It's Not What You Think (Part 1)
- Bridgepoint Church
- May 27
- 3 min read
Remembering Sacrifice & Beginning a Summer in the Word
Memorial Day & the Sermon on the Mount Series
As a nation, this week we pause to honor the lives of the men and women who gave everything to secure the freedoms we too often take for granted. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was first proclaimed by General John Logan in 1868 to honor those who died in service to our country. May 30 was chosen specifically because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle—just a moment set aside to decorate the graves of heroes.
Since 1968, Memorial Day has been observed on the last Monday of May. But even as the date changed, the meaning remains: freedom is never free. It’s been bought with blood. And today, we honor that. We thank the Gold Star families. We pray for comfort. We remember the price that was paid.
A New Season: Summer on the Mount
This weekend also marks the beginning of a new teaching series at our church: Summer on the Mount — a journey through the most famous sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5–7.
Across 111 verses, Jesus lays out what life in the Kingdom of Heaven looks like. It's the first and longest recorded sermon of Jesus, and it’s nothing short of revolutionary.
It begins not with commands, but with blessings — the Beatitudes — a description of the kind of people who are truly blessed by God. But His list probably didn’t sound “blessed” to those listening. He starts by saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”(Matthew 5:3)
Kingdom Thinking is Different
The people gathered were expecting a political kingdom, a conquering Messiah, someone who would fix the world by force. But Jesus flips it all upside down. He says that being blessed isn’t about power or wealth or success — it starts with humility, with spiritual poverty, with a deep recognition that I need God.
To be poor in spirit is to come to the end of yourself — to admit: “I don’t have it all together. I can’t do this alone. I need grace.” And Jesus says that is where the kingdom begins.
Brokenness that Leads to Comfort
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”(Matthew 5:4)
This isn’t just grief over loss — this is mourning over sin. It’s the sorrow that comes when we realize we’ve hurt God and others. But here’s the good news: God meets our sorrow with comfort. Not because we deserve it — but because He loves us. He forgives. He restores.
Humility That Leads to Reward
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”(Matthew 5:5)
Meekness isn’t weakness — it’s strength under control. It’s choosing to trust God to lift you up in His time. And Jesus promises that those who live humbly now will one day rule with Him when His kingdom is fully realized.
From Memorial Day to Kingdom Living
Just as we remember on Memorial Day that freedom came at a cost, we also remember that spiritual freedom came at the greatest cost of all — the cross of Jesus Christ.
Jesus gave His life so we could live. He died so we could enter the Kingdom. And just as soldiers laid down their lives for our country, Jesus laid down His life for the world.
“From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”(Matthew 4:17)
Repentance means we stop going our own way, and turn toward God’s way. That’s where the journey begins.
Reflection
So, here are a couple of questions to carry with you this week:
Have I humbled myself before God and acknowledged my need for Him?
Am I allowing the truths of the Sermon on the Mount to reshape my thinking and living?
This summer, let’s go deeper. Let’s lean into what Jesus says life in His Kingdom really looks like.
Let’s be people who remember the past, live in the present, and prepare for the future — anchored in Christ.
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