Beatitudes
Matthew 5
The Beatitudes
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2And he began to speak and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
The Law and the Prophets
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Upright Living in an Upside Down Kingdom
Salt
- preservation
- flavor enhancement
- ice melt
- a little goes a long way
- entropy resistant
- delays disorder
- not meant to be bland
Light
- pushes back the darkness
- not meant to be hidden
Good Works
“Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.”
-Dallas Willard
- visible good works bring glory to God
- public faith
Well-Rounded
- too salty
- blinding light
Grace Covered
- "Do I belong?"
- "Blessed are..." not "Blessed if..."
- encompassed by mercy
- you belong even before you behave
Grace Filled
- "Who am I becoming?"
- mercy begins to shape us
- love sets new defaults
- mercy saturates our instincts, reactions, desires, and habits
Grace covers us so we are not afraid to come to God.
Grace fills us so we are not afraid to become like Christ.
Jesus' Imagination (5:17-48)
- unheard-of reconciliation
- simple truth-telling
- outrageous geneosity
- love of one's enemies
Questions to Consider:
- Do you like food that is bland?
- Do you enjoy stumbling in the dark?
- What is the value of salt?
- What is the value of light?
- How can you be salt and light in the world this week?
