The King's Manifesto

" Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying:
          'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
          Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
          Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
         Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
          Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
         Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
        Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
        Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against           you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the     same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'"
                                                                                                                          (Matthew 5:1-12)




     In Jesus' first, longest, and most beloved sermon in the gospels, He speaks to those who are heirs of God's promises.  He pours out His heart as He unveils the foundation and character of life within His kingdom. These teachings were not aspirational; they were directed to real-life circumstances that the hearers were experiencing.  The overall focus of these teachings is walking in righteousness.  His words instruct us that these promises are partly fulfilled now and will be completely fulfilled in the future.

     Prior to these declarations, Jesus preached a message of repentance.  This is important because salvation was the prerequisite for the fulfillment of these promises.  These teachings describe a righteousness that flows from within us, as opposed to the Pharisaical teachings that emphasized outward conformity.  In other words, Jesus wanted us to understand that true transformation begins in our hearts.

     With every promise Jesus gives to us, He begins by using the word "blessed".  The Greek word that is used in this passage means: " perfect happiness; fortunate; to be envied; inner satisfaction; spiritually prosperous- with life-joy and satisfaction, regardless of outward conditions".  Because these are the things that God values, we are instructed to give them value, as well.  When viewed correctly, we will obtain an accurate eternal perspective, as well as hope for today.

     The first four beatitudes deal with the longings in our hearts.  The Bible teaches us that " God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble". ( James 4:6).  Authentic humility is the framework of: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

     The "poor in spirit" recognize their inability to be whole without God.  It is an honest acknowledgement to realize our inadequacy- that is, we are not all we could or should be without Jesus.  This is a condition that should be embraced because it is in our insufficiency that we receive the sufficiency of the kingdom of heaven.

     When Jesus refers to "those who mourn", He is referring to a penitent people who are sorrowful of their sin.  This mourning is truly a gift because it points us to the solution, which is the Cross.  This can also include mourning to the sinful conditions around us, but it must be associated with a broken heart or else that is self-righteousness.  When we are truly sorrowful over spiritual bankruptcy, God's grace and forgiveness fills the void.  Jesus assures us that the mourners will be comforted.

     The "gentle" or "meek" that Jesus references are not weak people.  These are people who have responded to God's training and use their maturity and grace for constructive purposes.  These are powerful people who utilize their "strength under control".  Oftentimes, meek people are not accurately understood by others but are definitely celebrated by the Lord.  The promise for these is that they will inherit the earth.

     When a person "hungers and thirsts for righteousness", they desperately long to see God's standards established in the earth.  This includes personal righteousness, as well as righteousness throughout our culture.  True restoration will always begin in our own heart and flow outward toward others.  Additionally, we also have the assurance that God's righteousness will totally be fulfilled.

     The next three beatitudes have to do with the tenderness of our hearts.  Love is the driving force for: the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.  John R. W. Stott describes it this way: "Christian love is not the victim of our emotions but the servant of our will."

     When we serve the King, our hearts should reflect His.  Since we have been recipients of God's mercy, it should be our desire to extend that mercy to others.  We become generous with our forgiveness and compassionate towards all suffering.  The promise for these is that if they dispense mercy they shall also receive it.

     To be "pure in heart" is to be clean and pure morally.  This encompasses more than just pure motives- it also includes moral uprightness.  Once again, the focus is on our hearts because it is very possible to be  involved in holy activities and still possess a carnal heart.  Jesus stresses internal holiness, which is an honest devotion to God that only comes from following Christ.  It is the blood of Jesus that continues to cleanse us.  The promise for the pure in heart is that they will see God and enter into His presence.

     Peacemakers are the ones who work for wholeness and harmony- not strife.  The reason Jesus came to earth was to establish peace.  This is the very heart of God and it is why we exist.  This peace will flow naturally out of the love we have for others.  The promise for peacemakers is that they shall be called sons of God.

     The last beatitude is given for those who are persecuted for doing right things.  This is when other people target those for righteousness sake.  The persecuted have the applause of heaven and a great reward eternally.  The promise is that the King of heaven will Himself provide a place of security, safety, and validation for those who have endured for His names' sake.

     The reason Jesus preached this sermon was to instruct us not to fight the conditions in our lives, but to welcome them as from the Lord.  The beatitudes are an expression of God's grace and tender mercies to us.  His promises are sure and faithful.  It is as if Jesus puts His arms around each one of us and whispers: " It is not for nothing; it is for something."



" God often comforts us, not by changing the circumstances of our lives, but by changing our attitude toward them."
                                                                                                                             S.H.B. Masterman