Kingdom Living is described in the Beatitudes
The Kingdom of God in us: the Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-11
In Part 1 we asked the question; how should born again believers live out their lives in the Kingdom of God?
The beatitudes describe the type of character, standards, and behaviours that are lived out in the Kingdom of God. This is what all believers should be experiencing in our lives. They are like a new law that is applied in our hearts. The beatitudes can only apply to born again believers as no one else would have the enabling of the Holy Spirit to perform such acts.
The beatitudes are part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and today we take a detailed look at each of the beatitudes. In the meantime, here is a definition:
Beatitudes; (Latin) blessedness.
Blessed: def. happy, to be envied and spiritually prosperous (that is with life joy and satisfaction with God's favour regardless of the outward conditions). This is the state of heart and mind we all long for! It is the attitude of heart or mind that is fulfilled in God. Blessed: Makarios; Gr. used to describe God himself; it is enjoying life as God enjoys it!
v3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4.Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.
5.Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
9. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the sons of God.
10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
v.11 Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely on account of Me
So how should born again believers live out their lives in the Kingdom of God/Heaven? The beatitudes describe the type of character, standards, and behaviours that are lived out in the Kingdom of God. This is what all believers should be experiencing in our lives. They are like a new law that is applied in our hearts. The beatitudes can only apply to born again believers as no one else would have the enabling of the Holy Spirit to perform such acts.
The beatitudes are part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and we will next time be taken a detailed look at each of the beatitudes. In the meantime, here is a definition:
Beatitudes; (Latin) blessedness.
Blessed: def. happy, to be envied and spiritually prosperous (that is with life joy and satisfaction with God's favour regardless of the outward conditions). This is the state of heart and mind we all long for! It is the attitude of heart or mind that is fulfilled in God. Blessed: Makarios; Gr. used to describe God himself; it is enjoying life as God enjoys it!
Jesus departed from the crowds and went up the mountain, the disciples came to him. This in a sense represents going on with Him i.e. a step of consecration, coming out of the crowd to follow Him. Being a disciple means to follow the Master and obey his teaching and commands. Come and meet Christ on the mountain if you want to be his disciple. Why go to the mountain; to get away from distractions and closer to God.
Only disciples can disciple others and here is one of the major teachings to make us into disciples.
Consider a step wise progression of the Beatitudes. They represent the starting point and how to make progress in coming to maturity. Maturity in Christ is our vision. Fully engaging with the Kingdom of God/Heaven. It might also be that the beatitudes may give us the pattern of tackling every project in our spiritual lives!
We now consider the beatitudes in order and detail.
v3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
v.3 We must admit our inadequacy and failure to God (sin, shame, pride, fear, insecurity, self-sufficiency). All our
(own) righteousness, all our own good deeds are as filthy rags to God. This is the starting point. This poverty of spirit (attitude of heart/mind) opens the door to the kingdom of God. It is impossible to enter the kingdom in any other state of heart. The kingdom of God is within you i.e. when the love of Christ that is shed abroad in our hearts and influences our whole life, thoughts, and actions. Only admission of our poverty in spirit before and to God can enable Him to breathe His life into us (c.f. salvation experience).
4.Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.
v.4 This means mourning over our sins to go on with God we must firstly confess our sins and express sorrow on an ongoing basis before God. The Greek word for mourn is used in the New Testament in the context of mourning over sins.
James 4:8-11; v.9 mourns and weep for your sins.
1 Cor 5:1-2; v2 Church had failed to mourn over incestuous immorality.
2 Cor 12:21; Paul mourns over churches unrepented sin.
We might need to ask Him to take away any enjoyment of the sin. We then ask for forgiveness and the grace to avoid falling into the same trap. When we reach this point of mourning over our sins God can do something with us. We must mourn for our own sins, for the church’s sins and those of the nation.
God does comfort the bereaved, but this verse is not talking about that kind of mourning.
Amen
Personal Prayer
Next time in Part 5 We consider the beatitudes in Matthew 5:5-8
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