"Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." -Matthew 5:5
The Beatitudes were spoken to change the attitudes of the people. They are full of power today just as they were when first spoken. Christ began by pointing people to their need of a Savior (the poor in spirit recognize their sin). Then He promised an all-encompassing comfort for the pain of sin (the mourning are forgiven). He then moves to the vaccination for sin.
In Isaiah 14 we read of the beginning of sin on the streets of heaven: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'" (vs. 12-14, emphasis added)
Lucifer determined in his heart he would rule himself. He would set his own role in heaven. He was willing to go to the greatest lengths to assume the throne of heaven. His pride, "the essence of all sin", resulted in his expulsion from the throne room of God where he has served and, ultimately, heaven. (Andrews Study Bible [ASB], p.878 - fn)
Jesus speaks to the people in the mountain sermon and reveals the vaccination to self-centeredness and pride. "Blessed are the meek." The meekness Jesus speaks of is a self so consumed by Jesus they act, and react, as Christ. There is no consideration of themselves except they be hidden in Christ. They sit at the feet of Jesus and are taught in His school. His words are their textbook and come alive in their lives. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle (meek) and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29)
The meek take Jesus at His word and follow after Him through self-denial. (Matthew 16:24) "The independence and self-supremacy in which we glory are seen in their true vileness as tokens of servitude to Satan. Human nature is ever struggling for expression, ready for contest; but he who learns of Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of supremacy, and there is silence in the soul." (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p. 15)
Christ longs to bring silence and peace to our troubled hearts. His example of self-denial, surrender and sacrifice serve as the greatest announcement of His peace. In the face of His accusers He could stand silent. Not because He was ignorant or weak; because He was wise and meek. Christ could endure the taunts and jeers because He surrendered to His Father's will. The physical pain held no weight compared to the thought of denying His Father. In His silence He declared ownership of this world and the next. He reclaimed earth for us.
Today He offers us the world through surrender. Some say God is waiting to make us all millionaires if only we would pray harder and read our Bibles more. God says He wants to give us the peace surpassing the understanding of the world. When we place His yoke on our shoulders the world is ours. When we humbly surrender to His Spirit's work in our hearts, the terrors and traumas of earth hold no influence on us. And soon, so very soon, the new earth will also be ours.
Be blessed. Be meek. Claim your inheritance.
Showing posts with label beatitudes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beatitudes. Show all posts
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Beatitudinal Adjustment: part 2 - The Mourners
"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." -Matthew 5:4
Life provides ample opportunities to mourn. Families break apart, friends die, we lose jobs, those closest to us move away, people betray trust and others take advantage of us. Unfortunately modern perception is such that certain people don't cry (i.e. real men or big girls). The reality is we all can/should/need to cry at some point. Everyone is programmed with emotions. It is unhealthy, and unbiblical, to store up the feelings of sorrow and pain that come naturally with loss.
Jesus let the crowd on the Mount of Blessings know they are never alone in their despair. Christ offers a twin-tiered comfort.
1. Current comfort
2. Eternal comfort
Just before His betrayal Jesus promised the arrival of another Helper (or Comforter) to abide with us forever. The presence of the Spirit brings us comfort because He speaks the words of Jesus to us. He reminds us of the words Jesus spoke to us during His life on earth, including the promise of His return for us.
Christ's return and promised everlasting kingdom provides great comfort. Revelation 21:4 says the residents of the heavenly city will live in a place like we have never known. It says "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
The mourning Jesus alludes to in the Beatitudes goes deeper than the "physical" or "normal" mourning we think of with the grieving process. A "true heart sorrow for sin" is the mourning God wants from each of us. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p.9)
God will bring final, eternal comfort to those who mourn their own (and other's) sinfulness. Our contrite heart brings joy to the heart of God and He grants forgiveness and newness of life. He brings peace which passes all understanding to our lives. "Christ lifts up the contrite heart and refines the mourning soul until it becomes His abode." (ibid., p.11)
Our Savior does not intend for our hearts to be weighed down forever with sorrow and pain from this life. He wants us to lift up our face to the giver of all good and perfect gifts. Drink for the fountain of living water and eat of the bread of life.
"The blessed Savior stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him....He has loved us with an everlasting love and with loving-kindness compassed about us....He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace." (ibid., p.12)
Life provides ample opportunities to mourn. Families break apart, friends die, we lose jobs, those closest to us move away, people betray trust and others take advantage of us. Unfortunately modern perception is such that certain people don't cry (i.e. real men or big girls). The reality is we all can/should/need to cry at some point. Everyone is programmed with emotions. It is unhealthy, and unbiblical, to store up the feelings of sorrow and pain that come naturally with loss.
Jesus let the crowd on the Mount of Blessings know they are never alone in their despair. Christ offers a twin-tiered comfort.
1. Current comfort
2. Eternal comfort
Just before His betrayal Jesus promised the arrival of another Helper (or Comforter) to abide with us forever. The presence of the Spirit brings us comfort because He speaks the words of Jesus to us. He reminds us of the words Jesus spoke to us during His life on earth, including the promise of His return for us.
