Last month we worked our way through the Gospel of Matthew reading one chapter per day. Perhaps one of Jesus most famous sermons was the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Chapters 5-7. Reading through these few chapters we see much of it was Jesus taking the requirements of the Old Covenant Law to an even higher level, something virtually impossible for anyone to attain. Yet Jesus wasn’t demanding people somehow achieve this level of holiness on their own, in fact he was pointing out the fact they couldn’t.

So often people feel condemned by their inability to live up to a religious code. We can feel weak, inadequate, dirty and unclean in comparison to God’s holiness. But the Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus came to deal with that weakness, he came to deal with our guilt and set us free from condemnation. He came to bring us into His Kingdom, a Kingdom of Light, a Kingdom of peace and joy. It is a Kingdom of Righteousness – not ours, but Jesus own righteousness imputed to us. In the first part of Jesus sermon He speaks of 8 blessings upon those who recognize their own weakness and need, and are turning to Him for help. They are referred to as “The Beatitudes” The word for “blessed” here is “makarios” which means supremely blessed, fortunate, happy and well off. To the Jew the inference was more than natural happiness but it meant “divine joy and perfect happiness” in other words it had a strong spiritual significance. Below is a short paraphrased analysis of these few verses.

Blessed are the poor in spirit – this is the condition of spiritual poverty – we are blessed with the kingdom as we recognize our need for God and receive Jesus.

Blessed are those who mourn – mourning speaks of our sorrow for sin – as we recognize our condition and see Jesus as the cleanser and forgiver of sin – we receive eternal life.

Blessed are the meek – meekness is humility not timidity – as we submit to Jesus – we inherit an authority to rule and reign in the earth – we become heirs of all things

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness – this is to live in the liberating righteousness of Jesus – filled with confidence and living free from all condemnation

Blessed are the merciful – we are objects of God’s mercy and therefore obligated to show mercy to others – God’s grace toward us through Jesus is eternal. We are forever his children.

Blessed are the pure in heart – cleansed from within by the power of Jesus blood, not from without through religious ritual. He has made us perfect forever Heb 10:14

Blessed are the peacemakers – we have been reconciled to God through Jesus and are now at peace with God, he has now entrusted to us the same message of reconciliation.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness – the early Christians were persecuted because they dared to preach a message of righteousness through Jesus rather than through obedience to the Law – that’s the Good News message we carry and should boldly proclaim.