Yesterday we explored the idea of how it is so blessed to mourn, be persecuted or poor in spirit. Maybe there is a blessedness in being merciful or even a peacemaker. This is not as hard to see. But, what to make of some of these other saying of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. Remember that the crowd that has come to him to be healed and taught is a group that has not really had things work out for them in this world. Look at the end of Matthew chapter 4 to see this. There were those in the crowd that knew about mourning and being poor in spirit and even persecuted. I think Jesus words of blessing at the beginning of this sermon may have served as an invitation to this group. Welcome to the poor in spirit, welcome to the mourners etc. These were probably words of comfort and blessing to those who heard them because Jesus had already been preaching to them that the kingdom was coming and now he was telling them who would be a part of it. The ones who will understand and be a part of the kingdom are the poor in spirit, mourners meek, those who seek righteousness, the merciful, the peacemakers and the persecuted. Jesus says at the first of the sermon: Welcome. Jesus welcome to his kingdom is what makes those who hear and obey his words blessed.
Here is the sermon if you want to listen to the whole discussion.
Here is Sunday’s bulletin
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