The Beatitudes

ENGAGE

(Capture attention and establish relevance)

Opening Illustration / Image / Question:

Have you ever noticed how every award show ends the same way? Someone walks on stage, holding a trophy, smiling for the cameras, and we call them “blessed.” Social media does the same thing. The promotion, the dream house, the perfect family photo, the vacation by the ocean — that’s what we label as the good life.

Now picture this scene in Matthew 5:1 (ESV):

Matthew 5:1 ESV

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.”

Jesus climbs a mountain and sits down like a rabbi ready to teach with authority. The crowd leans in. His disciples draw close. It feels like Sinai all over again — but instead of Moses delivering the Law, Jesus begins describing the life that God calls blessed.

And what He says first is not what anyone expected.

Why This Matters Now:

We live in a world obsessed with status, success, and visibility. “Blessed” has become a hashtag for achievement. Even in religious circles, blessing is often measured in growth, wealth, influence, or comfort.

If we are not careful, we will start believing that God’s favor looks exactly like the world’s applause.

Bottom Line Introduced:

Here’s the big idea Jesus is about to show us:

God’s blessing belongs to the unlikely.

And when Jesus opens His mouth on that mountain, He is about to completely redefine what it truly means to be blessed.

TENSION

(Name the problem the text addresses)

The Struggle: Our world has a messed up view of what it means to be blessed. Everyone chases after their own desires and the only way to be blessed is to climb socially.

Why This Is a Real Issue Today: This is promoted even in religious circles. Wisdom of Ben Sira 25:7-9

7 I can think of nine whom I would call blessed,     and a tenth whom my tongue proclaims: blessed is the man who delights in his children,     and the one who lives to see the downfall of his enemies; 8 blessed is the one who lives with a sensible wife     and the one who does not plow with ox... blessed is the one who does not sin with the tongue     and the one who does not serve an inferior; 9 blessed is the one who finds a friend     and the one who speaks to an attentive audience.

These words were penned roughly 150 years before Jesus would be born, so these thoughts would prevail throughout Jewish society

What’s at Stake: Pretty soon, these thoughts will then prevail in not only modern secular culture, but also modern church culture as well. We see such an emphasis about “sowing seeds” and “increasing wealth” that it is hard to discern what is truly godly blessings.

Transition to the Text: The real question is this: Who does Jesus say is blessed? I think we will be surprised by what He says.

TRUTH

(Resolve the tension through the biblical text)

Text

(Insert Scripture reference — Logos will auto-link)

Blessed Are…

Exegesis: What we tend to do with the beatitudes is make it a checklist to say “If I am these things, then I will be blessed”. So it turns from a Blessed Are to a Blessed If.

Application: This ignores the truth of the matter. These aren’t things we do simple because we want to be blessed. These are things already present in people’s lives, and they are blessed for it. When we get down to it, these are the people made happy. People that are already in the conditions listed will be blessed.

The Poor In Spirit

Matthew 5:3 ESV

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Exegesis: The way we usually draw this passage to application is by saying this means to be humble, but that is a bit of an oversimplification. Rather, when we read the word poor, it means to be destitute, worthless, bankrupt. I’ve spent everything I’ve got. I’ve lost everything. Life has just completely fallen apart. I spiritually am a beggar looking for the one who will give alms to my soul. If I were to say the poor are blessed many will give funny looks. They need to go get a job, quit being lazy, get off drugs and alcohol, take care of yourself, pull yourself up by your bootstraps. The reality is unless we become beggars in spirit, we will receive nothing.

Application: Normally the rich receive whatever their hearts desire, yet what Jesus teaches is quite the opposite. It will the poor in spirit who receive the kingdom of heaven because no amount of money can buy it. No political power can buy it. No amount of influence and no amount of pride could get you that much closer to God. We must understand that unless we become beggars, we will be miserable, constantly striving for things we cannot gain. We expect to be fed from a spiritual silver spoon as if we deserve it, but we are relying on the goodness of someone else, namely God who has forgiven us our sins. So unless you are ready to be a beggar, expect to be miserable.

Those Who Mourn

Matthew 5:4 ESV

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Exegesis: Sorrow is a guarantee in this world; no one can ever escape it. This seems the most out of place of the beatitudes because why would it be blessed to mourn? Again we are looking at conditions already present, not things to put on to be blessed. The preacher in Ecclesiastes 4:1

Ecclesiastes 4:1 ESV

1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.

