Read Mt 5.3-12, Lk 6.20-26
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
(Matthew 5:2)
Jesus preaches the beatitudes to the people.
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
(Matthew 5:2)
Jesus preaches the beatitudes to the people.
Can you imagine what the people were thinking when Jesus preached this sermon. Sure you can. What were you thinking the first time you heard or read this. I’m not talking about all the times since that you have glossed over it, thinking well that’s just Jesus. No, I’m talking about the first time you let these words impact your logic and registered with your emotions. “Wait a minute Jesus, are you serious?” I believe He is. His ways are so counter-cultural, so un-natural you are jolted by His expectations for real spirituality. He is looking for these attributes in His disciples; poor in spirit, mourning, gentleness, hunger and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemaking, enduring persecution. What? You’re not there yet? You are in good company my friend. We all are in process but the process is real. He does have expectations of us but there is no way we could ever pull this off in the flesh. We are desperate for help if we are going to live our lives in keeping with the beatitudes. We need His Word, His example, His Spirit living powerfully within us. I think prayer and fellowship with likeminded people also play a huge role in swimming against the current of the world. If this weren’t hard enough, I believe this is part of making disciples. We are not only to live the beatitudes ourselves, we are supposed to help others do the same.
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