Upside Down and Right Side Up Part 2: Burrowing Beneath the Beatitudes

What if embracing humility could unlock the true essence of a blessed life? Join me, Jason Hopkins, on the Hopeful Perspective Podcast as we navigate the profound teachings of Jesus' Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. We'll embark on a journey to understand what it means to be 'poor in spirit' and how recognizing our need for His help can transform our lives. From finding comfort in mourning past sins to exploring the spiritual richness promised to us, we'll dissect these timeless teachings with insightful connections to relatable stories like the rich young ruler and journeys of personal recovery.

As we progress, the conversation turns to the purity of heart and peacemaking in today's world. I'll share a moving personal story about my daughter's purity of faith, reflecting the biblical promise that the pure in heart will see God. We'll tackle the challenges of maintaining purity amidst past failures and the critical role of a moral compass. Delving into the beatitude of peacemakers, we consider how empathy and reconciliation can transcend personal and global conflicts, advocating for a ministry of reconciliation over entitlement. Join this introspective exploration, where faith becomes a testament to living out Christ's teachings in our everyday lives.

Chapters

• 0:00 Finding Hope Through the Beatitudes
• 16:29 The Beatitudes

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Hopeful Perspective Podcast. I am your host, jason Hopkins. This podcast is designed to give you a perspective of hope that impacts your daily life in an authentic and tangible way. I have utilized the first six episodes of this podcast to share my own personal life story, which illustrates God's glory. Through experiences overcoming child abuse and trauma, 26 foster homes and institutions, various diagnoses affecting me throughout my life and an eventual brain tumor resulting in multiple brain surgeries on my brainstem, I have moved from merely a surviving victim to a faithful and thriving victor who the Lord has motivated to help others discover hope. Lord has motivated to help others discover hope. Though my past was full of pain and suffering, I have been restored with purpose and sanctification. I have been redeemed and called to follow Christ within that redemption and renewed perspective, and I now want to help you, too, to have a biblical and hopeful perspective as you approach differing situations in your own life, from the delightful to the difficult and everything in between. I want to take a moment to thank you for listening and, if you have done so, take in the time to download our episodes, as when you download, along with rating our podcast with an honest response, you help the algorithm immensely to spread our reach. That said, our stats demonstrate that while thousands listen and stream the Hopeful Perspective, less than 10% actually download the episodes. Please consider bridging the gap. To help broaden that reach for us, we have also provided a few options to either contact our show with your direct feedback as well as to support the podcast financially. If you are called to partner with us in bringing hope to a hurting world, just click the embedded links found on any episode you are downloading on your podcast platform. I want to compel you to grab your favorite snack, hot or cold beverage.

Speaker 1: 2:05

Get comfortable and come on this journey with me as we continue our series on the Sermon on the Mount and look at the first section of the sermon known as the Beatitudes. We discussed five foundational truths on last week's podcast that would be helpful to understand the Sermon on the Mount. Week's podcast that would be helpful to understand the Sermon on the Mount. We looked at Jesus' audience, his usage of Old Testament scripture, his emphasis for his disciples to live for today, his teaching on eschatology or the end times and, finally, the fact that Jesus references the multiple titles that he wears as the lawgiver, the king, the judge, the teacher and the Messiah. Today we dive into the sermon, specifically the Beatitudes as they begin in Matthew, chapter 5. Before we pick them up, I wanted us to look at the definition of Beatitude, the term used to describe this section of phrases in the sermon. Simply put, a beatitude is known as a supreme blessing. These are the attitudes a disciple of Christ is to have if they are to be supremely blessed. We left off last week reading the supreme blessings, or the beatitudes, and I want to pick up this week reading them all together before we break each of them down Now.

