Tag Archives: Beatitudes

2024-02-07 – The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5-7

07 Wednesday Feb 2024

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

I spent the last few days reading through the Sermon on the Mount. And I am embarrassed to say in all the times I have read this sermon I never realized how long it was. I always thought it was part of Matthew 5, not realizing it spanned through chapter 7. In the past I assumed these passages were all part of Jesus’ continual teachings, but in reality it was all in one sitting and it probably spanned over the course of a few days. One of the things that strikes me about the Sermon on the Mount is how comprehensive it is. This should not surprise me, it is Jesus after all, but it did when I took it all in as a whole. Jesus leaves no stone unturned. The Beatitudes gives a glimpse of what the sermon would cover:

He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus leaves no one missing and he prepares his sermon to guide those who would dare to listen, understand, and obey. If you ever have a chance, take the time to read and absorb His words in the Sermon on the Mount. It alone can be life transforming if allowed to penetrate our heart and mind.

2012 Day 22 – Matthew 5

22 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

,

We have arrived at one of the most precious sections of the New Testament, “The Sermon on the Mount”. I love reading Jesus’ words because they flow from one thought to the other guiding us to know how He views us and what are His expectations. The key lessons in the Sermon are found in the Beatitudes which basically tell us how to be blessed and many times are in direct contrast to how the world wants us to be.

Poor in spirit contrasts with pride and personal achievement, but God’s reward is that we will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mourning contrasts with having happiness at all cost, but God’s reward is that He will comfort us.

Meekness contrasts with the desire for power, but God’s reward is that we will inherit the earth.

Thirst for Righteousness contrasts with pursuing our own selfish desires, but God’s reward is that He will be the one to fill us with all our needs and we will be satisfied.

Mercy contrasts with the need to show strength without caring for others, but God’s reward is that He will show us mercy.

Pure in Heart contrasts with a desire to deceive in order to get what we want, but God’s reward is that we will truly be able to see and feel God’s presence.

Peacemaker contrasts with our desire for personal peace while shutting out the chaos of the world around us, but God’s reward is that we will be “called sons of God” (daughters implied).

And finally, Persecuted which contrasts with a weak commitment to avoid persecution, but God’s reward is that we will inherit the “kingdom of heaven”.

There is so much promise and so much truth in this sermon. Hearing it directly from Jesus’ mouth allows me to know what is truly important to him and what is expected of me.