Beatitudes pt 2

The Right Side up Life  / Matthew 5:6–8

Luke 4:18–19 ESV

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

This is the crux of His ministry

Because of what He came to do it changes our posture of what kind of life we are called to do.

The Position of the Blessed life

We are given the position of the life Jesus calls us to,

Now we are going to look at the posture of the blessed life

The Posture of the Blessed life

Three postures

            The posture of the kingdom of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who show mercy and those who are pure of heart.

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Again this is on purpose because Jesus isn’t setting forth unattainable goals.  He is using hunger and thirst as the most basic form of understanding how we desire.

Righteousness.  Jesus doesn’t define for what so we can assume all things.  Righteousness means right standing or right relationships. 

Living righteously does not mean that everyone agrees with us or that we say things that everyone agrees with.  It means we take stands on issues that would misform righteousness.  We agree with Christ’s move to reconcile all things to Himself, which means that righteousness is moving toward one direction: Jesus.

Matthew 5:7 ESV

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

The concept of mercy can be a strange animal.  Because we often struggle to show it but we love more than anything receiving it.

Why is mercy important? Because mercy offers the space in another’s life to choose differently.

We know that because if you are in Christ this morning you have been shown mercy.

We all want mercy, and that is part of the flourishing life, but real and true life is found in being merciful.

Matthew 5:8 ESV

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

This is the call and reminder that we are not just called to be morally better.  This list is not just about things to do, though the sotm will fill a lifetime on what it means to follow Christ well in the world. 

Again Jesus is telling us, this is how life works.  If you want to see what flourishing looks like, it looks like this.  If you want to see God, it will mean a purity in heart.  A whole heartedness. 

The concept of paying attention is necessary in the sermon on the mount. Because to pay attention means that we are able to focus in ourselves for that which Christ is doing.

Culture makes massive demands on your attention. They are coming for all of it. News networks make massive demands on your attention.  Social media makes massive demands on your attention.  All of them promise a form of the flourishing life.