Speaker 1: 3:32

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them. He said righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you. Because of me, rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Speaker 1: 4:48

Jesus introduces his audience immediately to the idea that there is another kingdom that they can look to that is different than that of this earth, called the kingdom of heaven. He opens up saying Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. As listeners, in the modern age the phrase poor in spirit can sound like Jesus is describing one who is downcast or possibly even miserable, and in part you could make the case he is. Yet there is more nuance than that. His hearers would have been familiar with this phrase, as all throughout the Old Testament this would have been used to acknowledge one who was in such a state that they acknowledged they needed God's help. One can be so proud or so provided for, that they deny God and therefore denounce the kingdom of heaven. I encourage you, in Matthew 19, to read the par denounce the kingdom of heaven. I encourage you, in Matthew 19, to read the parable of the rich young ruler who felt so justified and even proud in keeping all the commandments. Jesus encouraged him to sell off everything to the poor, yet the ruler was unable to. He couldn't exchange his identity and what he held dear to his heart for the kingdom of God, those who are humble in spirit, who acknowledge their sinfulness, their brokenness, what and who they have need of. They are the ones who are primed to receive the kingdom of heaven. These are who Jesus is talking to.

Speaker 1: 6:27

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Initially, we may think that this is merely referring to the mourning that occurs when we lose someone that is dear to us, and once again, there is an element of this that is true, for there is reassurance, knowing that God is by our side and on our side, through even the worst this world has to offer us. Blessed are you who mourn, for God is right there beside you. Yet this also refers to a deeper sense of grief and mourning of our former self and the lost person that caused pain in our sin to others, that there is true sense of sorrow and mourning. Blessed is this one who mourns, as they shall be comforted. For anybody who's been in recovery and been through the 12 steps, you probably understand this journey better than many of us, as you have had to make amends with those that you have wounded in the past. The deep pain and emotion that you are brought to face can be brutal to recognize, and the Lord is promising that those who undergo this mourning process can be reassured of his comfort. I can tell you that in my own deep grief, that there have been moments where only his comfort have been able to touch the level of pain and mourning that I experienced. Jesus then declares no-transcript.

Speaker 1: 8:03

While English speakers can misunderstand meek to mean weak, passive or shy, the Greek word for meek is praous, which is translated as humble, gentle or mild. We see a similar phrase used in Psalm 37, 11, which can be translated from Hebrew the humiliated or oppressed will take possession of the land. There is an additional person that we can see in scripture described as meek, and that is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is gentle and humble in how he directs us to put on the character and the person of Christ. Some have said that to be meek is to be clothed in the fruit of the Spirit, as listed in Galatians 5. Either way, the primary blessing of this particular beatitude is that those who look to Christ in humility and faith are the ones who shall inherit the earth, that is, the kingdom of heaven.

Speaker 1: 9:09

We then ponder these words Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Jesus affirms that all who hunger and thirst metaphorically, for the things of God will forever be satiated. If you recall Jesus with the woman at the well, he had asked her to give him a drink of water. Her reply was this if you knew who I was she was a Samaritan and a woman in sin you wouldn't be asking me for a drink, jesus replied. If you knew who I was, you would be asking me for living water. And everyone who drinks this water will have eternal life and will never thirst again. You see hopeful family all throughout scripture. Spiritual hunger and thirst represent our longing for the Lord and a desire to be in a right relationship with Him. Yet we cannot be fulfilled by Him if we are not in relationship with Him and our spirits cannot be satiated if we are not being fed by Him. You may wonder why every episode following the invitation to receive Christ that I both encourage listeners to find a church family that is passionate about the truth found in scriptures.

Speaker 1: 10:31

As well as I promote the personal reading of the Bible, this is not done necessarily because I was a pastor for many years or because I am particularly wise or disciplined. The truth is quite the opposite. I only recently have become disciplined to read the scriptures on a daily basis. This is just the past couple of years, and I am sure that is surprising some of you that are listening, but I can personally attest to how my soul has been satisfied and fulfilled in the spiritual battles that I face concerning PTSD, depression, anxiety and much, much more. If you listen to that closely, you just heard me say that, even as a pastor, for many years, I was operating pretty successfully, even leading others, without being particularly disciplined in the word, and in this I am not boasting, nor am I proud. Sure, I was still in the word, but I did not hunger nor thirst, nor need it in the same way that I find myself these days. I led others to be like Christ, but I neglected myself. Thus, I was probably leading hypocritically, which is probably the worst thing you could have told me during my ministry, as I thought I was leading a life of accountability and integrity. Be careful now though I'm not leading you into falsehood or nuanced platitudes to measure your success as a Christian based solely upon your discipline reading the scriptures. That is quite the opposite place that Jesus would want to take you. So nor do I. Instead, I want to share with you personally how we can hunger and thirst for righteousness and complete humility by relying on the living water instead of attempting to fulfill ourselves by our own means. That leaves us desiring more.

