06/08/2026
A short version of the sermon yesterday, June 7, 2026.
Have you ever had someone tell you, “You are a blessing”?
Maybe it came from a family member, a friend, a church member, or someone whose life you touched in a meaningful way. Those words have a way of staying with us. They remind us that our lives matter and that our presence has made a difference.
Yet if we are honest, many of us do not always feel like a blessing.
There are days when we feel exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious, or uncertain about the future. There are moments when we are carrying burdens of our own and wonder if we have anything left to give. In those moments, it can be difficult to imagine how God could use us to bless others.
But throughout Scripture, God has a habit of choosing ordinary people with ordinary struggles and inviting them into extraordinary purposes. God called Moses, David, fishermen, tax collectors, and even Abram and Sarai—an aging couple with no children and no clear future. Again and again, God reminds us that blessing is not about perfection. It is about God's grace working through imperfect people.
In Genesis 12, God tells Abram, “I will bless you… so that you will be a blessing.” This promise reveals something important about the nature of blessing. God's gifts were never meant to stop with us. They were always meant to flow through us.
Many people define blessing as having good health, financial stability, success, opportunities, or answered prayers. While these are certainly gifts for which we can be thankful, Scripture challenges us to think beyond what we receive. The deeper question is this: Who is experiencing God's blessing because of us?
In Matthew 9, Jesus shows us what it means to be a blessing. He calls Matthew, a tax collector whom society rejected and despised. He shares a meal with those considered sinners and outsiders. He heals a woman who had suffered for twelve years. He raises a young girl from death to life.
In every encounter, Jesus extends mercy, welcome, healing, dignity, and hope.
When the religious leaders questioned why Jesus spent time with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus responded, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” His words remind us that faith is not simply about religious practices. It is also about compassion. It is about seeing people as God sees them.
Mercy happens when we choose understanding over judgment. Mercy happens when we refuse to define people by their mistakes. Mercy happens when we recognize the humanity and dignity of those around us.
One of the most powerful moments in the Gospel is when Jesus notices the woman who had been suffering for twelve years. Surrounded by crowds, Jesus stops and sees her. He calls her “daughter,” restoring not only her health but also her dignity and belonging.
Sometimes the greatest blessing we can offer is simply to see people.
To notice those who feel invisible.
To listen to those who feel unheard.
To sit with those who are grieving.
To encourage those who are struggling.
To remind others that they matter.
In a world where people are constantly divided, labeled, categorized, and excluded, Jesus continues to cross boundaries and build community. As Christians, we are called to do the same.
The question for us today is not only, “How has God blessed me?” The deeper question is, “How is God using me to bless others?”
Who feels welcomed because of us?
Who feels encouraged because of us?
Who experiences hope because of us?
Who encounters Christ because of us?
May we become people of mercy, welcome, courage, and compassion. And may it be said of us—not simply that we were blessed—but that through our lives, others encountered the blessing of God.
Amen!
