The Blessed Life is a Broken One: Finding True Happiness in an Upside-Down Kingdom

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:00:00] Listen we serve a mighty God can I get an amen in this place oh I don't think you heard me we serve a mighty God can I get an amen in this place there's power in the name of Jesus so no matter what you need in this place if it's salvation he's here amen if it's healing he's here can we just sing together and freedom in this place this morning about the mighty name of Jesus

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:06:16] So good to be in His presence this morning, isn't it?

[00:10:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:10:22] You know, many times we come in to worship the Lord and we come in bearing the weight of the world on our shoulders and many times we come in looking for answers and there's nothing wrong with that.
[00:10:32] We're here and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom.
[00:10:34] but I also want to remind us that the real reason we're here is to bring glory and honor to the most holy and most high God and how we do that is bigger than just singing songs it's bigger than
[00:10:47] offering words of praise it's literally laying our lives down as a sacrifice of worship and I want to share some scripture with us this morning it comes from Leviticus 20 in verse 7 it says
[00:11:01] consecrate yourselves and be holy for I am the Lord your God and in Romans 12 1 it says offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God and then in Joshua verse chapter 3 verse 5
[00:11:19] says prepare for God's work and in first Peter he talks about consecrating Christ in our hearts and so this morning I want to can we just say that word together consecrate consecrate so Lord consecrate us this morning would you just close your eyes as I pray this
[00:11:35] prayer over us Lord I'm so thankful that we can come boldly into your presence and Lord may we always have ears to hear and a heart yielded completely to you God Lord may we put you first and we give you our best not because of a law
[00:11:54] or regulation but because you already have given yourself in Christ Jesus amen to praise Church Lord you can go ahead and take a seat good morning it's good

[00:18:48] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:18:48] to see you we're glad you're here my name is Sydney Castro I work part-time here at the church helping people get connected people that are new people that are newish. If that is you this morning, thank you for braving the rain. I'm glad you did
[00:19:05] so if this is your first Sunday. And if you did see the blue card in front of you, that's for people that are having their first, second, third Sunday with us that are new. And we just like to
[00:19:17] get to know you. We'd love to learn your name and answer any questions you have about our church as you're searching for a church home. There are lots of different things you can check on there,
[00:19:27] like if you want to receive our weekly email or you're interested in membership or small groups.
[00:19:33] So that is a great card to fill out if you want more information and you'd like us to get to know you as well. You take that to the black booth in the lobby and we've got some really friendly folks
[00:19:43] there that are knowledgeable and want to answer your questions and just learn your name so that we can greet you by name on a future Sunday. I want to highlight a couple of announcements this
[00:19:55] morning. Last Sunday, we launched a lot of new small groups. Praise the Lord for opportunities for community. Yes. And so we have lots of new groups and lots of seasoned groups that are still open as well. And so if you are looking for community, if you're done doing life alone and
[00:20:17] you're ready to do life with other believers and have that accountability and have that fellowship, now is the time now is the right time you can go to the clipboard wall it's right over by the coffee bar
[00:20:30] and you could scan to join any group there's groups for all ages and stages there's groups for men and for women and then the group leader will get in touch with you and let you know when their next meeting is
[00:20:40] also our church is celebrating 20 years this year woo woo 2026 so on the 20th of every month since we're celebrating 20 years we as a church are going before the Lord in prayer and we are seeking him through fasting
[00:20:58] on the 20th of every month. So that's this Friday is February 20th. So we invite you to join us in fasting and seeking what the Lord would do through us in the next 20 years and praying just that we
[00:21:11] would be recognizing his presence and recognizing his will for our body. So if you would join us, there will be an email going out with some prayer prompts that will go out on Thursday so that you can see what kind of direction we're praying for.
[00:21:25] But would you join us on the 20th to fast and pray?
[00:21:28] Finally, I bet you saw some very colorful things in the lobby.
[00:21:32] This Sunday, we are starting a call for new kids' crew teachers.
[00:21:39] And our kids' crew is so wonderful at pouring into our children.
[00:21:43] But we couldn't do it without some really faithful individuals that are our teachers that step into the classroom and pour into our children.
[00:21:52] So you'll see after service, there will be Stephanie, Marissa will be out there.
[00:21:56] They're part of our children's ministry staff.
[00:21:58] And they're there to answer your questions and to get you signed on.
[00:22:02] Because now is a great time to join that team and be a part.
[00:22:07] You might be thinking, I know sometimes those doubts pop in your mind of, me?
[00:22:15] Me? Really? Could I?
[00:22:17] And I would just, I pray that you would listen to that tug on your heart this morning.
[00:22:21] If you feel that tug, instead of burying it or listening to fear, I pray that you would instead listen to it and say yes, and then let the Lord equip you.
[00:22:31] The Lord is so great at equipping us.
[00:22:33] I do have some friends this morning to join me.
[00:22:36] I'm going to introduce Barb Bessiker and Garrett Bearer here this morning.
[00:22:40] Would you guys welcome them?
[00:22:43] Wonderful.
