The Law Of Love

The Law of Love

Matthew 5:1-20

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1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

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

To be poor in spirit is not the same as being a poor person.

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Rather it is to be emptied of self to be tender hearted toward God and the people he loves.

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To be someone who is seeking God and reaching out to God in your daily living.

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That includes children as well as adults and it includes poor children as well as rich.

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

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We all mourn for those we love and who have passed away.

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We all feel the pain and loss of that kind of mourning.

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But God knows that there are people who are mourning in a different way.

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There are those who are mourning for this lost world and those who have not accepted the salvation that only comes through Jesus Christ.

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

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I used to think meekness was weakness but it means the opposite in the Greek language.

Meekness is perfect strength at times of weakness.

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Having the power to destroy an attacker but the resolve to forgive instead

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

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There are many thousands and tens of thousands in our world who have suffered injustice even though they are innocent.

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Sometimes it seems our world is entirely locked up by the sin of injustice.

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But Jesus came to free the world and to set the captives free. Those who are captive by sin and those who have been made captives through the sins of others

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

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Mercy is extending God’s grace to someone who really doesn’t deserve it.

You realize that it is the grace of God that allows you to be merciful.

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Being merciful is when you throw your arms around someone instead of throwing stones at them.

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

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Children and babies posses an innocence that we lose along the way

It is this kind of purity that is needed in our hearts – the spontaneity of a kiss or smile just because.

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The pure in heart among us seek to bring all our friends before God in prayer before we ever mention our own name.

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

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There are all kinds of peacemakers professional and civilian; they are young and old, boys and girls, Mom’s and Dad’s, Grandmas, and Grandpas.

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They are willing to get into the middle of a bad situation for the sake of the people who are angry. They know that they take a risk in doing this but their love for peace and the serenity that peace brings is worth the effort.

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

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Persecution for being a Christian began with Jesus and clung to his followers as it still does today.

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

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Persecution can follow anyone in our culture even a football player. His example has caused others to applaud and mock him but he still continues to honor God despite the criticism.

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Jesus set for us an example of self sacrifice and the “Beatitudes” define the kind of character traits we need to possess if we truly wish to be his followers today.

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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.

Salt and Light

13 "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 trampled by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.