Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And 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 satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive 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 others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- Matthew 5:1-12 ESV
Rev. Charles Han
Upside down kingdom
Blessed starts every verse in Jesus' sermon. This means that they are favored and happy. What do we think of when we hear the word blessed? Jesus defines some very odd people as blessed. The meek, those who mourn... Why are these people considered blessed? Jesus came from heaven... He had the authority to speak of who is blessed, he came from heaven after all. Why does Jesus repeat this so many times? Jesus is trying to get through to a deaf world.
Everyone seeks out happiness. Some may go to war; others avoid it. It is to this same end that drives both behaviors. Some even look to suicide. But not all these paths will end in happiness, many will end with misery and cursing. This path is the path to true happiness and fulfillment. These are all the qualifications for a true citizen of heaven. We are not fully embodying these qualities, but these are present and growing in a Christian's life and heart. To have these qualifications requires more than simply a religious life.
Inside out kingdom
The true kingdom citizen is spiritually poor. We acknowledge that we are spiritually bankrupt. We are humbled to the dust. How does this differ from your typical person? Most people consider themselves spiritually middle class. Not great, but not in need of help, in need of salvation. This is not something a Christian can hold in their heart. They need to know that they have no spiritual worth outside of the saving work of Jesus. They know of no other way to salvation other than utter dependence upon God.
Christians mourn over their sin. They see the darkness of their heart and the destructive results of their sin... And they mourn.
This is turn drives us into meekness. Not weakness, but meekness. It takes away our drive to glorify ourselves. We have an inner quietness because we know of our spiritual brokenness. But not only that, we are aware and secure of our standing before God. But this is not a coddled security. It makes us zealous for the kingdom of God.
Once we are accepted and adopted into God's kingdom, we want to extend and expand this great kingdom. We have a growing desire for personal piety. We have a heart for mercy. We do not emphasize one over the other.
The forward-back kingdom
How do we live this out? With the world constantly pushing back, trials, suffering, and even persecution... There is a coming kingdom. It will come and suddenly, the proud will be humbled. Those who are comfortable with their sin and evil, will find themselves in mourning. And those who mourn now over their sin, will be comforted. Persecution and reviling over this way of living is something that a Christian will rejoice in. It is a confirmation of our future destination. This is an attitude that cannot be counterfeited.
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