June 24 The Beatitudes
Step 25 Part 2: From a Galilean Synagogue to Mount Tabor
Matt.5:1-7:29; 4:24-25; 10:2-4; 12:15-21
Mark 1:12; 3:7-19;
Luke 6:12-49; 12:22-31, 57-69;16:17
In the first part of step 25, Jesus healed many people and dealt with demons. He also chose His twelve apostles, but not until He had prayed over it all night.
In the second part of this step, we will talk about His second sermon. This is probably the most famous and most quoted sermon He will preach. Everyone knows it as the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes.
- Up the Mountain
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:”
Matthew 5:1-2 NKJV
- Most people picture a gently rolling hillside with Jesus sitting on a comfortable rock speaking to a large crowd of people. But I don’t see that.
I see Jesus climbing to the top of a steep mountain. So steep that it is very difficult for people to follow Him. Only the most dedicated disciples will make the effort. These are the ones who will benefit from the controversial teachings.
- Jesus saw the Multitude. – Meaning he understood their motives.
- He went up a mountain. – signifying a hard climb.
- The disciples came to Him. – No mention of a crowd
- He opened His mouth and taught them. – The teaching was for the disciples.
- A lot of people quote and teach the Beatitudes from a worldly and physical point of view. When they quote this scripture, some people tend to leave out words that do not fit their worldview. For instance, in verse 3, they will say, ( Blessed are the poor) then leave off the rest of that verse.
- Jesus did not give the Beatitudes as a church business model. He gave the Beatitudes as a spiritual model for Jesus followers.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go (Psalm 32:8, NKJV)
- With the next few verses, Jesus will set forth the parameters of a perfect child of God! Basically, with the Beatitudes, He is giving us the precise recipe for the Ideal Christian!
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
II Corinthians 3:18 NKJV
- The goal is to become like Christ
- Key words in the next few verses;
- Poor in Spirit = Humble, one who knows how spiritually poor he is and will kneel at the
feet of Christ and beg! He IS God, we are not!
“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah”
Psalms 32:5 NKJV
- Mourn = wail, weep or grieve. (Grieve over your sins)
“For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.”
Psalms 38:18 NKJV
“And the ransomed of the Lord – shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Isaiah 35:10 NKJV
- Meek = strong, gentle, selfless,
“Remind them –to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.”Titus 3:1-2 NKJV
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” James 3:13 NKJV
- Hunger = crave, seek. Thirst=figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened
- The idea is to hunger and thirst for righteousness-
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” I John 2:29 NKJV
- Mercy = to exhibit a God-like kindness.
“Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.” Psalms 41:1-2 NKJV
- Pure in heart=free from corrupt desire and guilt!
“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;”
Psalms 15:1-2 NKJV
- Peacemaker=
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.””
I Peter 3:8-12 NKJV
A. W. Tozer once said: “A fairly accurate description of the human race might be found by taking the Beatitudes, turning them wrong side out, and saying, ‘Here is your human race.”
But Jesus tells us in .48: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.“
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FROM THE BIBLE
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:1-12 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.5.1-12.NKJV
Douglas Huff
