Blessed Are the Excluded

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Blessed Are the Excluded

Date: Mar. 20, 2023

Passage

Luke 6:20-26 (ESV)

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

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

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

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

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

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

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

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

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

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 6:22

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!

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: 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: One Word: Yours is the kingdom of God

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

2 Chronicles 6:12-21

Key Verse: 6:21

And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Today's Question

What does the second commandment require?

See answer and references