Jesus brings His kingdom blessings to a close with a final word about hardship, persecution and heavenly rewards. However, unlike the previous 8 blessings, there's something significantly different about this last one. Whereas the first 8 blessings were in the third person, stating blessed are 'they' or 'those', this last one shifts to say, "Blessed are you...". This movement from the general to the particular, from the impersonal to the personal marks an overall tone shift in the entirety of Jesus' sermon. From this moment until the sermon's closing thoughts, Jesus speaks to his listeners directly. While this may seem like a small thing, this shift marks an important development in Jesus' messaging. Whatever Jesus is teaching, it isn't just for others - it's for us - it's something we need to pay attention to. As we close out our series on Jesus' beautifully backwards blessings, we would do well not simply to hear His words on behalf of others but for ourselves as well.