The Parables of Jesus: The Prodigal Son, 4/24/16

Sermon April 24 – the prodigal son          Lk 15:11-32

The context – vs the Pharisees

The Pharisees statement – tax collectors and sinners

Lost sheep, lost coin, lost son

They are cast as the elder son, the sinners as the prodigal

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. ²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Series on parables

Prodigal son

Timely even in Jesus day

Even in Jesus day, people had trouble w their kids

The fact that Jesus told this story tells me that Jesus cared about this

He had no children, but he got it

People worried about their kids

People still worry about their kids

Don’t let your worry about your kids ruin your life

Side bar, he ignores the law……. Jesus was unscriptural [not a biblical literalist]

There is a new way, a new sheriff in town – focus on the law is gone, now we focus on grace

¹⁸ If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him,¹⁹ his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. ²⁰ They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” ²¹ Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.  Deut 21:18

Retitle the story – the parable of the lost sons.  Both are lost.

Some of us have had the prodigal but we have all been the prodigal

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory romans 3:23

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way; Isaiah 53:6

The sons request means—he wants his father to die.

This is horrible……… you cant die soon enough for me… I want it now

And so we are all pulled by the voice of the world—where he found no consolation; only an empty longing for home;

We long for return - Henry Nouwen

To be united with our parents to be connected

Me and Dad – I didn’t even know what I did…………..

There is so much sadness in this story.

So much needless suffering.  Most of it self inflicted.

Whatever he had lost, be it his money, his friends, his reputation, his self-respect, his inner joy and peace—one or all—he still remained his father’s child.

When we cant see the grace- HOW SAD

But we have trouble returning because of the older brother

We have low self esteem

And someone is going to judge us

Older brother

Last week we talked about the unmerciful servant and how he focused on what someone owed him, instead of what the king had done for him.  Jesus wanted peter to think not about what was done to him, but instead to think about what was done for him by God

If you catch yourself being plagued by jealousy, anger, touchiness, sullenness, or a subtle self-righteousness.  If you catch yourself complaining and being riddled with resentment, you might just be dealing with older brother syndrome.

The sad proximity of virtue or sainthood and self-righteousness

Self-righteousness so easily becomes attached to our virtue and we are no longer virtuous

  the resentful “saint” is lost but it is so hard to see because it is so closely wedded to the desire to be good and virtuous.

Returning home from a lustful escapade seems so much easier than returning home from a cold anger that has rooted itself in the deepest corners of his being. 

 resentment is not something that can be easily distinguished and dealt with rationally.

Then there is the Father!  Thank God!  This story just took a turn for the better!

Many Xians would have the prodigal kneel and beg for forgiveness

Extravagant.  Wasteful!

·        Here is the God I want to believe in:

·        a Father who, from the beginning of creation, has stretched out his arms in merciful blessing,

·        never forcing himself on anyone, but always waiting,

·        never letting his arms drown in despair,

·        but always hoping that his children will return so that he can speak words of love to them and let his tired arms rest on the shoulders. 

·        His only desire is to love us.

Here lies hidden the great call to conversion:  to learn to look not with the eyes of my own low self-esteem, but with the eyes of God’s love.  As long as I keep looking at God as a landowner, as a father who wants to get the most out of me for the least cost, I cannot but become jealous, bitter, and resentful toward my fellow workers

or my brothers and sisters.

Party – a party was thrown

I realize that I am not used to the image of God throwing a big party.  It seems to contradict the solemnity and seriousness I have always attached to God. 

We can eat out any time that we want.

No big deal for us, huge for people that live in food scarce times

But when I think about the ways in which Jesus describes God’s Kingdom, a joyful banquet is often at its center.

We long for return, so do it

Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, Come home, come home, ye who are weary

But the good news here is not just that we come home.

Jesus sets and example for the Pharisees and the sinners present…….

We are invited to Become the father

Love, 02/07/16

SERMON 1 COR 13 LOVE

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecyand can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Not in a series, I can talk about whatever I want to talk about. 

1 cor is not really 1 corinthians………..

1 cor 5:9  I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—

Three pictures of this passage

1.      As seen by those who love

2.     As directed vs the spiritually arrogant

Stuck in the gifts- arrogant christianity

And now in response to sensational Christianity, Paul says,

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

Gifts and spirituality in the light of love

The things that you all think are religious and spiritual are not.

Do you want to know about spirituality…………..here is the most excellent way

If you have it all but have not love………steve jobs and his daughter

And his employees

3.     As seen by those who are broken and beset by life

  

 WHAT IS LOVE?  So what do we know about love?