[00:22:45] Okay.
[00:22:46] Miss Barb Bessiker is one of our teachers, and she teaches in the campground.
[00:22:50] I love those shades on you, miss.
[00:22:51] you're so fun and so um i would she's going to share why do you love being a part of kids crew

[00:22:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:22:57] as a teacher yes absolutely um i love being a kids crew because it's a lot of fun uh seriously it is just so much fun being in the back with the kids i volunteer with the uh campground which is
[00:23:11] first through fourth grade and we get to pray together we get to sing praise and worship songs our leaders do the bulk of the work but I must say Marissa and Stephanie do a fantastic job at teaching and leading the whole kids crew since they've been
[00:23:29] on board the excitement and the teaching that goes on there is incredible so they do the bulk of the work I get to have the fun we break down into stations so I get to do crafts with the kids there's games with the kids so it really it's
[00:23:45] not a heavy pressure as far as oh i gotta study and teach it's so easy and so much fun i love to invest in the kids to see them grow up within the church if we don't do it who will we have got to
[00:23:59] be building strong leaders in our church so i love seeing that in each sunday i also love watching them physically grow as well as spiritually grow from the little ones coming in to the ones that
[00:24:11] are leaving to move on and lastly i want to say a scripture from the bible matthew matthew 28 what does it say in the great commission that jesus gives us to go into all nations kids crew and
[00:24:26] baptize them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit and teaching them to obey

[00:24:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:24:32] everything that god has commanded us awesome thank you so much barb yes all right um as we are going going to continue in worship, I'm going to invite Garrett Bearer is going to pray us as we continue
[00:24:45] into worship. Garrett, you might not recognize him because he's not dressed like an angel this morning, but he was Gabriel the angel in our Christmas play. Garrett is in fifth grade. Garrett,

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:24:54] would you pray for us? Lord, we thank you for today and we thank you for all the many blessings you've provided for us. Thank you for our family, food, friends, and all that you've given us, Lord.
[00:25:04] Thank you for this facility that we get to come and worship you, Lord. We are so thankful for it.
[00:25:08] thank you for the leaders here um they're they play a big part in this so we just thank you for them um pray they'll please give us a good rest of our day and thank you for all you do for us

[00:25:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:25:17] version of me pray amen awesome give it up for garrett and kids crew thank you barb thank you sydney sign up today a man garrett that was awesome i love to see kids engaged and loving
[00:25:29] their father coming to know jesus at an early age and praising him isn't that a beautiful picture can we stand together listen we had the super bowl what was that last week uh week before last
[00:25:38] Right. And look, I know if you were, especially if you were, um, if you were a Patriots fan, you might've been a little depressed, but who was the other team playing? Who was it? Oh yeah.
[00:25:49] The Seahawks. Okay. So if you're a Seahawks fan, like I'm sure you were loud right now, how much more energy and passion should we bring when we're talking about the King of Kings and the Lord of
[00:26:02] Lords? Amen. This is our God. The one who set us up, pulled us up from the pit, set us on a firm rock. This is our God, the one who rescues us, who saves us. Amen. Can somebody shout hallelujah in
[00:26:15] this place this morning? It's our God. He's our King and he's here and we're going to worship him in this place in spirit and in truth. Yeah, come on.

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[00:27:07] I am sick of death and grave there were like mountains that stood in our way he came and he died and he rose those giants are dead now amen this is our God this is who he is he loves us this is our God this is what he does he saves us
[00:27:40] This is our God, Jesus He did nobody but Jesus Yahweh, nobody but Jesus And He's so good

[00:30:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:30:44] Out your hearts we'll cry

[00:34:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:34:53] These bones we'll sing We'll shout, your hearts we'll cry These bones we'll sing It's your bread and I praise to you Sing that again Oh, you're great Just you and your Father, sing your grave.
[00:36:23] Our God, stay with me.
[00:36:27] How great is our God.
[00:36:32] And all will see how great is our God.
[00:36:45] Sing how great.
[00:36:46] And how great is our God.
[00:36:52] Stay with me.
[00:36:54] How great is our God Is our God Cause He's the name above every name Cause you're the name above all names And you are what is our God You're the name How great is our God
[00:38:04] He's done all the glory in the eye to the Son My sins are forgiven. My future is heaven. And I praise God for what he's done.
[00:38:41] You've been praised, church. Lord, you're so good. You've been so good to us that you came to rescue us. You left the splendor and glory of heaven where you are the most high and most holy.
[00:39:00] So Lord, remind us that we have to consecrate ourselves when we see your beauty and your splendor and your holiness.
[00:39:07] Lord, remind us of all that you've rescued us from, that we too are called to live lives of daily sacrifice, where we pick up our cross and we follow you and we worship you through our actions
[00:39:21] and our words and our songs.
[00:39:25] Lord, we love you and we thank you as we open your word this morning that you continue to move in this place as only you can.
[00:39:33] Lord, we believe in your word, that it's true, that it's faithful.
[00:39:37] So Lord, have your way in us and through us and in this place as we continue to worship you.
