The Messiah’s Secret – The Beatitudes

Evening Lectionary: Jeremiah 31: 31-34.  Matthew 5: 1 – 12.

C. S. Lewis wrote, “If you read history you find that Christians who did most in this present world were precisely those who thought the most of the next.” 

We work out our salvation in this life walking in the beatitudes and we have the example of Jesus in his own life where the beatitudes were apparent, especially in the Garden of Gethsemane.                                                                                                          

The Passover had been eaten and Jesus and his disciples where making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane, singing the Hallel the Psalms 113-118.

Jesus was quietly preparing himself for his ‘hour had come.’ Everything that had happened was leading up to this moment, as he surrendered his life to die on a cross.  When he knelt down to pray, he brought his immediate concerns before the Father. Only God could help him, he was poor in spirit, Martyn Lloyd Jones in his Book 'Studies on the Sermon on the Mount' wrote that to be poor in spirit means ‘empty of self.                                                                                   

The way of Jesus is in giving of our self to God, for many of us it happens gradually as we grow in our faith; we learn to trust God to be dependent upon him. The more we put our faith into practice we become ‘poor in spirit’ empty of self.                                                        

In the distance perhaps Jesus heard the sound of others singing and laughing, people enjoying the occasion of the Passover.  On another occasion Jesus had said, “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” Luke 6: 24-26  In the garden his  heart was heavy as he mourned over the sins of the people. During his ministry a Pharisee had remarked “You who are not yet 50 years old have seen Abraham.”  Lloyd Jones wrote that Jesus looked older than his 33 years as he mourned over sin.

There in the garden Jesus asked Peter, James and John to pray and comfort him, but I don’t think they were aware of the spiritual stress that he was going through. Jesus in meekness knelt in agony as his physical strength diminished, we believe the Holy Spirit strengthen him.                                             

Visual Aid 

The old calculator was powered by a battery. This was replaced by solar power, that just needs sunlight to give continuous power.                        

Before I became a Christian lots of things went wrong:  horse riding and car accidents took there toll on my health.Through faith in Jesus I was healed of a nervous condition and later I received my life in Christ that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and will continue for ever, beyond my life on earth.

In every Christian meekness is produced by the Holy Spirit.  

Love that has strength of its own: it is not defensive, and does not retaliate.                                                                                                          

Jesus and his disciples were disturbed by the sound of voices; a number of people came into view. The moment where unrighteousness came into direct contact with God’s sacrifice for sin. 

All the attributes of being poor in spirit-empty of self, strength in meekness, and his love for the righteousness of his Father enabled him to say when they asked for Jesus of Nazareth, he said, “I am he.” John 18: 5          

Another aspect of meekness in God’s terms is strength in weakness. 

We see this in the Hebrew Scriptures Gideon going into battle was told by God to reduce the numbers of his fighting men from 22,000 to 10,000 from 10,000 to 300 men. Gideon won the battle, the Midianites fled their camp at the sound of the trumpet and when the light appeared. The Israelites smashed the clay jars the light shone in the darkness.                          

In Genesis 1: 2, 3 the earth was formless and empty and darkness was over the water and the Holy Spirit hovered over the darkness and God said, “Let there be light” and the darkness gave way to the light.  

There is darkness over Syria and so we pray for the light of Christ to shine in the darkness and dispel it, to break it up and clear it away.  

In the garden and on the cross 

Jesus fought the battle against unrighteousness’ and won. The world is in conflict with the righteousness of God and we can’t avoid it. There is a constant battle going on to walk in righteousness. Truth demands struggle as it overcomes conflict.                                                                                                                                                         

In my daily prayers, I put on spiritually the breastplate of righteousness. The righteous blood of Jesus covering my heart and I also say ‘I will to do the will of God and not of myself or the will of Satan.’ I look to do the Father’s will guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

Mercy is grace in action 

It is in having a Godly desire to relieve suffering in people’s lives.             

Jesus in his death and resurrection established the new covenant between God and Israel. Jeremiah 31. 31-34   God by his great mercy brought the Gentiles into this covenant through the cross.

The pureness of Jesus’ heart he was single-minded, his face was set like flint to go to Jerusalem, his hour had come, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies it remains alone, but if it dies it bears much fruit.” Jesus broke down the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles through the cross making one new man, in turn to become single-minded, one body with many members. the church's message is to give the opportunity to all people to know God our creator and Father personally, to have peace with God unified by Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  

Jesus fought the battle and won the peace. The allies won the battle over Hitler and we generations that have followed have entered into the peace.                                                                                                                                              

Jesus the ‘Prince of peace’ at his trial he was silent, the peace in him did not allow him to say anything to the detriment of others, nor did he look for the effect that it would have on himself, but he looked to glorify God.

So we are called to be peacemakers in our conversation between each other, watching what we say, so that we don’t stir up trouble by criticism, or false accusations, peace starts with us.

Persecuted for being a Christian Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you.” If we say, but never do, Christ-like things the world will love you. If you become Christ-like the world will hate you.

Jesus was insulted, mocked and ridiculed, he forgave them on the cross he was recorded saying, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

When we are treated with contempt for being a Christian, and I am reminded of the time when I had not much time for Christians, I am thankful that Jesus forewarned every Christian that they should forgive and rejoice in suffering for his names sake.                                         

To reflect - We become poor in spirit empty of self, and mourn for our sin before God daily and become meek in nature that is produced in us by Holy Spirit. Walking in righteousness we contend with the world. 

Having mercy is grace in action. Having a pure heart is in being single minded. To be a peacemaker is not to say anything to the detriment of others. To be persecuted for faith in Jesus, the world cannot understand the joy of suffering for Christ.