The Blessing is in the Belonging
Luke 6:20-26
The Blessing Is in the Belonging
How do you measure blessings?
Most of us would probably point to comfort, security, a healthy bank account, or maybe career success. We've been conditioned to believe that blessing equals prosperity, that God's favor shows up in our material circumstances. But what if we've been measuring all wrong?
When Jesus looked at his disciples and declared the poor, hungry, and sorrowful as "blessed," he wasn't just being poetic or provocative. He was fundamentally redefining what it means to be blessed by God. And his words challenge everything our culture—and often our churches—tell us about the good life.
A Message for Those Who Belong
It's crucial to understand who Jesus was addressing. This wasn't a message for the crowds or a universal statement about poverty and wealth. This was an in-house conversation, a team huddle with his disciples—those who had already committed to following him, who belonged to him.
A disciple isn't simply someone who admires Jesus from a distance or tries to live by his principles. Biblically speaking, a disciple is someone who belongs to Jesus, someone he has called and gathered by his grace. Discipleship begins with Christ's call, not our effort. The disciples weren't always getting things right—they frequently misunderstood, made mistakes, and struggled—but they belonged to Jesus, and that made all the difference.
This is the heart of the message: The blessing is in the belonging.
True blessing comes not from what we have or don't have, but from belonging to Christ. And that blessing holds firm even in suffering.
Understanding the Contrasts
Jesus uses a powerful literary device called antithetical parallelism—placing contrasting ideas side by side to sharpen meaning and drive the point home. He blesses the poor and warns the rich. He promises satisfaction to the hungry and hunger to the well-fed. He tells those who weep they will laugh, while those who laugh now will mourn.
These aren't arbitrary statements or simple reversals of fortune. They're revealing what God values and where true blessing comes from.
The Poor and the Rich
When Jesus blesses the poor, he's not saying poverty is inherently virtuous or that being poor automatically grants you entrance to heaven. The Bible acknowledges various reasons for poverty—famine, injustice, faithful sacrifice, and yes, even laziness. But most often, Scripture meets the poor with mercy and favor.
Jesus wants his disciples to know that they already belong to God, that they are already blessed, and if they suffer financially for his sake, God will take care of them. Poverty, hunger, and need teach us to depend on God. When we cannot rely on ourselves, we learn to trust Jesus completely.
Wealth itself isn't condemned. Abraham, Job, and Joseph of Arimathea were all wealthy and faithful. Riches are a gift from God. But wealth carries danger because it can lead to pride, self-reliance, and forgetfulness of God. Money can become an idol.
The warning to the wealthy isn't about having resources—it's about trusting them. If you feel fully satisfied with your possessions apart from God, that's all you'll get. It might seem like a lot now, but it's nothing compared to the kingdom of God.
Where are you investing? What does your calendar and bank statement reveal about what you truly value? The things of this world devalue fast. The kingdom of God is eternal.
The Hungry and the Well-Fed
After World War II, many orphaned children couldn't fall asleep at night, even after being fed, because they feared waking up to nothing. They could only rest when given a small piece of bread—not to eat, but just to hold. That tangible assurance allowed them to sleep peacefully.
This is how Jesus cares for us. He doesn't always give us everything at once, but he gives us enough so we can trust him and find rest in him. Hunger—whether physical or spiritual—teaches us to depend on God.
Jesus himself said, "I am the bread of life" and "I am the living water." Those who come to him will never be empty or thirsty. He is more than enough. As Psalm 107:9 promises, "He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."
The warning comes for those who are well-fed and comfortable. When fullness leads to complacency, we stop seeking. People who believe they already have enough often feel no need for God. If you fill yourself with the world's appetizers, you'll miss the joy of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The Weeping and the Laughing
Jesus blesses those who weep because he himself was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He wept over Jerusalem and at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. He knows what it's like to suffer.
Notice the word "now" appears repeatedly in these blessings—"blessed are you who weep now," "blessed are you who hunger now." This suffering is momentary. It won't last forever. Though sorrow may last through the night, joy comes in the morning.
Jesus isn't warning against celebration or joy. He's warning against shallow, boastful, or callous laughter—the laughter of the fool who is indifferent to suffering. The woes Jesus pronounces aren't harsh judgments but expressions of deep sorrow and lament, like a father grieving over children who are harming themselves.
At the cross, we see this contrast play out perfectly. Those who mocked and laughed at Jesus experienced darkness, earthquake, and terror. One soldier declared, "Surely this was the Son of God"—not in faith, but in horrified realization of what they'd done. Meanwhile, those who wept—Mary, John, the women—experienced unspeakable joy three days later when they saw the resurrected Christ.
If you're weeping now, joy is coming. Christ is with you in your pain, and he will redeem it.
The Hated and the Well-Liked
Following Christ isn't always easy. Standing for God can mean losing relationships, facing exclusion, or being rejected. Social media makes this especially clear—proclaim your faith in Jesus, and you'll quickly face opposition.
Yet Jesus says to rejoice when people hate, exclude, insult, or reject you because of him. You're in good company with the prophets and apostles who suffered for the gospel.
The warning comes for those who seek popularity above faithfulness to God. If everyone speaks well of you, that may be a symptom to fear. Living for people's applause means that's all you'll receive. The truth of the Bible should cut deep. Riding the fence to avoid conflict may feel safe, but it leaves faith shallow and witness weak.
The Dual Promise
Every blessing Jesus pronounces carries a twofold promise: God will take care of us now, and God has a future of glory waiting for us.
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God"—that's a present promise. Right now, if you belong to Christ, the kingdom is yours. "Rejoice, for great is your reward in heaven"—that's an eternal promise. Something better awaits.
And what is that greatest blessing? Seeing God face to face. The beatific vision. All our hunger, tears, and trials are training us to long for that moment when we stand in God's presence, every tear wiped away, every longing satisfied.
The ancient blessing captures this beautifully: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
One day, this won't just be words spoken over us—it will be our lived reality. Nothing in this world can compare to that ultimate blessing.
Where Is Your Hope?
When you experience loss, hunger, sorrow, or rejection, what do those moments reveal about where you look for blessing? What comforts or approvals might be taking the place of trusting Christ?
The blessing isn't in having or not having. The blessing is in belonging to Jesus—being known and loved by him. And that blessing holds firm, no matter what circumstances surround you.