And this is true. Humanity does a horrible job at comforting each other. Consider Job’s friends. They kept saying it must be Job sinned and God took away everything because of it. I’ve heard about some saying to others that since others have it worse you can’t mourn or be sorrowful.

Application: The beautiful thing is that when we fail, we can find comfort in the one who created us all. Jesus tells His apostles in that upper room in John 14:27

John 14:27 ESV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Paul says it twice in Romans 15:33 Romans 16:20

Romans 15:33 ESV

33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Romans 16:20 ESV

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

When we mourn, understand that our God comforts us. He loves us. He cherishes us. We are blessed when we mourn because we are comforted by Him in His promises.

The Meek

Matthew 5:5 ESV

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Exegesis: Was Alexander the Great a meek guy? How about Napoleon? Attila the Hun? Did you know it is believed that 1 out of 200 men is a descendant of Genghis Khan because of his escapades. The world has been fought over since mankind could fight. Empires have risen out of nothing only to be conquered by other empires. Meek people don’t conquer. Yet what the Lord tells us that those that will inherit the earth are the meek. People who have a gentleness and humility about them. Yet our world wants to tell us that i we want it, we should take it. People will lie, cheat, and steal their way to the top. For what purpose? A little gain in this world?

Application: When we think meek, we think weak. And the Lord has told us the blessing of the meek. It may be the case that we never receive an inheritance in this world, and that’s fine. What we do know is that there is an inheritance waiting for us beyond this world. Is having a bit of gentleness and humility worth waiting for the greatest gift to ever be received?

Those Who Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness

Matthew 5:6 ESV

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

Exegesis: What do I seek after on a day to day basis? Theres a show called House of Cards that focuses on a Congressman from South Carolina. One day he is eating what he considers the best BBQ in DC, and as he is fourth wall telling the audience his plans, he says, “Hey Frank, I’ll have another plate of those ribs, cause I’m hungry.” Was he really hungry for ribs? He was hungry for his political power and he was going to do everything in his power to get it! When it comes to righteousness, do we treat it the same way as when we go to our jobs, cook a meal, or spend time in our hobbies? You go to work cause you got bills to pay, that will never be satisfied. You have to eat every day, your stomach never becomes satisfied. Does anyone ever just “finish” hobbies?

Application: I know nothing in this world will ever truly satisfy me. I can learn to be content, but satisfied is a different sensation altogether. Only by the diligence in seeking after my God can I be truly satisfied. The picture that Jesus is giving us in this verse is a belly that will be forever filled if we would hunger and thirst for righteousness. We never skip a meal, so long as it depends on us. We never miss work, so long it depends on us. But the opportunity to draw closer to our God, we’ll pass up. If that is the case, we will never be satisfied. Spend more time in prayer, more time in study, more time in abiding. Matthew 4:4

Matthew 4:4 ESV

4 But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

The Merciful

Matthew 5:7 ESV

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

Exegesis: It is interesting that the blessing of the merciful is mercy. When we consider all the the scriptures teach us about mercy, certainly it is understood why the merciful receive mercy. When Jonah was sitting on that ridge, waiting for Nineveh to be destroyed, the Lord gave him shade just for it to be taken away the next day. Jonah did not understand the mercy that the Lord was showing Nineveh, the mercy that Jonah needed to show to the city as well. When we get into passages such as Matthew 6 and Matthew 18 that tell us we must forgive, it is predicated on something: we have been shown mercy.

Application: As a people who have been shown mercy, we are already blessed in that matter, but now it comes down to are we ourselves merciful. Are we able to spare vengeance on others? To often we enjoy the mercy of God but will not extend that same mercy to others around us. The truth is, we are happy showing mercy, knowing we receive mercy as well.

The Pure In Heart

Matthew 5:8 ESV

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

Exegesis: Too often do we try to approach God on our own terms, or rather tell God to approach us on our own terms. We say to God that He needs to show a sign. An adulterous generation asks for a sign. We want God to bow to our whims. God has already come to us, now we must come to Him. James 4:7-8

James 4:7–8 ESV

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

It’s the idea of cleansing our hearts, refining with fire, washing away the filth. Put away al malice, desires, and selfish ambition and look towards the one who died for us.