[00:39:44] We love you, Jesus.
[00:39:45] Can we just say that together, church?
[00:39:47] We love you, Jesus.
[00:39:49] And all God's people said, amen.

[00:39:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:39:52] Amen.
[00:39:53] If the Lord has been good to you as you're being said, just tell the person next to you, he's been so good to me.
[00:40:00] Yeah.
[00:40:01] Well, if you got your Bibles today, let's go ahead and open to Matthew chapter 5, Matthew chapter 5.
[00:40:06] We just started this brand new series last Sunday, and it's called Upside Down Kingdom.
[00:40:11] I'm so excited about this series. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and also challenging, really challenging to our spirit.
[00:40:19] Listen, 1 Peter tells us that the day of the Lord is coming soon.
[00:40:25] And he tells us that we should be getting ourselves ready.
[00:40:28] It shouldn't come as a surprise to believers.
[00:40:30] It's going to come as a surprise to the rest of the world when Jesus comes back.
[00:40:35] But it shouldn't come as a surprise for us.
[00:40:37] And so as Peter is sitting in the prison cell getting ready to be crucified for his faith, he has some very clarifying thoughts at the very end of his life.
[00:40:47] He wants people to know what really matters in life, what really counts.
[00:40:51] And he tells them that it's time for us to live not with one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom.
[00:41:00] But he says it's time to go all in to an upside down kingdom, a totally different way of living, a totally different way of thinking so that the culture knows Jesus is real and he's made a difference.
[00:41:11] And so last Sunday, we just started with this question for the series.
[00:41:15] Are you building your own kingdom or are you bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth?
[00:41:21] And today we're going to start into Jesus' most famous sermon over the next several weeks where we're going to digest little pieces of his sermon just a little bit at a time, the Sermon on the Mount.
[00:41:32] And in it, Jesus introduces his radical ideas about his kingdom.
[00:41:38] And it's a totally different kingdom than what the world would look to as the most ideal kingdom.
[00:41:45] It was something radical back then and it's still just as radical today.
[00:41:49] today what jesus describes as his kingdom that's coming here on the earth and so as we're looking together i i was thinking about the title for this message and and we're starting with the beatitudes in matthew chapter 5 and they all say blessed and so i i don't know uh how many of you
[00:42:08] a while back people used to put this all the time i don't i don't see it as much anymore but but they would say like blessed life on social media and it would be like
[00:42:17] hashtag blessed right or whatever it was right and there would be pictures you would see pictures of their family it'd be blessed life or you'd see a picture of their new car that they just got into
[00:42:27] huge debt over blessed life right like there would be pictures of like you know their gym body blessed life whatever it is and i was thinking about like if the lord had to quantify what a
[00:42:40] blessed life looks like would it be the same or different than what the world says a blessed life looks like and i think it'd be radically different if you look in the scripture in matthew chapter
[00:42:51] five jesus tells us his version of a blessed life and it's polar opposite to what the world would say and so i started to to go through these and i started to write a modern day uh anti-version
[00:43:03] of what the blessed life would look like something totally different this is what the world would say a blessed life would look like this is the world's beatitudes and then we're going to look at what
[00:43:13] jesus says uh the upside down kingdom blessed life is but the world would say something like this blessed are the proud and the confident because they'll take over the world blessed are the prosperous who only ever have reasons for joy because they never need a comforter
[00:43:30] blessed are the powerful the connected the influential because they can get away with anything in our system but blessed are those who run after their own desires because they'll never have any regrets doing whatever it takes to make themselves happy and live life to the fullest
[00:43:47] blessed are those who don't display toxic empathy but but are quick to cut people out of their lives and set boundaries always remembering the people who did you wrong blessed are the one who knows
[00:44:00] his own heart and in all things is true to himself because he gets to be god over his own life blessed are the peacekeepers the ones who never upset anybody because they'll be the ones who
[00:44:12] were celebrated well liked and thought of highly by every other person this is sort of what the world would say a blessed life looks like but if you look at what jesus says it's something polar
[00:44:23] opposite it was radical then and it's radical today but jesus tells us what a blessed life is and if you got your notes you get your little news and no she's just jot this down i want you
[00:44:36] to think about this theme this week because jesus makes it really clear what a blessed life is and here's what it is the blessed life is a broken one that sounds so counter-cultural in a world
[00:44:50] that says you got to have it all together in a world that says you got to put your best face for it don't let anybody see your weakness always look out for number one make sure that you're
[00:44:59] happy go after your dreams in a world that says you need to have this be the aesthetic of your life in order to be blessed right jesus looks and he says blessed are the broken he says the blessed
[00:45:14] life is a broken one that does two things he gives two illustrations he says the blessed life is a broken life that seasons and shines the blessed life is a broken life that seasons and shines
[00:45:27] look at what he says in matthew chapter 5 verse 3 jesus is up on the the sermon on the mount delivering the sermon on the mount i've gotten to stand there in israel at the the place where