Speaker 1: 12:39

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. These words do not require a philosopher nor a theologian to bring forth the depth of their greater meaning, yet they are foundational in understanding the teachings of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. Jesus taught in Matthew, chapter 6, that if you forgive others' transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive. You will forgive you. Conversely, jesus taught that if you do not forgive others their transgressions, your transgressions will also go unforgiven. So significant is this principle of mercy and forgiveness in the kingdom of heaven that we hear it again stressed in how, as disciples, that we were taught to pray Our Father, who is in heaven. Hallowed or holy be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. In the way Jesus taught us to petition the Father. We are modeled to show mercy to those who wrong us, just as they are to show mercy to us.

Speaker 1: 13:59

When you understand the enemies the disciples are being asked to forgive in Jesus' day you can understand how large of an ask that this would have been. They were under Roman occupation and oppression. They were heavily taxed. They viewed neighboring people such as the Samaritans as their enemies. No matter the wrong done, though, jesus did not give mercy nor forgiveness as an option. Even as you are listening, you may be harboring memories of certain events in your own life where you were caused significant wounds from people that you cannot imagine forgiven due to the harm or trauma caused, but I encourage you to review the passages listed here, as well as listening to the podcasts that I have already shared on forgiveness and restoration, where I discuss how the principles and power of forgiveness have impacted and changed my own life. I have had to forgive people who have traumatized me, abused me and deeply wounded my life. Why? Because I'm weak and a victim. Quite the opposite. I forgave because, with Christ in me, I am made strong, I am made victorious and therefore capable of showing mercy and fulfilling his command.

Speaker 1: 15:18

Friends, the final aspect as far as forgiveness and mercy is concerned is that we demonstrate the reconciliation and therefore what is to be expected in the kingdom of heaven? New creation, redemption, reconciliation. These things are impossible when mercy is absent from the equation. We have defined mercy in terms of forgiveness, yet mercy can also be discussed as showing compassion and kindness when someone is only deserving of judgment or condemnation. For example, god the Father showed mercy on us, withheld judgment on us and instead sacrificed his son, jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins, when we justly deserved the punishment. The next beatitude Jesus shares is Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Jesus is referring to a heart that has integrity, that is lacking or is cleansed of hostility, and whose eyes are opened to who they truly are and who God truly is.

Speaker 1: 16:29

My oldest daughter has been a true, pure-hearted worshiper as long as she's been alive, and this is not hyperbole nor is it exaggeration. When she was but a toddler, she'd be in our arms at church. She'd raise her hands high during worship and babble as loud as she could, singing along with the worship team. Now naysayers could claim she was emulating what she was seeing, yet she always had this maturity beyond her years as she was growing up, and this included her faith. When she was but four years old, her mom and I concluded praying over her in her bed.

Speaker 1: 17:09

Was but four years old, her mom and I concluded praying over her in her bed and as I was finishing my usual declaration of saying you're beautiful, you are intelligent and guess what? Your daddy loves you, she had the biggest smile on her face, but it wasn't about the words I had just spoken. It was as though she was seeing something or someone in the room. She replied with the same exuberance as she would if she saw her nana or her papa. She said that she saw Jesus, and I cannot tell you the goosebumps or the heart bumps, if you will. I cannot tell you the goosebumps or the heart bumps, if you will, or the tears that my wife and I felt at that moment, because we knew how legit of an experience this was for our daughter. I was immediately taken to this blessing or beatitude of those who are pure in heart, for they will see God, and then I prayed that she would always seek that same purity of heart and that she would be blessed with the ability to see God as she got older.

