Sermon on the Mount I
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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. -
I had the privilege of visiting the Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount in 2010 with my wife. It was built in 1938 and when you are there you wonder, how did Jesus’ voice carry to the back of a crowd of thousands on that small Mount. You can imagine some truth in the Monty Python idea that a man at the back of the crowd would mishear Jesus’ words and pass on the message ‘blessed are the cheesemakers’ like Chinese whispers.
But Matthew’s Gospel records that Jesus turned to his disciples and taught these ‘blessed’ words, so these ‘beatitudes’ may have been taught to the disciples. So we have an accurate account of the Lord’s words passed down the oral tradition until Matthew put pen to papyrus.
Our reading in Matthew 5 begins:
‘When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down..’
The scriptures in Matthew 5-7 are known as: ‘The sermon on the Mount’
It is very interesting that Jesus (see Matthew 4) moved from his home in Nazareth to Capernaum (and he didn’t go back there again). Galilee was a great place for a new message to take off. It is a small region about 50miles x 25miles. It is densely populated. Historian, Josephus recorded 204 towns and villages in the region. Josephus also wrote:
“Galileans’ were by nature were open to change..
and never short of courage…
more anxious for honour than for gain.”
This place was ripe for the gospel - the good news. It is the place where Jesus delivered his 'Sermon on the Mount,’ (Matthew 5-7) which contains the most radical, ethical standards ever articulated.
Let’s look at the beatitudes
Who we are in Him
The Qualities we have in him
The Blessings we have and will have
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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.
Jesus is teaching us who we are in Him, the Qualities we have in him and the Blessings we are promised in these Beatitudes:
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are those who mourn – for they will be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek - for they will inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness – for they will be filled
5. Blessed are the merciful – for they will be shown mercy
6. Blessed are the pure in heart – for they will see God
7. Blessed are the peacemakers – for they will be called the children of God
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness
Eight principles which stand in stark contrast to the way the world may describe being blessed say:
1. Blessed is the one who makes a fortune.
2. Blessed are those who earn six figures p.a.
3. Blessed is the one who has a house in the city and a summer house by the sea.
4. Blessed are the ones who are praised by their peers.
5. Blessed are the people who become celebrities in society.
“Blessed is one of those words with a spiritual depth for which the English language has no alternative. Happiness is an emotion, a feeling triggered by external happenings. Happy are those who go out for a nice meal. Blessed is not the same type of word. It is a deep spiritual joy, untouchable by life’s events.”
Who we are in Him
Who we are – Christians (i.e. Christ’s ones). Clearly, the Beatitudes are taught to his disciples and we must start by saying the Beatitudes are not directed at Christian super-spirituals; Bishops, pastors, monks, nuns. Neither is Jesus making a social statement affirming the poor, the hungry, the meek, the persecuted. Beatitudes are for those who are ‘In Christ!’
As you read through the Sermon on the Mount we learn that we are called to be ‘counter-cultural’, meaning we will be counter-cultural to the world and Counter-Cultural to the Religious world.
Salt and Light, Salt of the earth, Light on a hill (Matthew 5:13-15). The Sermon on the Mount is the closest thing to a manifesto that Jesus ever spoke. Sermon on the Mount is a sermon of a New Teacher (Messiah) in this vibrant area of Galilee. In Matthew 5:21 when Jesus said:
“You have heard it said of old...but I say unto you.”
That one who he spoke about ‘of old’ was Moses. Jesus is saying that was Old Testament, I am the ‘New Testament.’ This is a manifesto of who we are in him (Jesus) and what he wants to do through us. In the Beatitudes we are ‘poor in spirit, weep in our helplessness, we are meek, humbled by grace, hunger for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart in Christ (alone), peacemaker, persecuted.’
An illustration from the workplace. An ACAS negotiator will speak and act on our behalf. Because we have given control to them we get all they have achieved. All they gain for us is who we are after their victory.
Throughout Matthew Chapters 5 to 7 we find Who we are in Christ
Christ lives in me, and I live by faith in Him — Galatians 2:20
We are Righteous — Matthew 5:6
We have a right standing with Him—in Jesus Christ — 2 Corinthians 5:21
We are merciful — Matthew 5:7, Forgiving as we have been forgiven — Matthew 6:12
We are not judging that we may not be judged — Matthew 7:1
We are pure in heart — Matthew 5:8, holy as he is Holy — 1 Peter 1:16
We are Peacemakers — Matthew 5:8 We have peace with God, the peace that passes understanding — Philippians 4:7
We are the light of the world — Matthew 5:14
We are Salt of the earth — Matthew 5:16
We have treasures in heaven, where our hearts are also — Matthew 6:21
We have a Father in Heaven, hallowed be his name — Matthew 6:9, we are joint-heirs with Christ — Romans 8:17
We are aware of false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing — Matthew 7:15
We are the wise man who builds our house on the Rock which is Christ — Matthew7:24
We are free from the law of sin and death — Matthew 5:20, — Romans 8:2
We are greatly loved by God — John 3:16
Redeemed, forgiven of all sin, cleansed through the blood of Christ — Ephesians 1:7
We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us — Philippians 4:13
We are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us — Romans 8:37
Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world — 1 John 4:4
We are ambassadors for Christ — 2 Corinthians 5:20)
Blessedness is based on who we are in Christ and
who we are becoming through the transforming Holy Spirit in our lives.