[00:45:37] he delivered this is this beautiful backdrop that you can see and so jesus is sort of on this natural amphitheater the crowd gathers to him and they've been waiting for him to talk and announce this
[00:45:49] new kingdom that he's bringing they wanted a king who was going to ride a war horse jesus came riding a donkey they wanted a king who was going to wear a crown and defeat everybody
[00:46:03] jesus suffered himself and wore a crown of thorns instead they wanted a king who was going to come in and kick out the romans and jesus comes in and he kicks out the religious leaders who were
[00:46:16] actually keeping people from a real relationship with god and in the middle of this jesus unleashes and he launches this blessed life this upside down kingdom and he paints this picture of what a blessed life looks like in the upside down kingdom of god and so look at what he says in
[00:46:36] verse three verse three the blessed life is a broken one that seasons and shines look what he says he says verse three blessed are the the what what does he say the poor not poor financially
[00:46:48] like some people pretend like it's a blessing to be poor financially but he says blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven now he's he's talking about more than a circumstance
[00:47:03] here he's talking more than a state of being he's saying bless happy are the people who are poor in their spirit here's what he means happy are the people who recognize how messed up their lives
[00:47:16] really are happy or the broken the ones who recognize their need for god have you ever met somebody that just reeks of pride they never think they do anything wrong they never i'll never apologize i'll never say i'm sorry i'll never do xyz right like in the midst of that that person
[00:47:36] they think that they know everything they think that they're the world's greatest expert on all things right this is the hubris of the devil right and in this jesus looks and he says you can look
[00:47:50] at your life and you can see yourself as man i got it all together and you would lie to yourself or you can look at yourself and see the reality of your life and say i am painfully broken
[00:48:03] and i'm in huge need of a savior to put me back together he says blessed are those who recognize their need for god i need god to forgive me because i can't forgive myself i need god to
[00:48:16] restore me because i can't fix myself he says in contrast to the pharisee's pride who who would stand in prayers and say thank god i'm not like this sinner over here and jesus is like no you're
[00:48:29] worse because this guy knows his own brokenness then you think you're fine but you're not he said blessed are the poor in spirit because theirs is the kingdom of heaven listen if you're not broken you're not in the kingdom if you look at your life and you don't feel brokenness over
[00:48:48] your sin you're not in right he says blessed are the poor in their spirit because theirs is the kingdom of heaven if you're not broken you're not blessed he says theirs is the kingdom look what then he goes on he says the next thing they were must have been shocked look what he says
[00:49:07] verse four blessed are those who what mourned i have never met somebody who said man all of my life i've wanted to be a mourner right what do you want to be when you grow up i want to be a mourner
[00:49:19] right like that doesn't really make a kindergarten checklist of what a great life looks like i want to be a mourner but look at what jesus says blessed happy are those who mourn because they
[00:49:33] shall be what comforted normally it wouldn't make the list but but jesus says this type of mourning you've already been broken over your own sin this type of morning he's talking about looking at the
[00:49:46] state of the world and not just your own sin now now some people they justify their own sin and then they look at the sin of the world and they get really upset that's not what jesus is talking
[00:49:58] about this is why he said blessed are the poor in spirit first it's people who mourn over their own sin first they recognize their own brokenness first they're not looking through a lens of like
[00:50:10] well my sin is so much better than everybody else's sin why couldn't everybody be like me right but but instead he says once you've seen your own brokenness and you've seen the lord piece you back together and forgive you of all of your sins he says we should look at the world and
[00:50:27] be broken over what's happening in the world we should look at the stuff that goes on in our government and be broken we should look at the atrocities that happen around the world and be
[00:50:41] broken we should look at the injustice that happens right here at home and be broken we should look at people who think that they are embracing a life where they get everything they want and really they're just chaining themselves in bondage we should look at that and there should
[00:50:59] be a brokenness about that he says what blessed are the people who mourn who mourn over the sin and the state of the world because they're the ones who are actually going to see a perfect world
[00:51:12] but there's going to be a time when jesus wraps up this whole world and all of its sinfulness in the perfect judgment and then he's going to unleash a new heaven and a new earth he says
[00:51:25] there's going to be this time where they are going to get to experience the comfort of god because they will never see an act of injustice ever again blessed happy are the people who weep
[00:51:38] over the sins of the world because it's those people who are going to see a world that's not like that anymore do you see it it's an upside down kingdom blessed a blessed life is a broken
[00:51:49] life one that seasons and one that shines jesus keeps going look at what he says blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Now in our culture, we say, if I've got the power to do it
[00:52:01] and I don't do it, I'm dumb. So I'm going to see what I want. I'm going to take it.
[00:52:08] I'm going to make my own way. I'm going to make my own life. I'm just going to go after it. Right.
