Written by Nate Warren
The Word
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:2-10
Analysis
Consider who you believe to be the most successful person born since 1900? What made you choose that person? Is he rich? She famous? Powerful? Perhaps smart, or charismatic?
What about good? Who was the most righteous?
When you make changes in your life to make it better, what measures are you working to improve? Financial stability or wealth? Better health? Discipline? Stop doing bad things? Which people are you trying to imitate in achieving these goals? What do these people have that you’re trying to get?
Are they blessed more than you?
In the time of Jesus there were many philosophies about who the blessed people were; the ones who had it good, the ones that people sought to imitate (or perhaps resented). These philosophies almost always centered on wealth, health, and power. Of course, this is no different today.
This is the context of the beatitudes – the introduction to Jesus’ magnum opus. He is saying here that what is commonly believed about who has it well off is completely wrong. Actually, those that are really blessed have awakened to the kingdom of heaven and have access to its benefits. This kingdom, this true measure of blessedness, is available to you, right now, even if you are poor, sick, and helpless, just as it was available to the hearers of Jesus’ original words.
Application
A few questions to challenge our hearts and minds:
- With Jesus’ perspective on blessedness, do you have any new candidates for ‘most successful’ or ‘most righteous’? What are the attributes of a person truly alive in the kingdom of the heaven under King Jesus?
- What kind of blessedness have you sought the most? Is your focus on the eternal or temporal?
- How should we change our thinking about the kind of person that is living the good life?
Prayer
Jesus, help us to have eyes to see Your Kingdom in action and to step into it. Help us not to discern blessedness based on the word of the world, but by Your Word. Amen
City Life Starter 
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