"Blessed are the..." Say WHAT?!?!?

Jesus opens His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 with the oft-quoted Beatitudes. "Blessed are the..."
While attending college, a chapel speaker did a sermon series on the Beatitudes. The Greek word translated "Blessed" is "Makerios" (Not sure I spelled that right, you at least you can pronounce it this way...). This word, "Makerios," he told us, can also be translated "fully satisfied."

Read the Beatitudes again, substituting "Fully Satisfied" for "Blessed." (Matthew 5:3-12)

"Fully satisfied are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fully satisfied are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Fully satisfied are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Fully satisfied are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled
Fully satisfied are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Fully satisfied are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Fully satisfied are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
Fully satisfied are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Fully satisfied are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me."

We live in a world fully of people searching for satisfaction. Those without Christ, (and sadly, even some who claim Christ) seek satisfaction in money, power, acceptance, laughter, "experience," thrills, etc. They seek it with all their heart, and find none. They do not find what they are looking for because they search for it apart from what He says will bring satisfaction.

Fully satisfied are:
- The poor in spirit
- Those who mourn
- The meek
- Those who desire righteousness
- The merciful
- The pure in heart
- The peacemakers
- Those persecuted for Christ's sake
This list is precisely the opposite of what the world tells us will satisfy. They look at those who seek such things with bewilderment & disbelief, if not outright scorn and derision.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God...God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:18,27)

Beloved brothers and sisters, we are called to embrace what the world calls "foolishness" in order to be wise
Seek to be poor (humble) in spirit
- instead of pride
Seek to mourn at the wrong in the world, and mourn at the foot of the cross
- instead of drowning it out in revelry
Seek meekness
- rather than power
Seek righteousness
- rather than embracing the lusts of the flesh
Seek mercy
- rather than revenge
Seek purity of heart
- instead of "experience" or "being wise in the ways of the world"
Seek peacemaking
- instead of insisting upon your way
Seek to be persecuted for Christ sake
- rather than inclusion and acceptance

For you see, in seeking after these things, you seek to be conformed to the image of Christ. It is only by seeking not to have more of the world, but more of God, that we can find joy and satisfaction. C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there." Those things the world seeks cannot give satisfaction - those things only serve to make them more aware of their emptiness. So seek Christ, seek to be all He calls you to be, and there be fully satisfied.