Sermon – May 11th , 2025

What does it really mean to be “blessed”? In the opening lines of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turns the world’s values upside down. He pronounces blessing—not on the powerful or prosperous—but on the poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, and the merciful.

This Sunday, we explore the radical nature of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1–12), beginning with the word Jesus uses: makarios—a word richer than just “happy”, and more of a “congratulations. This word being used for congratulations on your wedding day, or congratulations on your graduation. He turns things upside down by saying congratulations for you are grieving, congratulations for you are troubled.It speaks of deep, unshakable well-being grounded in God’s presence and favor, not our circumstances.

We’ll also address what the Beatitudes aren’t:

• They are not a checklist to earn God’s favour.
• They are not a list of commands.
• They are not a list of proverbs.

Come as we discover the surprising path to a flourishing life in the footsteps of Christ—the kind of life that truly is blessed.