Jesus is for losers. And that is good news. The Good News, in fact. Today’s sermon is mostly a sermon that Jesus himself preached about 2000 years ago. The entire sermon is about 750 words, recorded in Luke 6:20-49. We are going to read the first section of it, along with a few verses Luke uses to set the stage. “Jesus is for Losers” is the title of this podcast, Volume 3, Episode 5. I hope today’s message is provocative. I hope it makes you a little bit uncomfortable at first, so that in the end, you can head into this next week with a newfound freedom, joy, and energy.
20 Looking at his disciples, [Jesus] said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
by Daniel Erlander, which he shares in his book entitled Tales of the Pointless People.
