Slavery. War. Racism. Addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling. These are all examples of how families become unable to pass down an inheritance to the next generation. Some are the result of unhealthy choices. Others are about oppressive events and systems.
In Jesus' day, the oppression that prevented a generation from receiving its inheritance came in the form of foreign powers who cared little about the promises of the Hebrew God.
JESUS SPOKE TO PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO FEEL CURSED THAN BLESSED
The Promised Land, it had once been called. Now, it was occupied territory. Foreign kings, one after another, had taken control of the land of Israel. It was now the Roman Empire's turn. Meanwhile, the Jews were heavily taxed. Their toil was for Caesar's benefit.
It was in the midst of this oppression that Jesus stood before his fellow Jews and spoke the following words recorded in Luke 6:20-23:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets."
Pastor Josh explained yesterday that the kind of "blessed" Jesus spoke about was not temporary happiness that anything on Earth can provide. This is a deep joy. This is a sense of wellbeing so strong, it endures despite our present circumstances.
HOW DOES BEING BLESSED EVEN AS WE WEEP MAKE ANY SENSE?
To be blessed when we are poor, when we are starving, even when we are weeping in the agony of the moment is something only God can accomplish. Only he can make the kinds of promises Jesus made.
You are poor because you have been denied your inheritance in this world, Jesus was saying. But I am telling you, God is going to give you his entire kingdom.
You are hungry, not only for food, but for belonging and wonder and accomplishment and so much more that this world cannot fully provide. God will satisfy all these desires.
You weep because you suffer from physical and emotional pain, because your bodies break down, because you get sick and your loved ones die. God will give you a reason to laugh.
He also said that people will hate and reject you because you live as though you believe these things. When you live without fear of your oppressors, and live to serve God alone, those who seek to hold on to power cannot allow it.
But as they beat you, jail you, exile or even kill you, know that you are counted among the most honored servants of God.
"It's as if Jesus is saying, when they push your face into the dirt, the very dirt they are pushing your face into is part of the very land you will inherit," Josh said.
That might be among the best reasons in this life to laugh, don't you think?
WE CAN REJOICE WHEN WE REMEMBER THIS WORLD IS UPSIDE-DOWN
The kingdom of God is no less than everything. That is what those of us who follow Jesus and serve God will inherit. That is why we are blessed, no matter what we endure in this life.
Jesus goes on to say that those who are rich now, who are well fed now, who laugh now and enjoy the praise of their fellow men now have received all the reward they are going to get (verses 24-26). In other words, the oppressors will not enjoy their wicked fruit for long.
Jesus wants us to remember that this world is upside-down. The wicked - who use systemic racism to their advantage, rejoice when others suffer disaster because it increases the value of their own properties, enrich themselves while keeping others enslaved to addiction, and so on - appear to benefit from their actions. Their way seems to be how to get on top.
In reality, God is going to give all of this - the land, the oceans, the cosmos - to those who value being his children and faithful servants above all else. We will see one day that all our suffering in his name was worth it.
We will live to see God make all things right, and the world turned right side-up again.
That is why we are blessed.