Matthew 5:1-12
Life for the Christian is a life that is lived by
faith. – On this All Saints Day - Jesus the greatest teacher who has ever lived
gives a description of the child of God who has been incorporated into the family
of faith.
This is exactly what John teaches in our Epistle
lesson for today. See what kind of love
the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. – 1 John 3:1-3
Four powerful words. “And so we are.”
What the world sees as tragic or empty, Jesus sees as
blessed. However, His descriptions might sound strange to human ears. Humility.
Mourning. Gentleness. Peacefulness. Does not sound like a blessed life.
Jesus lived by these descriptions Himself. We take
notice of them in His words and His actions. He Himself lived them all.
We dare not recite these ‘blessed’ words as some sort
of mantra. To the contrary, our national creed is one of optimism. Not hunger
or thirst of any kind.
“Blessed are the
peacemakers” says Jesus. V 9 But in our American culture those who pursue peace
risk having their patriotism called into question.
We live in a nation which says: Blessed are the well-educated, for they will get the good jobs.
Blessed are
the well-connected, for their aspirations will not go unnoticed.
Blessed are
you when you know what you want, and go after it with everything you’ve got. For
God helps those who help themselves.
If we are honest, we must admit that the world Jesus
asserts as fact is not the world we have made for ourselves. [1]
These statements are description, not prescription.[2]
Those who are blessed receive the gifts the Savior has
given. And what has the Savior given?
1. There is
comfort for those who mourn now – Vs.
4 - Blessed are those who mourn, for they
will be comforted.
"Mourning"
describes a person who becomes aware of his personal offense to God and the
pain that he has brought to others by his sinful behavior. The believer who
mourns sees beyond the consequences of his wrongdoing. Into the real offenses
done to others.
For
the poor in spirit who know their
sin. They grieve over their guilt. They seek the grace of forgiveness. And for
those who mourn. They understand. What
sin and death have done to all people. And to our broken world.
Notice
the Savior’s words. You will mourn. But you will be comforted.
Godly sorrow
brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. Yet worldly
sorrow brings death. -2 Corinthians 7:10
Mourning. Specifically over the sins we have committed against
God. - Sorrow for the fact that our
sins brought God’s Son to the cross.
Yet, through that agent of execution, brings life. He himself bore our sins in his body on the
tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds
you have been healed. -1 Peter 2:24
2. Then there
is the fulfillment of the desire for goodness – Vs. 6 - Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
To Hunger and
thirst for righteousness; describes a man's relentless pursuit of God's
righteous standards, which he can only gain from Christ.
He looks beyond himself for new standards of conduct
and embraces God’s strength to obtain what he so desperately desires. Genuine humility, godly sorrow for one’s
sin, and meekness leads to the desire
to be right with God.
And this righteousness; to be right with God, is
attained only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Your blessedness comes from the Blessed One; Jesus,
your Savior, the One who blesses.
God made him
who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness
of God. -2 Corinthians 5:21;
It is because
of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that
is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. - 1 Corinthians 1:30
To gain the righteousness found in Christ, one must have
confidence in His gospel and continue to obey the truth or practice
righteousness. Thus John can write in our Epistle for today: Little
children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous,
as He is righteous.-1 John 3:7
Because of His love, The Father not only calls us His
children, He actually makes us His children. Saints, in contrast to the world,
are supposed to do more than simply ''feel'' love. We act on it, as well. True
spiritual fulfillment is given to those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness.
3. There is
mercy for those who are merciful now
– Vs. 7 - Blessed are the merciful, for
they will be shown mercy.
Notice, the merciful
receive mercy. Mercy is only for the
undeserving. You show mercy as you have been shown mercy. To be merciful
is that compassion expressed to those around them. Seized by his own unworthiness, the believer
in Christ reaches out to others with compassion. Because he too has been
forgiven, he cares for the special needs of those around him.
Mercy is demonstrated, in part, by our willingness to
forgive others. Because of this forgiveness in Christ. The saints of God forgive.
Not merely when it’s the noble thing to do. Not when it’s convenient. And there
are eyes upon you.
Not merely seven times. But 70 times 7! This is what
Paul teaches when he says, Get rid of all
bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of
malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you. -Ephesians 4:31-32
The
merciful show compassion and forgive as Christ has loved and forgiven them. We
ask for a pure heart. That we may seek the Lord. And serve His holy purposes. We seek peace through the blood of Christ; the
Prince of peace.
The mercy of God is the source of motivation to show
mercy toward others. Be merciful, just as
your Father is merciful. -Luke 6:36
Only the merciful will receive mercy. Judgment without
mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Yet mercy triumphs over judgment! For
judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over
judgment.-James 2:13
4. There is
a vision of God for the pure in heart
– Vs.8 - Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God. This is the
only way in which you can see God.
Pure in heart speaks not of a person's old heart but his new heart.
God has given the ability to seek the welfare of others above the desires for
self. Refusing to focus on themselves, true saints, sincerely open their heart
to what God and others desire.
Pure in Heart means clean, pure of sin, sincere, earnest devotion
to God. It is a pure longing for God. Serving Him only.
A pure heart is achieved by the help of God. He made no distinction between us and them,
for he purified their hearts by faith. -Acts 15:9
Christians are to be committed to cleansing their
hearts (and lives) of sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness -1
John 1:9
To see God
or maintain fellowship with Him requires purity of heart. As James teaches, Come near to God and he will come near to
you -James 4:8
These
statements. Of those who are blessed.
These proclamations. These declarations. Are not some new kind of new Law given to us.
They are not rules for the righteous. They are rather
a description of those who are in
Christ.
Saints of God - The reign of the heavens is
yours. These assertions describe both who Jesus is and what He gives to all who,
by faith, have been incorporated into His family the Church.
You, child, are blessed. The Kingdom of the Heavens is yours! You shall see God. For you are called the sons of God - You belong to Christ.
Passive Sentences – 9%
Readability – 79.7%
Reading Level – 4.7
For All the Saints copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
