“Happy are the unhappy” is how theologian John Stott explains what Jesus means when he says, “Blessed are those who mourn.” We commonly associate mourning with the death and loss of a loved one, but in the Sermon on the Mount, it’s about mourning our own sin and the consequences that come with our choices. So, how and when will be comforted?

Every one of us has felt poor in spirit at one time or another.  You might call it helpless, hopeless, desperate, broken or even just needy.  We might consider that weak or pitiful, but in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is saying, “Congratulations! If you are broken, you are blessed.” What does He mean by that?

St. Augustine is the one who gave the name “Sermon on the Mount” to the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5-7. It’s the closest account we have from Jesus on what He wants His disciples to be and do.  The whole sermon contrasts how followers of Jesus live, act and think in comparison to the world around them. In the midst of all of the noise right now, what do we need to be focused on? Let’s get back to how Jesus wants us to live.

There seems to be a lot of hopelessness and cynicism when it comes our institutions – the government, the legal system and law enforcement & security. That’s why it is so important to disciple believers who work in these fields to do their work according to godly principles, with humility and a heart of service. Listen to three leaders who are trying to do just that – what lessons are resonating and have been the most meaningful and the spiritual strongholds they face.

We’ve spent this season talking about the Leadership Games and the need for discipleship in the various fields where people work. We talked with believers in government, law and security; business; arts, entertainment & media, health,medicine & wholeness, and we’re ending our series talking about the need to disciple people who work in ministry. That may sound strange because it seems like they should be the ones who have discipleship down! But many who work in the church and other parachurch organizations will tell you it doesn’t always happen there either. There’s a difference between teaching discipleship and practicing it.