Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)
5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
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.
Have you ever had your world turned upside down? It actually happens to all of us all the time. If you watched Sesame Street growing up, there came a point where you learned that the Muppets are just people working a puppet—sorry. What about the day you learned Santa Clause wasn’t real…, didn’t that tweak your world as a kid? How about the first time someone you deeply trusted broke a promise to you? And then there are some big events that turn our world upside down. Some of them are good: marriage, children, a new job, that kind of thing. Others really shake us: loss, serious health issues, rifts in our families.
The Sermon on the Mount is a total game changer, and through this sermon Jesus completely turns the world upside down. The Sermon on the Mount covers chapters 5-7, and we’re in for a wild ride, because Jesus is going to turn the world upside down.
Many people today look at this list of blessings and think it's a set of attitudes of the heart they need to cultivate in their own lives. That kind of thinking couldn’t be more wrong. To think that way is to create a subtle, sanitized Christian works/righteousness. That kind of thinking pushes us to believe that if we just change that attitude in our heart, everything will be right with God, God will accept us, and God will bless us.
The problem with thinking that way is that we’re creating a salvation apart from Jesus; it’s a salvation up to us rather than through Christ alone.
That salvation by attitude adjustment (works) is the furthest thing from what Jesus was saying. The radical, world-altering thing Jesus proclaims is that God loves you. It’s not “God loves you if”; rather, God loves you, period, with no “ifs” attached.
In every circumstance listed above, Jesus proclaims that, despite the mess of your life, God loves you and you are welcome into the kingdom of God. No human condition, being poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger, or anything else, is a precondition that excludes you from the kingdom of God.
The kingdom is breaking into the world in Jesus' presence, and it’s wide open to all who will come.
Best news ever. Did you hear it? You’re invited into the kingdom. Dive right in, swim in it, delight in every aspect of the kingdom, and explore every possible nook and cranny.
Through Jesus, in relationship with Him, the kingdom of heaven is yours, regardless of your circumstances, if you will come.
God bless you, and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott