 1074 00:43:18,345 --> 00:43:19,459 of Jesus christ. 1075 00:43:21,145 --> 00:43:23,077 So friends are you tired of the temporary? 1076 00:43:24,327 --> 00:43:27,429 Have you found yourself searching and searching for 1077 00:43:27,429 --> 00:43:28,994 happiness only to come up 1078 00:43:29,593 --> 00:43:31,588 empty, short again, and again, 1079 00:43:33,185 --> 00:43:35,579 remember this happiness comes and goes. 1080 00:43:36,457 --> 00:43:37,436 But joy 1081 00:43:37,987 --> 00:43:38,963 is untouchable. 1082 00:43:40,923 --> 00:43:41,423 It's 1083 00:43:41,955 --> 00:43:43,804 unspeakable. We can't even fully 1084 00:43:44,336 --> 00:43:44,836 verbal 1085 00:43:46,181 --> 00:43:51,064 True, blessed ness. Real joy comes from above 1086 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:52,897 and for those 1087 00:43:53,209 --> 00:43:55,764 who know Jesus Christ as savior and as 1088 00:43:55,923 --> 00:43:58,958 Lord. Those who will 1 day live for 1089 00:43:58,958 --> 00:43:59,458 eternity 1090 00:43:59,836 --> 00:44:02,651 in heaven who are heirs of the kingdom 1091 00:44:03,202 --> 00:44:03,702 they 1092 00:44:04,475 --> 00:44:06,168 have right now 1093 00:44:06,702 --> 00:44:07,998 ever lasting, 1094 00:44:08,771 --> 00:44:09,248 joy. 1095 00:44:10,536 --> 00:44:11,990 That is the truth available 1096 00:44:12,842 --> 00:44:15,092 to each 1 who would choose 1097 00:44:15,786 --> 00:44:16,581 to receive it. 1098 00:44:17,709 --> 00:44:18,765 That is the coin 1099 00:44:19,456 --> 00:44:20,592 in the fish head 1100 00:44:21,601 --> 00:44:22,737 available for you 1101 00:44:23,507 --> 00:44:25,017 today. Let's pray together.