The Kings's Principles

Matthew 5:3–10 NIV

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The king's principles

True righteousness

According to Jesus, true happiness does not come from all the things that society suggests. It does not come from celebrity, beauty, wealth and possessions. It is not about how you feel. It is not about what you have or even about what you do.

What true righteousness is?

Being a master teacher, our Lord did not begin this important sermon with a negative criticism for the scribes and Pharisees. he began with a positive emphasis on righteous character and the blessings that it brings to the life of the believer. The Pharisees taught that righteousness was an external thing, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. righteousness could be measured by praying, Giving, fasting Etc. in the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within.

imagine how the crowd’s attention was recited on Jesus when he started preaching and his first word: “blessed”

The Greek word, ‘makarios’ (used in 5:3–11) means ‘blessed’, ‘fortunate’, ‘happy’ – the privileged recipient of God’s favor. Or, as the Amplified version puts it, ‘happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous, that is, with life-joy and satisfaction… regardless of their outward conditions.’

The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of Joy experienced only by the gods or the Dead.

Blessed implied and inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust him

In the Beatitudes (‘beautiful attitudes’!) Jesus highlights eight unexpected situations in which you receive God’s favor and blessings. The Beatitudes described the attitudes and it ought to be in our lives today.

Be spiritually desperate for God / Our attitude toward ourselves.

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (v.3a). The word for ‘poor’ means ‘begging… dependent on others for support’. Here, it means being brought low or weakened to the point of realizing the need to depend on Jesus: ‘You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope’ (v.3a, MSG). The poor in spirit are blessed because, through what Jesus has made possible, ‘yours is the kingdom of heaven’ (v.3b).

Our attitude toward ourselves.

To be poor in spirit means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of oneself.

Romans 12:3

It does not mean to be poor spirited and have no backbone at all?

poor in spirit is the opposite of the words attitudes of self-praise and self-assertion. it is not a false humility that says, "I'm not worth anything: I can't do anything!”

It is honestly with ourselves, we know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to be ourselves to the glory of God.

Weep over your condition / Our attitude toward our sins

‘Blessed are those who mourn’ (v.4a). Mourn your own sin and the mess in the world around you. Weep with those who weep. It is not wrong to weep and to mourn the loss of those you love. Jesus’ promise is that those who mourn ‘will be comforted’ (v.4b).

God’s comfort goes way beyond any kind of ordinary comfort. As Joyce Meyer writes, ‘It’s almost worth having a problem in order to be able to experience [God’s comfort].’

We mourn over sin and despise it. We see sin the way God sees it and speak to treat it the way God does. Those who cover sin or defense sin certainly have the wrong attitude. Be content with who you are

‘Blessed are the meek’ (v.5a). The Greek word for ‘meek’ means ‘gentle’, ‘considerate’, ‘unassuming’. It is showing kindness and love for others. It is the opposite of arrogance and self-seeking.

It means ‘broken’, not in the sense of a broken glass that is shattered, but in the way that a horse is broken – tamed, strength under control.

Through Jesus the meek are blessed – ‘they will inherit the earth’ (v.5b).

‘You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are – no more, no less’ (v.5a, MSG).

We should not only mourn over our sin, but we should also meekly submit to God. meekness is not weakness, for both Moses and Jesus were Meek men.

Numbers 12:3 NIV

3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

Matthew 11:29 NIV

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Conclusion

Be hungry for God

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness’ (v.6a). ‘You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God’ (v.6a, MSG). Pursue a relationship with God as your number one priority in life. Pursuing anything else for its own sake ultimately leaves you empty. But the blessing of a hunger for God and his righteousness is that you ‘will be filled’ (v.6b).

Receive forgiveness and be merciful

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’ (v.7a). Don’t give people what they ‘deserve’; give them what they don’t deserve. As C.S. Lewis put it, ‘To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’ The merciful are blessed because ‘they will be shown mercy’ (v.7b).

