The Sermon of Blessings: Part 2 (Matthew 5:1-10)
The Gospel message is good news, but it is also impossible news. It is impossible to accept with our limited understanding. There is a tension in the idea of a sovereign God acting to save a rebellious, dead, creation and the reality that we have a responsibility in choosing grace and life over rebellion and death.
This is apparent in the blessings that Jesus uses to describe the citizens of the Kingdom.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Jesus teaches this idea throughout the Gospels. Those who receive forgiveness need to be forgiving. Those who have seen God’s mercy, need to be showing mercy. It is ridiculous to think that anyone could understand the Gospel message and continue to hate, judge, and castigate others. However, this is a constant problem in the history of salvation. People who get a taste of God’s mercy all too often do not let it change their hearts. Jesus reserved His harshest words for the Pharisees, who claimed to deserve God’s favor instead of seeing their tremendous need for what it was.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Grace is the only route out of our rebellion and slavery to sin. However, that does not mean that we take such grace to mean that we cannot change or shouldn’t. Real grace doesn’t just wipe the slate clean, it changes those who receive it. Our goal as citizens of Heaven should be to become more and more like the real humanity we were intended to be. Jesus is our example, and with His help and power we can grow in our purity of heart. For, the Gospel also tells us that only the pure can be citizens of heaven. We get there on borrowed purity, but God is also changing us into the people He intends us to be.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” God’s whole mission, outlined in Scripture, the essence of the Gospel, is one of redeeming creation to Himself. He is all about bringing peace. Jesus is our example of peacemaker. He came and bought redemption with self-sacrifice. If we want to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven—if we want to be children of God—we can be no different. We are not here to be holier-than-thou or to condemn the world for the very sins we have been pardoned from. We are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. We are all about bringing peace.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Finally, we must remember that we are citizens of a foreign kingdom. We no longer truly belong in the fallen world. And as the ultimate outsiders, we will face hatred and persecution. We cannot hope to exhibit the characteristics of heaven: spiritual poverty, mourning, meekness, righteousness, mercy, etc. etc., and not be seen as strange. We are promised over and over again that following Jesus is not a ticket to health, wealth, and prosperity. It is a guarantee that we will be misunderstood, mistrusted, and yes, persecuted. But that too is a blessing…
This is apparent in the blessings that Jesus uses to describe the citizens of the Kingdom.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Jesus teaches this idea throughout the Gospels. Those who receive forgiveness need to be forgiving. Those who have seen God’s mercy, need to be showing mercy. It is ridiculous to think that anyone could understand the Gospel message and continue to hate, judge, and castigate others. However, this is a constant problem in the history of salvation. People who get a taste of God’s mercy all too often do not let it change their hearts. Jesus reserved His harshest words for the Pharisees, who claimed to deserve God’s favor instead of seeing their tremendous need for what it was.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Grace is the only route out of our rebellion and slavery to sin. However, that does not mean that we take such grace to mean that we cannot change or shouldn’t. Real grace doesn’t just wipe the slate clean, it changes those who receive it. Our goal as citizens of Heaven should be to become more and more like the real humanity we were intended to be. Jesus is our example, and with His help and power we can grow in our purity of heart. For, the Gospel also tells us that only the pure can be citizens of heaven. We get there on borrowed purity, but God is also changing us into the people He intends us to be.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” God’s whole mission, outlined in Scripture, the essence of the Gospel, is one of redeeming creation to Himself. He is all about bringing peace. Jesus is our example of peacemaker. He came and bought redemption with self-sacrifice. If we want to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven—if we want to be children of God—we can be no different. We are not here to be holier-than-thou or to condemn the world for the very sins we have been pardoned from. We are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. We are all about bringing peace.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Finally, we must remember that we are citizens of a foreign kingdom. We no longer truly belong in the fallen world. And as the ultimate outsiders, we will face hatred and persecution. We cannot hope to exhibit the characteristics of heaven: spiritual poverty, mourning, meekness, righteousness, mercy, etc. etc., and not be seen as strange. We are promised over and over again that following Jesus is not a ticket to health, wealth, and prosperity. It is a guarantee that we will be misunderstood, mistrusted, and yes, persecuted. But that too is a blessing…
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