1Love is not attraction

I think you are beautiful

You send me into orbit

What happens when you lose your beauty?

We all know beautiful people who are not beautiful inside

What happens when I really learn about the nature of love?

2Love is not dependence

Two dominoes leaning on each other

I can’t live without you

A story- What does your fiancée see in you?  She thinks I am handsome, bright, and a good dancer.  And what do you see in her?  She thinks I am handsome, bright, and a good dancer.

The scripture says - Love is not self seeking

3Love is not desire

There needs to be some - desire in a relationship

It cannot predominately

          focus on what I get from you- size of the dowry

so if that is what love is not, here are some handles on love

1Love is indiscriminate

The shade of a tree

The fragrance of the rose

The light of a lamp

Love has no particular object.  It just is.

If we only love those who love us, what is that?

 Mt 5⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor^[h] and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies^[i] and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The rain falls on the just and the unjust

There are no good and bad people

God so loved the world that he gave…………

2Love is truly generous

Not coercive, manipulative or controlling

Gives expecting nothing in return

How can we learn this?

Expose your false love, your selfishness

Look what shows up in its place

Love is not self seeking

3Love is unselfconscious

It is blissfully unaware of itself

It becomes a natural part of who we are

Imbedded into our dna – our true north

We don’t even know that it is happening

The left hand does not know……

When were you hungry and we fed you? Mt. 25

4To love someone is to forgive

To not be bound by unpleasant circumstances

Father forgive them…

And so, love exists outside of, in spite of, circumstances.

5.Love keeps no record of wrongs

Challenges me to the core

Love keeps no record of wrongs. Towards yourself, toward others

The story of the bishop and the woman who talked to god

The problem is not that the bishop sinned

The problem is that the bishop could not forgive himself

Has someone wronged you

If you asked for forgiveness, and offered it –

What is the result?  We don’t always know for them

But we  know in our hearts we are clean.

Keep no record of wrongs.  Not forgive, but don’t even start the list

5LOVE EXPRESSES ITSELF IN ACTS OF KINDNESS

Loving thoughts and feelings are fine and valuable

But the highest form of love is love that is acted upon

Something must be said or done

“A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it A song's not a song 'til you sing it Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay Love isn't love 'til you give it away!”

Oscar Hammerstein

And so the bible is filled with not just thoughts but action

We like to think of faith as private.

I believe in jesus.  That’s enough

But over and over again we are pointed to act

The scripture asks us - - Not just think nice thoughts about your enemy

Love your enemy

Be devoted to one another

Honor one another

Live in harmony

All actions

6.So love is a decision to care.  To invest.

Some years ago, Brian Swanson gave me a book – love does.  Bob Goff.

Love just does

I am here for you.

It sometimes includes feelings and sometimes it does not

Common misnomer that love is a feeling…… it is so much more

7.Love is Your ministry for Christ

When we love, its not about us

Those who love play the role of the servant

Love is to give, not to take

  I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GROW IN LOVE

Love is something that we can learn about

No excuses

         I was raised in a dysfunctional home

         I was poor

         I was…..whatever

You can choose to change.

I have witnessed big strong men decide to become people of love

The wives are ecstatic

The husbands are pretty happy inside about it too

  

Truly loving people try to improve

 Love is like a drug.  When you get the knack of it, you want to do it more and better

Loving people actively work on themselves

I love you, but I am a finished product.  I am what I am

Does that sound like love??

Love is a journey toward healthy living

Richard Rohr – every decision in life is either based in fear or love

Dysfunction, selfishness, anger, spiteful words = fear based

Caring, forgiving, embracing, seeing the good - Are love based

Love is the mark of the Christian.  The sign

It trumps doctrine, though healthy teaching is good. Love trumps it.

Love is the core of the best of it

Financial gifts not given in love have a completely different ring to them

Missions work without love are simply good works

Love is the mark of the Christian

CONCLUSION--Love never fails

All of the things that humans think will come to an end

We see thru a glass dimly- darkly

·        I have lived a self centered life many times.

·        I have sought as a Christian to live a life of love

·        To the extent that I am selfish, I find pain.

·        To the extent that I am able to love, I find peace.

Hyperspirituality is challenged by paul.  Prophecies shall cease.  Tongues shall cease.

There is something though that will not end, that goes on forever

we are left w faith, hope and love.