Speaker 1: 18:13

You see, friends, jesus told his disciples that they must be his children and to have faith like a child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. I encourage you to read Matthew 18, which undoubtedly is due to the purity of heart that children are typically known to have. We also see that children ought to be protected due to both their vulnerability as well as their innocence. You may be wondering, though, what are we to do when we have lived lives of impurity ourselves or, at one times, have been hostile towards God? Or what if you feel as though you struggle with the notion of what it means to be pure in heart? Friends, I have related to these notions all too well within my own life, as I struggled in my own early faith with duplicity in this area, as a child of Christ who was learning what it meant to turn from old ways and to rely on Him more and more. The fact you feel duplicity at all is actually a positive sign, as it indicates you have a moral compass now that perhaps you hadn't before, that perhaps you hadn't before. I want to encourage you to remain persistent in your faith, to surround yourself with believers further along on the journey than you are and to have mentors that can both encourage you speaking life as well as hold you accountable, speaking truth in the balance that is needed.

Speaker 1: 19:48

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they should be called children of God, hopeful family. I cannot think of a more upside-down principle in today's world than this one right here. This will not only receive pushback in the secular world, but in the church as well. To perpetuate or enter conflict on whatever means available to us, be it social media or whatever platform, regarding whatever subject, be it politics, theology, doctrine, morality, etc. Seems to be the way of the world in and out of the church To understand what Jesus is asking or what it means to be a peacemaker, though we need to define the terms.

Speaker 1: 20:35

A peacemaker is one who is willing to step in and initiate reconciliation amongst conflicting parties. Think about the world today as I record this podcast. There are wars in Ukraine versus Russia, gaza or Palestine versus Israel. As we speak, we are in election season, which means our television and social media are blowing up with attack ads from both sides of the red and blue aisle. A peacemaker is one who has the ability to empathize with both sides of an issue and they can be proactive, meaning peacemakers are not passive necessarily and can take the first steps in helping the parties to make peace. They do this without a heart of aggression or force and their motives are peaceful and have a pure heart.

Speaker 1: 21:27

Peacemakers operate amidst conflict and can do so objectively, due to the significant peace of Christ and the cross that is on their heart. Do they have their own beliefs? Certainly, but all believers are called to be peacemakers, as we have all been called to the ministry of reconciliation. Ministry of reconciliation when believers have the most difficult time being peacemakers is where they have to divorce themselves from their rights to be right, particularly in the Western nations where freedom and democracy reign and we have the freedom of speech. To be a peacemaker tends to be low on people's priority of how we represent Christ.

Speaker 1: 22:12

Once we hit the social media or any major platform, I personally cannot count the times I have been saddened or even disappointed at leaders I respect though I know they too are fallen, like I am and need grace like I do who take to social media and, instead of utilizing their platform to take the role of a peacemaker, they proceed to pour gas on the proverbial fire for fill in the blank social or political issue to advance their agenda. I do not pretend like I know how to act in the role as a peacemaker perfectly, but I do know some that do so excellently. They have the ability to synchronize with people in such a way that they match each person where they are, which goes above and beyond empathy. They truly epitomize the verse in Romans 12.15, when Paul calls us to rejoice with one who rejoices and to weep with one who weeps, as they do so with apparent ease. They do not have to be gifted as much with words, though some are, but most I have met are skilled listeners. Whatever skill set you have, whatever you are gifted in, this much is clear there is no option for those entering the kingdom of heaven. We are to be peacemakers.

Speaker 1: 23:32

The final blessing listed in the Beatitudes is blessed are those persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and in this one Jesus seems to expound further Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me? Friends, first I want to say this If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, and I mean a devoted follower of his ways, truth and life, then, as this beatitude declares you can expect persecution in this life. You may have heard it said that if one is living a life absent of persecution, then their life probably mirrors more of the secular world than it does the Christian calling. Those of us living with religious freedom experience far less religious persecution than someone living in a communist regime or conservative Muslim countries where Christianity is outlawed. The first century apostles and disciples, most of whom were martyred, the first century apostles and disciples, most of whom were martyred, understood the kind of persecution that Christ spoke years after. He declared this as a blessing.

