The Upside-Down Kingdom

Now 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.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth…” (Matthew 5:1-5 NIV)

Yesterday, I received my first “Happy New Year” card for 2024. My friend who sent the card filled it with images of their family’s activities throughout last year. Similarly, on social media many of the younger people I follow have also posted end of year “best of” image collections. Another friend faithfully sent their annual yearend summary email, where they recount both stories and pictures of their family’s journeys and meaningful updates.

While I always enjoy hearing and seeing what others have been up to, to see their smiling faces, and reports of their travels. The beginning of each new year is also a time for me to reflect. This year I’m reflecting not only on the great year that I and many others have had, but I’m also reflecting on my friends for whom the previous year brought loss, unwanted challenges, and unexpected medical diagnoses. For some I imagine they are happy that 2023 is behind them. Today as I write, this paradox of the past year is one I can’t overlook.

When I think about these opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ words also appear to be a paradox, or some sort of contradiction. Sometimes we refer to this as the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom.

It seems backwards that someone who is feeling hopeless is blessed. The word “blessed” here can also mean “happy,” or another meaning is “someone who is favored by God.” I am encouraged when I recognize that in Jesus’ way-of-life the person who mourns, or feels hopeless, or is humbled is also “favored by God.”

Bible scholar NT Wright translates these verses in this way:

Wonderful news for the poor in spirit! The kingdom of heaven is yours.

Wonderful news for the mourners! You’re going to be comforted.

Wonderful news for the meek! You’re going to inherit the earth.

When Jesus first said these words, his original hearers probably scratched their heads, just like we might at first glance. Later in this sermon, Jesus invites us to pray that these heavenly truths might become a reality here on earth. Our present and future hope is not rooted in simply embracing a “don’t worry be happy” mindset, our hope is rooted firmly in our resurrected Lord.

NT Wright says it this way, the Sermon on the Mount is “a summons to live in the present, in the way that will make sense in God’s promised future; because that future has arrived in the present in Jesus of Nazareth.”

So, as we start a new year, let us live-out encouragement for those who have wished “good riddance” to 2023. No matter how bad the year was, if you lost hope, mourned a loss, or felt humbled or meek; may we locate our hope in these promises of Jesus. I pray that in this new year you will experience a sense of God’s comfort, God’s nearness, and God’s blessing.

For those who had a great 2023, let us draw near to and encourage, those who are losing hope, who mourn losses, or feel meek. Let us reveal God’s love and presence to them in tangible, physical ways. Let us surround them with the lived-out reality of God’s upside-down kingdom breaking in.

I invite you to pray with me:

Lord, as we begin this new year, we thank you,

We thank you for your promises of the already, but not yet, kingdom of God.

We pray you would bless those who mourn, who are hopeless, who feel meek.

May we all find hope in the promise of a new day, a new month, a new year.

Grow your hope in us. Hope for your continued ushering in of the upside-down way of life.

In this new year, may your kingdom come, your will be done, in us and through us.

All for your glory, forever and ever. Amen.

-Pastor Shawn