That Day - This Day - Matthew 5:1-12 - All Saints

 

Matthew 5:1-12 NIV

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

That Day – This Day

From the present to the future in eternity. From the community now to the community in the future in eternity. From the everyday trials of today to the glory of the world to come. The “Beatitudes” are streaks of Light in the dark of today. The “Beatitudes” Jesus shares outward today to be fulfilled by Christ today and into eternity. This is the character of people who inherit the Kingdom of God. A character opposite of this world’s standards. Here we see that Heaven is way ABOVE earthly life. But it’s present to future IS for today as well.

I must completely depend on God! You too!

In these few passages of Scripture, we witness teaching for the disciples. Teaching about the response to Jesus’ call out into the world and fulfilled in God’s Kingdom, today and forever. Teaching on a mountain, kind of like when God gave His Law to Moses. Yes, teaching that proclaims that the Kingdom of God is at hand, now, and will be complete when Jesus returns.

In Jesus’ teaching the Spirit is on Jesus. Remember?

Matthew 3:16 NIV

¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

 

Jesus’ ministry has begun, to claim and heal the sorrowful, to bring freedom and to comfort mourners, and so much more.

 

The “Beatitudes” are promises of the Kingdom of God. For whom?

 

For people who trust in God. Promises to be ACTED upon and practiced with an attitude of humility, love, trust, and courage, NOT by the perfect, but by the converted. Here the unfortunate ARE blessed and heaven will make the earthly wrong right. God loves you and has not given up on you.

 

Blessed means to be happy and well.

 

Let’s look at that word “blessed” from the Psalms…

Psalm 1:1 NIV

¹ Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,

 

Psalm 32:1 NIV

¹ Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.

 

Psalm 112:1 NIV

¹ Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

 

Here we need to beware of when riches become pride. FOR the poor remember their dependance on God AND are blessed.

 

Back to the Psalms…

 

Psalm 10:2 NIV

² In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.

 

Psalm 40:17 NIV

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    you are my God, do not delay.

 

Here we hear of those put down by the evil, but keep a loyalty to God’s will.

 

Pride IS the root of sin.

 

Now to those who mourn or those in need of comfort.

 

Comforted by God. Let’s look to some more Scripture…

 

Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV – Speaking to the Year of the LORD’s Favor

61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
³     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.

 

While in mourning we may feel the darkness of grief, the darkness of our sin, the darkness of loneliness, the darkness of the tomb, the darkness of failure, however in this darkness can be a blessing. For, it’s in the darkness that the LIGHT is revealed. Even here on earth, in the darkness of night the stars shine the brightest.

In the darkness the blessed mourn for their sins.

 

Psalm 51:3 NIV

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.

 

SO --- God IS always close. God is closer than you think.

 

Remember that Joy is not the opposite of pain. Joy is sorrow accepted in forgiving love. Joy comes from forgiveness and love, freely given by and through Jesus to ALL.

 

So, now what about the meek. Don’t let our meek thinking of today through you off. Meekness is the goodwill towards our neighbors in obedience to God’s will. You see, God watches over His children. So, to be meek IS a good Christian characteristic. Jesus was meek. And the meek will inherit the earth, as a reward, as a gift.  Don’t let this world’s people lead you to think that meekness is weakness. Beware of that type of thinking. Jesus WAS meek and look what He did! So, be meek.

 

Now hunger and thirst. Hunger is an intense desire. In the desert, thirst is even a more intense desire. So, hunger for righteousness, within yourself, AND within this world. BUT, always thirst after Christ. AND you will be changed.

 

2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

 

We are being changed. As we bear our sins fully in the face of God, He forgives us and changes us into His righteousness. This isn’t something we do, it’s a gift from God.

 

AND here we find JOY. We are no longer focusing on our sins BUT now we focus on Christ AS Jesus draws us to Himself.

 

 

Psalm 17:15 NIV

¹⁵ As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

 

We are righteous NOT by our own power or will, but rather by God’s, power and will.

 

Jesus’ promise of reward for disciples who join with God to rescue and calm the suffering of the unfortunate people on earth is to strive for peace, righteousness and mercy.

 

To be merciful is a behavior that is sympathetic, loving, and kind.

 

When Jesus told the Parable of the Good Samaritan, He told a story of a man attacked by robbers and left half dead on the side of the road. Three people came upon this man, one a priest, one a Levite, and one a Samaritan. Only the Samaritan stopped to help the man. Jesus posed this question to a man, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life…

 

Luke 10:36-37

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

With mercy, when you have no words, your tears have and hold grace. The merciful are aware of their own sins AND have love towards the other sinful of this world.

Now let’s move to the pure in heart. The pure in heart are those single minded who try to do God’s will.

Colossians 3:22 NIV

²² Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

 

James 4:8 NIV

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The pure in heart is NOT some of the phony bologna we sometimes see on Facebook, who just want to appear something they are not to the world. This IS REAL stuff here.

 

So why be pure in heart? Look at this reward!

 

Revelation 22:1-5 NIV

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

 

Wow! This is a heart involving your mind and your will, NOT only emotions. Yes, today, we CAN see God in this world!

 

We are called to seek peace as well. Not made-up peace, but real peace.

 

Psalm 34:14 NIV

¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

 

This is peace both personal and social. Peace makers will be called children of God, or some may say Sons of God. The Sons of God aren’t some made up thing in the heavens, they are real people that God created.

 

Jesus’ last will has brought peace!

 

John 14:27 NIV

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

 

Being restored to God IS Peace. Yes, Jesus MADE peace.

 

 

Ephesians 2:14-16 NIV

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

 

What is the work of peace?

 

To focus on the love of God. The restoration of mankind with God so ALL turn to Christ in His presence.

 

Yet, in all of this, as you work, here and now to bring justice and righteousness to the earthly unfortunate, EXPECT to join them. You too will be persecuted AND blessed as well. As God’s servants WE WILL be at risk of our lives. Persecution for God IS blessing AND sacrifice.

 

Our reward is in Heaven AND ON earth. This reward does not come about by bookkeeping methods. Rather the reward is out of proportion to what we do or have done.

 

Matthew 19:29 NIV

²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

 

Matthew 25:23 NIV

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

 

Do you see it? It’s a gift!

 

Luke 17:10 NIV

¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

 

Yes, we do as we always should do.

 

Jesus lets us see God. We see God in Jesus, in eternity. That’s not something I can see here, but I will enjoy some day, with all the saints and angels, when I see Jesus in eternity. Here, Jesus gives us work to do in love towards God and in love towards neighbor.

 

And this teaching in the “Beatitudes” is NOT me, or you, trying to flaunt righteousness over and above someone else. To seek righteousness is not a work to go after. Rather, the work is the doing of God’s will. Only God in Jesus can give you righteousness, so DON’T BE HAUGHTY!

 

This is an eschatological reverse. An end-time reverse, that turns things on their head at the last judgment.

 

The work of the Saints is not only for heaven but also on this earth as well.

 

There will be a day when ALL see Jesus. All will see Jesus AT THE CENTER.

 

Praise God for that day. Yes, Lord, I pray, make me, and you, and all disciples, like Jesus… today… tomorrow… and forever. --- Amen

 

How could I not but leave you with this YouTube music video…

 

“For All the Saints”

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ML6WFskgYI&list=RD9ML6WFskgYI&start_radio=1

For All the Saints