We are in a series on the beatitudes which are the opening verses of Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount”z beginning in Matthew 5. The next two beatitudes spoken by Jesus are:

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

There is no more counter-cultural statement in the New Testament that the promise that those who are meek will inherit the earth. Another way of saying this is that those who are kind and gentle will win in the end.  Clearly, those who appear on The Viewand similar talk shows do not subscribe to this teaching. The beatitude of this slice of our culture would be, “Blessed are those who rail, who scream, who attack and who label those with whom they disagree.  Blessed are those who are “in your face” and who angrily impugn the character of others.  Blessed are the slanderers and the bullies for they shall ultimately get their way.”  That seems to be the bent of our culture at the moment and the role models our children are be offered for how to get ahead in the world.

Jesus, however, calls his people to be meek.  In both Hebrew and Greek thought the word does not mean “weak.” It is, in fact, strength under control. It could be used of a wild horse that has learned to control his power under the direction of a bridle. In our case, the bridle would be the Holy Spirit.  Jesus used the word to describe himself. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt.11:29). The KJV translates it as meek and lowly in heart.  Jesus was no weakling and neither was he timid.  He was, however, gentle and kind with the weak and the broken of this world. Moses himself is described in that way. “ Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” (Num.12:3). Moses was also not a timid man to be pushed around.

Individuals who are meek do not demand their way. They do not push to the front of the line. They do not Lord it over people, insist on winning, or demean others while getting in the last word.  They can talk about hard issues and even point out sin when needed, but they do so in a kind and gentle way.  However, they can also push back and “take the gloves off” when the moment demands it.  Jesus did not mince words with the Pharisees when their “religion” had become a yoke of bondage for the masses and when their hypocrisy turned people away from the Father.

These are men and women who believe that God is directing their steps and if they deserve recognition or promotion, God will make the arrangements. They are not concerned about getting their way but only about the needs of others being met or God’s way winning the day.   We can aspire to have each of the qualities Jesus calls us to develop in our lives because, like the fruit of the Spirit, these are the qualities that Jesus possessed and, subsequently, that the Father possesses. Jesus is simply calling us to be like our heavenly Father. Graham Cooke, an international speaker with prophetic gifts, often says that God is the kindest person he has ever met.  As we become more like him, our intimacy with him increases and then so does the blessedness that comes from being in his presence and the confidence that he will always be there for us.  Meekness, like these other sources of blessing, is a fruit of being dependent on God.  It is a fruit of the Spirit that harnesses our egos, our demanding nature, our anger, and our sense of entitlement Ultimately, meekness will be a quality that defines the inhabitants of heaven and eventually will be clearly evident in those who rule over a restored earth with Jesus.  They truly will inherit the earth. They do win in the end.

As soon as he calls us to meekness, he calls us to hunger and thirst after righteousness.  Many of us believers want to settle for a morality slightly better than the world around us as if we get to heaven on a graded scale. We sort of  think that if we can live a more righteous life than 70% of the population we will gain entrance into heaven…sort of like a spiritual SAT.  None of us really believe that theologically, but we tend treat righteousness in that way. There may a part of us that doesn’t want to be too righteous or we might be rejected all together by co-workers, friends, and even family.  I think there may be a part of us that even suspects that a life lived too righteously might take all the fun out of everything and so we push back against too much.

We feel that way, however, because we view righteousness as a set of do’s and don’ts rather than as a state of heart that always wants to respond to God’s love by pleasing him. Remember that Jesus hung out with the prostitutes and tax collectors.  He hung out where people sometimes drank too much.  He attended weddings.  Jews always dance at weddings so I think he danced. I think he laughed. I think he got giddy when people were healed and smiled mischievously when he walked across Galilee. Jesus had fun, but without sin.  It is possible because he always did those things that pleased the Father…even when those around him were not.  Righteousness is not keeping rules but aligning our hearts with the Father in every circumstance.

We also need to remember that righteousness is not about pointing out the sins of others. It is about loving God, pleasing him, and demonstrating the richness of life that comes from doing so. Jesus made righteousness attractive because by living to please God we are blessed and live free from the bondage of guilt, shame and selfishness.  When we hunger and thirst, our highest priorities are to please God rather than trying to fill a hole in our soul by pursuing all the empty promises of the world.  When we hunger to please God, the empty places inside will surely be filled and our needs will surely be met. That is blessedness.

The second “beatitude” that Jesus spoke in his “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt.5-7) was, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Mt.5:4).  If we truly reflect on this promise, it is very counterintuitive. Most of us who have mourned a loss or grieved in the midst of a tragedy have not felt blessed at all. If we equate blessedness with happiness, this verse becomes even more challenging. If we make happiness rather than blessedness the measure of God’s love, then many believers will live with a sense that God betrayed them when he didn’t give them what they thought would make them happy.  We need to consider whether there is a difference.

Blessedness is, I believe, a state of peace, tranquility, or well being that comes over us when we are in the presence of God.  It is a moment when we feel his goodness touching us and know that he is caring for us no matter how dark the season.  When Moses stood on the top of Sinai, begging God to show him his glory, God agreed to show Moses his goodness.It is almost as if God is equating his glory with his goodness. Happiness seems to be about enjoying the moment when everything is going our way, while blessedness seems to be the assurance of God’s goodness which is made up of his love, care, and faithfulness for every moment.

