SATURDAY OCTOBER 12, 2019.
SUBJECT: TRAITS EXPECTED OF CHRIST’S FOLLOWERS!
Memory verse: "Beloved, now are we children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (First John 3 vs 2.)
READ: Matthew 5 vs 2 - 12:
5:2: Then He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.5:4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5:5: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
5:6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
5:7: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
5:10: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
5:11: Blessed are you, when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
5:12: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
INTIMATION:
In His longest recorded sermon, Jesus began by describing the traits He was looking for in His followers—the way believers should live. This traits are called “The Beatitudes,” derived from the Latin word meaning “blessing.” He said that God blesses those who live out those traits. Each beatitude is an almost direct contradiction of society’s typical way of life. The Christian life is a process of becoming more like Christ. This process will not be complete until we see Christ face to face. In the last beatitude, Jesus even points out that a serious effort to develop these traits is bound to create opposition. The best example of each trait is found in Jesus Himself. If our goal is to become like Him, applying the beatitudes will challenge the way we live each day.
The Beatitudes can be understood in at least four ways: (1) They are a code of ethics and a standard of conduct for all believers. (2) They contrast kingdom values (what is eternal) with worldly values (what is temporary). (3) They contrast the superficial “faith” with the real faith that Christ demands. (4) They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom. These beatitudes are not multiple choice—pick what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as a whole. They describe what we should be like as Christ’ followers.
If you want to follow God, you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you. Each beatitude tells how to be blessed by God. Blessed means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God’s kingdom. The Beatitudes don’t promise laughter, pleasure, or earthly prosperity. Being “blessed” by God means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy, the deepest form of happiness, follow Jesus Christ no matter what the cost.
With Jesus’ announcement that the kingdom was at hand (Matthew 4 vs 17), people were naturally asking, “How do I qualify to be in God’s kingdom? Jesus said that God’s kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdom. In the kingdom of heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Are your attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of Jesus, your king?
To be “poor in spirit” is to be contrite and humble, not being prideful and independent of God. To “mourn” signifies realizing our sins and being remorseful and regretful about them. To be “meek” is to be humble and lowly in heart—committing yourself to the Lord. To “hunger and thirst for righteousness” is pursuing after godliness. To be “merciful” is to be compassionate (those who consider the poor). To be “pure in heart” is to be upright, with clean hands, and faithful.
Jesus said to rejoice when we are persecuted for our faith. Persecution can be good because (1) it takes our eyes off earthly rewards, (2) it strips away superficial belief, (3) it strengthens the faith of those who endure, and (4) our attitude through it served as an example to others who follow. We can be comforted knowing that God’s greatest prophets were persecuted (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel). The facts that we are being persecuted proves that we have been faithful; faithless people would be unnoticed. In the future God will reward the faithful by receiving them into His eternal kingdom, where there is no more persecution.
Prayer: Abba Father, build in me the traits expected of Christ’s followers, that I may lead a life worthy of devote Christian, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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