Christ's return and promised everlasting kingdom provides great comfort. Revelation 21:4 says the residents of the heavenly city will live in a place like we have never known. It says "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
The mourning Jesus alludes to in the Beatitudes goes deeper than the "physical" or "normal" mourning we think of with the grieving process. A "true heart sorrow for sin" is the mourning God wants from each of us. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p.9)
God will bring final, eternal comfort to those who mourn their own (and other's) sinfulness. Our contrite heart brings joy to the heart of God and He grants forgiveness and newness of life. He brings peace which passes all understanding to our lives. "Christ lifts up the contrite heart and refines the mourning soul until it becomes His abode." (ibid., p.11)
Our Savior does not intend for our hearts to be weighed down forever with sorrow and pain from this life. He wants us to lift up our face to the giver of all good and perfect gifts. Drink for the fountain of living water and eat of the bread of life.
"The blessed Savior stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him....He has loved us with an everlasting love and with loving-kindness compassed about us....He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace." (ibid., p.12)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Beatitudinal Adjustment: The Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
We start an 8-part series on the Beatitudes in my district this month. So every week I'll share thoughts on the next Beatitude in the series.
Matthew is significant as a gospel writer as he depicts Christ as King of kings. Throughout Matthew the phraseology reflects the kingdom of heaven and the coming rulership of Jesus. As Matthew 5 opens, the famous Sermon on the Mount places Jesus in a parallel with Moses on Mount Sinai in the mind of the Jewish reader. Jesus prepares to expound upon the Testimonies given at Sinai without changing them. It should be noted that in Matthew 7:28 the people sit in awe of Jesus and the authority He speaks with just as the children of Israel were in awe of Moses after he spoke with God.
Jesus begins His sermon by speaking blessings upon the people. He starts with "the poor in spirit." The contemporary culture of Jesus' day saw poverty as a curse from the gods. They were ostracized, marginalized and often given lower positions (if any) during worship services or mealtimes. Jesus begins to tear down this misconception. In the eyes of Christ wealth and positions of grandeur are greater burdens than poverty and little or no authority. (see Matthew 19:21-24)
Rather than trumpeting our outward, temporal successes, Christians are called to a life of self-denial, introspection, and humility before The Holy God. Take Isaiah 66:1-2, for example.
"Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,' says the LORD. 'But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.'"
God is not interested in how big and beautiful we can build our churches/temples/shrines/monuments in honor of Him. God already made the heavens and the earth and they serve as a much greater throne and footstool than we could ever build or even design/dream. The LORD is looking for people who recognize they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Revelation 3:17)
Christ's message stands in perfect contrast to the teaching of the proud Pharisees and pious Scribes of old. His message still stands against the common empty teachings of today. You are most successful in life when you are humbled by your sinfulness and lying face down before Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to show God's compassion to the poor and suffering (both physically and spiritually). He removed the wall of to the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary allowing all to approach the throne of grace. He showed us the accessibility of God. He took, and still takes, the lowest of the low and raises them to the lofty heights of the Most High.
He opened the gates of heaven for you. What will you do about it?
"And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
"So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'"
(Acts 16:30-31)
We start an 8-part series on the Beatitudes in my district this month. So every week I'll share thoughts on the next Beatitude in the series.
Matthew is significant as a gospel writer as he depicts Christ as King of kings. Throughout Matthew the phraseology reflects the kingdom of heaven and the coming rulership of Jesus. As Matthew 5 opens, the famous Sermon on the Mount places Jesus in a parallel with Moses on Mount Sinai in the mind of the Jewish reader. Jesus prepares to expound upon the Testimonies given at Sinai without changing them. It should be noted that in Matthew 7:28 the people sit in awe of Jesus and the authority He speaks with just as the children of Israel were in awe of Moses after he spoke with God.
Jesus begins His sermon by speaking blessings upon the people. He starts with "the poor in spirit." The contemporary culture of Jesus' day saw poverty as a curse from the gods. They were ostracized, marginalized and often given lower positions (if any) during worship services or mealtimes. Jesus begins to tear down this misconception. In the eyes of Christ wealth and positions of grandeur are greater burdens than poverty and little or no authority. (see Matthew 19:21-24)
Rather than trumpeting our outward, temporal successes, Christians are called to a life of self-denial, introspection, and humility before The Holy God. Take Isaiah 66:1-2, for example.
"Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,' says the LORD. 'But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.'"
God is not interested in how big and beautiful we can build our churches/temples/shrines/monuments in honor of Him. God already made the heavens and the earth and they serve as a much greater throne and footstool than we could ever build or even design/dream. The LORD is looking for people who recognize they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Revelation 3:17)
Christ's message stands in perfect contrast to the teaching of the proud Pharisees and pious Scribes of old. His message still stands against the common empty teachings of today. You are most successful in life when you are humbled by your sinfulness and lying face down before Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to show God's compassion to the poor and suffering (both physically and spiritually). He removed the wall of to the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary allowing all to approach the throne of grace. He showed us the accessibility of God. He took, and still takes, the lowest of the low and raises them to the lofty heights of the Most High.
He opened the gates of heaven for you. What will you do about it?
"And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
"So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'"
(Acts 16:30-31)
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