Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them.” Matthew 5:1-2 The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus’ most famous sermons. The Beatitudes are just the beginning of what Jesus has to say. The full sermon is in Matthew 5-7 and it shows how Jesus wants people to live. The Beatitudes 1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” The word poor can often confuse us in this Beatitude. If we replace the word poor with the word humble, then the meaning will become clear to us. God doesn’t want us to be filled with pride. When we come to God, we must be humble and recognize our sin. We shouldn’t be proud in our hearts, thinking that we don’t need God. God will bless those who are humble, and they will inherit the kingdom of Heaven (eternal life). 2. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” In this Beatitude, Jesus is saying that when we cry or are depressed, we will be comforted. God never meant for us to live this life on our own. He will be with you through everything and will always be there to help you get through the tough times. This reflects the first Beatitude in saying that we understand that we are sinners, and mourn because of our separation from God. 3. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” To be meek refers to have a quiet and gentle spirit. It is humility (the state of being humble) towards God and others. It is when you might have the power do something, but you refrain to benefit someone else. God admires those who are meek, and they will inherit the earth. (This Beatitude reflects what is said in Psalm 37:11.) 4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Righteousness means to be free of sin. We should hunger and thirst to live a life that is without sin and is pleasing to God. He is the only One who can truly satisfy us and fill us with righteousness. 5. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” This kind of leads us back to the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. Jesus is basically telling us that if we are merciful to others, He will show us mercy. All of our actions should be a mirror of what He would do. 6. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” To be ‘pure in heart’ means to have a heart that dwells on thoughts that are clean. God wants our hearts to dwell on good things, not evil. Those who are pure in heart will get to see Him. 7. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” God doesn’t like it when we fight with each other. He wants there to be peace. Those who avoid arguments and instead make peace will be called children of God! 8. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Though people might make fun of you for being a Christian, what matters most is God’s opinion on the subject. God will bless you greatly in Heaven when you are persecuted for His name’s sake. We should be proud to be a Christian (not in a prideful way) and want to share the good news with others, no matter what they might say or think of us. I wrote this based off of some research I did on a few websites. I give them credit for the information I got from them. (They’re listed below.) http://billygraham.org/answer/what-does-it-mean-to-be-poor-in-spirit-as-jesus-said-we-ought-to-be/ http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/Grady_Scott/matt5-5.htm https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/610-who-are-the-pure-in-heart I hope you enjoyed this and gained some insight about what the Beatitudes really mean!
Blessings, Christina ♫
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Philippians 3:13-14 says, "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
-- Sometimes, we can be so focused on our past that we forget that God has better things in store for us ahead. We get caught up in thinking about what has happened and can't let go. Satan can try to distract us with our past and make us lose our focus on God. Well, when Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! Don't live in the past; instead, live in the present because God has His very best saved just for you. If you are focused on your past because you feel guilty for something you've done, remember that God's mercies are new every day! Each day is a gift because it's our second chance. If you ask for forgiveness, He will be faithful to grant it to you! Just as God forgives us and forgets our sins, so we should do unto others. -- Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Psalm 103:11-12 says, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." -- Blessings, Christina ♫ |
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