Matthew: The Poor in Spirit, who Mourn

This week we will be taking a look at Jesus' sermon in the hill country (Matthew 5-7).  In this sermon, Jesus presented a whole new vision of life.  He let every person know that there was another way, a better way than the complicated rules and regulations that were being taught in that day.  He came to turn the view of the day upside down.  He came to speak of a different way, for the way of the kingdom of heaven is different...

what looks like failure is success and what looks like poverty is riches...
what looks like weakness can do anything and what looks like foolishness is understanding...
when what is powerful has not come to fight...
what looks like torture is a time to rejoice, what sounds like thunder is a comforting voice
when what is beautiful looks broken and crushed...
"I See Things Upside Down" by Derek Webb

As we begin this journey through the greatest sermon ever preached Jesus begins with sharing pronouncements of great blessing.  They are called the beatitudes (Matthew 5.1-12).  They are words of celebration, words of invitation and words of transformation.