Introduction to the Beatitudes
The word beatitudes mean “the supreme blessedness or happiness”
Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes
The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon that was ever preached by the greatest Person who ever lived. And He is presenting to us our greatest need… Righteousness! To be right with God.
In Col. 1:9 the apostle Paul prays that “you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”
Why…? He gives the reason in verse 10… “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”
In verse 16 of Colossians 1, we read that all things were created by Him and through Him and for Him.
You were created to live for Him. For His pleasure. You were created to live a Jesus focused life! A Jesus guided life. A life “fully pleasing” to Him.
Only such a life can experience the supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity that is produced by living for Jesus.
Through what is called The Beatitudes, Jesus is showing us how we can fulfil this purpose for existing.
How we can live for Jesus and thereby know this supreme blessedness.
I think it was Paul Washer who said that the beatitudes is the clothing that genuine believers are dressed with.
Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes
The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon that was ever preached by the greatest Person who ever lived. And He is presenting to us our greatest need… Righteousness! To be right with God.
In Col. 1:9 the apostle Paul prays that “you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”
Why…? He gives the reason in verse 10… “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”
In verse 16 of Colossians 1, we read that all things were created by Him and through Him and for Him.
- That includes you! You were created for the pleasure of Christ!
You were created to live for Him. For His pleasure. You were created to live a Jesus focused life! A Jesus guided life. A life “fully pleasing” to Him.
Only such a life can experience the supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity that is produced by living for Jesus.
Through what is called The Beatitudes, Jesus is showing us how we can fulfil this purpose for existing.
How we can live for Jesus and thereby know this supreme blessedness.
I think it was Paul Washer who said that the beatitudes is the clothing that genuine believers are dressed with.
But what is this BLESSEDNESS? What does it mean to be blessed?
The word “blessed” describes a person who is Supremely happy and favored.
· This is not some fleeting happiness that depends on what happens to you.
· This happiness does not depend on your circumstances or your mood.
This word “blessed” describes a person who has an abiding satisfaction in the soul.
· They have a genuine peace… an authentic joy deep within the inner core of their being. (James 1:2-3)
· They experience a steadfast and solid contentment and a supernatural peace that passes all understanding. (Phil. 4:7)
The word “blessed” describes a person who is Supremely happy and favored.
· This is not some fleeting happiness that depends on what happens to you.
· This happiness does not depend on your circumstances or your mood.
This word “blessed” describes a person who has an abiding satisfaction in the soul.
· They have a genuine peace… an authentic joy deep within the inner core of their being. (James 1:2-3)
· They experience a steadfast and solid contentment and a supernatural peace that passes all understanding. (Phil. 4:7)
Why do they experience such contentment and joy?
Because this person has been chosen and set apart by God. “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 1:4-6) And there is no greater blessing than Salvation.
There is no greater blessedness than being adopted into the family of God Almighty!
Because of the Life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the blessed person has become personally accepted and approved by God Himself.
This acceptance and approval is not based on the works of the blessed man, but on the work of the One who is the source of such blessedness – Jesus Christ.
For this reason his joy transcends the circumstances he finds himself in and reaches the One who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. (Heb 12:2)
The word “blessed” describes a person who possesses a spiritual prosperity.
Their search for purpose, significance, fulfilment, and acceptance… has been met in the Lord Jesus Christ.
· They may be living in the poorest slums of India or in a shack under a bridge.
· They may be unemployed with kids to feed or divorced with kids on drugs.
· Regardless of their circumstances… They can still know this Spiritual Prosperity and blessedness.
2Cor. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
This does not refer to temporal riches. It refers to eternal riches.
· These are the kind of riches that money cannot buy.
Spiritual Prosperity means to be rich toward God and fulfilled in Christ.
Every need of the believer will be supplied “according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19)
· Jesus says in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
· 1John 5:12 says, “He that has the Son has life.”
Listen… having a nice car, a big house or a lot of money does not make you blessed… Being rich does not make you blessed! The devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world… I like to say to those who chase after money and fame… ‘The devil will pay you enough money to get you into hell!’
Listen… worldly treasures does not make you a blessed person… No!
“The blessed person has a spiritual prosperity in the soul, because they have an intimate, irreversible, genuine union with the Lord Jesus Christ” – the greatest treasure in all existence.
“And because of that union they have an inner peace and blessed assurance that rises above the issues and situations of this life.”
The genuine believer can experience this reality of spiritual prosperity whether they are on the mountain top or deep in the valley.
Whether the storms of life is pounding on your door or from inside your home… you can still experience this supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity.
Now, the question is: How’s that even possible?
Here’s how:
This “spiritual prosperity” is not related to what you possess; but it is directly related to who you possess and who possesses you.
