BLESSED ARE THE EXCLUDED

Passage: Luke 6:20-26

Key verse: 22

NIV

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(A)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(B)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(C)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(D) and insult you(E)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(F)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(G) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(H)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(I)
    for you have already received your comfort.(J)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(K)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(L)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(M)

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ESV

The Beatitudes

20 And (A)he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, (B)and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for (C)yours is the kingdom of God.

21 (D)“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

(E)“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when (F)people hate you and when they (G)exclude you and revile you and (H)spurn your name as evil, (I)on account of the Son of Man! 23 (J)Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for (K)so their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes

24 (L)“But woe to you who are rich, (M)for you (N)have received your consolation.

25 “Woe to you who are full now, for (O)you shall be hungry.

“Woe to (P)you who laugh now, (Q)for you shall mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you, (R)when all people speak well of you, for (S)so their fathers did to (T)the false prophets.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus’ ministry is disruptive to an established order that values power, wealth, earthly comfort, and social acceptance. Those things can be spiritually destructive because they make us proud, self- righteous, and judgmental. On the other hand, to be poor, hungry, hated, and excluded is humiliating and brings great suffering. In fact, we can easily condemn others in humble circumstances, blaming them, and even shunning them. That is how the world treated the disciples who embraced poverty and rejection because of Jesus (22). Yet, Jesus called them blessed because though they had little in the world, they possessed the kingdom of God.

Are you or do you know someone who is poor or suffering or feels marginalized or rejected? When those circumstances turn people to repentance and full surrender to Jesus, Jesus calls them blessed.

It is hard to accept the woes, but we may be relatively rich, well-fed, happy, and generally well-spoken of. Woe to us if we do not care enough about God's children, especially those who suffer under different circumstances. Why is it so hard to come out of our comfort zones and into a life of love that Jesus passionately lived and died for?

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for my lack of love for those who are suffering. Give me your heart of compassion and take away my heart of stone.

One Word: Yours is the kingdom of God