MATTHEW 5: 3- 12 (NIV)
5 Now when Jesus
saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came
to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
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.
Basic Traits, CHARACTER AND
THE KINGDOM
While the Beatitudes of Jesus
provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the
midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth.
Beatitude is a possession
of all things held to be good, from which nothing is absent that a good desire
may want. Perhaps the meaning of
beatitude may become clearer to us if it is compared with its
opposite.
Now the opposite of beatitude
is misery. Misery means being afflicted unwillingly with painful sufferings.
·
Clearly, the authority Christ hopes to delegate to
His own is intended to be exercised by a disciple willing to accept renewal in
soul and behavior as well as rebirth through forgiveness of sin. To these, obviously the call to “kingdom” living and ministry includes the expectation that
Holy Spirit –begotten fruit and gifts will develop in the believer. The same Spirit that distributes gifts of
power for kingdom service also works in us to beget kingly qualities of live,
love, and a holy character (John 15:1-17, Gal. 5:22, 23).
Kingdom Dynamics
ON THE BEATITUDES
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
·
"Poor
in spirit" means to be humble. Humility is the realization that all your
gifts and blessings come from the grace of God. To have poverty of spirit means
to be completely empty and open to the Word of God. When we are an empty cup
and devoid of pride, we are humble. Humility brings an openness and an inner
peace, allowing one to do the will of God. He who humbles himself is able to
accept our frail nature, to repent, and to allow the grace of God to lead us to
conversion.
·
It is
pride, the opposite of humility, that brings misery. For pride brings anger and
the seeking of revenge, especially when one is offended. If every man were
humble and poor in spirit, there would be no war!
"Blessed are they who
mourn, for they shall be comforted."
·
If we
are humble and appreciate that all of our gifts and blessings come from God, we
grow in love and gratitude for Jesus Christ our Savior. But this can only
produce mourning and regret over our own sins and the sins of this world, for
we have hurt the one who has been so good to us. One also mourns for the
suffering of others.
·
The more
one ascends in meditation of Divine Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and then
realize the poverty of human nature, man can only be left in sorrow. When one
contemplates that we were made in the image and likeness of God and lived in
Paradise, the Garden of Eden, and compare that to our present state after the
Fall, one can only mourn our present condition. But the sentence continues that
they shall be comforted, by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and hopefully one
day in the Kingdom of Heaven. Pray for the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians
5:22) - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.
·
Mourning
in this context is called a blessing, because mourning our fallen nature
creates in us a desire to improve ourselves and to do what is right!
"Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth."
·
The
Beatitudes build one upon another. A humble person becomes meek, or becomes
gentle and kind, and exhibits a docility of spirit, even in the face of
adversity and hardship. A person that is meek is one that exhibits
self-control. St. Augustine advises us to be meek in the face of the Lord, and
not resist but be obedient to him. Obedience and submission to the will of God
are certainly not in vogue these days, but they will bring one peace in this
world and in the next.
"Blessed are they who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
·
Justice
and righteousness in the New Covenant indicate the fulfillment of God's will in
your heart and soul. It is not mere observance of the law (Matthew 5:20), but
rather an expression of brotherly love (I John 3:10). A continuous desire for
justice and moral perfection will lead one to a fulfillment of that desire - a
transition and conversion to holiness. This is true for all the virtues - if
you hunger and thirst for temperance, you will head towards the goal you have
in mind. St. Augustine called the Beatitudes the ideal for every Christian
life! In his discourse on the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, he noted the
correspondence of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and their necessity in
fulfilling the Beatitudes. For example, one must have the gift of fortitude so
one may be courageous in seeking social justice.
"Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy."
·
Mercy is
the loving disposition towards those who suffer distress. Love, compassion, and
forgiveness towards one's neighbor will bring peace in your relationships. We
say in the Lord's Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us. As we are merciful to others, so our Heavenly Father will
be merciful with us! Jesus reminds us that whatever "you did to the least
of my brethren, you did it to me (Matthew 25:31-46)." St. Paul calls for
the obedience of faith in the beginning and end of his Letter to the Romans
(1:5, 16:25-27). The following are ways to be merciful to your neighbor as well
as to be obedient in faith to Christ our Savior.
In Christ,
Janet
Irene Thomas
Playwright/Screen
Writer/Director
Published
Author/Gospel Lyricist &Producer
FOUNDER/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
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