Episode Details

The Pursuit of Blessedness The Ministry of Jesus Christ The Sermon on the Mount Matthew Ch 5-7 The Ministry of Jesus Christ The Sermon on the Mount Matthew Ch 5-7 We have already established that the historical Jesus : Eternal God who became flesh – INCARNATION (John 1) Sinless in His humanity – TEMPTATION (Matt 4) The Anointed Messiah – The SAVIOR of the WORLD ( Luke 4) Matt Ch 5 V1-16   He spoke with Authority His words were “Seasoned with Grace” Matthew 5: 1-16 Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRT  opposite of self sufficiency to have deep humility recognize one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy without God to be conscious of their lost condition Matt 17:17 We see Him at the grave of Lazarus Jesus groaned in spirit ...John 11:33 Blessed are the MEEK  More than gentleness / meekness is the OPPOSITE of being out of control Psalm 37:11 “ the meek will inherit the earth” TO THE MEEK ....GOD WILL GRANT THEM AN INHERITANCE - Psalm 23:6 “ Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell....   Jesus said in John 6:35 “ I AM the bread of life the one who comes to ME will never HUNGER and the one believes in ME will NEVER THIRST”.   THEY SHALL BE “FILLED” ... LITERALLY MEANS SATISFIED Blessed are the MERCIFUL  This is a characteristic of GOD ... He came to show MERCY ... I WILL HAVE MERCY....THE GOOD SAMARITAN ...showed mercy (Luke 10) To show a deep sense of compassion, to exercise pity those less fortunate ... something foreign to Chief Priests and Pharisees BUT GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY - Ephesians 2:4 What a promise ....those who are merciful, …will be shown MERCY BY GOD  Blessed are the PURE IN HEART  pure in heart is to have UNMIXED MOTIVES ... to have a single eye (Matt 6:22) to have a single desire to walk with God to lead a blameless life, to have a tender conscious, to be without guile, no deceit, nor envy or malice harbored in your heart, to be fixed on pleasing GOD ...WHAT A BLESSEDNESS... THIS ONE WILL SEE GOD !!! ! Many examples…Enoch, Job, Daniel, Nathaniel, Simeon, Stephen Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS  those who ACTIVELY intervene to make peace Those who create the means for UNITY ....THIS IS GOD LIKE This is what JESUS CHRIST did at the CROSS ‘He made PEACE for us by His Blood (Col 1:20) ...took our punishment ! He INTERVENED for us .... became the MEDIATOR ...of the new covenant (Heb 9:15) How can I make peace with GOD ?, ....by SURRENDERING TO HIM in humility and with a contrite heart .... BY ACCEPTING HIS SACRIFICE AT THE CROSS as the very means of satisfying God for the offence of my sins WHAT A BLESSEDNESS ...THE PEACE MAKERS WILL BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD  Blessed are those who are PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS .... Blessed are YOU when PEOPLE INSULT YOU and PERSECUTE YOU FALSELY ...because of ME  key phase ... for MY sake ... on account of Me Suffering for the sake of Christ carries a blessing from Heaven Peter said “ suffering for rightness .. well pleasing to God” I Peter 2:20 Jesus said ...in John 15:18-22 you will suffer persecution for my sake “if they hate you.... don’t be surprised ...they hated me also ...“ if they persecuted Me they will persecute you In Luke 6:22 Jesus said if this happens to you “REJOICE in that day... Leap for joy .. great is your reward in heaven” You are the SALT OF THE EARTH Speaking of the Power of a Spirit Filled Life in a world of perishing souls Effectiveness, …salt is used for preservation of perishable goods