Matthew 5:1-12
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.
The Beatitudes
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.
With life’s tribulations and troubles, we sometimes break or break down...There are times when life just seems to take us to the mat and we become defeated and weak...With troubles, disease, and despair we lose our optimism, lose hope, and become pessimistic about what has happened in our lives...
I have seen people who are poor, in bad health, in trouble, impatient, flawed, mistake prone, out of control, and meek...Jesus gravitated to this type of person and these types of groups and started His ministry with these types...These are the type of people that started His ministry, with His first sermon, the Sermon on the Mount...And actually this is His Gospel and who He directs His Good News to...We learn that as He gives His Sermon on the Mount...His Good News is for the troubled, the weak, the diseased, and those in despair...