The Gospel of Luke: Blessed | Joy | Blessing | Persecution | Heaven - Video

Sermon Notes: 2/2/25 Pastor: Brian Crawford Luke 6: 12-19 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . We live in a culture that ascribes ultimate value in the wrong things - both within the church and outside. We desire to be rich, full, entertained and liked. Our society tells us that these 4 things will bring us Joy. The reality is the opposite - these 4 things will bring us emptiness. Ultimate joy is found in Christ. This text today is from the Sermon on the Plain. This sermon has something to teach us about Joy. Kingdom Joy and worldly joy are not the same. Kingdom Joy can and will come through struggle. Worldly joy can avoid struggle but is only temporary. This portion of the sermon, the “Blessed are”'s is not for the lay-people. But rather this sermon is for his disciples. Jesus has care and love for the poor, hungry, etc. but Jesus is telling His disciples that those who are poor and hungry and struggling, but in Him are “Markarori” or a status of "being favored" - AKA-blessed. They may be hungry, or weep, but they are covered and protected by God, when they are in Christ. No matter what they are going through, God will be with you. And everyone who knows they are blessed, will have Joy, no matter what comes! 71% of the world lives on less than 10 dollars a day. Poverty is a real problem in the world. And that can create a dependence on the Lord. A holy dependence. A need and a desire for Jesus. God doesn’t despise the poor. Rather, it means He is walking with them in their need. Luke is also explaining how our physical pains and suffering can strengthen our faith in the Lord. When God gives us a heart of flesh, after he saves us, it makes us weep for the suffering in the world. Some people are callus and don’t care, but when you morn for the people around you - take courage, because He will turn sorrow into tears of Joy. The Lord is doing two things - He is building you now, and He is building us for the day to come. When you find yourself in discipline, it’s because you are His. God allows us to experience the low points in life, to teach us the lessons we couldn’t learn any other way. But in revelations 21, the Lord will wipe away our tears, and Joy will rise even higher than we ever could have imagined. He is doing something for the end, too. Lastly, there is a reason we see Joy like the rest of the culture sees it, rather than the way Christ outlines it. 5k Christian’s died in 2023 for being Christian. Most of that was in Nigeria. We have inordinate wealth and prosperity in this country. So, the only suffering we know, is when our material comfort is threatened. We don't know persecution, like those who die in mass just for praying "differently." When we are truly hated for our faith, we should rejoice, for our reward is great in heaven. If we have nothing but Christ in this life, then we truly have everything!