Outline We are Blessed Through Jesus to Bless Others based on Matthew 5:1-12

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Introduction - These words from Matthew 5 in today’s Gospel lesson are some of the most famous words of the Bible. I remember one time using these words for a wedding sermon that I preached in South Dakota many years ago. The bride wanted these words to be a part of her wedding service. Jesus spoke these words at the beginning of His Sermon on the Mount. His student disciples listened to His words spoken on a mountain. Those student disciples would have included Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Others who had seen Jesus do miracles in their area might have listened to the words of Jesus, too. The Latin word for “blessed” is “beati”. These words by Jesus in Matthew 5:3-12 are commonly referred to as the Beatitudes, since the word “blessed” is used over and over.

Comments about Matthew 5:3 Today, I will refer to the Beatitudes and encourage us to think about what they mean for our lives today. Jesus sat down, as teachers of that time often did, and taught His student disciples. Matthew 5:3 states, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Comments about Matthew 5:4 tells us, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Comments about Matthew 5:5 lets us know, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Comments about Matthew 5:6 states, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Comments about Matthew 5:7 tells us, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Comments about Matthew 5:8 lets us know, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Comments about Matthew 5:9 states, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Comments about Matthew 5:10 tells us, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Comments about Matthew 5:11–12 lets us know, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Conclusion - If we tried on our own to do everything in the Beatitudes to please God, we regularly would fail again and again. The blessings are gifts given to us through the gift of saving faith in Jesus. We are blessed because Jesus showed us the way to live as God’s children. Our Baptism into Jesus Christ gives us the blessings and mercy we need each and every day. As we receive the Lord’s Supper in faith we receive the blessings and mercy and forgiveness of the Lord anew. As we learn from God’s Word, the Bible, we are reminded that we are blessed by God for the sake of Jesus. Jesus is the One who has shown us how to be poor in spirit, meek, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted, and reviled in life.

We are the poor in spirit. We are the those who mourn. We are the meek. We are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness. We are the merciful. We are the pure in heart. We are the peacemakers. We are persecuted by others for righteousness’ sake. We are reviled by others for the sake of Jesus. We rejoice and are glad that heaven is our home. We are blessed through the gift of saving faith in Jesus to bless others. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.