Matthew 5:1-12Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. In and through Jesus, we learn to follow the narrow and difficult path of peacemaking and to allow the kingdom of God to bring wholeness and shalom into the world through us.

Matthew 5:1-12Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.The word “pure” means to be integrated, to have a whole heart. The opposite of exhaustion is not just rest, but whole-heartedness. Is it possible to go through this fast-paced life, and not become more scattered and disintegrated, but to become focused, whole-hearted, present, and fully alive? 

MATTHEW 5: 1-12Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.The claim of Christianity that we see embodied in Jesus Christ is justice, mercy, and grace, all wrapped together. Mercy is the key that unlocks the door to the good news of God’s salvation.

MATTHEW 5: 1-12Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filledWhat if the kingdom of heaven really is at hand? Jesus says that in the midst of everything going on in our world, there is always hope. 

MATTHEW 5: 1-12Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Meekness is not weakness, but strength under control. We are meek when we know who we are and no longer need to use our power or privilege to get ahead.

MATTHEW 5: 1-12“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”How do we deal with our grief? Do we put on a happy face and pretend like it’s not there? The beatitudes teach us that mourning is a healthy and necessary part of being human and following Jesus. If we have nothing to mourn about, maybe we aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around us. 

MATTHEW 5: 1-12Blessed are the poor in spiritThe Beatitudes are not prescriptions of how we should try to live, but descriptions.Even when you find yourself poor in spirit, when the world tells you that God has forgotten you, you are still blessed in the presence of the One who knows you. 

JEREMIAH 29:4-16When we look at what is around us and cooperate with God to bring shalom into our neighborhoods and cities, truly amazing things happen. No matter who you meet today, they have suffered. No matter who you engage with today, they have stories of challenges that they have overcome or are trying to overcome. The ripple effects of renewal are long last, and reach much farther than we will ever know. 

Ephesians 4:1-16Paul tells us that we are far more valuable, honorable, and important than we realize, and he admonishes us to act like it. In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and his spirit that comes to us, we hear him say, “You are my beloved, in whom I’m well pleased. That’s the truest thing about you, so remember that when you go out into the world.”The call to be reunited to God, reconnected to one another, and redirected out into the world is the life-blood of the Christians in every time, place, and language. 

ACTS 19:23-41If we turn good things into ultimate things, they become idols that will ultimately crumble. An idol is whatever we look to aside from God to tell ourselves that everything will be okay, that we’re secure, and that we have meaning. Our work, image, and relationships are good things, but they will always let us down when they become the ultimate thing. We're invited to turn to God as our source of joy and meaning.