Vox Podcast With Mike Erre

How the Beatitudes challenge political assumptions and offer a radical vision of Jesus's kingdom built on humility, mercy, and justice. Kicking off their Sermon on the Mount Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford unpack Matthew 5:1–12 to reveal why the Beatitudes aren't ethical commands to climb, but a radical redefinition of who is truly blessed in God's kingdom. Key Takeaways: • Jesus's Beatitudes are not personal moral checklists—they are declarations of divine blessing for the poor, meek, and forgotten because the kingdom is already present and available to them. • These blessings are steeped in Old Testament echoes, especially Isaiah and the Psalms, pointing to the restoration of Israel through an upside-down kingdom. • The Beatitudes reflect a communal vision of society that centers the marginalized while indicting systems of power that oppress. • Jesus redefines "blessing" to illuminate how proximity to power or wealth can often blind us to divine reality—and how pain and suffering can prepare hearts to re