Speaker 1: 24:58

Though we do not experience severe persecution, we know not how or where the culture wars, in fact will take us and how we will have to stand for our faith and what it will cost to be a Christ follower moving forward. But we can rest assured that if and when we are to stand strong amidst persecution, that we, like our brothers and sisters across the world and in the first century, stand strong, we will inherit the kingdom of heaven, and that, friends, is what is the common denominator between every one of these blessings Is that they are as indicators for those who get to be a part of a new kingdom that is not of this world. That is not of this world. You see, this world is based on power and wealth and fame and fortune and pride and gluttony, yet also knows death and disease and sin and sadness. But the new kingdom is one of humility and gentleness, purity and peace, reconciliation and love, mercy and forgiveness, the Trinity and eternity.

Speaker 1: 26:20

It's of tremendous hope and, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, you are listening to the Sermon on the Mount and these eight Beatitudes or blessings today, by the design and the divine hand of God, and with Him, there is no mistake. I pray that as you are listening, you are not just undergoing information transference, but rather you are sensing the Spirit talking directly to you Because, friends, in my experience, the Holy Spirit is deeply personal and with Him there are no accidents, incidents, coincidences or instances where he is not weaving His redemptive work in your life, instances where he is not weaving his redemptive work in your life. Rather, as we are joined together right now on a podcast, as Jesus declared 2,000 years ago from a mountainside in northern Israel, we are blessed. We have reason to have significant hope in our lives right now. Perhaps you are sensing the Spirit moving you toward Him and I would be remissed if we left our time today without providing an opportunity for us to respond, and I want to pray for you right now, so everybody listening either agree with this prayer or I want to invite you to lift those up in intercession right now.

Speaker 1: 27:53

Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and I surrender my life to you. Wash me and cleanse me from all unforgiveness and pride. I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins and that you rose again on the third day for my victory. I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth that you, jesus, are my Lord and my Savior and that this new kingdom that you talk about is forever. I want to live my life according to your terms and I want you to change my reliance on myself and any earthly vessels that I have placed hope, and instead I want to trust your plan and I ask for you to put the people and the processes and the models necessary to pursue restoration into my life.

Speaker 1: 28:52

I ask for you to reveal to me where I have neglected the needs of those who are broken around me, where I have become indifferent and capable, where I have been unable to prioritize those who feel the need or who need to feel the hope of Christ. Show me where I am called to be a part of your team and I entrust myself to your equipping and the sending out, as you will. Thank you for being a God of mercy, a God of healing and a God of truth, a God of hope, a God of blessing. Might I become a beacon of hope to the hurting. May I be the one who shows and shares eternal life with those on their way to spiritual death. Show me your ways, lord. Give us these spiritual eyes to see on earth as it is in heaven, and may our priorities begin to reflect your heart and your spiritual kingdom. Jesus, it's in your name that we pray your mighty name, amen.

Speaker 1: 29:57

Friends, if you today agree with this prayer from the depths of your heart, I either welcome you to the eternal family of God, or maybe you've returned to your faith and I commend you on that return. I want to encourage you to find a church family who worships the Lord passionately and is committed to the teaching and preaching of the scriptures and committed to serving the community and beyond. Also, devote yourself to the reading of the scriptures, as we mentioned before, as there is much to grow of the scriptures, as we mentioned before, as there is much to grow, so much to learn and to be discipled in as it pertains to new life and maturity in Christ. The Lord has so much in the way of hope to show his children in his love letters that he has written to them, as we learn today, there is so much that he has blessed us with, so much that he has blessed us with and hopeful family. This has truly been my pleasure to spend the morning, the afternoon or the evening growing and learning with you.

Speaker 1: 31:02

I look forward to tuning in next time on the hopeful perspective podcast, where we'll be further unpacking what is next on the sermonermon on the Mount. Until then, I want to thank you for joining me along this journey today, allowing me to share from my heart. And, if you would be so kind again to follow, subscribe and, most importantly, rate and write a review for others on your platform who may need the hopeful perspective in their life? And again, did you know that you can contribute monetarily by pressing our support the show link that is embedded on your platform in the episode descriptions? If you believe in what we do. I would cherish your prayers as well as consider giving to the cause. I want to shout out my gratitude to the multiple donors who already have made this commitment to support the podcast financially. Without you, it really would not be possible to reach as many people with the messages that we have or anyone who needs to be reminded that hope is real. So thank you so much in advance and until next time, remember you are loved.