The Mount: Beatitudes

The Mount: Beatitudes

Bob Thomas

Part of Sermon Notes

January 19, 2025

Our standing with God does not, in any way, depend on our grade, or on an evaluation of how we are doing in living our life for God. However, God’s word does give us some important insight into who we should be, and what characteristics should exist in our lives if we are followers of Jesus.

Disciples are those who have committed their life to Jesus. They

his truth in their lives, they

in his plan, they

him with everything they have, they

their trust in him for this life and the next.

In these verses Jesus is telling his disciples who they should

! Not just what they should do.

Makarios - The idea this word contains is that when we look at someone else’s life and say that person is living the

. That person is

in their life.

BUT, and this is key, Jesus is NOT describing people who, on a

are blessed.

Jesus is describing a person who is living the good life, the flourishing life from a

perspective.

To be poor in spirit is to recognize your utter spiritual

before God.

Jesus is describing a disciple as someone who mourns because they recognize their own

.

Meek - It is having the

or the

to do something but refraining for the benefit of someone else.

Might we be a people, a church which hungers and thirsts for

.

We have received great mercy

and we are therefore to demonstrate and live out mercy

in our lives.

Are you holding a grudge against someone? Do you refuse to forgive them, to reconcile with them. A person who is merciful is

.

Being pure in heart involves having our life, before God, and before others,

and

.

means more than just “being a good person.” It refers to a complete orientation of life toward God and His will.

The paradox of the life of a disciple is, we

live out this description perfectly, and yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside every disciple, we

become more and more, that person Jesus describes.