[00:52:14] And Jesus says, blessed, happy are the meek. Now meekness is not weakness. All right. Like just because they rhyme doesn't make it so okay here's what meekness means power under submission power under control and Jesus says you can go at life saying I'm going to go after every single
[00:52:37] thing and make it mine and if I have power might makes right he says or you can trust that you have a father who is in charge of everything and you can live your life under his control power under
[00:52:52] control he says they wanted Jesus to come in and set up a kingdom where he takes possession of everything and all the world's kingdoms come and bow at the feet of the Jews and he looks at them
[00:53:04] and he says it's not something we're going to take it's something we're going to inherit do you see the difference what's the difference between something you inherit and something that you take one you work for the other one is a gift right did you do something to inherit no you just
[00:53:20] showed up in the will right like you just existed and Jesus says blessed are the meek for they're going to inherit the earth it seems in our world that the people who have all the stuff are the
[00:53:33] people who take it and Jesus says it's only for a short window of time but blessed are the meek the ones who have God's power under control because guess what he's going to give you an
[00:53:46] inheritance the entire world not just for a moment not just for an hour not just for four years not just for a presidency not just for whatever it's for eternity he says you get the inheritance
[00:54:02] that comes from the lord in this upside down kingdom he says blessed are the meek because they're the ones that are going to inherit the earth not for a lifetime but for an eternity It's the upside down kingdom.
[00:54:14] Look at what he says, verse six.
[00:54:15] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness because they're the ones who will be satisfied.
[00:54:20] He says, do you have a longing in your heart to look just like Jesus?
[00:54:26] Was there a time in your walk with him where you wanted to be just like him?
[00:54:32] You wanted to think like him about everything.
[00:54:35] I wanna think like Jesus about people.
[00:54:37] I wanna think like Jesus about dating.
[00:54:40] I wanna think like Jesus about marriage.
[00:54:41] I want to think like Jesus about finances.
[00:54:43] I want to think like Jesus about sin.
[00:54:45] I want to think like Jesus about what I let into my eyes and what I let come out of my mouth.
[00:54:50] I want to think like Jesus about forgiveness and how I handle people that have betrayed me.
[00:54:55] I want to think like Jesus when it comes to holding a grudge.
[00:54:58] How does Jesus think when it comes to holding a grudge?
[00:55:01] He says, blessed are the people who never stop starving to look like Jesus.
[00:55:07] Because he says, those people are going to be satisfied.
[00:55:10] there's going to come a day where every single sin is stripped away from you and you are remade into the exact image and likeness of Jesus he says those people that are hungering and thirsting
[00:55:24] after the righteousness of Jesus he says the Holy Spirit's going to transform them they're going to be filled filled they're going to be so satisfied in him look at what else he says verse 7 blessed
[00:55:37] of the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. The ones who have the inclination that they're going to choose mercy time after time after time, even when they don't feel merciful, but their heartbeat is going to be after God's heartbeat, a heartbeat of mercy and forgiveness.
[00:55:58] Jesus is asked, well, how many times do I have to be merciful? How many times do I have to forgive?
[00:56:03] like seven times is that enough jesus right if it was seven times i'd be in a world of hurt wouldn't you right what if you only had to forgive seven times in your marriage and like done right we'd
[00:56:15] make it like the first week he he says no no 70 times seven like just infinite times he he says blessed are the merciful the ones who look at people and their first thought isn't judgment
[00:56:28] but their first thought is god give them mercy wake them up they don't even know what they're doing he says those people will be shown mercy themselves and the upside down kingdom blessed are the broken it's a broken life a broken life one that seasons and shines look he keeps going
[00:56:47] verse eight blessed are the pure in heart because they're going to see god the one that doesn't allow the mixture of the world to come in and taint their minds they're going to be the ones
[00:56:55] to actually see god they'll see his movement in their life they'll see and they'll hear his will in his word because they're they're not double-minded like James tells us right they're singularly focused on him look at what it says verse 9 blessed are the peace what peacemakers
[00:57:15] not peacekeepers you know there's some of us who don't love conflict anybody not love conflict in the house you just raise your hand all right you didn't raise your hand if you actually don't love
[00:57:24] conflict because you didn't want to offend somebody if you raise your hand no I'm just kidding. But there's some of us that want to avoid conflict at all costs. And so we just try to keep
[00:57:33] the peace, right? And it's like, well, we don't want to, we don't want to disturb anybody. We don't want to mess anybody up. That's not what he's talking about right here. He says, blessed are
[00:57:41] the peacemakers, the ones who step in and they see two opposite enemy factions and they try to bring peace and resolution. Now, how many of you have ever tried to mediate an argument before? Does
[00:57:58] that feel like a happy time no but but Jesus says you're blessed if you do that why are you blessed if you step in to try to bring peace in a situation where there is no peace because you're
[00:58:12] being just like Jesus what did Jesus do for us it says while we were still enemies against God he stepped into our reality and became our peacemaker and so this is why he says when you do that you
[00:58:26] step into a situation where two people are at odds two people are at war and you try to bring them together for peace he says you acting just like jesus is a little mini me look at what he
[00:58:37] says you'll be called sons of god he says verse 10 blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven i don't know about you but the last time
[00:58:48] that i was persecuted which in the country we live in i don't know that we really face real persecute you much but like the last time i was persecuted i was like yes right that's not a
[00:59:01] normal reaction but he says blessed are you if you're persecuted for doing the right thing you lose the job because you did the right thing and you went and compromised he says hashtag blessed he says because theirs is the kingdom of heaven you're living out the reality of jesus making a
[00:59:21] difference in your life so so you are blessed even though you lost he takes it one step further look what he says verse 11 blessed are you when others revile you when others persecute you when they
