Febuary 16, 2025 Luke 6:17-26 The Blessed People

In 1901, an American doctor named Duncan MacDougall conducted an experiment to determine whether the soul exists. He believed that if the soul left the body at death, it would have measurable weight. So, he placed dying tuberculosis patients on a scale and measured their weight before and after they passed away. He claimed to have found a loss of 21 grams, which he took to be the weight of the soul. He also claimed there is no soul in animals. Of course, this experiment was never scientifically validated, but it sure makes for an interesting story! MacDougall’s experiment was based on the principle of conservation of mass. And interestingly, Jesus’ words in today’s passage speak to a different kind of conservation—the conservation of blessings. Do you know about Bitcoin? I believe many of you are already familiar with it. However, when my friend first heard about Bitcoin a few years ago, he thought it was the name of a new laundry detergent! Bitcoin is a digital currency with a fixed supply—only 21 million coins will ever exist. As time goes on, mining Bitcoin gets harder, and its value increases. Some people even build a factory full of expensive computers to mine Bitcoin 24/7. Why? Because they want to get as much as they can before anyone else does. This idea of scarcity also applies to our world’s resources. If one person accumulates too much, there’s less for others. It’s like when someone brings a box of donuts to a church meeting—if one person grabs five, someone else is going donut-less, and that’s just tragic. Now let’s focus the today’s passage, the people who gathered around Jesus weren’t rich Bitcoin miners, but rather mostly sick, hungry, and struggling people. They didn’t have power or influence, They were socially and politically marginalized, living under condemnation and judgment. They came to Jesus to hear His words and to be healed. They came with the hope that Jesus could fill what was lacking in their lives. When Jesus saw them, what did He feel? He felt compassion and pity for them. This compassion and pity led to miraculous healings. They were blessed! It was their own desperate needs that led them to Jesus. So, they made every effort to touch Him, and those who did were blessed. However, Jesus did not merely respond to their immediate needs and expectations. Instead, He began to teach them about the kingdom of heaven and what the blessings of heaven are. Think about it. What was the political and social situation in Judea at that time? It was under Roman colonial rule. In such a society, who could live as a rich person, free from hunger and full of laughter and happiness? On the other hand, who would be unjustly hated, excluded, and marginalized? This is why the phrases “now” and “that day” in Luke’s Gospel are so significant. Jesus said that when “that day” comes, those who were poor and hungry “now”, who sought to hear the word of truth, would be truly blessed. Those who were persecuted, hated, and labeled as evil for the sake of truth in their world “now” are the blessed ones. Jesus declared that in the unjust and corrupt world they lived in, those who were rich, well-fed, and praised by others “now’ would see everything reversed when “that day” comes. We believe that the Kingdom of God will come. And the Bible tells us that this is the Kingdom we believe in and pursue. He wasn’t just saying, “Hang in there, things will get better.” He was making a radical statement. in God’s kingdom, the blessings will be reversed: those who are now full and lack nothing, who have no hunger for truth, and those who are praised and happy in this world will see their fortunes change. Instead, those who are now poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted for the sake of truth will be blessed. So what does this mean for us? First, Jesus tells those who think they are blessed now to share their blessings. Blessings aren’t meant to be hoarded like Bitcoin in this world. Jesus came to give His blessings to people. Whenever He saw the poor, hungry, and broken, He felt compassion and gave them blessings. The blessings of heaven do not di-minish or disappear when shared; rather, both the giver and the receiver live abundantly. The food from heaven(Manna) is enough for everyone to eat and have leftovers. In fact, if you try to keep it for yourself, it rots. Similarly, the wealth of heaven disappears when hoarded but multiplies when shared. Have you ever noticed that when you share a meal, it tastes better? Or that giving a gift often feels better than receiving one? That’s the nature of blessings. They grow when they are given away. Second, the blessings were never theirs to begin with. Everything we have belongs to God, the Creator of all things. The earth is also the Creator’s. Therefore, the blessings given to us are entrusted to us by God to be used for good. We are called to be good stewards. The Creator’s intention is for everyone to live abundantly—not just humans, but all of creation. Those who fulfill this intention are called good stewards. Good stewards don’t build walls around their blessings—they open doors with them. Psalm 1:1-2 reminds us what it means to be truly blessed: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.” True blessing comes not from chasing wealth or status but from seeking God’s truth. Think about Abraham. Abraham was over 70 years old when the word of God came to him and he left everything behind to follow it, In the end, he became a source of blessing—not just for himself and his family, but for all humanity. Although he made choices that were far from what most people today consider “blessings”, he followed God’s word and he became a source of blessing. Abraham didn’t cling to temporary riches; he pursued eternal blessings. And here’s the best part: we are already blessed. Why? Because we know Jesus, the Word made flesh. We know what is truly valuable. And unlike Abraham, we know the path we should take and the work we should do here and now. Our blessing may not look like what the world expects. It may not mean riches, fame, or an easy life. But we are blessed because we know the truth, and we follow it. So let’s hold onto this blessing. Let’s walk the path it sets before us. And let’s do it with joy—because the best is yet to come. And if someone tries to take five donuts, just remind them: blessings are meant to be shared!