Before we dive into today’s devotional, I want you to do a quick self-check. Christmas is one week away. How are you feeling?
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?” (Matthew 11:28a MSG)
Are you weary after all the shopping? Baking? Scheduling? Family? Grieving? Parties?
Are you just waiting for the holiday to be over, or are you actually relishing in the goodness of a season meant to bring celebration, light, and joy?
Jesus said (in maybe fewer words), “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28b MSG)
We have 7 days to go, but that’s not the end of what God wants to stir up in your heart. These promises of who God has been and who He is go far beyond Christmas and mean so much more than checking off your gift and baking list.
Remember the Blessings | Rejoice in Humility
“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
'Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle [or humble, meek], for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:3-12 (NASB)
This is good news. At the beginning of the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus professes some of the most backwards blessings we’ve ever heard.
He states that you find blessings when you have come to the end of your rope emotionally, when your spirit is wayward or heavy—because it’s not in your own goodness that eternity is found.
He says blessings abound for those grieving a loss because His arms are big enough to comfort.
You’ll see blessings when you express humility through gentle and peaceful ways.
And the list goes on.
This feels countercultural to the many ways we’ve carried the gospel over the last 2,000+ years. We’ve heard the prosperity gospel teach that it’s only when you give money to the church/God that you find immense blessings like a new car or pregnancy, but that’s not what Jesus said here.
We serve the God of the upside-down kingdom who came down to earth to tell us that we have lived a certain way, seeking blessings from God, but we’ve been looking in all the wrong places.
Instead of “faking it until you make it” or “bringing your best to God” in order to find blessing, Jesus says we need to show up as we are—weary, grievous, meek, and hungry—and that’s when He has ROOM to pour out blessing upon blessing, grace upon grace.
Further on in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeats a poignant phrase…
“You have heard that… but I say to you…”
Jesus isn’t abolishing the law. He is fulfilling it and expanding/clarifying it for the sake of righteousness. What this upside-down kingdom accomplishes is positioning humanity and God in a partnership, rather than humanity thinking we have to do all the work to appease Him.
Everything that was normal for kingdom ruling became outdated the second Jesus stepped on the scene.
A lush bedroom with the finest linens for the new king’s arrival?
Nah—a quiet birth to a humble teenage girl surrounded by animals.
A royal guard to usher in the new heir?
Nah—a gentle star in the sky and angels greeting the shepherds nearby.
An extravagant upbringing with all the best food, teachers, clothing, and parties?
Nah—an everyday-driving-your-mom-crazy kind of kid with simple beginnings.
A display of affection everywhere the soon-to-be king went?
Nah—religious and government leaders talking about killing Him every time they encountered him.
An authority built on birthright, power, fear, and riches?
Nah—an otherworldly authority from deep within that spoke confidently in grace and truth and didn’t need to be proven.
A throne seated on high where only the most noble people could encounter?
Nah—a roaming king who strolled the streets to heal and know His people.
I could keep going, but you get the picture. Jesus was the king, but He wasn’t the king anyone expected (though the irony is that it’s exactly the king their prophecies proclaimed).
And everything these people knew about the law (namely the Ten Commandments) was nowhere near the depth Jesus elaborated on in this sermon. Because as humans, we tend to use our own strength and understanding to make sense of things given by God, but it’s only God who can give the true meaning.
The upside-down kingdom expressed in the Sermon on the Mount reveals a God of humility, comfort, and peace. But it also reveals a kingdom that CANNOT be ruled by humanity.
Isn’t that good news for us today?
We can stop our striving. We can stop wasting our energy. We can stop thinking it’s all up to us and living as if the fate of all humanity rests on our shoulders. In fact, even the weight of your family member’s eternity doesn’t rest on your shoulders, friend.
You carry the meekness, God offers the blessing.
You carry the grief, God offers comfort.
You carry the good news of peace, God offers the sonship.
You let go of the accusations and persecution you face because it doesn’t detract from your reward in Heaven.
God never claimed that blessings abound when you get the perfect gift or have the perfect holiday dinner. God never asked you to hide your insecurities or mistakes so that you’d be loved by others.
If you have time, read more from the Sermon on the Mount, and lean into the wholeness of the picture Jesus painted for what the upside-down kingdom really asks of us.
Once again, you may find that it’s not up to us to secure our own blessings by our actions, words, or successes. Jesus, the God of the upside-down kingdom, secures our blessings in the promise of relationship, not religion and rule.
Breath Prayer
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:6-7 AMP)
Inhale: You carry the weight
Exhale: so I don’t have toInhale: I let go of my striving
Exhale: I receive what you’re giving
Song for the Day
Reflection Questions
Okay, yes. I’m not going to have the specific Advent Chat because the truth is, I keep forgetting to put the questions in there anyway, and some of you like to just comment on the post instead—which is GREAT.
So instead, I thought I would just offer some questions, and if you’d like to share by commenting or responding to the email, PLEASE DO! I’d love to hear your reflections.
What have you believed about the kingdom of God that isn’t true when you look at the Sermon on the Mount? What ways have you been trying to live up to a way of “kingdom living” that doesn’t align with what Jesus calls us to?