As a pastor I have sat with many families in the midst of tragedy and crisis.  In those dark moments, I have seen the grace of God bring peace and an assurance that the sun will shine again in the hearts of those overcome by sorrow.  It truly is a peace that passes understanding. It is supernatural and it is a state of blessedness where the presence of God promises that weeping may remain for a night but joy will come in the morning (Ps.30:5; Lam.3:22-23). It is a presence that imparts hope when everything seems hopeless. It is a light shining in the darkness. It is grace that is poured out that enables God’s people to praise in the midst of sorrow.

So, how does that relate to “blessed are those who mourn?” On one level, it seems to be a promise that when we mourn we can expect the presence of God and the blessedness that comes from his presence because he is not unaware or indifferent to our pain. Jesus displayed that divine empathy when he wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Although he knew that Lazarus would step into the sunlight in just a few moments, he sensed the pain of those around him at a deep level and he was moved to tears. He felt what they were feeling. The notion of compassion is the idea that one person genuinely feels another’s pain.  Scripture is full of promises that God is close to the brokenhearted (Ps. 34:18, 147:3; Isa. 61:1).  With his closeness comes a blessedness that can only be imparted by the Holy Spirit.

On another level, I believe Jesus is also promising a blessedness for those whose hearts are tender.  Standing opposite those who mourn are those who have hardened their hearts to avoid all pain and inconvenience.  These individuals have placed such a protective coating around their hearts that they are indifferent to those in poverty, the abused, the orphan, the refugee, or the anguish of a parent whose child is enslaved to drugs. Not only do these individuals not feel the pain of others, but neither do they feel sorrow for sin in their own lives.  There is no grief in them for their failings before God.

Jesus is our model.  He felt compassion for the lost sheep of Israel, the widow whose only son had died, the sick, the poor, the lame, and the demon possessed. He crossed Galilee to free one man from demon possession and then returned to where he had come from. Interestingly, when the wind was just right, he could probably hear the anguished screams of the Gadarene across the lake at night in Capernaum, where Jesus often stayed. Jesus may well have been saying, “Blessed are those whose hearts can still be touched by the suffering of others.” Remember, he taught us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

This beatitude may be conveying a promise that God will bless those who express the compassion of Jesus through their own hearts, actions, and even tear ducts. As they express the heart of Jesus, the presence of Jesus will produce a state of blessedness. In a world so self-focused and too busy for the needs of others, we can quickly become the religious officials who scurried by the man beaten and left to die on the Jericho road until the Samaritan arrived. In a world of Narcissism, acute busyness, and indifference, may we never lose our capacity to mourn over sin, tragedy, and loss in our own lives or in the lives of others.

We are beginning to consider the Beattitudes recorded in the first chapter of the Sermon on the Mount.  Many commentators believe that the themes developed in Matthew 5,6, and 7 were preached on numerous occasions which tells us that Jesus thought these truths and attitudes were essential to our walk with him.  If taken literally his entire sermon is very demanding but it is these essentials on which we must build even supernatural ministries if we are to maintain the blessing of Christ on what we do.  After all, he said, “Blessed are….”

Jesus began with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  The Greek word used is for “poor” in this verse is a word that speaks of poverty so deep that a person is forced to beg in order to survive.  It would describe Lazarus in the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16.  Lazarus was a beggar who was covered with sores.  He was laid by a rich man’s gate every day hoping for some kind of help and was so immobilized that dogs would come and lick his sores and he apparently could not chase them away. The word describes a desperate and destitute person as opposed to a person who has very little.  This is a person who has nothing.

Jesus is literally saying that a man or woman who is destitute in spirit or who is a spiritual beggar is blessed  blessed and can expect his/her inheritance to be the kingdom of heaven. So what does it mean to be destitute in spirit? Those who face life at this level of poverty are dependent on others.  They cannot afford pride or self-sufficiency because they have no capacity to provide for themselves. The American value of pioneering self-sufficiency does not translate into the spiritual realm.  Our desire to be independent and self-determining does not gain us entrance into the presence of God.  Satan’s first recorded temptation was an offering of independence and self-sufficiency to Adam and Eve.  He said, “Eat of the tree and you will be like God.”  His statement implied that they would be equal with God and know all that he knows. They wouldn’t have to bow down or depend on God any longer. When they bit, they lost everything they had been given by the Father.

We shouldn’t think of “poor in spirit” as being spiritually poor.  Jesus is not calling us to a languid spiritual life of self-loathing and a sense of being unworthy, weak, and deplorable.  In Christ, God has made us just the opposite. He is calling us to a realization that for anything beyond this realm we are totally dependent on the grace, power, and authority of Jesus.  What we have is simply on loan and we are simply stewards of whatever gifts and opportunities he has given us.

