When Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with the words “Blessed are…,” He wasn’t just offering inspirational quotes for wall art. These powerful statements, known as the Beatitudes, were spoken to people living under Roman occupation—people whose lives looked anything but “blessed” by worldly standards. Yet, through these words, Jesus extended a bold invitation to a radically different way of life: one that honors the values of God’s Kingdom, not the world’s. In this message, Pastor Shawn Williams unpacks the meaning behind Jesus’ Beatitudes and explores how this call to countercultural, Kingdom-centered living still challenges and shapes the Church today.