The Sermon On The Mount Pt.1:Blessed
Over the next few weeks, I'd like for us to take an in-depth look at the greatest sermon that has ever been preached, delivered by the most inherently qualified preacher who has ever lived. The sermon on the mount is the longest discourse of Jesus recorded in scripture, spanning 3 full chapters of the book of Matthew, and contains many beautiful precepts and precious promises, and countless pearls of wisdom. It is just as relevant today as it was when it was first preached, and it is an invaluable insight into the mind and heart of Jesus.
First, a little background, and what led up to the sermon on the mount. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, after which the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove, and God the Father expressed His love, as He said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Jesus was then immediately led of the Spirit into the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan for forty days and nights. Following this trial, He heard that John had been imprisoned, and He departed Galilee, and began preaching the Kingdom of God. It was then that He first met Peter and Andrew, James, and John, and as they followed Him, He continued to preach, and to heal the sick and possessed, the lame and the blind. Great multitudes began to follow Him, as His fame spread throughout the lands of Syria, Jerusalem, and Judaea. It was at this point that He delivered the sermon on the mount, and we'll begin this week by looking at Matthew 5:1-12..."And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after 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 the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Verse 1 tells us that Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain. We are not told specifically what mountain it was, which in itself tells us something. We are to preach and to teach everywhere, not just in churches, or in temples, or in specially revered places. This beautiful exposition of the law was given on a mountain, just as the original law had been given on a mountain. The contrast, however, is that when the law was given, the Lord came down upon the mountain, whereas now the Lord went up into the mountain: then, He spoke in thunder and lightning, and the people were ordered to keep their distance for fear of death, and now, He speaks in a still small voice, and invites the people to come near. The new covenant ushers in beautiful changes, and intimacy with the Lord which was never before possible. Although this new covenant would not take effect until the Lord's death, the people who heard this sermon preached were blessed with a priceless glimpse of His glory and power.
Verse 2 simply says that He opened His mouth, and taught the people. Jesus taught much by saying nothing at all, that is, He taught the people by the exemplary life that He lived, and by the way that He treated others. Isaiah 53:7 tells us, concerning Jesus..."He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not his mouth." Jesus remained silent in times of His own affliction and oppression, but here, He opened His mouth, and taught the people. Jesus opens not his mouth in His own defense, but He opens His mouth in order to bring the truth to the multitude.
The sermon begins with blessings upon various groups of people who had previously been oppressed or afflicted, those who are humbly seeking after righteousness, and those who seek peace with man and with God. Jesus commences the sermon with blessings, for He came into this world in order to bless us. He purchased our blessings, as well as our salvation, with His own precious blood.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." What does it mean to be poor in spirit? We must be content to be emptied of self, and emptied of worldly wealth, as well, if God sees fit, in order to be filled with Jesus, as He tells us in Matthew 16:24..."If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Those who are willing to let go of their lusts and desires, and their need for self satisfaction, and recognize the intrinsic value of closeness and intimacy with God above all else are blessed, and can look forward to a home in heaven.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." This is not necessarily referring to those who have lost loved ones, although they can certainly find comfort and solace in the arms of Jesus. The mourning referred to here is a state of sorrow over sin, an attitude of repentance, and a longing for the perfecting that only Jesus can provide. The lament of our corruptible nature, and of our separation from God because of it, is necessary for us to remain in a state of humility. Jesus here pronounces blessings upon all those that seek His comfort in their lowly state, who, with a repentant heart, long for His cleansing and restoration.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Unfortunately, in society today, meekness, along with humility, is equated with weakness. But, in a great paradox, meekness is, in fact, strength. It sometimes takes a lot of strength to hold one's tongue, to not seek retribution or revenge against those who have done wrong to us or to those that we love. Those who quietly submit themselves to God, and are of a gentle nature and character, are blessed. To be like Christ is to be meek and gentle, because He was meek and gentle. Though it was within His power to avenge Himself, He chose not to. Jesus said to Peter, as he was betrayed and taken away, in Matthew 26:53..."Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" The self control that Jesus showed during His betrayal, and later His crucifixion, is something that we should all aspire to, and make every attempt to reflect in our own character.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." The zeal for righteousness is here equated to a hunger, or a thirsting, an almost palpable longing for holiness. When we loathe the state of our natural minds, and the sin that so easily besets us, and when our primary focus becomes the attainment of the righteousness that Jesus died to supply us with, He will provide, and we will be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." To have compassion, and to share in the afflictions of others, brings blessings of mercy. Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2..."Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." We are to operate from a mindset of mercy, which is contradictory to that which comes naturally. To find empathy and compassion for others sometimes proves to be a very difficult thing for us to do, but we will be blessed because of it. The acknowledgement of our own weakness, of our own inherently sinful nature, will help us to feel empathy for others, and find mercy for them, which will, in turn, bring blessings of mercy upon us.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." To maintain a pure heart in a wicked world is an exceedingly difficult task. It must involve living from the inside out, that is, not allowing the cares of this world and the desires and lusts of it, to pollute our hearts. We must defer our thoughts and actions to those of Jesus, and allow His Spirit to live and work through us. We must recognize that there are always going to be two voices competing for our attention, and pray for clarity and calm in our minds, that God would help us to hear His voice, and that we would be led by His Spirit. Paul explains this in Romans 7:19-21..."For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." Again, we see the need for recognition of our inherently sinful nature. Not that we should succumb to it, but that we simply understand and accept our weakness, and the fact that, apart from Jesus, we are without hope. He is our strength, He is our righteousness, He is our Redeemer, and our Salvation.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Only those who are at peace with themselves can be at peace with others, and only those at peace with God can be at peace with themselves. Therefore, it follows, that in order for us to have any semblance of peace in our lives, we must first come to a place of peace with God. We must settle our sin debt, or rather, allow Jesus to settle it for us, in accepting His precious blood sacrifice, and giving our hearts to Him. We are told in Proverbs 16:7..."When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Peace with God should be always be our first priority, and then peace with men will follow.
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and shall persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Persecution for righteousness' sake is persecution for Christ's sake, on behalf of Jesus, and this affliction will certainly be rewarded. When evil is spoken falsely against us, rather than to take offense, and to take action in order to defend ourselves, we should let God fight the battle on our behalf. In Exodus 14:14 we are told..."The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.", and in Deuteronomy 3:22..."Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you." All those who have suffered or will suffer persecution, or, at its worst, martyrdom, for the sake of righteousness, will certainly be recompensed abundantly. The joys of heaven will, by all means, transcend any sufferings which we may be asked to endure in order to procure it. To defend righteousness and to uphold truth is to defend Christ and His teachings, and no greater honor could be bestowed upon us than to say that we, in our lifetime, carried our cross, and upheld the cause of Christ.
First, a little background, and what led up to the sermon on the mount. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, after which the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove, and God the Father expressed His love, as He said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Jesus was then immediately led of the Spirit into the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan for forty days and nights. Following this trial, He heard that John had been imprisoned, and He departed Galilee, and began preaching the Kingdom of God. It was then that He first met Peter and Andrew, James, and John, and as they followed Him, He continued to preach, and to heal the sick and possessed, the lame and the blind. Great multitudes began to follow Him, as His fame spread throughout the lands of Syria, Jerusalem, and Judaea. It was at this point that He delivered the sermon on the mount, and we'll begin this week by looking at Matthew 5:1-12..."And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Verse 1 tells us that Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain. We are not told specifically what mountain it was, which in itself tells us something. We are to preach and to teach everywhere, not just in churches, or in temples, or in specially revered places. This beautiful exposition of the law was given on a mountain, just as the original law had been given on a mountain. The contrast, however, is that when the law was given, the Lord came down upon the mountain, whereas now the Lord went up into the mountain: then, He spoke in thunder and lightning, and the people were ordered to keep their distance for fear of death, and now, He speaks in a still small voice, and invites the people to come near. The new covenant ushers in beautiful changes, and intimacy with the Lord which was never before possible. Although this new covenant would not take effect until the Lord's death, the people who heard this sermon preached were blessed with a priceless glimpse of His glory and power.
Verse 2 simply says that He opened His mouth, and taught the people. Jesus taught much by saying nothing at all, that is, He taught the people by the exemplary life that He lived, and by the way that He treated others. Isaiah 53:7 tells us, concerning Jesus..."He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not his mouth." Jesus remained silent in times of His own affliction and oppression, but here, He opened His mouth, and taught the people. Jesus opens not his mouth in His own defense, but He opens His mouth in order to bring the truth to the multitude.