Fruit of the Spirit: Love, 6/28/15

Sermon 6-28-15   1 cor 12:27-13:13
1 cor 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

See Galatians 5:22-23 onscreen

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”

The series – fruit of the spirit

My first time to talk with you………. Its an honor and a privilege for me

What a great first topic……..LOVE

Love………we make it complicated

          I love you

          I love tacos

Love ………we are taught so little about it

          Our parents teach us how to tie our shoes

          Who teaches us about love

         

What we call love is almost always a collection of broken people demanding that the object of their love somehow make them whole

We define love by our dysfunction instead of allowing love to reshape our lives.

My first marriage- rules:  you make me happy

This marriage- let me serve you.  How can I help you be fulfilled

          Want to work, ok.  No- ok

          Want to sing in choir…ok, no- ok

          Want to go to college, ok.  No- ok

Before we can begin to understand what love is, we must give up on our inappropriate views of love

Love is not attraction……….

I am attracted to you more that I am attracted to others

I think you are beautiful – you send me into orbit

What happens when the attraction wears off?

I was scared in an accident?  What If I lost my hair?

We all know beautiful people who are not beautiful on the inside

And what happens to relationships based on attraction when we really learn what love is about?

Love is not dependence…..

Two broken people propping each other up

I am taking from you……..

Love is not self seeking……..

Love isn’t desire

[there should be some desire with love]

But not to where I am taking from you

The nature of sermons……… cant cover it all.  Cant take it out of context.

Sermon on marriage, and sticking with it…… don’t give up

Heard by someone abused……..

Love is not taking, it is release

Love releases my desire for the thing to go a particular way………

My gifts.  How gifts work.  Something is bigger than my contribution to a place………

Helping my kids at some point becomes unhealthy.

We must learn that we are not in control…… letting go of outcomes

I have been thinking about…….

Love keeps no record of wrongs……….

If there is a record or  a list, it means that I have a way that I want it to go…

To keep no record, doesn’t mean that I am trying really hard to ignore your infraction, it means that I am giving up control……..

I no longer consider that a wrong.

I set aside my preference, for the greater good.

A girl lived in a small fishing village where she became a single mother.  Her parents beat her until she stated who the father was:  “it was the Monk who lives in the temple outside the village.  Her parents and all the villagers were outraged.  They hurried to the temple after the baby was born and left it in front of the Monk.  Then they said, “you hypocrite, this child is yours!  Take care of it!”  All the Monk said was, “very well, very well.”  He gave the baby to one of the women in the village to care for, and the master provided for the expenses.  The holy man lost his reputation in the area, his disciples left him, and no one went to consult with him.  When the girl saw this, she couldn’t hold back any more and she finally revealed the truth.  The child’s father wasn’t the monk, but a neighbor boy.  When her parents and the whole village learned this, they returned to the temple and bowed down before the Monk.  They begged him for forgiveness, and asked him to return the child to them.  The master returned the baby, and all he said was, “very well, very well.”

And so, love exists outside of, in spite of, circumstances.

Now if I have stolen from you some of the myths of love……

What is left

Jesus said take the board out of your own eye so that you can see [Mt 7]

Once we divest ourselves of false ideas about love, we can begin to understand true love

Nt Greek words for love

Phileo-brotherly love

Eros- you know what that means

Agape- self less love

Losing yourself in adoration of another…….

The anxious groom……… can I have her now?

You cant love anyone else until you love yourself.  

Love the lord your god with all your heart soul mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself

Mt 19 rich young ruler

Mt 22 which is the greatest commandment

How do you see yourself?

The eagle and the chickens/do you hold people back

How does God see you?

There is a famous fairy tale about a frog and a princess

The frog and the prince/do you free people to live

And so Jesus picks us up and kisses us

And restores us.  And we are healed

We are lifted from the gloom of the past and set on a new course

He takes our feet out of the mire and establishes our footing upon a rock

And what god has done for us.

He asks us to do for others……

So today, know that you are loved……..

Love one another…… be healthy about it……

And carry his love into your community, and into your world……

The Kingdom: With Every Act of Love, 4/19/15

Sermon 4-19-15 the kingdom - With Every Act of Love: 2 Cor 5:11-20 NIV

¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. ¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

If we truly love god, we will express it by loving our neighbors, and when we truly love our neighbors, it expresses our love for God. 66

Series – the kingdom.  Last week, where is it and who is in it.

This week- kingdom principles, kingdom actions

In every kingdom there are rules.  Pay your taxes and don’t break the law.  Then you are ok.

