Bible In A Year | Read: Matthew 5
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. Matthew 5:3-6
This chapter begins the longest of Jesus’ teachings recorded in the Bible. The standard of righteousness being taught seems unattainable! In fact, Jesus says that people need to be more righteous than a Pharisee. The Pharisees were people who tried to keep all of the rules in the Old Testament, or least look like they did. There were 613 laws in the Old Testament, but they even kept laws they made up themselves just to make sure they didn’t accidentally break one of God’s laws. To everyone but Jesus they looked like very good people. When Jesus said you had to be better than a Pharisee to enter God’s kingdom, that would have been disheartening news! Jesus points out that sin can just be thinking something that’s wrong and isn’t limited to just doing wrong things.
The word blessing here means—special honor and recognition. God will give special honor in His kingdom to these people.
Does the way this world treats God and His children make you sad? Those who grieve about this have God’s heart. Jesus honored God’s name above everything else. Jesus honored the disciples more than His parents and brothers. Yes, we need to make it our heart to honor them the same way.
The word meek is special. This is great power under great control. It uses the power not to get people to obey because of fear, but to honor the poorest and weakest. God’s promise is that they will rule in His kingdom—they have His heart.
Do what is right. God will honor you over others. Sometimes people don’t think they need Jesus. They think they are good enough on their own. Jesus makes it clear that we cannot be good enough to enter his kingdom. We need forgiveness.
Time to Pray
Father, we need to review these kingdom blessings. They represent Your heart and what You would love to honor in me. If that is what the King looks for, then I need to determine in my heart to do it. So today, give me a broken heart for the struggles people go through. Give me a broken heart for the way people speak against You because my actions do not help them honor You. Help me to use the power of the Holy Spirit to honor the poorest and the needy. I want to do what is right in everything I say and do today. In Jesus’ name Amen.
Action Step
What is God showing me? What am I going to do about it?
Recent Comments