Matthew 5:1-12
The Sermon on the Mount
1 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.
Luke 6:17-26
The Sermon on the Plain
17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20 Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
24 "But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Some think these might be one and the same Sermon, and some say they are two sermons by Jesus...When one thinks about life on earth, I personally do not want to give a lot of thought and personal attention about being poor in Spirit, about how meek I am, about how hungry I might or could be, and about mourning and weeping...These things are negative and somewhat discouraging...But in Jesus' Two Great Sermons, He wants us to look at these things and give them thought and to reflect on them...
In Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, He blesses the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...He blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted...He blesses the meek, for they will inherit the earth...He blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled...He blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy...Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God...Jesus blesses the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God...He blesses those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven...He blesses those who are insulted, persecuted them and falsely say all kinds of evil against them because of Him and who He is, because is the Perfect Example of Righteousness...Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you, and some people will persecute those who believe and follow Jesus...
And in His Sermon on the Mount, He blesses those who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God...He blesses those who hunger now, for you will be satisfied...He blesses those who weep now, for you will laugh...He blesses those are hated, when others exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man...We must rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven...For that is how their fathers treated the prophets...But woe to you who are rich, for the rich have already received your comfort...Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry...Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep...Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets...
Jesus Sermons are as practical today, I think, as when He spoke them two thousand years ago...He helps the poor and the downhearted...And His ministry focused on groups like this...His Sermons really are something for us to think about and reflect on...And whether they are two Sermons or on Sermon they are both worth studying again and again and again...And if Jesus did repeat His Sermon on the Mount when He was on the Plain, it is very much worth repeating...