JESUS OFFERS US HIS BLESSINGS
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he offered his blessings to the people who followed him (Matthew 5:1-12). He offers these same blessings today to all of us who are willing and able to receive them:
BLESSED ARE THE HUMBLE THEY SHALL BE EXALTED
The humble–poor in spirit, who mourn, are meek—they shall possess the kingdom of heaven, be comforted, and inherit the earth.
Those who are humble are more like the tax collector than the Pharisee spoken of in the Bible, when both went up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”The tax collector simply said, “ God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
Jesus said, the tax collector went home justified rather than the Pharisee. “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14).
BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY
Jesus tells us about a servant who was forgiven all his debts by his master. But when this servant found one of his fellow servants who owed him, he had his fellow servant thrown into jail because he could not pay on the spot. When the master found out what happened, he “handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.”
The Lord said, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35).
All have sinned and deserve death; but God has forgiven those of us who have repented and believed in the atoning blood of his Son Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23; 6:23; John 3:16). Our heavenly Father who has forgiven us our trespasses, requires us as his children to forgive others who trespass against us (Matthew 6:12).
We may feel some grievous wrongs against us are impossible to forgive. But what is impossible with man is not impossible with God (Matthew 19:26). if we ask God, our helper the Holy Spirit, who reminds us of Jesus Christ and his atoning for our sins that deserves eternal death, is able to help and strengthen us to forgive all others from our heart (John 14:15-17; Philippians 4:13).
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD
Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
The pure in heart are those who love not only in appearance; but those who truly love the Lord with all their heart, and their neighbor as themselves (Mark 12:30-31).
The lord saw Nathaniel as a person in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). He saw David as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 16:7; Acts 13:22).
We should ask the Lord as the Psalmist did: “Create within in me a clean heart” (Psalm 51:10).
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS FOR THEY SHALL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD
Opposite of peacemakers are troublemakers like gossipers and backbiters. They have tongues that are set on fire of hell. They may use their tongues to praise God and to curse others. This should not be. (James 3:6-10).
As children of God, the Bible tells us to “encourage one another and build up one another (I Thessalonians 5:11).
BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN PEOPLE SHALL REVILE AND PERSECUTE YOU FOR THE LORD’S SAKE
The Lord says, when any revile or persecute you for his sake, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
Those who oppose you may be people on your job, at school, at home or elsewhere, who object to or are blinded to the gospel that you proclaim about Jesus Christ.
However, the Lord tells us in his Holy Word to pray for them, that they may come to know him and be saved by the great love he has for them that our Lord has for us (Matthew 5:44; John 3:16).
