It must have been strange and even shocking for the crowds to hear the words of Jesus’ sermon. See if your life experiences agree with these declarations. The poor in spirit are blessed. Those who mourn are blessed. The gentle are blessed. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed. The merciful are blessed. The pure in heart are blessed. The peacemakers are blessed. Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed. Those who are insulted and persecuted are blessed. Does this match your experiences? These are the most counterintuitive, upside down ways to look at life. We really need to think about what Jesus is saying. Jesus is overthrowing everything we know about our culture and our way of life. None of the conditions that Jesus says gets you ahead in this world. From what we see, the people who are blessed are those who are strong, who are proud, who do not care about righteousness, who are merciless, who are harsh, imposing, and demanding, who are impervious to problems, and who cause strife and make war…

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