The Good Life: Matthew 5:3-12 Senior Pastor Alex Kennedy The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus’ first public sermon, and His sermon was very counter-intuitive. He is declaring not what they may feel like (happy), but what God thinks of them (blessed). John Stott said it this way, “Such a reversal of human values is basic to biblical religion. The ways of the God of the Bible appear topsy-turvy to people. For God exalts the humble and abases the proud, calls the first last and the last first, ascribes greatness to the servant, sends the rich away empty-handed and declares the meek to be his heirs. The culture of the world and the counter-culture of Christ are at loggerheads with each other. In brief, Jesus congratulates those whom the world most pities, and calls the world’s rejects ‘blessed’.” Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven This doesn’t speak about those below the poverty line financially, but about our spiritual bankruptcy. We had absolutely no currency toward salvation and we have no currency for staying saved. Psalm 34:6 It wasn’t the Pharisees or the Zealots who thought they were rich in self-righteousness, but the tax collectors, prostitutes, and the out outcasts who knew they had nothing to offer. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted Our loss resulting from sin should lead us to mourning and longing for God’s forgiveness and healing. Confession overflows to a contrite heart. Psalm 56:8 Jesus is saying that when we mourn for the woes and wrongs of this world, we can take comfort in the here and now that one day the wrongs will be righted, death will be dealt a death blow itself, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev 21:4). He comforts us through His Word, His love, and through people. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth Meek means gentle or humble Jesus speaks of Himself as meek in Matthew 11:11 Meekness starts vertically with God and then overflows into the horizontal relationships with others. Our human nature does not want to be meek because we do not like to surrender. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied We are lost in sin, but too often we try to fill that brokenness with things other than the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We often go after both good and bad things to try to satisfy, but both lead to more hunger and thirst if they are anything other than going after the righteousness of God first. John 6:35 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy Mercy is most like compassion, and mercy is part of the character of God and Jesus. Because of the Father’s mercy, He made a way for us to have eternal life. Mercy is seeing someone in need, and moving towards them to help meet that need. When we realize how much we have been forgiven, we more quickly forgive others. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God Pure in heart does not mean that we are sinless, but we sin less and we are grieved more when we sin. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God Jesus embodies this in Colossians 1:20 Are you a Peace-Breaker (gossip), and Peace-Faker (ignore it), or a Peace-Maker (move towards reconciliation)? Remember, Christ can bring shalom to anything. Proverbs 15:1 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Historically, the persecuted belong to a noble group – the prophets of old were themselves persecuted by the wicked. Ultimately, a great heavenly reward awaits those who endure persecution in this life. “Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer. In fact, it is a joy and a token of His grace.” – Bonhoeffer Questions to Consider: What are your substitutes to hungering and thristing for the righteousness of God? Who needs you to be Jesus to them? Jesus is the one who started your faith. What are the dangers in your walk that move you towards trying to finish your faith on your own? This week, focus on one beatitude each day. Monday – Poor in Spirit Tuesday – Those who Mourn Wednesday – Meek Thursday – Hunger and Thirst Friday – Merciful Saturday – Pure in Heart Sunday – Peacemakers and Persecuted