Verses: Matthew 5:1-12
My thoughts about the
verses:
The majority of Christians
have study the Beatitudes. We think of
them as the way to live our life. We
have learned to accept that we are to be humble. We accept that we have to put God first. We even accept that we are to treat others
the way we want to be treated. Yet,
there is more to the lesson.
Reading the last line of
the verses you will see that when we leave the beatitudes we will be
persecuted. We must go through hard
times to really accept the love of God.
We are blessed if we accept the love and abundance of God.
Yet, what does it take
to truly understand the need of being persecuted. Think back to the prophets. Their lives were not easy. Many of them went through difficult
times. They declared that the
destruction of the Jewish nation was coming because of their sins. The
saddest part is that many of them lived through the persecution. They were chosen by God to spread the
news. Yet the leaders and the community didn’t
ask for forgiveness and turn from their ways.
Imagine trusting God and know what is coming and have to live through it
because people didn’t accept the words given to you by God. Therefor they lived through times of
persecution.
The first beatitude
talks about those that have great struggles.
When you struggle you come to accept that you need God in your
life. You become stronger in your
relationship with God out of your need. If
you spend your whole life without struggles it is easy to think you do not need
God in your life. There is a highlight
in the life that those who struggle. In
fact, there is a gift waiting for all that accept Jesus and that is the
blessings of receive the gift of salvation.
The second beatitude
talks about those that know that they sin.
They feel the need to have salvation.
They are searching for anything that can take away the sin and evil in
their life. People that do not think
they do wrong do not feel the need of salvation. They do not know what it is to mourn for a
life without sin. Yet, Jesus promises
those that mourn over their sin. The
promise is that Jesus will give you comfort.
Through the gift of salvation you will find love peace and hope. Your mourning over your sin will turn to
happiness if you accept the gift of everlasting life.
The third beatitude talks
about those that humbly come to God. They
realize that they are no match to the forgiveness and power of God. They realize that they have to turn their
lives over to God. They realize that
they need God in their life so that they can find peace. People that do not understand how it is to
respect God have a hard time of accepting the blessings God offers. They believe that do not have to have God in
their life. Yet, those that come to God
in humbleness will receive the promises given in times of Abraham. They are given the blessings of ultimate
peace for they inherit the gifts of eternal life.
The fourth beatitude
talks about those that seek the gift of forgiveness. They feel deep inside that the only thing
that will save them from the sin in their life is God. They understand the need for God in their
life. Those that do not seek the
forgiveness of God believe that they can do it on their own. They see no need to have anyone save them
from their life. In fact, they do not
understand that they have faults in their life that need to be forgiven by
God. Those that search for the
forgiveness of God will be given that forgiveness. They will have their need for the gift of
salvation completed when they accept God in their life.
The fifth beatitude
talks about those that do well for others.
They realize that they need to be kind and compassionate to others. They have the ability to be merciful to
others because of their commitment to God.
They are able to show mercy for they have received mercy from God for
the sins that they have committed. They
have already found the gift of salvation and want to show that mercy to
others. On the other hand you have those
that are unfair to others. They misuse
people because they have not accepted God in their life. They walk around the world acting as if they
are the judges of life. Yet, they miss
the fact that they are not the judges.
They do not understand that the only judge in life is God. Those that show mercy understand that God is
the giver of mercy. They have felt that
gift and they want to share that with others.
The sixth beatitude
talks again about those that have had their heart purified. They have accepted the gift of salvation in
their life. They now have seen the very
glory of God. It is through their
acceptance of God that they are able to witness the love they need here on
Earth. Their acceptance of Christ allows
them to internally know the Spirit of God in their lives. Those that do not have a purified heart will
never feel the presence of Jesus in their life.
They will live their life without being able to see the glory of
Jesus. The fact is that we all have a
choice to have a purified heart. Yet,
there are so many do not accept Jesus in their life and therefor walk this
world without feeling the very presence of God in their life.
The seventh beatitude
talks about those that have made peace with God. Simply put they have accepted the grace of
God. In accepting that grace they have
become the
Children of God. Those that have made peace with God are
further called to help others find the peace that they have. They need to show others what God has done in
their life. They need to tell people how
to receive the peace that they have in their own life. Yet, those that do not accept that peace will
never find comfort in this life. They
may think that all is well yet when they pass from this Earth they will not
have the gift of eternal life.
Peacemakers become the Children of God because they have loved God and
God returns the love to them. They have
the gift of eternal life and have found the peace that outlasts this world.
The eighth beatitude
talks about the persecution that believers face. Believer’s lives are not always easy. There are so many times that we face
hardships. We face people that reject
us. Being a child of God doesn’t mean
that we live a life of complete peace.
Many times we struggle with illnesses and lost. We struggle internally with doing the right
thing. Yet, there is a gift that believers
are promised. We are promised the gift
of eternal life. Even through our
struggles we have the understanding that we will receive the gift of going to
the Kingdom that God has established for all that believe. This knowledge should help us overcome our
struggles. Those that do not have this
eternal knowledge do not have God helping them through life. Instead they have to face it head on. Their lack of accepting God will lead to not
having the promise of everlasting life.
The last beatitude goes
back to the fact that people will attack those that believe. Those that believe will be ridiculed. People will stand up against them. What makes it much harder for many to accept
is that people who call themselves Christian will do some of the attacking. We need to understand that not all people
that call themselves Christian will believe the same way that we do. It is crazy to think that persecution can
come for those that are also persecuted.
We have to accept that we will have to deal with persecution because of
our choice of accepting the gift of life.
Yet, there is also a reward for those that are persecuted and treated
badly by others. Those that are
persecuted will receive blessings and rewards in the next life. As long as you stay focused on serving God
you will receive the blessings that no one can fully understand.
We have to remember that
struggles are going to happen in our lives.
Some will endure more struggles than others. Yet, through our struggles we can grow closer
to the one that can save us from ourselves.
We will be able to go before God with a pure blessed heart. No matter what you are going through do not
lest the struggles of this world keep you from knowing the promise that is to
come. The prophets were persecuted yet
they live in abundant peace and love form their creator. If we follow this same goal we will find
peace and comfort.
Prayer:
We love you God. We thank you for dying for our sins. Help us to accept the gifts that you have in
our life. Help us understand that though
we struggle if we have accepted you we will overcome. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Help us be the best Christians we can
be. Help us not fight with other
Christians because of it leading to others accept you in their life. In the
name of the Messiah we pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you accepted Jesus in your life? Are you struggling today with something that
you feel that you will never overcome? Do
you need to grow your faith so that you can be there for others?
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