The Right Frame of Mind

The sermon by Jesus does not end with our passage this week, but the beatitudes specifically do end. This is big number 8, and the final beatitude. You may be thinking that Jesus is going to proclaim this awesome, eloquent, unifying statement. Maybe at the end of 7 statements that reverse much of what man has been taught and embraced, you think that Jesus is going to sing a few verses of Kumbaya. Obviously, He would want us to feel better about ourselves, right? Especially since He has just exhausted us with all of the demands of the first 7. Fasten your seat belt, Jesus is going to move into the stratosphere in expectations for His own. It is mind blowing to our human sensitivities but it is also beautiful. It points out clearly the path for us. Ever wondered about the right path for yourself? Jesus is going to tell us that the right path for those who belong to Him is suffering. Let’s be honest if put out a sign up sheet for those who wanted to suffer next week for Jesus I am betting that the list might be short, and for sure we would not need more than a page. While that is true today, my hope for me and for you is that when the Lord calls us to suffer, we jump in with both feet and refuse to look back.