The Beatitudes Pt. 2

Introduction

Mikarios (word for blessing): To be happy, fortunate, & flourishing

flourishing: connected to a certain way of being

The Beatitudes display a unique way of life filled with flourishing —- this is a unique way of life that Jesus is inviting you into — but know that the way…. is a way:

so, here we can read the beatitudes in this way … “to be blessed by Jesus is to live in a current and consistent state of flourishing and happiness because you have embraced the path, worldview, and life of Jesus.”

This is something that you adopt as a lifestyle, commit yourself to, and ultimately submit to.

in the first week of this series I took us through the covenants that God made with His people that ultimately led to this passage here today:

God gave His People a series of blessings through His promises: the land, the descendants, the great nation, the rainbow, the earthly throne, grace, and ultimately resulting in Jesus’ coming —- and in each and every one it came with great sacrifice and commitment from Gods people —- this is how God leads His people

so here is the dichotomy of our passage today:

Righteousness in christ for the blessed in Christ is this: The mighty act of God that a new status is given to Gods people // no longer bound in sin, but ever being formed into Christlikeness and His standing is now gifted to you

In our new status in Christ, we learn what it most means to be like Jesus —- in that we die to ourselves and are anew in christ —- apart of these blessings is what you receive in christ “theirs is the kingdom” and another part is the acting living faith that we have of becoming meek, poor in spirit, mourn, becoming meek and humble.

the equation of faith is this: You are accepted into all that Christ has for you through grace by faith (Eph. 2:8-10) —- then go on experiencing this flourishing through obeying all that god has commanded you to

here me say this: intimacy with God, comes from obedience -— obedience breeds intimacy

I want us to see this second sermon on the Beatitudes through the lens of all that we taught and what Jesus preached in His Sermon on the Mount: so… lets bring this down to the most practical level —-

the church, who embrace the way of Jesus and receive His blessing, is to act as a foretaste of all that we will receive in Heaven —- working to store up treasures in heaven and not here on earth, avoiding the very sin that reeks of death, being the salt and light to the world as a way of preserving what God has created us for, pursuing Jesus even in the midst of our worry or anxiousness knowing Jesus was victorious and therefore so are we, and through it all we are seeking first the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:2-11

English Standard Version (Chapter 5)

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.

Matthew 5:6-11 (our passage today)

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.

Be Hungry For Righteousness For This is Gods Blessing To Us

in both the hebrew and the Greek it was normative to place the most emphasis on a paragraph in the middle of the paragraph. What we find in the middle of the beatitudes is this verse here:

Matthew 5:6

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Have you ever been sitting on your couch… minding your own business…. and then it happens….. you hear in the background noise “BK.. have it your way” OR “Eat fresh” OR “i’m lovin it” —- and you went from not thinking about food… not even hungry!!! and all of the sudden i NEED a burger! *maybe its because they put some addictive substances in there idk

when this happens the desire of those commercials is met —- you saw an Ad and it stirred something up in you that desired the very thing they are trying to sell you

you see, righteousness, in some ways works the same —— it is not an Ad, it is also not by happenstance that you see it, but when you do see it and you know the one who gives it, you begin to desire more and more and more of it! Righteousness breeds righteousness —- hunger for it breeds more hunger for it

knowing the giver and keeper of righteousness is the key to being hungry for it:

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible (Chapter 5)

Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy and flourishing (Mikarios) . Righteousness is here put in place for all spiritual blessings. These are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ, confirmed by the faithfulness of God. However, desires of spiritual blessings must be real from the blessing recipient. Such a desire as this, for righteousness, is a desire of God’s own giving and raising in us, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands.

you see, God is the giver of righteousness —- He also will stir our desire for it as we are becoming more like Jesus, and as we are becoming more like Jesus, He will work it out in us —- for He both gives us the desire and works it out in us as we follow Him

Numbers 23:19 (ESV)

God is not man, that he should lie,

or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

How good is it, that as we hunger for righteousness, hunger for it being a gift that God gives us, He then works it out in us! He is not a lier, for He will do this in us!

lastly on righteousness — what is its goal? to make us more like Jesus —- what is the Beatitudes goal? to make us more like Jesus in receiving and being who He is.

Jesus was merciful, meek, humble, pure, and was faithful in the midst of persecution. Our savior does not call us into His blessing, without first being the perfect example for us!

Think with me for a second how the author Matthew structures his book —- it tells a lot about our struggle, and Jesus’ victory —- it highlights the beauty of the blessings in the beatitudes

Matthew presents two issues: Humanity's Guilt (in sin), and our bondage to sin

Matthew then presents to us how Jesus will deal with our guilt and deal with our bondage:

Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan — where historically people would go there to be cleansed —- jesus is now washed over with the water from the river Jordan —- representing his coming to be the true cleanse — that He was baptized into what ultimately would represent our sins upon the cross — Jesus has come to deal with the guilt of our sin

Jesus was then led into the wilderness to be tempted by the spirit —- Temptation comes to us in sin doesn't it—- but Jesus was sent TO temptation to conquer it — you see Jesus deals with our Bondage through His righteousness exchanged for our sin

The Beatitudes now, here, represent what blessings flow to Gods people in our faith

2. Righteousness On Display Looks Like: Mercy, Peace, and Steadfastness

Matthew 5:7-11

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.

Verse 7

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matthew 5:1–12; Luke 6:20–26)

The world promotes that those who are to be happy, are those who have no concern about the distresses of others, but to work toward your own peace. Christ says that those are happy, who are not only prepared to endure their own afflictions, but to take a share in the afflictions of others,—who assist the hurting,—who willingly take part with those who are in distress,—who clothe themselves, as it were, with the same affections, that they may be more readily disposed to render them assistance

Blessed are those who extend the type of mercy Jesus extended to them, to others

you see when you become more like Jesus, you begin to care deeply for those who Jesus cared for — everyone —- in particularly those who are hurting

Verse 8:

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

The pure in heart are fulfilled; for they shall see God.

Here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together.

The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God. remember the Psalmist —- Create in me such a clean heart, O God.

notice this important distinction: None but the pure (saved by faith) are capable of seeing God, neither would heaven be happiness to the impure. God cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity.

Verse 9:

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible (Chapter 5)

They love, and desire, and delight in peace; They keep the peace that it not be broken, and recover it when it is broken

We as believers, take note of Jesus running into the mess, and we are unafraid to step into the mess to seek peace —- for this is a delight for us —- for this is what Jesus was all about.

Application:

Be Hungry For Righteousness For This is Gods Blessing To Us

2. Righteousness On Display Looks Like: Mercy, Peace, and Steadfastness

our whole life in faith is provided for us in the sermon on the mount

id like us to close this series with asking us to consider a few things

do you just like what Jesus has done for us - or has what Jesus gifted you changed the entirety of your life, now seeing everything through the lens of Christ

what sin in your life needs repented from?

what does seeking first the kingdom of God look like for you? — get practical - through distractions, work, etc - what does it look like for you to seek first His Kindom