There are times when Jesus faces head on with the way the world thinks and given the current economic climate there has never been a better time to examine the values of the world with the values of his kingdom.

"Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets"

It is not that there is anything wrong with having money (1 Tim.6:17-19), or with full stomachs, laughter and friends who think well of you. But Jesus' people look to the establishment of Jesus' kingdom and are not prepared to settle for what the world offers in these things.

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!"

There is no virtue in poverty as such, no merit in tears and no advantage in unpopularity. But if we hunger after the things of the kingdom then we will be dissatisfied with the things of this world, we will weep for a world that stands against that kingdom and all it stands for and we will prove unpopular with those other people who put all their trust in and are easily satisfied with what this world has to offer.

Of course, while we are not of this world we are inevitably in it and the temptation is always with us to adopt this world's values; to think of church in terms of worldly success, of numbers, of wealth and property; to compromise with the world in order to prove popular; to eat and laugh with the world in an easy-going relationship that we hope might smooth the path of righteousness a little.

The problem is that when we witness to people one of the first things we need to share with them is the excitement of the coming kingdom and it will not look convincing to them if we appear more than satiated, comfortable and settled in the kingdom of this world. Further, when people take seriously the message of Jesus it is likely because they have realised how empty and unsatisfying is the world's provision and are looking for something more permanent and fulfilling.

What people need to see is that the kingdom belongs to those who are poor in the things of this life because, hungry for the things of the next, weep for the waiting we must do now because of the hope we have then, willing to reject the passing popularity of this passing world in the sure hope of a better and lasting reputation in the next. When people of all religions or none see that in us they glimpse something of the kingdom that is to come.

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