Living the Good Life

Read Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 5-7 is known as the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus explained what God’s kingdom is, how it works, and what it ought to look like.

He started His sermon with the Beatitudes.

Each beatitude includes a blessing.

How would you define “living the good life?”

Jesus loved His disciples, the truth recipients of this sermon.

He wants every one of us to have a “kingdom-minded.”

The crowds can be found chapter 4:23-25.

“sat down” - Rabbis sat while giving instructions.

“a mountain” - We don’t know which mountain.

“The Sinai of the New Testament”. Ex 19.

A regularly feature is his ministry was a retreat to the hills for prayer and fasting.

Verses 3-10 are based on a common form of expression in the poetical books of the Old Testament.

“How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!” - (Psalm 1:1)

The balance of verses is how Jesus taught scripture to His followers.

What did Jesus mean when He said, “Blessed are”?

1. Being “blessed” in not outwardly focused.

It’s root is supposed to mean “great”, meaning outward prosperity. Used synonymously with “rich”.

Also applied to the Grecian gods.

Blessed because of their power and dignity, not because of holiness.

Also applied to “prosperity of thought”.

They recognized a prosperity that came from the moral observance of the law.

Stoicism - taught that virtue, the highest good is based on knowledge.

Divine reason is a god.

In modern day, being “blessed” for many people can be founded on what we own, who we are with, and where we live.

Misery is possible no matter what the economic situation is for the individual.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” - A.W. Tozer

When we think of earthly blessing as the end of God’s plan for us, we do not understand His blessings. Instead, we have created an idol for worship.

Having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is THE blessing of all blessings.

2. The “blessed” life is a happy life.

“Blessed” - fortunate, someone who is to be congratulated, somone whose place in life is an enviable one.

the word Jesus is referring to is “happy”.

The happy life is the outlind of true discipleship.

To the one who has accepted the demands of God’s kingdom.

The reward is spent in the 2nd half of each verses. When God’s kingdom is finally established, its subjects will enter into their inheritance.

Discipleship will not be in vain.

The Christian word blessed is full of the light of heaven.

It throws itself away from sin and thrives on trial and presentation.

It conquers and gains a crown.

“The difference between the blesses person and ungodly person is that the blessed person walks according to the course of heaven and not according to the course of this world.” - RC Sproul

(READ Psalm 24:3-5)

People feel sorry for Christians.

The inward blessing we have in Jesus is the reminder that we are living the “good” life.