[00:59:33] utter all kinds of evil against you how what's that word falsely when when they make up lies about you on account of me how many people like to be lied on nobody he says people lying on you
[00:59:47] hashtag blessed in the journal that day it's an upside down kingdom he says look don't miss this he says rejoice and be glad why because your reward is great in heaven because they persecuted the prophets who were before you you part of a long line of people who have been lied about
[01:00:08] look do you know that we look at the persecuted church in other countries and the stuff that they go through like getting locked up for their faith in prison for their faith persecuted for their
[01:00:20] faith, losing jobs, all this stuff. And we as the American church look at it, poor them. And do you know what they do? They look at the American church who's so comfortable and never really
[01:00:37] has to sacrifice because we keep it a permanent 68 degrees no matter what time of year. And we have padded cushions and the music is just right. And we have total freedom. And they look at us and
[01:00:52] they say poor them they only ever have to rely on their own strength they don't know what it's like to be so dependent on God just to breathe just to make it just to get they they don't go to church
[01:01:10] because it's raining outside like we have to meet in secret because they're going to take our children and we can't wait to get together with the bride of Christ he says it's not poor them
[01:01:24] it's it's really for us he says a blessed life is a persecuted life this is jesus in the upside down kingdom and then he wants them to know that we're not supposed to just sort of isolate
[01:01:35] ourselves i think there's this image where it's like wouldn't it be great if we could just build a little compound right we could just build a compound with everybody who thought like us maybe we could even make like a a nation a christian nation where everybody is forced to
[01:01:48] be a christian well that's not a christian nation right that you can't force somebody to believe in Jesus you don't just baptize them in their end right like it's a personal relationship with Jesus that person has to confess they have to believe right but there's this image we have
[01:02:04] of we could just all get away we could make our own perfect world and Jesus says yeah that's coming for eternity but right now you are on mission and you're not supposed to be isolated from everybody
[01:02:17] else he says you're supposed to bring a taste of a different kind of kingdom to a world that is broken and they don't even see it to a world that's blind and they have no clue to a world
[01:02:30] that thinks they're happy but really they're locked in misery he says your goal as believers is you are on a rescue mission not to get off by yourselves in this little holy huddle but to
[01:02:43] infiltrate every part of society so they can see the real kingdom that exists right look at what he says. I love this. The blessed life is a broken one that seasons and shines. Jesus gives these two
[01:02:57] illustrations. Look at what he says. I love this. Verse 13. He says, you are the what? Salt of the earth. Anybody like salt? Don't be bringing a bland fluid up in here, y'all. I'm just telling you
[01:03:08] right now, you can go on my spice rack and it is ample, okay? Like we don't want any blandness in our home. Like we over season the food. Like I want to get invited to the picnic, okay? This is
[01:03:19] like this is what we want he says you are the salt of the earth not not you do things that are salty he says your identity the reason you still are here on this planet instead of coming to know
[01:03:34] Jesus and him just taking you home to heaven immediately is because you are the salt he's designed a purpose for you where you work he's designed a purpose for you where you live he's designed a purpose for you with your friendships he's designed a purpose for you in your hobbies
[01:03:53] when you play sports he has a purpose for you he says the purpose for you is to season everybody else's bland life to show them the real kingdom you are the salt you don't do things to become
[01:04:06] the salt he says that's your identity now the only question is are you seasoning or are you not he says you're salt but are you seasoning are you flavoring or instead is it having zero impact
[01:04:22] look at what he says he says you're the salt of the earth but if the salt has lost its taste how can its saltiness be restored it can't it's no longer good for anything except to be thrown out
[01:04:34] and trampled under people's feet he says he wants you look at your partner and say he wants you to be heavily and heavenly seasoned right like this is he wants you to full of salt right like
[01:04:46] sprinkling the flavor of the kingdom everywhere when they're like why is that person so nice why why is that person so kind little salt sprinkle right why do they want to help they're not getting anything in return right how do they love their spouse like that they just bend over
[01:05:10] backwards serving their spouse, right? Do you see the way they treat their kids? It's a different way. I mean, if my kids said that to me, it would have been like, get up off the floor, right? But
[01:05:28] there's something so gracious, but yet they speak truth and love. That's weird. Those Christians, like every time I bring gossip to them, they're not excited like everybody else. They just sort shut it down why this person they always have hope it's weird like but they're not even that
[01:05:55] positive a person it's not like they're an eternal optimist but somehow they still believe that things are possible in my marriage that I think is dead they still have hope and they're praying even though I have stage four right Jesus says you are the salt there's no other people that
[01:06:18] salt the buddhists aren't salt the muslims aren't salt the mormons aren't salt the jehovah witnesses aren't salt he says you are the only way people can taste a different kingdom every other one is a fantasy every other one is a different variation of the enemy's kingdom he says you are the salt
[01:06:40] and you're the only way people can taste the kingdom by being connected to you look what he says he says the next verse you are not just the salt what does it say verse 14 you are the
[01:06:52] light you're the light you don't have to do things to be the light you are the light the question is are you shining or are you not it's not are you the light you are believers are
[01:07:06] the light but but how bright are we shining look what he says he says a city that's set on a hill can't be hidden nor do people light a lamp and put it under a bush oh no i'm gonna let it shine
[01:07:20] right let's just this is what he said sorry this is preschool time i guess sign up for kids ministry if you knew that song okay he says people don't light a lamp and put it under a basket no they
[01:07:31] put it on a stand so that it gives light to everybody in the house we're not trying to hide and cover and be like i wonder if people are going to know i'm part of the light he says you let it
[01:07:41] Shine so that the whole world could see.
