Beatitudes 1

Question, how many of you would say I am a follower of Christ? Now how many of you would say you want to be more like Christ each and every day? How many would say “man I want to be more like Jesus but im just not sure how to follow him.”

Jesus’s earliest followers were called disciples and the way they became disciples was by following Jesus and practicing his ways.

Disciple literally means to follow or student of a teacher or leader.

So how do we become disciples of Jesus today? You first have to study and learn about Jesus and his teachings in order to practice the ways of Jesus.

This passage is famously known as the sermon on the mount.

Jesus gives us 8 beatitudes

Definition of Beatitude - refers to a blessing or declaration of happiness, often used to describe qualities of character or actions that are pleasing to God.

READ Matthew 5 :1-

Verse 3, Blessed are the poor in spirit in its context is speaking to both physically poor and spiritually poor which is the opposite of being proud or prideful especially in any spiritual sense. TO be poor in spirit is to recognize the need for a savior the need for Jesus on the cross, the understanding that God is our soul provider and we can do nothing with out him , not by our own strength or power. Its the acknowledgment of knowing that we don’t deserve what God has given us.

Verse 4, We as disciples should mourn which means to feel or show deep sorrow. This means when we sin against God there should be a conviction followed by repentance to God for the sin commited. We don’t just go around abusing Gods grace or mercy God takes that as a slap in the face. This could also be in refrence to those who have gone through tough tragedy or loss.

Its so cool how Jesus didn’t just come and go and not leave us any idea how we are to serve him, he literally lived out the beatitudes through his life on earth. These beatitudes can be said to be “the attitudes that we should be” as disciples of Jesus.

A true follower of Jesus does his best to practice the ways of Jesus and not out of some religious practice but through salvation and relationship with Jesus that transforms us and gives us the power by his Holy Spirit to do the work of the Lord.

1. Final questions, What changes do I need to make to be an active follower of Jesus ?

2. Do I have a real relationship with Jesus or is it just something ima aware of?