Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV) The Beatitudes
(Luke 6:20–26)
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The cornerstone of the message of the Beatitudes is that the key to happiness and fulfillment is not the pursuit of happiness, but instead, the pursuit of holiness and righteousness. The message is as foreign today as it was then.
Because the Sermon on the Mount was addressed to Jesus’ disciples, we know that this is not the message Jesus used to bring unbelievers to Him. These were lessons taught to believers, to give them markers along their pathway to be used in daily living. While these are some of the simplest verses in the Bible, they are also some of the most important and quite possibly some of the most misunderstood. The theme is righteousness, and the lessons here are not laws of conduct, but rather rules of character.
What the Pharisees believed…
Righteousness was external
Righteousness came from obeying rules and regulations
Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, etc.
The Pharisees were religious to attain the approval of man
What Jesus taught…
Righteousness is internal
Righteousness comes not from what we do, but from who Jesus is
Righteousness is not measured by our conduct, but rather produces in us a Christ-like character from which righteous conduct flows
A righteous attitude pleases God, but is most certainly noticed by man
BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT
51Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them, saying:
3”Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
A number of years ago, I called Larry at work because my car had broken down on the side of the road. Larry immediately began throwing questions at me. “Is it the starter?”
“No.”
“Is it the battery?”
“No. I think it’s a little more basic than that.”
“What do you think it is, then?”
“I think I’m out of gas.”
You see, my gasoline gauge was broken, so I had to be careful to keep enough gasoline in the tank to avoid any problems. But this time, I had let my tank become bankrupt—there were no reserves from which to draw.
Too often in today’s world, we are spiritually bankrupt and don’t know it, because our spiritual gauge isn’t working. We are faithful in church attendance and honestly believe that is all that is required of us. We accept Jesus as our Savior, thus ensuring our eternal life, but we never take that next step—allowing Him to be our Lord.
Moreover, many people today are morally bankrupt because they’ve lost the compass that points them in the right direction. Instead of seeking good and avoiding evil, they have settled for right and wrong. The Bible never speaks in terms of right and wrong because they are subjective measurements. The Bible deals with good and evil because they never change.
May we be diligent to check our spiritual tank and if we are nearing empty, let us go before God and ask Him to fill us to overflowing.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Seeking Holiness 