Be completely sincere

‘You’re blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right’ (v.8a, MSG). ‘Blessed are the pure in heart’ (v.8a). This is not just outward purity but integrity, openness, sincerity and authenticity. It is a purity that truly allows you to ‘see God’ (v.8b). A pure heart starts with your thoughts because your thoughts become your words, your actions and your character.

A key step to being pure in heart is allowing others to see us as we are – in all our brokenness and vulnerability.

Strive to bring peace

‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ (v.9a). Don’t stir up conflict, but make peace. Jesus, the Son of God, came to make peace for you on the cross (Colossians 1:20). Blessed are the peacemakers ‘for they will be called children of God’ (Matthew 5:9b).

‘You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight’ (v.9a, MSG).

Expect nothing in return except persecution

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness’ (v.10a). Don’t expect anything from the world in return except criticism. But God is with the persecuted church: ‘theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (v.10b).

‘You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution’ (v.10, MSG).

We see here the third way in which Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. We have already seen that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament history (1:1–17) and how he fulfills the promises of the Old Testament prophecies (1:18–4:16). Now, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus fulfills the Old Testament Law by revealing its full depth and meaning: ‘Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures – either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete’ (5:17, MSG).

The American rock singer turned pastor, John Wimber, said, ‘Jesus is insatiable. Everything we do pleases him but nothing satisfies him. I have been satisfied with Jesus. He has not been satisfied with me. He keeps raising the standards. He walks in high places.’

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus ‘raised the bar’ to the sky, not to bring us down but to lift us up: ‘I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine!’ (5:16, MSG).

Lord, help me this year to live by the values of the Sermon on the Mount and to be characterized by the Beatitudes, so I might be a light to the world around me

Be hungry for God

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness’ (v.6a). ‘You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God’ (v.6a, MSG). Pursue a relationship with God as your number one priority in life. Pursuing anything else for its own sake ultimately leaves you empty. But the blessing of a hunger for God and his righteousness is that you ‘will be filled’ (v.6b).

Receive forgiveness and be merciful

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’ (v.7a). Don’t give people what they ‘deserve’; give them what they don’t deserve. As C.S. Lewis put it, ‘To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’ The merciful are blessed because ‘they will be shown mercy’ (v.7b).

Be completely sincere

‘You’re blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right’ (v.8a, MSG). ‘Blessed are the pure in heart’ (v.8a). This is not just outward purity but integrity, openness, sincerity and authenticity. It is a purity that truly allows you to ‘see God’ (v.8b). A pure heart starts with your thoughts because your thoughts become your words, your actions and your character.

A key step to being pure in heart is allowing others to see us as we are – in all our brokenness and vulnerability.

Strive to bring peace

‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ (v.9a). Don’t stir up conflict, but make peace. Jesus, the Son of God, came to make peace for you on the cross (Colossians 1:20).

Colossians 1:20 NIV

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Blessed are the peacemakers ‘for they will be called children of God’ (Matthew 5:9b).

Matthew 5:9b NIV

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight’ (v.9a, MSG).

Expect nothing in return except persecution

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness’ (v.10a). Don’t expect anything from the world in return except criticism. But God is with the persecuted church: ‘theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (v.10b).

‘You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution’ (v.10, MSG).

We see here the third way in which Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. We have already seen that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament history (1:1–17) and how he fulfills the promises of the Old Testament prophecies (1:18–4:16). Now, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus fulfills the Old Testament Law by revealing its full depth and meaning: ‘Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures – either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete’ (5:17, MSG).

The American rock singer turned pastor, John Wimber, said, ‘Jesus is insatiable. Everything we do pleases him but nothing satisfies him. I have been satisfied with Jesus. He has not been satisfied with me. He keeps raising the standards. He walks in high places.’

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus ‘raised the bar’ to the sky, not to bring us down but to lift us up: ‘I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine!’ (5:16, MSG).

Lord, help me this year to live by the values of the Sermon on the Mount and to be characterized by the Beatitudes, so I might be a light to the world around me