Matthew 5:1-12 – The Beatitudes
Jesus began teaching His disciples on the mountainside. We call this “The Sermon on the Mount”. Here Jesus revealed the standards that He requires of all those who belong to Him. Once we have repented, our sins are forgiven and we are a new creation in Him. He taught the secret of the Christian life. We call it the Beatitudes.
People often use ‘happy’ in place of ‘blessed’ in the beatitudes. They think of life as being happy when it is without difficulty. But ‘happy’ here means joy even in difficulties. These beatitudes are talking about the present joy that Jesus’ followers can know and nobody can take it away. “… no one will take away your joy.” – John 16:22.
These 8 attitudes bring about God’s blessings and are the character traits of Gods’ people. Matthew 5:1-10.
Blessed are the poor in spirit – Those who can’t please God on their own. They recognize they are spiritual poor before Him. It is the opposite of being self-centered.
Blessed are those who mourn – Those who are sad and grieve over their sins and come to true repentance. They are aware of their spiritual poverty.
Blessed are the meek – Those who are humble, those who submit and are obedient to God. It’s the opposite of thinking you are better, smarter or more important than others. To be meek is not a weakness.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst – Those who constantly seek God and want to do what is right. They long to have a righteous nature and to be holy.
Blessed are the merciful – Those who are gracious to the undeserving and don’t judge. They are forgiving and compassionate like Christ.
Blessed are the pure in heart – Those who have proper motives and thoughts. Their purpose is to love God and serve Him in love to others.
Blessed are the peacemakers – Those who reconcile relationships. They bring about peace by overcoming evil with good. Jesus was known as the “Prince of Peace” and we want to be like Him.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness – Those who are courageous and endure adversity with unshakable convictions. Jesus teaches that His followers will never get away from persecution and trial. It should be a joy to share with Him in His suffering.
Jesus goes on to say “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matt. 5:11-12.
We learn about receiving rewards from these texts:
Matt. 5:12 – when we are persecuted because of
Jesus, great is our reward.
Matt. 6:3-6, 16-18 – if we give in
secret, we will be rewarded.
Luke 6:22-24 – when we suffer
because of Jesus, great is our reward in heaven.
Luke 19:11-27 – we are to be
productive and not lazy Christian to get our reward.
1 Cor. 3:8-14 – if our work
survives, we will receive a reward.
Col. 3:23-24 – work as if working
for the Lord and you will receive an inheritance from the Lord.
Heb. 10:35; 11:26 – don’t lose your
confidence and regard disgrace for the sake of Christ for future reward.
Heb. 11:6 – He rewards those who
earnestly seek Him.
Will you receive a reward from Christ?
Do you follow what the above scriptures say about rewards?
Principle: God blesses those who find their identity in Him.
Matthew 5:13-16 – Salt and Light
Jesus told his disciples that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and tramples by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matt. 5:13-16.
Salt is used as a preservative and makes food taste better. One grain of salt changes the taste of food. Salt gives savor and it hinders corruption. It’s also used for cleansing and healing. We are committed to the whole truth of God, which is the salt that hinders corruption. Jesus said the whole world is salted by you.
How can you be salt in the world? We are an example to others. We can forgive instead of taking revenge. We can speak up when we see something is wrong. When we hear an off-colored joke, we can walk away and show our disapproval. That’s putting salt on it. We can be a flavor of God in the lives of others. We can spread the Word of God, causing others to become thirsty for living waters of God.
How are Christians the light of the world? Light is invisible, yet powerful. It helps you see in darkness, shows your path, warns you of danger, and helps you see clearly.
We can be a witness for Jesus. Our lives should reflect Jesus. We can do good works and acts of kindness. We can volunteer and help those in need. We can be kind and forgiving. We can be non-judgmental, slow to anger and show understanding toward others. Do everything without complaining or arguing. Our lives can be the light of Jesus.
Christ is the "light of the world" - John 8:12. Christians need the kind of character Jesus described in the Beatitudes to live as salt and light in this evil world so the world will know there is something different about us. He calls you to be the light of the world by witnessing for Him. If we don’t live like Jesus described, we can’t draw others to Him.
Will others want Jesus in their lives because of the way you live?
Principle: Jesus’ followers think and live differently.
Join me here next week as we continue our study of Matthew -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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