Application: The irony of this statement is that Jesus, God in the flesh, is standing right in front of this great crowd, yet many probably do not understand. This was an issue in John 6 when people were following him just for food. The Pharisees didn’t care to listen to Jesus, only to trap, arrest, and kill Him. Our motives matter. Our heart matters. It is intentional thought and effort to be pure hearted those that are pure hearted are happy, because we will see God.

The Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 ESV

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

Exegesis: There is a difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking. Peacekeepers overlook truth, they cower, they hide, and they buckle under weight. Peacekeepers look for truth. As we looked at earlier, our God is a God of peace. Do we strive after peace or do we live in constant conflict. That mine putting your desires aside. That might mean walking away. That might mean confrontation.

Application: A Peacemaker is someone who is drawing themselves and others towards God. They see the world around them and say, “I want others to have the peace that I have.” So they work for the sake of others, trying to help them understand who our God is and how we can live a life of peace. It is these people that are called sons of God, and they are happy for it.

The Persecuted

Matthew 5:10 ESV

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Exegesis: The blessing here is the same as the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven. Perhaps there is a connection between someone who is poor in spirit and someone who is persecuted for righteousness’ sake. The apostles rejoiced when they were persecuted. I believe Paul puts it best 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

2 Corinthians 1:8–9 ESV

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Application: Persecution is a given as Christians. Paul wrote that to Timothy, that we can expect it. Despite persecution, the persecuted are happy because they will receive the kingdom of heaven. While the persecuted may suffer, it is certainly a time to remember the blessings that are to come. While people may do us wrong, understand the Lord is good and faithful.

The Reviled

Matthew 5:11–12 ESV

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.

Exegesis: Another aspect of persecution is that people may talk bad about us simply for being Christians or just doing what is right. It’s kind of expected as well. Companies want team players. Politics want alignment. The world wants acceptance and when you don’t give it, it will try and hurt you. Peter deals with this by pointing these exiles to Christ and how He suffered. 1 Peter 4:1-5

1 Peter 4:1–5 ESV

1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Application: How many prophets were killed simply because they preached the word of God? How many were threatened and punished simply because they wanted to obey God? Know this, people will talk bad about you because you follow the convictions of the Lord, and when this happens, rejoice! Rejoice knowing that by being steadfast we have a great reward in heaven. James 1:2-4

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Our faith can come out stronger on the other side of persecution, if we will remain steadfast, trusting in and leaning on God as our strength.

Conclusion

When Jesus sat down on that mountain, He did not describe the celebrities of heaven. He described citizens of the kingdom.

Not the impressive. Not the powerful. Not the applauded.

But the poor in spirit. The mourning. The meek. The hungry for righteousness. The merciful. The pure in heart. The peacemakers. The persecuted.

And He called them blessed.

Our world still chases trophies. Jesus calls us to transformation. Our world still measures blessing by applause. Jesus measures it by alignment with Him.

Here is the Bottom Line again:

God’s blessing belongs to the unlikely.

The unlikely beggar who knows he has nothing without God. The unlikely mourner who runs to God for comfort. The unlikely meek who refuse to grasp for power. The unlikely disciple who keeps hungering for righteousness when the world offers everything else. The unlikely believer who shows mercy, pursues purity, makes peace, and endures persecution.

That is the good life.

And here is the question we cannot avoid: Which kingdom are you living for?

If you are chasing the world’s version of blessing, you will always be climbing and never arriving. But if you will bow before King Jesus — if you will become poor in spirit and admit your need — the kingdom of heaven is yours.

Tonight, the invitation is simple.

If you have never surrendered to Christ, stop trying to approach God on your own terms. Come as a beggar. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Repent of your sin. Confess His name. Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. The kingdom is not earned — it is received by those who know they need mercy.

And if you are already in Christ, examine your heart. Are you living the Beatitudes, or just admiring them? Repent where you have chased applause instead of holiness. Ask God to shape your heart into the kind of heart Jesus calls blessed.

The world may never call you fortunate. You may never stand on a stage holding a trophy.

But one day, you will stand before the King.

And the only blessing that will matter is His.