This Sunday begins a set of five Sundays that feature Jesus’ sermon on the Mount. After Jesus called his disciples and crowds began to follow him, he began teaching them what it meant to be his disciples. Jesus begins his Sermon with the Beatitudes or statements of blessing. Our Hymn of the Day wonderfully summarizes the Beatitudes in musical lyrics.
Verse one: Blest are they, the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of God. Blest are they, full of sorrow, they shall be consoled.
In his Beatitudes, Jesus represents a radical reversal of almost everything we have ever been taught about the meaning of blessing. We like to believe we are blessed if we have wealth.
Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We believe that sorrow over death is awful and should be avoided. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted.”
We are poor in spirit when we see that we are nothing but beggars in total need of God’s help. We recognize our spiritual poverty, our sinfulness, and our unworthiness in God’s sight. We are blessed when we get rid of those sins and receive Christ’s forgiveness in return. We mourn at the death of a Christian loved one. But we are blessed at the same time with joy because we know that our Christian loved one is with Jesus around his glorious throne with all other blessed saints.
Verse two: Blest are they, the lowly ones, they shall inherit the earth. Blest are they who hunger and thirst, they shall have their fill.
We believe we get what we want if we are noisy and demanding. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth.” We act like God, church, and the Bible are boring. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled.
When we are gentle and patient, when we are not noisy and demanding, when we do not put ourselves ahead of others, we will inherit the earth. God will bless us with the things we need in life, not because we deserve them, but because God wishes to give them to us. Being meek means that we realize that we don’t get what we deserve. Instead, we get so much more.
We are like beggars, hungering and thirsting for the righteousness we receive in Christ’s Bread of Life and Living Water. Make the Word of God a part of your daily life. Assemble regularly with your fellow Christians hearing God’s Word in worship and Bible study. Receive the Lord’s Supper often. Live in daily appreciation of the blessings of your baptism. Then you are filled with all the blessings of salvation God has granted you through Jesus Christ.
Verse three: Blest are they who show mercy, mercy shall be theirs. Blest are they, the pure of heart, they shall see God!
We have been taught that mercy is a sign of weakness. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the merciful, because they will receive mercy.” It is in our human nature to lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead in life. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.”
God’s kind of blessings comes from imitating Jesus. We are merciful to others because Jesus was merciful to humanity. Jesus has been merciful to us by dying and saving us, even though we didn’t deserve it. He forgives us, even though he knows we will keep on asking for more forgiveness. Imitating Jesus means having a pure heart. But having a pure heart does not come naturally to us. Every day we need to ask, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10) When we have this pure heart, we will be able to stand before God on the Day of Judgment and we will dwell in his presence for all eternity.
Verse four: Blest are they who seek peace, they are the children of God. Blest are they who suffer in faith, the glory of God is theirs.
We believe that revenge leads to satisfaction. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.” The peace of Jesus flows into us so that this peace flows out from us to others. Then we are called peacemakers. God’s kind of blessing also comes from suffering for Jesus’ sake. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Verse five: Blest are you who suffer hate all because of me. Rejoice and be glad, yours is the kingdom; shine for all to see. Refrain: Rejoice and be glad! Blessèd are you, holy are you! Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God!
We have tended to call people who are being persecuted “fanatics”. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are you when people insult you and 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. In fact, that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” We are abused and shamed just as Christ was abused and shamed. We are enduring it all for him. We endure this suffering because he endured it first for us. We rejoice in our persecution because we are being counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41).
People are searching for blessing. Where can it be found? On a hill along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Upon the bloody Roman cross standing outside the walls of Jerusalem. In the open and empty borrowed tomb. Blessing is found in water, Word, bread, and wine. May you be blessed in Christ.