Scriptures : Matthew 5:1-12
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “
Blessed are the poor in spirit
The word “poor” comes from a Greek word that means “to make oneself little, to crouch.” The poor in spirit know they are sinful and feel their great need of God’s help. Isaiah 66:2 says the person who is poor in spirit is “humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at God’s word. “Such people know they will never have the spiritual qualities they need unless God has mercy on them. They seek refuge in God alone. This is the opposite of complacency and self-focused effort.
Blessed are those who mourn
The gospel is Good News only for those who know they have no answer to their own sinfulness. People who are unaware of their shortcomings do not mourn their sins. Those who know they are spiritually poor grieve over their sin and the emptiness of their lives. The blessed comfort of the Holy Spirit is reserved for those who are dissatisfied with their sinful, selfish lives. “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ’s presence to us until loneliness is gone; we are comforted.
Blessed are the meek
Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is the opposite of a proud, rebellious, independent spirit. Jesus humbly submitted to and obeyed his Father. Like their savior, meek people give up their own way and seek God’s way. Meekness is never natural. It is a quality God works into His children, often through trials and failure. They recognize that Christ reigns over the earth and all things, they are always satisfied. Regardless of circumstances, they know that God loves them and always has their welfare in mind.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness
The spiritually poor mourn their sin and meekly obey God and His revealed will. A right relationship with God is his gift to the spiritually poor. Such person will consciously hunger to be like Christ in righteousness. To all who hunger in this way, Jesus promises full satisfaction. How blessed to be hungry and thirsty and to come in to an abundant meal.
Blessed are the merciful
When you are hunger for righteousness, how can you not also hunger for right relationships with others? To have mercy is to show compassion for the sinner because of sin’s misery. Mercy is not simply a warm feeling. The merciful person moves out in compassion, in forgiveness, in prayer and in love with practical help for those in need. Because no one deserves mercy, mercy does not harden its heart against the “undeserving.” Christians mercy flows from the mercy we have received from God in Christ, so it can never be indifferent toward sin.
Blessed are the pure in heart
“Pure in heart” means heart devotion to Jesus as well as moral purity. A pure heart has one motive and one purpose; to love God, to trust Him and to serve Him in love to others. Jesus is to be desired above all desires. The pure heart is also a heart God has cleansed. God will fulfill this promise completely only when we see Christ. “When he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Blessed are the peacemakers
God’s Son is the ultimate peacemaker. Apart from Jesus, there is no true peace. He came to reconcile us first to God and then to one another. The world is sinful and self-promoting, and refuses to be reconciled to God. But there is no reason for broken relationships within the church. God’s children have peace with God and access together to God’s presence. To the extent we have peace with God, we have agreement one with the other, for the Holy Spirit within each of us speaks the same language.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness
Persecution! Why should people who are poor in spirit, who mourn over sin, who are meek, merciful and pure in heart be persecuted? Jesus later said to His disciples, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. “In this world, Jesus’ followers will never get away from persecution and trials. Jesus did not say to stoically resign yourself to persecution. He said, “Rejoice!” Just as Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. As we suffer or are persecuted, we have the joy of sharing Jesus’ suffering with Him. We experience His presence and approval. Christians who suffer for Jesus reap fruit in others’ lives, persecution always serves His purposes.