This keeps us pretty self absorbed.  Do a few things and then your life is yours.

This line of thinking does not transfer well to the Kingdom of God

It is not a matter of pay your tithes and do no harm

It is not a mafia payoff to god so you can live as you please

In this kingdom, the king asks for every moment

We no longer live for ourselves, but for him v15

Paul spoke of the flesh warring with the spirit.

Are we even aware which one is which?

The cartoon of the martins

We are not asked to set aside our preference on easter and Christmas, but every day.

Inconvenienced every day for the kingdom

Turn the other cheek, go the second mile, take up your cross

We are on a mission for god [blues brothers]

Christ’s Love Compels us v 14

Love is the motivator, not guilt

Mt 25 – why do they do these things?

He was blind to their faults

Father forgive them, they know not what they do

Mother Teresa

Why we love mother Teresa

Shane Claiborne once worked alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta:
When entering the church to worship, it was customary for everyone to remove their shoes, and it was during these times that Shane noticed that Mother Teresa's feet were very deformed. So deformed, in fact, that Shane thought that it was perhaps due to leprosy.

But, he didn't dare ask her.
One day, while talking to one of the other sisters, the subject came up. The sister asked if Shane had noticed Mother Teresa's feet. She went on to tell him that they get donations of shoes only once and a while, and there are only just enough for each person to get one pair. When the shipments come in, mother Teresa would sort through all the shoes. She would look for the worst for wear pair, and then she would claim them for herself.

Mother Teresa never wanted anyone to wear a pair of shoes that were in worse shape than her own.

Its not what you belive that counts, its what you believe enough to do. 87

We do not regard others in an earthly fashion v16

When we are judging someone, we cannot love them.

The ke class.  Sending a note to a registered sex offender

"I know you don’t know me, and I don’t know you.  But I found your name on the internet on the registered sex offender website.  I know this is a strange thing to do, but I wanted to send you a note of encouragement and a small gift.  I wanted you to know that you are loved and cherished by someone who has no conditions or expectations.  His arms are open wide to all of us who will accept His grace.  I’m sure it must be difficult to be in your position- but I just wanted you to know that God loves you, and I will be praying for you."

We see sex offenders online.  We think things

are their sins worse than ours?

Jesus ran with the people that others rejected.

We do not judge them

We do not look to see what is wrong

We see them as souls

Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, elegance or learning. – Frederick Faber 13

Parable of the talents

What do we offer to God?  Time, talents, treasure?

·        What if we also offered him:

·        Hands to touch others

·        A mouth to speak kindness

·        A heart occupied only with love

Everything we have and everything we are can be used in service to the Lord and to further his kingdom goals.

We have been given the ministry of reconciliation v 18

What is our role

How can we help it happen?

For too long the church has badgered people, guilted them, ruled them to death.

This is not reconciliation

Reconciliation is pictured as the prodigal son comes home

At st marys hospital in blue springs there is a letter from mother Teresa..

Dated march 10, 1986

Dear Mr. Coen,

Thank you very much for your letter and good wishes.  Thank god for god.  For using our nothingness to show his love.  He calls me, he calls you – each of us to be his sign of love to each other.  This is a great privilege that  he shares with us.

I shall pray that you may learn to love him much and share this love with those around you, your loved ones, first, then your neighbors and every person that you meet.

God bless you

Mother m. Teresa

Ark –examples of acts of random kindness

Bill carter

Diane harper

How can I get involved at wcc?

Why are there cars here during the week?

How can I get involved in the kingdom

There are a million ways – 40 + mission endeavors

Countless opportunities for service at wcc

From the kingdom experiment class: We bring the kingdom to earth with our acts of love, whether big or small.  Through the kingdom experiment, we were challenged to reach out with an act of kindness to ‘invisible people in our lives’.

Brent Parsons wrote a thank you and left a gift card for the cleaning staff that work at night at his office.  Janet Smith struck up a conversation and now a friendship with the lady that cleans her office.  Several bought pizza or baked cookies for the google fiber guys working outside their house.  Guys were popping out of holes when they heard free food .    

Every day holds its hands out to you and bids you to love

A cup of cold water in his name

We are going to close with the beatitudes again, from the message bible.  They are the principles of the kingdom.  Lets say them together.

·         ³ “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

·         ⁴ “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

·         ⁵ “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

·         ⁶ “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

·         ⁷ “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

·         ⁸ “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

·         ⁹ “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

·          ¹⁰ “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret mead