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by Sandy Shaw
We come in Matthew Chapter 5 verse 4 to these words of Jesus where He says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”. Does this not include those who mourn over sin – the very thought of hurting and offending Almighty God? Will I never free from this behaviour that grieves Him? You will be comforted or fortified, or fortressed. Jesus is so clear and also so simple.
“Blessed are the meek.” This is not weakness. This is being submissive to God, and humbly obedient to God. This requires real strength of character. They will inherit the earth.
They will grasp at nothing but inherit the earth. They will clutch at nothing but get everything.
Moses was the meekest man in all the earth, but no one would describe him as being weak. He bowed before the God who was sustaining him and keeping him and using him to fulfil a massive task of liberating over two million Hebrew slaves from Egypt.
Or, consider Jesus riding into Jerusalem. See your king comes to you meek and rising on a donkey. Jesus was fulfilling prophecy, and Jesus could never be described as a weakling. He could take a whip and cleanse sin from the Temple, argue with the Pharisees, and confute their superficial wisdom. Later, in Matthew Chapter 11, Jesus invites people to “come to me, for I am meek” – this is one of the few occasions where Jesus draws attention to one of His personal characteristics.
“Blessed are you who hunger and thirst for righteousness - for they will be filled and satisfied.” Righteousness is a gift offered to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and through Jesus Christ. To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to hunger and thirst after Christ.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” This is one area where we are to take the initiative. Show mercy, and forgive. Be gracious. This is God’s way of dealing with sinners and with the needs of sinners.
That Samaritan in Luke Chapter 10 showed mercy to the man who had been attacked and mugged. He ministered to his needs and wounds. It was his aim and purpose to help him and see him healed and restored. This was mercy in action.
“Blessed are the pure in heart.” Jesus does not say we have to be perfect, but sincere or wholehearted. The heart is the seat of the will – it is the heart that drives us – those whose motives are pure – free from the desire to score a point here and a point there – they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers”. We see two people arguing and we seek to make peace. We seek reconciliation. Such will be called sons of God. Part of our task and mission and ministry is to seek to reconcile men who are at war with each other. They will be called sons of God which means being Christ-like.
We must pause there today. Jesus Christ is not a philosopher. Jesus is not a Jewish moraliser nor is He a moralising Jewish Rabbi. What we are reading of here in these words to disciples is the breaking through of the Kingdom of God.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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