Bless You!

Matthew 5:1-12

Bless You!

What if you could be content no matter how tough life got? What if you could know for certain that things would turn out ok? Jesus says you can, without a doubt. Today I have a sermon on a sermon, in fact the most famous sermon ever preached! Matthew 5-7 contains Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount.” People crowded on the hillside to hear it. Jesus sat down before them, the typical pose of a rabbi about to teach. And Jesus shared what we now call, “The Beatitudes.”

The word “beatitude” means “blessed” in Latin. To be blessed is much more than being happy. It’s to be in a condition where you know you’re okay because God says you are, regardless of your feelings. You have a profound sense of God’s joy and peace. You might feel down, or flat, or up—it doesn’t matter—and still be blessed at the same time. Blessedness is much more than an emotion; it is a certainty that God will take care of you, that ultimately things will turn out well.

Jesus shares some blessings available now and some reserved for the life to come. For instance, his first and last beatitudes serve as bookends with an immediate blessing: “Theirs ‘is’ the kingdom of heaven.” It’s already unfolding! And then all the other beatitudes in the middle carry a future promise, that one “will’ be comforted, for instance. Some promises we have to wait for, until God brings in his new heaven and new earth. But others are ours right now, as we follow God.

Blessed are the spiritually humble, the sorrowful, the patient, those spiritually hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for doing right. Let’s unpack each of these. First, Jesus says, blessed are the ...

1. POOR IN SPIRIT. These are people who are desperate for God. They recognize their great need for his Spirit and can’t get enough. This is the lady so broken over her sin that she washes Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:37-38). It’s the tax collector who beats his chest, praying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

Jesus promises those who are poor in spirit already have the kingdom of heaven. If you know you are desperate for God, that you are spiritually bankrupt without him, you’re there. You have arrived. As Jesus would say, “The kingdom of God is at hand.” You are living in the kingdom as you are desperate for God to come through. Be blessed, as you recognize your utter dependence on the only one who can save you, who can give you strength and endurance and purpose and unconditional love. If you yearn for God above all else, you’ve got the kingdom of heaven. It’s yours! Next, Jesus tells us, blessed are ...

2. THOSE WHO MOURN, those who grieve the loss of someone or something. Jesus promises comfort. I know some of you live this out as you walk without your mate at your side anymore. You didn’t know how you would survive, but you did, one day at a time, with God’s help. I could reflect on so many here, but I remember _______ looking helplessly at his dear wife of 50 plus years in the ICU and turning to me and saying, “Pastor, this is tougher than being a fighter pilot in Vietnam!” Yes it is, but God will bring comfort.

Mourning also includes a deep sense of grief over our sin. As we grow closer to God, we begin to hate our sin as much as God hates it. When we mourn our sin, God comforts us and draws us ever closer to him. As David’s confession in Psalm 51:17 tells us, “God is near the brokenhearted.” Thirdly, Jesus promises blessings for ...

3. THE MEEK. He says, “They will inherit the earth.” Many people misunderstand the word “meek.” They think meek equals weak. But that’s not true. The Bible says Moses was meek (Numbers 12:3), and Jesus called himself meek (Matthew 11:29), so meek must not equal weak. Moses and Jesus are anything but weak. So, what does it mean? A meek person is gentle. My favorite definition is “power under control.” You see, it’s one thing to be powerful, to be strong; it’s another thing to keep that strength under control. A meek husband never uses his strength to intimidate or hurt his wife; he protects her. A meek person keeps his or her tongue under control and refuses to gossip about another. Meekness rejects the power struggles, the violence, the manipulation often present in this world. Sometimes we wonder if power-mongers are getting away with it, but Jesus says, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Ultimately, those who keep their power under control for the good of others and the glory of God—they will inherit the earth. Jesus next talks about ...