Blessed are They Matthew 5:3-12

Introduction

In His sermon on the mount Jesus spoke heavily on the blessings offered to believers. Many who claim to preach the Word of God will tell you that God will bless your life with wealth, health, and happiness. This is not true, but He will bless you in other ways both spiritually and eternally. Throughout the Bible God tells us the lives of believers will NOT be easy, we will NOT always have money, we will NOT always have good health, and we will NOT always be happy. However, if you love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul you will have eternal life and a spiritual contentedness you can’t find anywhere else in the world.

Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:3

Right of the bat Jesus is talking about blessing the poor. The blessing that these poor receive is the kingdom of Heaven (salvation)

The poor in spirit knows he is helpless

The poor in spirit denies himself, to follow Jesus

Matthew 19:16-30 tells about a rich man who came to Jesus and asked how to get to Heaven. After the man tells Him he follows the Law to the letter, which is impossible, Jesus finally told him to sell all his belongings and follow Him to get to Heaven. The man is distraught and leaves.

The Jews saw physical wealth as righteousness. The more wealthier a person was the better he appeared to those around him. Look at Job, his friends saw the loss of his material loss as an obvious sign he was disobedient to God.

Those Who Mourn

Matthew 5:4

The world is focused on physical, emotional, and mental pleasure. Phrases such as YOLO have circulated.

The Christian mourns in a penitential manner, repentant of sins

The Christian mourns in sympathy for the afflictions of others around them

Comfort comes from the Holy Spirit after salvation

The Meek

Matthew 5:5

The meek quietly submit to God

The meek can take provocation without becoming enraged

The meek can show displeasure without being unpleasant about it

Inherit the earth is one of the only physical blessings spoken in the New Testament

Meekness does tend to support our health, wealth, comfort, and safety in the world

Those Who Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness

Matthew 5:6

John 4:14 tells us those that drink from the water offered by Jesus (salvation) shall thirst no more

Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness desire to grow closer to God

Satisfaction comes in the manner of spiritual contentedness

The Merciful

Matthew 5:7

The merciful are inclined to empathize with and help others in tribulations

Look at Job’s friends, were they merciful, or judgmental?

How hard is it to simply be kind and helpful?

By being merciful we in turn receive mercy from God in the form of a sparing mercy (if you forgive others the Lord will forgive you), supplying mercy (if you provide for those in need the Lord will provide for you), and sustaining mercy (the Lord will give you life everlasting)

Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:8

The pure in heart, much as those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, desire to draw closer to God

The pure in heart must first be saved

When the pure in heart draws closer to God, God becomes more evident in his life

The Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9

Much like the meek, the peacemakers have a peaceable disposition.

Peacemakers preserve the peace and repair any breaches of peace

Peacemakers will be an evidence to their blessing of being a child of God

Jesus did not desire to spread His church through fire and sword, but through peace and spreading the Gospel

The Persecuted

Matthew 10-12

The persecuted remain faithful in the face of often violent persecution

The persecuted have a true desire to spread the Gospel

The persecuted have the imminent promise of Heaven