The Beatitudes is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, perhaps the most famous, most inciteful sermon ever spoken. Jesus lays out the characteristics of a person who follows Him. I have heard it said that the Beatitudes do not describe who Jesus is looking for but the kind of person He wants to make you. The word ‘blessed” does not just mean happiness. Happiness is based on circumstance. It is closer to joy, which is being content regardless, or despite circumstances. But the word blessed is more like having favor from God. It is being fully satisfied. True fulfillment can only be found through a relationship with Jesus Christ (see Romans 5:1-8) and there is nothing greater than that fulfillment. That is the true blessing that Jesus offers each one of us. Let’s take a look at each blessing from the Beatitudes the next few weeks.
Matthew 5:1-12
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for 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 sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You may ask what does it mean to be “poor in spirit?” Being poor is hard. But Jesus is not talking about poverty. He is talking about humility. He wants us to be dependent on Him. He wants us to acknowledge who He is and to be humble.
1 Peter 5:5-11
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Peter was speaking to his fellow Christians to be humble to listen to the wisdom of the elders, to not give in to the temptation of pride. The devil love pride; it is pride that got him thrown out of heaven, it is pride that caused the Fall. He wants nothing more than to bring us down with him. In a day when the world considers pride to be a virtue (they even have parades for it and dedicate a month to it!), let us be humble like Jesus was. Let us look to the one who has every reason to be proud but was not, for He is God, and let us follow His example.
Philippians 2:3-11
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, chose to humble Himself and become a man, living as we live, having the same struggles we have, and so much more, to take on Himself the sins of the world and pay for them so that we may live. Considering this, how could we possibly be prideful? Knowing who God is and how much greater our Creator is than us, why would we not be humble? God looks with delight at the humble, at the poor in spirit.
Psalms 51:16-17
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.
God doesn’t look at all the good deeds that you do to gain favor with Him. He looks at the heart. He wants our love. He wants us to follow Him and to do good, not out of obligation or in hope for personal gain, but because we love Him, and because we delight in doing good for Him. As in Matthew 7 in this same Sermon on the Mount, many will say to Him, “Lord, Lord, I did this for you and I did that for you.” But why did they do it? Because they love Him? Because their hearts were filled with the Holy Spirit and they desired to honor God? Or to honor themselves and they think their good deeds is what gets them into heaven? That is why He will say to them, “I never knew you.”
Proverbs 29:23
A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.
Proverbs 16:18-19
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
God looks for those who are humble. We have all sinned. We all fall short (Romans 3:23) but Christ died in our place to pay for our sins. He seeks those who realize that and look to Him instead of themselves.
Psalms 34:18-22
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
God wants us to be humble and to be completely dependent on Him. He wants our hearts. He wants our hearts to be broken because of our sin. He wants us to trust Him. We are saved by grace, by accepting God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), by believing and trusting in Jesus Christ. Whoever calls upon Jesus will be saved and not be condemned (Romans 10:9-13).