[01:07:44] Look at what he says, verse 16.
[01:07:45] In the same way, let your, what?
[01:07:49] Light, what?
[01:07:50] Shine before others so that they may see your good works and glorify you.
[01:07:57] Is that what it says?
[01:07:58] No, because it's not about us.
[01:08:00] We're just trying to show the kingdom.
[01:08:03] We are broken people trying to light the way to rescue.
[01:08:07] Right?
[01:08:07] he says so that they see your good works and then they glorify your father who's in heaven it's not about you looking good it's about the one who saved you looking good right how many of
[01:08:19] you have ever been to uh okra coke island or cape hatteras any anybody ever been to cape hatteras four people fantastic well if you haven't you should you should go here's a little picture of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It's beautiful. And so this stretch of ocean where we have our
[01:08:38] barrier islands on North Carolina was known as the Black Graveyard, right? It was the ship graveyard.
[01:08:45] It was the graveyard of the Atlantic because so many ships wrecked right off of the coast of Cape Hatteras. And so there was one night that was during a hurricane and it was a particularly
[01:08:56] terrible storm and area sailors they were out and a violent hurricane ruled in with no mercy the wind was screaming the waves towered like walls visibility dropped to almost nothing this little small fishing vessel battered and broken and it lost all of its bearings the compass spun and
[01:09:16] they couldn't figure where they were they couldn't see they had no direction with the stars that they just knew that they were getting close to the shoals and they were about to die and in the
[01:09:26] midst of that, miles away, a light keeper named Richard Etheridge climbed into the spiral steps of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The storm threatened to shatter the lantern glass, but he still trimmed the wick, refueled the lamp, and
[01:09:40] he kept the light burning.
[01:09:42] And out on the water, one of the sailors caught a glimpse of something through the sheets of rain, the steady beam that cut through the chaos. It wasn't loud. It wasn't dramatic. It didn't chase
[01:09:54] them. It just simply shown and the captain recognized the pattern of light and then he knew exactly where he was so he adjusted the wheel away from the shells and he went back into safe water that beam that was
[01:10:08] constant unwavering it saved every person on board later when they got into shore one sailor reported we would have gone we would have been gone if it wasn't for the light it told us where we were and
[01:10:22] it told us where we weren't this is what jesus is saying he says in in my kingdom the upside down kingdom he's like it's not showy it's just you living out the identity i've created for you
[01:10:37] it's being controlled by the holy spirit of god you'll be so different than the rest of the world it'll be like light shining out into the darkness and occasionally it'll it'll come across people and they'll realize, where am I?
[01:10:54] What am I doing?
[01:10:57] And he says, in that moment, the light will lead them to the rescuer.
[01:11:03] And they won't be praising you.
[01:11:05] They'll be praising God.
[01:11:07] Just because you were living out your identity as the light of the world.
[01:11:13] Listen, Jesus says in the upside down kingdom, the blessed life is a broken one.
[01:11:19] A broken one.
[01:11:20] Let me ask you, when's the last time you felt broken over your sin?
[01:11:26] Where it wasn't, oh, Lord, forgive me for this, this, this, this.
[01:11:28] But really broken over our sin.
[01:11:32] That what Jesus paid on the cross to give us total freedom, we willingly embrace and chain ourselves with again.
[01:11:44] And we say it's not that big a deal.
[01:11:46] It was a big deal to Jesus.
[01:11:49] It should be a big deal to us.
[01:11:51] He set us free to walk in victory.