Because this person has been chosen and set apart by God. “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 1:4-6) And there is no greater blessing than Salvation.
There is no greater blessedness than being adopted into the family of God Almighty!
Because of the Life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the blessed person has become personally accepted and approved by God Himself.
This acceptance and approval is not based on the works of the blessed man, but on the work of the One who is the source of such blessedness – Jesus Christ.
For this reason his joy transcends the circumstances he finds himself in and reaches the One who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. (Heb 12:2)
The word “blessed” describes a person who possesses a spiritual prosperity.
Their search for purpose, significance, fulfilment, and acceptance… has been met in the Lord Jesus Christ.
· They may be living in the poorest slums of India or in a shack under a bridge.
· They may be unemployed with kids to feed or divorced with kids on drugs.
· Regardless of their circumstances… They can still know this Spiritual Prosperity and blessedness.
2Cor. 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
This does not refer to temporal riches. It refers to eternal riches.
· These are the kind of riches that money cannot buy.
Spiritual Prosperity means to be rich toward God and fulfilled in Christ.
Every need of the believer will be supplied “according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19)
· Jesus says in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
· 1John 5:12 says, “He that has the Son has life.”
Listen… having a nice car, a big house or a lot of money does not make you blessed… Being rich does not make you blessed! The devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world… I like to say to those who chase after money and fame… ‘The devil will pay you enough money to get you into hell!’
Listen… worldly treasures does not make you a blessed person… No!
“The blessed person has a spiritual prosperity in the soul, because they have an intimate, irreversible, genuine union with the Lord Jesus Christ” – the greatest treasure in all existence.
“And because of that union they have an inner peace and blessed assurance that rises above the issues and situations of this life.”
The genuine believer can experience this reality of spiritual prosperity whether they are on the mountain top or deep in the valley.
Whether the storms of life is pounding on your door or from inside your home… you can still experience this supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity.
Now, the question is: How’s that even possible?
Here’s how:
This “spiritual prosperity” is not related to what you possess; but it is directly related to who you possess and who possesses you.
Lamentations 3:24 – “The Lord is my portion.” Says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
These are the words of Jeremiah… a man who throughout his ministry experience the wrath of God on his nation.
He writes in the opening verses of this chapter: “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long.” (Jeremiah is not called the weeping prophet for nothing.)
BUT as we come to verses 21 through 24… Listen to what Jeremiah says… and this is the heart of the blessed person:
Lamentations 3:21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:(verse 22)The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
verse 24"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."
True blessedness is not related to what you possess; but it is directly related to WHO you possess and who possesses you.
· That’s why David could say, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.”
· In Psalm 16 he makes this bold declaration: “I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."”
This is the testimony of grace in the truly blessed person.
· The Lord is my portion. He is my Shepherd. I want nothing but Him.
· He is my Lord and apart from Him I have nothing good in my life.
The testimony of the truly blessed person is that they are in Christ and Christ is in them.
· All that belongs to Christ belongs to them. And all that belongs to them belongs to Christ.
· They are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus (Rom. 8:17).
· They are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
· They have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet. 1:3).
· They are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).
Their greatest boast is that they possess Christ and that He possesses them.
· There are many with great earthly possessions that die on a soft bed and get the most beautiful funerals, but like the rich man in Luke 16 they open their eyes in the flames of hell.
· And still, there are many poor people, even sick people who possesses a deep inner peace and satisfaction, because they found Christ to be their all satisfying treasure.
Is this your testimony? Is Christ your all satisfying treasure?
Are you truly blessed? OR are you possessed by your earthly possessions that are weighing you down with all sorts of sins.
Where your treasure is there your heart will be, and your heart is in bondage to sin. Only Jesus can free your heart from sin and give you true blessedness.
It is also important to note that the word “blessed” is often used to describe God Himself.
· Psalm 68:35 – …Blessed be God!
· Psalm 72:18 – Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel. Who only does wondrous things!
· 1 Timothy 1:11 - …according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
And when describing Jesus…
1 Timothy 6:15 says, …He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords…
This tells us that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is infinitely and supremely happy and infinitely spiritually prosperous within themselves.
· They need absolutely nothing outside of themselves to maintain this supremely happy and infinitely prosperous condition.
If God then is supremely happy and infinitely prosperous within Himself…
What does that mean for the truly born again disciple who is in an intimate union with Jesus Christ?
It must mean that:
This supreme happiness, which is a characteristic of God, becomes a characteristic of the person who has “the Lord as his portion”.
· Of those who are partakers of the divine nature through the new birth.
