Luke 6:17-26
Your Story
Talk about a time when you were jealous of someone because it seemed like everything was going their way. How did you work through it?
My Story and the Bible Story
We all have times in our lives in things are just tough. Your parents seem to fight a lot. You’re having a hard time in school. There’s a bully who keeps picking on you. Whatever it is, there are times in our lives when things are tough. And there’s usually someone whose life seems perfect. In a world of social media, it’s easy to look at other people’s pictures on Facebook and Instagram and think that everybody else’s lives are perfect. There are times when I scroll through Facebook and it seems like great things are happening to everyone else. And in times when you are going through something difficult, it’s hard not to feel jealous when you see those pictures. In Jesus’ day, it was even worse. If things were going wrong in your life in Jesus’ day, that meant that you had done something wrong. If you were sick, it meant that you had sinned. If you were poor, it meant that you weren’t blessed by God. But Jesus showed the people a different way.
Read Luke 6:17-26. From the NIV: He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is what’s most important. And there, no longer will any be hungry or poor or weep or be hated. Instead, they would be treated as God sees them: beloved. Jesus changed the people’s beliefs. Before, the people believed that the rich would get everything, that if you were rich, that meant that you were blessed by God. But if you were poor, you had done something wrong. But instead, Jesus showed them that God loved them all and that there would be an end to their suffering. Even though it seemed like some people would continue to get everything, the kingdom of God was different. The kingdom of God was for everyone. And God would change their lives.
It sometimes seems as if some people have perfect lives. It can seem like they never have any problems, and nothing ever goes wrong. It can seem like God has blessed them but not us. But when you feel jealous, read this and remember that the kingdom of God is for everyone. And that instead of saying that the rich were blessed, Jesus said the poor would be blessed. Those who were hungry would be blessed. Those who weep would be blessed. Those who are insulted because they follow Jesus would be blessed. The people who go through tough times will be blessed. God is there with us. And God promises to help us through whatever we face. And one day, in the kingdom of God, our tears will turn into laughter. Hunger will be satisfied. So take heart, because in God’s kingdom, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. All that matters is that you follow Him.
Discussion and Prayer
- What are some ways that hard times can actually be a blessing? (ex. Your faith grows stronger when you have to trust God to help you through.)
- How can we help bring the kingdom of God to earth?
- How can you encourage others?
Thank God that God doesn’t care about how much money or stuff we have. Ask for help in seeing others the way God sees them.
Jessica Asbell is currently serving as the Minister to Children at First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA. She has worked with children in various capacities at several churches, including Winter Park Baptist in Wilmington, NC, First Baptist of Decatur, GA, and Highland Hills Baptist in Macon, GA. She has a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology and a BBA from Mercer University. In her spare time she loves to read, watch movies, and of course spend time with her sweet kitty, Lucy.