[01:11:53] when's the last time we felt broken over the things that come out of our mouth like the corrosive talk that comes out that tears somebody down when we insult them when's the last time we felt
[01:12:06] convicted over there and like lord there's life and death in the power of my tongue and i just said that to my spouse i just said that to my kid i just said that to my friend and i totally tore
[01:12:17] them down and and you said let no corrosive talk come out of your mouth only what's good what fits the occasion so that it builds up the person and Jesus I'm just so comfortable tearing people down
[01:12:28] when's the last time we felt we felt remorse and broken over what we let into our eyes and we're like wow everybody watches this you know everybody sees that show what and it's we just make excuses
[01:12:42] or it's in what we read or whatever it might be right and in this moment Jesus is like when's the last time we felt broken over that because he didn't save you to walk with a limp in that way
[01:12:54] he saved you to walk in victory right he says when's the last time you felt broken over it when's the last time you felt broken not just over your sin but over the sin of the world like
[01:13:05] instead of being like did you hear the juiciest news whoa that's terrible i feel so bad for that family. I feel so bad for that person, right? Winslet, he says the blessed life is a broken
[01:13:21] life. One that seasons everywhere they go. One that shines the contrast. Let me ask you, listen, are you broadcasting invisible light and bland salt? Jesus says it's time. The time is coming. It's so short. The world needs to see real believers, not perfect believers. There's
[01:13:45] no perfect believer but but people who are authentically pursuing a real relationship with Jesus who desperately want him to reshape the way they think and live so that our lives mirror his like he says people are longing to see authenticity people who walk and live and breathe in a different
[01:14:05] kingdom because that's so different that's so different he says exactly it's gonna make them thirsty. It's going to make them see where they're blind, right? Let me ask you, is, is that what we're doing? Or are we just kind of coasting through, right? Jesus is calling us to a different
[01:14:24] kind of life. Would you pray with me this morning? Maybe you're here and you've never started a relationship with Jesus. And you're like, well, yeah, cause I just, I couldn't have a relationship with God because I'm telling you, like, you don't know how broken I am. And I'm saying to you,
[01:14:39] if you feel broken that's your first step you are in the right place jesus isn't for people who think they're perfect like that was the pharisees they're the ones who killed him jesus said that
[01:14:53] any person who would come to me they can be called an adopted son and daughter of god any person can have their slate wiped clean but it starts with brokenness and so today do you find yourself
[01:15:07] broken over your sin wanting a different way of life jesus is the one who who died to forgive you of your sins and he came back from the dead to give you a life that lasts forever it starts now
[01:15:19] and then it lasts even after you die if you've never started a relationship with him this is your moment would you just tell him jesus that's what i want i want to know you like that jesus i
[01:15:30] want to know you like that i want to feel your forgiveness i want you to shape my life to look like you send your holy spirit in to wake me up to a brand new way of living if you pray that
[01:15:42] the bible says you've crossed over from a destiny of death to a destiny of life and i want to celebrate that with you the first thing you do is tell somebody so take that response card sydney
[01:15:50] talked about fill out your name and address and on the back put a check mark it says i pray to receive jesus as my savior take that to the connect booth across the lobby they've got a book they want
[01:16:00] to give you they'll be so excited about what you did today just like somebody did last week they came to know christ as their savior we're so excited for you today that that you've done that
[01:16:09] and so now you've joined this big extended family of faith but for those of you that are believers in the house are we chasing a blessed life that's like the world or a blessed life that's broken
[01:16:20] like jesus the blessed life's a broken one that seasons and it shines maybe would you just confess sins and say god help me see sin the way that you see sin not something i accept but something i
[01:16:39] desperately want to be rid of would you ask him to help you be the salt not do things salty things would do but but just to be the salt that as you go you flavor people's lives with a different
[01:17:00] kingdom that everywhere you go it's just like broadcasting into the the storm the light of jesus to say there's there's another way there's a way for rescue lord would you help us would you help us do that we want to live the upside down kingdom in the name of jesus and all god's people
[01:17:23] said amen i'm going to invite our elder of the week to come up and pray for us um it's adam pfeffer if you need anything this week you can contact him on the church center app or on the
[01:17:34] website or you can call the church office and contact the elder of the week he'd love to pray for you or walk alongside of you. If you're going through any difficult season, he'll also be out by
[01:17:42] the fireplace. If you're interested in missions, we have a Slovakia interest meeting right after the service today in the lobby. So make sure if you would like to go to one of the most beautiful
[01:17:54] places on earth and share the love of Jesus with kids who need to hear about him through a vacation Bible school, make sure that you sign up for that. Don't forget small groups. And then also
[01:18:05] if the Holy Spirit tugged on your heart when Sidney was talking about kids ministry. There's so many different opportunities to serve. It's once a month, once a month. So you're saying I can invest in the next generation one Sunday a month. We would love for you to sign up and find
[01:18:23] your space to serve. All right. Would you stand with me and let's pray. Thanks, David. Let's bow

[01:18:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:18:32] our heads. God, I thank you that you put your life and your light in us. And I thank you that we don't have to try to be salt, that we don't have to try to be light, that your life inside
[01:18:47] of us is what creates that. And I just pray that we'd relinquish, that we'd let go of the things that keep our light from shining out, that we would be willing to be in uncomfortable situations
[01:19:00] or do things that make other people think we're strange or weird that we might be able to be salt and be light to our community, to our neighbors and that we would just step back and let you run the controls in our life, Lord
[01:19:15] to allow us to know what to say, when to keep our mouths shut where to go and how to spend our money where to focus our eyes give us your eyes to see this world around us, Lord
[01:19:26] Amen