The Beatitudes in a Nutshell

In our lives, we learn things that are just natural. We have knowledge because of experience. For instance, complete the following statement, “What goes up…” [must come down]. We know this, because of experience. Yet, we cannot always rely on experience when it comes to the kingdom of God. Instead, we must trust that His ways are not our ways. In understanding this, we can believe that indeed Jesus walked on water, and that the Red Sea was parted, and even that the sun stood still. As we continue through the Sermon on the Mount, especially for today, I would encourage you to keep the following thoughts in your mind: Jesus teaches because He knows what His hearers do not; What Jesus teaches is not common sense or natural attitudes; and Jesus knows the ways of God, because He is God.

Jesus teaches because He knows what His hearers do not know. Last week, my last two points were that Jesus teaches, and Jesus teaches those who are willing to listen. Of course, they sounded the same, but the intent was that Jesus offers knowledge that is not commonly known. And Jesus is willing to teach those who are wanting to know what He is willing to teach. In a sense, I am returning back to those points today, because of the way the passage starts… “Jesus opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…”. We sent children to school or teach them from home, but either way we are giving them an education. The intention is to help them grow in knowledge, because there are things they do not know, which if they will learn them will help them as they do well as an adult. We tend to want our children to have a good job, to have a sufficient income so that they will not have to struggle, or maybe better said, they will not have to be without the things they need and want in life. Jesus likewise teaches. Yet, His teaching is not to provide things to enhance the material quality of a person’s life. Instead, His teaching is to enhance the character quality of the individuals who are listening to Him… to draw their character into alignment with God’s character. His opening statements are offensive. He offers 8 sayings which we know as the beatitudes, sayings which in a nutshell are not about living for today or giving one the most instantaneous pleasure.

Therefore, what Jesus teaches is not natural sense. Notice I said natural sense and not common sense. That’s because what we call common sense is not all that common. For instance, common sense says, “don’t touch a stove, because it might be hot.” I proved that was not common a few months ago in my story about touching the eye to see if it were hot. Maybe that proves that I’m just ignorant. Still, seemingly, common sense is lacking. I wonder though, if that is because with each passing generation, we have sought for things to be easier for ourselves and our children. In turn, we have failed to pass along lessons which were taught by previous generations. In fact, maybe we have gotten to where we really don’t communicate as a community with the next generation… and the next generation does not communicate with the previous generation, simply because it is not comfortable or easy. Either way, common sense is no longer common. Therefore, we follow natural sense, that which seems the most natural and convenient to our senses. If we followed natural sense throughout life for everything, we would find that we would live by the natural attitudes not the Beatitudes. What are the natural attitudes then, you might be asking? Let’s walk through them with the Beatitudes one by one.

Look at the first. Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Notice the verb is present tense - “is”. Yet, who can see the kingdom of heaven? Do you have eyes to see the Kingdom of Heaven? My guess is no. Therefore, because we do not have eyes to see, we probably live more along the lines of the natural, “Blessed are the wealthy, because they can have what they want.” This one leads into the second natural attitude versus the second Beatitude. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Who wants to mourn when you can be happy. Of course, the mourning Jesus is speaking of is a mourning about not following God’s commands, a departure from living out God’s will, which ultimately leads to death, which then causes more mourning. Therefore, the natural attitude would be, “Blessed are those who are happy, for they shall be at ease.” As I have mentioned over and over of late. As humans, our tendency is to look for the path of least resistance. That which feels good. The natural attitude leads to self-focus which leads people away from relationships – specifically away from a relationship with God, which also leads away from a deep relationship with others, which both can and will cause mourning. Next, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” I have heard meekness described as restrained power. Jesus appeared weak to Pilate. However, in their conversation, Jesus tells Pilate that if He wanted to, He could call down more than 12 legions of angels. in our society, we do not value meekness. We value pride. Therefore, the third natural attitude would be, “Blessed are the proud, for their strength shall be known.” We say, “Look strong and confident. Be assertive. Never show any sign of weakness.” Is this how we should be in church? Should we value strength, assertiveness, and pride? Of course, you could take this too far and say, “Should we never have pride or be assertive?” Without reserve, I would offer the answer to that is no. Yet, when pride causes you to stop depending on God for every action and amount of strength, when it results in you never exhibiting any form of what the world says is weakness, then maybe you have too much pride. Beatitude #4 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” We should desire to live according to God’s ways, His laws. Psalm 19:9 says, “the rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” Psalm 119:105 says, “thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The natural attitude though says, “Blessed are the self-righteous, for they shall always be right and shall easily judge others.” Do we not find ourselves in that mode?

Keep going, Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” Yet, we tend to approach mercy as a bad thing. Do we not desire mercy to be extended to us? Yet, we always want justice dealt out on others when they do wrong… or we feel we have been wronged. So, natural attitude #5 is, “Blessed are those who are vengeful and live by an eye for an eye.” While yes, “an eye for an eye” is in the Bible, the intention there was for the governance of society, not vengeance. God says, “Vengeance is mine.”

Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Yet the natural attitude says, “Blessed are those who follow their desires, for this will make them happy and they shall find themselves.” Even in the church, we are admonished to follow our hearts. Still, does not scripture tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked? Shall we accept living for our wants and desires? Or shall we seek to have a pure heart according to God’s plan?

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called sons and daughters of God.” Peace makers walk into hardship sometimes, they may have to out disparities between where someone thinks they are right when they are in the wrong in dealing with another person or in their life according to the word of God. Peace makers are not looking to their own ease, but for the benefit of another, working toward improved relationship and godliness. Our natural attitude encourages, “Blessed are the peacekeepers, for they shall not know hardship.” When someone is simply keeping the peace because they do not want to rock the boat, when there is something wrong, they are not benefiting others… they are simply benefiting themselves.

Finally, Jesus says, “Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Again, we find the unseen kingdom being expressed. We do not want to wait for the revelation of the unseen kingdom. We want to do what feels good now. So the natural attitude is, “Blessed are they who are not persecuted, for they are doing right by the world.” Yet, from scripture, we know that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Again, the beatitudes in a nutshell is living for God both now and in the future.

Why can I say this? Because Jesus knows the ways of God, because He is God. Jesus offers those who are listening an understanding of how to live by God’s ways, which are contrary to the ways of the world, because He was in the beginning with the Father and the Spirit, creating the world. He was there when Adam and Eve chose to reject God’s authority in effort to be like God. He is the second Adam who is the only one who can make people right with God again.

So, will you trust in His ways, or will you trust in your natural attitudes? To live by the Beatitudes you will reflect God’s character to the world. To live by the natural attitudes, you will reflect the world to the world. The first will result in rewards to come. The second rewards now. Which will you choose?