The Qualities we have in him
These are not eight groups of people
these are eight qualities of one people
The Beatitudes are not eight groups of people who are blessed through their hardship; the poor, the mourners, the meek, the hungry. These are not eight groups of people these are 8 qualities of one people – us – who we are in Christ. Christ‘s ones.
Some bible scholars believe each beatitude leads to the next.
John Chrysostom spoke about links in a chain some depict a ladder each step led to the other and each was dependent on the previous step. These pictures may help us memorise the eight, but it oversimplifies what Jesus is doing. He is using poetic language rather than graphics. If there is a sequence, I believe the ‘Qualities we have’ make sense like this:
Admitting our spiritual poverty
We mourn over our sin and helplessness
Leading to meekness and humility.
A hunger and thirst for righteousness
Develops inner characteristics of
Showing Mercy, Purity, Peace-Making.
If we live this way, those who choose to live the religious way or the worldly way will target us, like the acts on believers before us, who experienced persecution and insults and some who were martyred. These are eight qualities we have.
Let me pick out a couple to explain.
The ‘poor in spirit’ admits that problems are beyond your self-help — e.g. someone in the grip of drink knows willpower is not enough, same for lust and the effects of pornography
The ‘poor in spirit’ admits the need, — e.g. that you are in debt or can’t make ends meet
The ‘poor in spirit’ admits that you are at rock bottom and cry out to the Lord Jesus and (if it is for the first time) you become a child of God, cry Abba father and simultaneously you mourn (that’s number two).
Because you are at last willing to admit my problem is me, my sin, my self-sufficiency and I mourn and simultaneously turn meekly to God saying ‘Lord I need you, your help, your presence, your hope, you in me and he says ‘blessed are the meek’ (number three).
Those are the first three qualities of the Beatitudes in turning from self-sufficiency, sin and selfishness we are now ready to hunger and thirst for Righteousness.
In the past, we hungered and thirsted for all sorts of things but all that didn’t satisfy us. When you are hungry, it grows and grows till there are pangs it’s like a deep yearning for righteousness.
What about Peacemakers? It’s not peace-making by mediation or conciliation (not like ACAS). It is not peace lovers. Jesus’ peacemakers ‘confront’ people to make peace with God through - e.g. it is our mission. Peacemakers share the good news of Jesus saying without Christ we are at enmity with God (hostile towards God) — Romans 8:7. The peacemakers ask the Lord ‘how can I help my friend, relative or neighbour to make peace with God through our Lord Jesus.’ Inevitably, peace-making leads to persecution, Jesus is our model – we attract and repel people because of Christ in us, rejoice and be glad (Matthew 5:12) for your reward is great in heaven.
The Blessings we have and will have
What is Blessedness? — (the Greek word is Makarios)
The second half of each Beatitude states the Blessings the Christian has.
They possess the Kingdom of heaven, they inherit the earth, they are comforted, their hunger is satisfied, they receive mercy, they see God, they are called the children of God, all this Blessedness belongs together and is given to every Christian. The eight characteristics collectively depict the Christian life and the eight blessings collectively describe the privileges of being a Christian.
The second part of each beatitude contains assurances that the “blessed” life is within the pilgrim's reach. Hear Jesus’ words again.
“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” “for they shall be comforted”
“for they will inherit the earth” “for they will be filled”
“for they will be shown mercy” “for they will see God”
“for they will be called sons of God” “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”
The blessings have both a present and future dimension, we enjoy the first fruits now but the kingdom blessing is still to come.
The blessedness of being a Christian speaks of a joy that is constant like the waves crashing onto our beaches.
Think of storm Eunice (2022), it is a force of blessing, flowing, never static, joy never stops if we continue to walk with Christ. Your is the Kingdom of heaven, you inherit the earth, you are comforted, your hunger for righteousness is satisfied, you receive mercy, you see God and be holy as he is holy, we are called the children of God.
Billy Graham said, “The character which we find in the Beatitudes is,
beyond all question, nothing less than our Lord’s own character, put into words.”
What does he mean? Look at the Sermon of the Mount – he is the one who lived it (perfectly). He fulfilled the beatitudes. He was merciful but received no mercy on the cross so that you and I could receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart – they will see God. Jesus was pure but the Father turned away from him on the cross (became sin) so that we could see God. Blessed are the meek they will inherit the earth. He was meek gave up everything for us, so that you could inherit eternal life.
Christian abide in Christ as a vine branch is connected to the vine. Abide in prayer, in praise, in being faithful to read the scriptures, in being faithful in serving him and others and as peacemakers in witnessing for him.
