Read and Believe in Jesus.

“And He opened His mouth and taught them.” Matthew 5:2

NOTE: I’m sorry this is late to post. My Internet was down for most of the day.

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REVIEW – Last time, we saw an overview of Jesus’ beginning ministry. He was teaching, preaching, and healing all who came to Him – huge masses of hurting, needy people from all over the area. He taught in synagogues, in the streets, from boats, and on hillsides. He offered hope for healing and health. He also offered hope of heaven. How many saw that? How many received it?

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Matthew 5:1-2.

“Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain…”

Perhaps Jesus wanted to escape the masses who only sought relief from their pain and discomfort. Maybe He wanted to speak more closely to those who heard Him talk of heaven and a kingdom beyond the here and now, and wanted more.

“…and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.”

“To see a rabbi “sit down” meant that He was about to teach. Our teachers usually stand in front of a class, but Jewish teachers sat. “Students” would then gather around Him to listen, and possibly ask questions. For Jesus, this was like a “Closed until 2:00pm” sign on the doctor’s office door. He would “see” patients later.

There were many “followers” (disciples, if you will) at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Most were superficial, and we’ll see Jesus eliminate the insincere with probing questions (See Luke 14 and Mark 10) and later with His “hard teachings”. (See John 6)

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Matthew 5:3-10.

We know this section as the “Beatitudes.” (The be-attitudes; the attitudes for Christians to have and exhibit.) I had to memorize them as a child in Sunday School. I even learned how to sing them. But how well do I know them as Jesus meant? How many of them do others (or Jesus) see in my life?

“Blessed are…” The word means “happy, fortunate, blissful.” Jesus was describing the “well-being” that belongs only to the faithful. This is entirely different from the world’s happiness, which comes (fleetingly) from riches, fame, power, and leisure, etc.

Jesus shows us eight (or nine) of these things that cause blessedness for believers, but which totally boggle the minds of unbelievers.

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“…the poor in spirit,” Humility, spiritual bankruptcy. To be ‘poor in spirit’ means to be acutely aware that you are lost and hopeless apart from God’s grace. THIS is how we first come to Jesus, acknowledging our sin and helplessness to save ourselves, looking to Him as the only way to salvation and eternal life. “…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Yep, that’s the way to get in!)

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“…those who mourn,” This is the “godly sorrow” a true seeker of God experiences. It’s a real sorrow that leads to repentance without regret. (2 Corinthians 7:10) When a fresh believer is on their knees (or face) before God, weeping over past sins, they will soon sense true forgiveness flooding their soul. “…for they shall be comforted.”

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“…the meek,” This is not weakness or timidity, but gentleness and Spirit-empowered self-control. Jesus claimed that HE was gentle (meek) and lowly in heart (See Matthew 11:29), and yet He made a whip and drove out merchants and moneychangers from the Temple.

(Take a few minutes here to read Psalm 37:1-11. It describes how to become a “meek” believer.) Yes, the Lord will give you the desires of your heart, because your heart is His. “…they shall inherit the earth.” And the Psalms passage adds, “…and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

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“…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” This means seeking God and HIS righteousness, and NOT trying to be good or do good things in our own strength (which is impossible anyway for more than a few minutes). Self-righteousness was the main problem of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. They thought they needed nothing but their own knowledge and willpower to stand righteous before God.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? WHO was the one righteous in God’s sight? Not the one who bragged of all his good deeds, but the one in his poverty, confessed his sin and begged for mercy. Jesus said, HE went away “justified” or “righteous” in God’s sight. I know his heart was filled with joy as he rose from his knees and went home. “…for they shall be satisfied.”

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“…the merciful.” These are the people who consistantly give others “a second chance,” who “give others the benefit of the doubt,” and who, by remembering the rich mercy with which God loved and saved them… easily and generously give it to others. James 2:13 tells us that “judgment is without mercy for those who show no mercy.” So lets direct our hearts always to the tender mercies we received and can give out. “…for they shall receive mercy.”

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“…the pure in heart.” Wow, this certainly can’t be accomplished in our own strength. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it?” Jesus taught that all the wicked things that come out of our mouths originate in our hearts. PURE in heart? Who can do it? No one. Only Christ. He has promised that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” (1John1:9) Praise God.

“…for they shall see God. And truly, THESE are the only ones who will SEE God.

Revelation 22:3-4 says, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it (New Jerusalem), and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face... “

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“…the peacemakers.” We know who these rare people are. They are filled with the “wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. They sow peace and receive a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:17-18). These are those who love their enemies and pray for them. And “…they shall be called sons of God.” Why? Because Jesus, God’s Son, made peace between His Father and us by His blood on the cross.

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“…those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.” Whoa, that doesn’t sound right. This is not persecution because we are fools or sinners or do stupid things. The persecution here is for Christ’s sake, because we are one of His, because His life and light show out from us to a dark world. Those in darkness do NOT like light and try to extinguish it. We may be martyred, but Jesus promises we will be with Him in glory. “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

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And then, it’s as though Jesus turns from those sitting all around Him on that hillside, and looks straight out at US. You and me.

And He says, “Blessed are YOU when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ON MY ACCOUNT. Rejoice and be glad, for YOUR reward is in heaven…”

He repeats the previous beatitude, making it personal to us. Then it seems He speaks to US as well as to the crowd of followers around Him.

“…for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Believers who love and follow Jesus, we are in good company! And one day we will stand with those prophets we read about in the Old Testament and receive the rewards Jesus spoke of. AND… a crown of life.

Persevere!

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