The sermon begins with blessings upon various groups of people who had previously been oppressed or afflicted, those who are humbly seeking after righteousness, and those who seek peace with man and with God. Jesus commences the sermon with blessings, for He came into this world in order to bless us. He purchased our blessings, as well as our salvation, with His own precious blood.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." What does it mean to be poor in spirit? We must be content to be emptied of self, and emptied of worldly wealth, as well, if God sees fit, in order to be filled with Jesus, as He tells us in Matthew 16:24..."If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Those who are willing to let go of their lusts and desires, and their need for self satisfaction, and recognize the intrinsic value of closeness and intimacy with God above all else are blessed, and can look forward to a home in heaven.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." This is not necessarily referring to those who have lost loved ones, although they can certainly find comfort and solace in the arms of Jesus. The mourning referred to here is a state of sorrow over sin, an attitude of repentance, and a longing for the perfecting that only Jesus can provide. The lament of our corruptible nature, and of our separation from God because of it, is necessary for us to remain in a state of humility. Jesus here pronounces blessings upon all those that seek His comfort in their lowly state, who, with a repentant heart, long for His cleansing and restoration.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Unfortunately, in society today, meekness, along with humility, is equated with weakness. But, in a great paradox, meekness is, in fact, strength. It sometimes takes a lot of strength to hold one's tongue, to not seek retribution or revenge against those who have done wrong to us or to those that we love. Those who quietly submit themselves to God, and are of a gentle nature and character, are blessed. To be like Christ is to be meek and gentle, because He was meek and gentle. Though it was within His power to avenge Himself, He chose not to. Jesus said to Peter, as he was betrayed and taken away, in Matthew 26:53..."Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" The self control that Jesus showed during His betrayal, and later His crucifixion, is something that we should all aspire to, and make every attempt to reflect in our own character.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." The zeal for righteousness is here equated to a hunger, or a thirsting, an almost palpable longing for holiness. When we loathe the state of our natural minds, and the sin that so easily besets us, and when our primary focus becomes the attainment of the righteousness that Jesus died to supply us with, He will provide, and we will be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." To have compassion, and to share in the afflictions of others, brings blessings of mercy. Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2..."Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." We are to operate from a mindset of mercy, which is contradictory to that which comes naturally. To find empathy and compassion for others sometimes proves to be a very difficult thing for us to do, but we will be blessed because of it. The acknowledgement of our own weakness, of our own inherently sinful nature, will help us to feel empathy for others, and find mercy for them, which will, in turn, bring blessings of mercy upon us.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." To maintain a pure heart in a wicked world is an exceedingly difficult task. It must involve living from the inside out, that is, not allowing the cares of this world and the desires and lusts of it, to pollute our hearts. We must defer our thoughts and actions to those of Jesus, and allow His Spirit to live and work through us. We must recognize that there are always going to be two voices competing for our attention, and pray for clarity and calm in our minds, that God would help us to hear His voice, and that we would be led by His Spirit. Paul explains this in Romans 7:19-21..."For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." Again, we see the need for recognition of our inherently sinful nature. Not that we should succumb to it, but that we simply understand and accept our weakness, and the fact that, apart from Jesus, we are without hope. He is our strength, He is our righteousness, He is our Redeemer, and our Salvation.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Only those who are at peace with themselves can be at peace with others, and only those at peace with God can be at peace with themselves. Therefore, it follows, that in order for us to have any semblance of peace in our lives, we must first come to a place of peace with God. We must settle our sin debt, or rather, allow Jesus to settle it for us, in accepting His precious blood sacrifice, and giving our hearts to Him. We are told in Proverbs 16:7..."When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Peace with God should be always be our first priority, and then peace with men will follow.
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and shall persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Persecution for righteousness' sake is persecution for Christ's sake, on behalf of Jesus, and this affliction will certainly be rewarded. When evil is spoken falsely against us, rather than to take offense, and to take action in order to defend ourselves, we should let God fight the battle on our behalf. In Exodus 14:14 we are told..."The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.", and in Deuteronomy 3:22..."Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you." All those who have suffered or will suffer persecution, or, at its worst, martyrdom, for the sake of righteousness, will certainly be recompensed abundantly. The joys of heaven will, by all means, transcend any sufferings which we may be asked to endure in order to procure it. To defend righteousness and to uphold truth is to defend Christ and His teachings, and no greater honor could be bestowed upon us than to say that we, in our lifetime, carried our cross, and upheld the cause of Christ.
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