The Beatitudes

You could read them like this:

 ● Because Jesus has saved us, we can be poor in spirit because we know he promises to be our sufficiency in all things 

● Because Jesus saved us, we can enter into other’s pain and mourn because that’s what he did for us.

 ● Because Jesus saved us, we can be meek and take the 2nd place because that’s what Jesus did for us. ● Because Jesus saved us, we can hunger and thirst for righteousness because the God of righteousness has become our Savior 

● Because Jesus saved us, we can’t help but being merciful to others because that’s how he was to us.

 ● Because Jesus saved us, we want to be pure in heart so we can know him more 

● Because Jesus saved us, we can prioritize peace instead of vindication because that’s what he did with us. 

● Because Jesus saved us, we can endure persecution because Jesus’ resurrection shows us it is worth it. Our lawgiver was not a taskmaster who simply gave the law and threatened punishments if we disobeyed. 

● Our lawgiver was a Savior, who not only issued the law but offered himself as a substitute sacrifice for those ways in which we had broken it. 

● He didn’t just ascend the mountain to give the law, he ascended the cross to die in our place for breaking it. 

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

Jesus doesn’t say why we are mourning, here. ● But mourning goes along with being poor in the spirit. o When you feel powerless, weak, and unrighteous you mourn… and God comforts you. 

● But I also think, based Jesus’ future teaching, that mourning means a willingness to enter the pain of others and mourn with them. ● So write this down: ‘Mourning’ means being relationally connected to others. o I think of Jesus’ most famous parable, the Story of the Good Samaritan. Two men pass by, and one stops to help. ▪ He didn’t have to. He didn’t know this guy. ▪ There were probably lots of excuses why he shouldn’t—he had other stuff to do. It was dangerous. Costly. ● As we get older—I’ve noticed this in myself, the trajectory of our lives is to get more and more isolated. o We don’t want to connect with our neighbors, we don’t want to open our lives to the needy, being in a small group is a pain, because we don’t feel like need other people.

So blessed are those who open their hearts and their homes to take in the pain of others. Because Jesus saved us we can enter into others pain.  

5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ● ‘Meekness’ means taking 2nd place instead of the 1st place whenever you can. It means leveraging your power to serve others and not exalt yourself. o I think of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet… He deserved the spot of Lord and Master; he took the servant role.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. ● To hunger and thirst for righteousness means to crave fellowship with God above everything else. 4 Statistically, the richer you are, the less (percentage wise) you give away to charity. ● We’re all hungry. ● Solomon says that God created us with eternity in our hearts, which means a hole the size of eternity. ● And we all choose a way to fill that hole. (Pascal) o Money/Relationships/Approval

 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. ● The merciful are those who extend forgiveness (or generosity) to the same measure it’s been extended to them. ● BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL FOR… What if God forgave your sins only according the measure you forgive others? Your boss

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

The pure in heart is the ones abstain from the things that grieve God. 

The pure in heart are the ones that will see God. What grieves God impurity, sin

I can not have fellowship with God. I can not cherish sin and know God. I can not have fellowship with God who hung on the cross for the things I am choosing to keep in my life. 

and refuse to bring those to light and deal with that

our ability to see and understand God is directly proportional to how pure we keep our hearts. 

Purity brings clarity. The more my heart is free from idolatry and lust the more I will see what He sees the more I value what He values. 

Blessed are the pure in heart because they want to know God more than they want that sin in their life.  

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God. 

A peacemaker is someone who prioritizes relationship over personal vindication.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” ● So much we could say about this one, but here’s how I would summarize this one: Blessed are those who value being right with God above all things. ● You see, at some point in life, we all suffer. We will all die. o At least have the satisfaction that you are suffering for the right. o To know that you have pleased God, done your duty, and have eternity to look forward to the reward for your labor.