· Those who have been grafted into Christ. (Rom 11:17)
· Those who are born from above, who are a new creation. (Joh 3:3; 2Cor 5:17)
· Who turned from their idols or sin to serve the living God. (1Thes 1:9)
· Those to whom Christ has become more precious than their own lives. (Rev 12:11)
These are those who are in Christ. They experience no condemnation!
Their intimate union with Christ allows them to enjoy and experience this supreme blessedness under the worst circumstances.
If you’re reading this and you are truly born again. If you are truly converted… not just religious or a member of a church… If you are truly in an intimate relationship with Christ… having the lord as your portion…
This supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity is your inheritance… to walk in, to experience, to enjoy, to live out and express!
The Lord is a portion that completely satisfies the human soul.
· He is a portion of infinite measure and worth.
So when Jeremiah says in Lam. 3:24 “The Lord is my portion”
He is saying that the Lord is my supreme satisfaction. He infinitely satisfies all my needs and therefore my hope is in Him regardless of what’s happening around me.
I am saying that if the Lord is your portion you can live in supreme blessedness!
You may not have the riches of this world, but you have the riches of God in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 33:12 says, “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.”
Now, let me conclude with this:
People seek for happiness and fulfilment everywhere, but there really is only One Giver of true happiness.
There is only one dispenser of this “supreme happiness” and soul satisfaction!
And I know most of you know what I am going to say… You know it’s God!
Why don’t you run to Him than?
These are the words of Jeremiah… a man who throughout his ministry experience the wrath of God on his nation.
He writes in the opening verses of this chapter: “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long.” (Jeremiah is not called the weeping prophet for nothing.)
BUT as we come to verses 21 through 24… Listen to what Jeremiah says… and this is the heart of the blessed person:
Lamentations 3:21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:(verse 22)The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
verse 24"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."
True blessedness is not related to what you possess; but it is directly related to WHO you possess and who possesses you.
· That’s why David could say, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.”
· In Psalm 16 he makes this bold declaration: “I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."”
This is the testimony of grace in the truly blessed person.
· The Lord is my portion. He is my Shepherd. I want nothing but Him.
· He is my Lord and apart from Him I have nothing good in my life.
The testimony of the truly blessed person is that they are in Christ and Christ is in them.
· All that belongs to Christ belongs to them. And all that belongs to them belongs to Christ.
· They are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus (Rom. 8:17).
· They are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
· They have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet. 1:3).
· They are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).
Their greatest boast is that they possess Christ and that He possesses them.
· There are many with great earthly possessions that die on a soft bed and get the most beautiful funerals, but like the rich man in Luke 16 they open their eyes in the flames of hell.
· And still, there are many poor people, even sick people who possesses a deep inner peace and satisfaction, because they found Christ to be their all satisfying treasure.
Is this your testimony? Is Christ your all satisfying treasure?
Are you truly blessed? OR are you possessed by your earthly possessions that are weighing you down with all sorts of sins.
Where your treasure is there your heart will be, and your heart is in bondage to sin. Only Jesus can free your heart from sin and give you true blessedness.
It is also important to note that the word “blessed” is often used to describe God Himself.
· Psalm 68:35 – …Blessed be God!
· Psalm 72:18 – Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel. Who only does wondrous things!
· 1 Timothy 1:11 - …according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
And when describing Jesus…
1 Timothy 6:15 says, …He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords…
This tells us that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is infinitely and supremely happy and infinitely spiritually prosperous within themselves.
· They need absolutely nothing outside of themselves to maintain this supremely happy and infinitely prosperous condition.
If God then is supremely happy and infinitely prosperous within Himself…
What does that mean for the truly born again disciple who is in an intimate union with Jesus Christ?
It must mean that:
This supreme happiness, which is a characteristic of God, becomes a characteristic of the person who has “the Lord as his portion”.
· Of those who are partakers of the divine nature through the new birth.
· Those who have been grafted into Christ. (Rom 11:17)
· Those who are born from above, who are a new creation. (Joh 3:3; 2Cor 5:17)
· Who turned from their idols or sin to serve the living God. (1Thes 1:9)
· Those to whom Christ has become more precious than their own lives. (Rev 12:11)
These are those who are in Christ. They experience no condemnation!
Their intimate union with Christ allows them to enjoy and experience this supreme blessedness under the worst circumstances.
If you’re reading this and you are truly born again. If you are truly converted… not just religious or a member of a church… If you are truly in an intimate relationship with Christ… having the lord as your portion…
This supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity is your inheritance… to walk in, to experience, to enjoy, to live out and express!
The Lord is a portion that completely satisfies the human soul.
· He is a portion of infinite measure and worth.
So when Jeremiah says in Lam. 3:24 “The Lord is my portion”
He is saying that the Lord is my supreme satisfaction. He infinitely satisfies all my needs and therefore my hope is in Him regardless of what’s happening around me.