Jesus himself set the standard.  He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it issomething He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner” (Jn.5:19).  Even as the sinless and beloved Son of the Father, Jesus lived as a man completely dependent on the Father for provision, direction, and power. Luke tells us, “One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick” (Lk.5:17). This verse suggests that, like us, Jesus healed when the power of the Lord or the Father was present.  In other words, the power to heal was not inherent in Jesus but rested on him by the grace of the Father. Jesus more than any other seemed to be totally dependent on the Lord for power, provision, protection, and or direction in what to do and what to say.  I believe we all get to that place from time to time but for Jesus it was a 24/7 condition. Undoubtedly, that is why Jesus often went off to spend time alone with God and pray.

The key is in noticing that God honors our chosen dependence on him.  Paul said that when he was weak, then he was truly strong. When he truly felt his need for the Lord, then the Lord graced him with strength and power. That is why Jesus taught us to pray for daily breadbecause that mindset keeps us dependent on the Father.  Jesus talked about how difficult it is for the rich to be saved.  The problem is that the wealthy and powerful are prone to feel self-sufficient. They find security in their possessions and bank accounts. They sense no need for daily bread because they have enough set aside for years to come. In that state it is easy to forget about God or only give him lip service.  The kingdom seems to be reserved for those who truly sense a deep need for God’s care.

Perspective is key.  The most important things in life and after this life are truly unattainable in our own power. The less I feel a need for God, the more he will withhold his help. He honors our attitudes.  We must remind ourselves daily of how dependent we truly are on the Father for health, life, spiritual blessings, protection, and provision. All of that can truly be lost in a heartbeat.

We need God….every day. When we know that andacknowledge our dependence on him, then the Kingdom of Heaven is open to us…now as well after our funeral.  God withholds nothing from his children…at least the ones who know that he is their source and those who are truly thankful for his gifts. So…One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick^[1]blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs will be the kingdom of heaven. Ironically, the poor in spirit are truly the strong in spirit and the powerful in God.

^[1]The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Lk 5:17). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

For those of us who are drawn to the supernatural manifestations of the kingdom such as healing, prophecy, and deliverance, it is easy to get so focused on the power of the kingdom that we tend to neglect foundational principles. But foundational principles support everything else and if those foundations become weak, sooner or later everything else will tumble.

A few weeks ago, a group of us were in Israel overlooking the Sea of Galilee and the hillside where it is believed that Jesus delivered his message that is now called the Sermon on the Mount. It occurred to me that many of us memorized the “blessed are’s…” years ago but have since tucked those away as elementary teachings of Jesus.  And yet, it is likely that Jesus taught the things in Matthew 5,6, and 7 over and over again so that the teachings should no be seen as elementary but rather as essential.

I also suspect that many of us have tucked away the Beatitudes because they are hard and countercultural even for Christians in America who tend to still be heavily invested in the world while we sing of heaven. In those short verses from Matthew 5:2-12, Jesus declared a state of blessedness over the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.

Think about it.  Do we really believe that contentment and happiness can come to us in this world as a result of being desperate or grieving?  Will our needs really be met if we refuse to make demands on others and don’t aggressively press for our rights? How many of us truly believe that if we do hunger and thirst for righteousness we will actually become joyless Pharisees who miss out on even the permitted pleasures of this life? How about being merciful and not counting the failings of others against them or demanding that those who have wronged us get what is coming to them?  How many of us even believe that it is possible to have a pure heart this side of heaven?  In a world full of violence and demanding people won’t the peacemakers be taken advantage of and run over? And what about persecution?  Can’t we pray for the destruction of our enemies so that persecution will cease? Shouldn’t we ask God to eradicate ISIS so that believers in the Middle East will no longer be put to the sword?

These are hard questions and sometimes it is easier just not to think about them.  But if these are essential teachings we cannot ignore them…even if we are healing the sick and raising the dead. Remember, in this same sermon, Jesus warned that many will recite their resume of miracles on the day of judgment and Jesus will dismiss them as people he never knew because their hearts were far from his.

But the question still remains as to whether these promises of blessedness can operate in this world or are they only promises for comfort and blessing in the world to come after being kicked around and abused in this life? As Americans, it is hard for us to willingly submit to these teachings because they go against nearly everything we have valued in our culture. Philip Yancey spoke to this when he wrote, “The owner of the Chicago Bulls gave a compact summary of the rules governing the visible world on the occasion of Michael Jordan’s (temporary) retirement. ‘He’s living the American Dream,’ said Jerry Reinsdorf. ‘The American Dream is to reach a point in your life when you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do and can do everything that you want to do.’ That may be the American Dream but it decidedly is not Jesus’ dream as revealed in the Beatitudes (Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew,p.114).

Because many of us share the American Dream, it is hard to take the Beatitudes seriously for life here and now. However, Jesus lived that life and changed the world.  The values and attitudes of the Beatitudes and the remainder of the Sermon on the Mount or foundational for everything else we do.  If we build great ministries without these proper foundations, the weight of those ministries will cause everything to crumble.  Because of that and because I need a refresher, I want to spend the next few blogs exploring the Beatitudes as well as other parts of the Sermon on the Mount.  I hope you will join me for this refresher course in essentials.