I am saying that if the Lord is your portion you can live in supreme blessedness!
You may not have the riches of this world, but you have the riches of God in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 33:12 says, “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.”
Now, let me conclude with this:
People seek for happiness and fulfilment everywhere, but there really is only One Giver of true happiness.
There is only one dispenser of this “supreme happiness” and soul satisfaction!
And I know most of you know what I am going to say… You know it’s God!
Why don’t you run to Him than?
The happiness I’m talking about… this blessedness that the Bible speaks of cannot be found in the world or in the things of world.
This happiness is a work of God ‘by the grace of God’ for the Glory of God and for the benefit of all who would bow the knee to Jesus.
· This happiness does not come when you have lots of money.
· Or when you get a promotion or a job.
· Or when you are healed from some sickness or infirmity.
· This happiness does not even come when you’re in love.
These are all good, but these are only temporary happiness… there are people who have all of this and yet without Christ all of these are meaningless.
What you need to understand is that God created you to experience this supreme blessedness in Christ for His glory and for your joy.
· You cannot have true lasting happiness without Christ! You must come to Him!
Those that can know real joy and experience true satisfaction in Christ are those who have come to Christ through the narrow gate.
Matt. 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Those who have entered through the narrow gate are those whose lives display evidence that they are walking in the narrow way.
You can only know this blessedness if you have come to Jesus Christ on His terms… through genuine repentance and saving faith.
· Only those who have been born again shall see the Kingdom of God and enter into the blessed hope of the redeemed!
These are those who have come to know their desperate need of Christ; who are poor in spirit with a hunger and thirst after righteousness.
· They have come to see the utter vileness of their sins and are broken with grief before the holiness of God, begging God to have mercy on their souls.
· They are the meek whose will has been brought under the submission of Christ… they have bowed the knee to His Lordship and received Him as their only Saviour.
They came to Jesus on His terms… turning away from their sins they have placed their hope and trust fully on Jesus.
Did you come to Jesus on His terms?
Have you truly turned away from your sins?
Are you truly trusting in Jesus and living only for Him?
As we look at these Beatitudes we will see that:
Every true follower of Jesus Christ is called and commanded to manifest these beatitudes in their life.
Are you poor in spirit? Do you mourn over your sin? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Have your will and desires been brought under the submission of God’s will? Or are you still doing what is right in your own eyes?
Listen to what Jesus is saying:
Matthew 16: 24 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
This happiness is a work of God ‘by the grace of God’ for the Glory of God and for the benefit of all who would bow the knee to Jesus.
· This happiness does not come when you have lots of money.
· Or when you get a promotion or a job.
· Or when you are healed from some sickness or infirmity.
· This happiness does not even come when you’re in love.
These are all good, but these are only temporary happiness… there are people who have all of this and yet without Christ all of these are meaningless.
What you need to understand is that God created you to experience this supreme blessedness in Christ for His glory and for your joy.
· You cannot have true lasting happiness without Christ! You must come to Him!
Those that can know real joy and experience true satisfaction in Christ are those who have come to Christ through the narrow gate.
Matt. 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Those who have entered through the narrow gate are those whose lives display evidence that they are walking in the narrow way.
You can only know this blessedness if you have come to Jesus Christ on His terms… through genuine repentance and saving faith.
· Only those who have been born again shall see the Kingdom of God and enter into the blessed hope of the redeemed!
These are those who have come to know their desperate need of Christ; who are poor in spirit with a hunger and thirst after righteousness.
· They have come to see the utter vileness of their sins and are broken with grief before the holiness of God, begging God to have mercy on their souls.
· They are the meek whose will has been brought under the submission of Christ… they have bowed the knee to His Lordship and received Him as their only Saviour.
They came to Jesus on His terms… turning away from their sins they have placed their hope and trust fully on Jesus.
Did you come to Jesus on His terms?
Have you truly turned away from your sins?
Are you truly trusting in Jesus and living only for Him?
As we look at these Beatitudes we will see that:
Every true follower of Jesus Christ is called and commanded to manifest these beatitudes in their life.
Are you poor in spirit? Do you mourn over your sin? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Have your will and desires been brought under the submission of God’s will? Or are you still doing what is right in your own eyes?
Listen to what Jesus is saying:
Matthew 16: 24 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Please consider your life in light of Scripture. How is your life before a holy God? What is the condition of your soul? Are you truly, humbly following Jesus?
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
May the Lord be gracious to those who have no real relationship with Christ and may those of us who know Him, come to experience the supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity that is our inheritance in Christ.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
May the Lord be gracious to those who have no real relationship with Christ and may those of us who know Him, come to experience the supreme happiness and spiritual prosperity that is our inheritance in Christ.
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