Happy Sunday!

Today we are going to dive into what it means to be blessed, according to Jesus’s delivery of the Beatitudes during the Sermon on the Mount. God richly blesses His people, but this does not always mean favorable circumstances or an abundance of things…God’s blessings are kingdom focused.

So many people throw around #blessed, even as a means of “humbly” boasting about a success. Christians pray for God to bless their families, for material “blessings” and for favor, but what does this really mean? How should we understand the blessing of God?

Take a moment to read these verses in Matthew, meditate, journal, and reflect.

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

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

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

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

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:1-12

Jesus said these words during the Sermon on the Mount, a sermon given to the disciples and the crowds of people. Here, in Matthew 5:1-12, He is pronouncing the “Beatitudes,” which is from the Latin word for happiness or blessedness. Each of these statements are referring to future, kingdom blessings. The kingdom brings: comfort, inheritance of the earth, satisfaction with righteousness, mercy, a vision of God, and a God-given identity as “sons (or daughters)” of God. All of these promises belong to the kingdom.

Does this mean that God withholds these promises until the future day of reconciliation and waits to see if we will be merciful enough to earn this mercy?

No, but what does it mean?

It does mean that the gospel of the kingdom tells us the good news that the kingdom has already come and is now at work, gathering people for the kingdom, like a net catching fish (“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind” Matthew 13:47). Because of the fact that the power of the kingdom refers to the present as well as future, our becoming merciful (v.7), having sight (v.8), being comforted (v.4), etc., happens right now and will continue into the future! It is a work of God’s might and power within the hearts and lives of His people.

The Beatitudes are an announcement that people who have the kingdom power at work within them, are very blessed and fortunate. These Beatitudes are words of celebration for the disciples about the work of God in their lives. Jesus is saying that it is a blessing to have the kingdom power at work within you. Christians have this great and mighty power within them because of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is also extending an invitation to become this kind of person. Jesus was talking to a crowd of people, who were both believers and non-believers. If non-believers see Christians being promised the blessings of eternal life because they are poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure and peaceable, don’t you think they too would want to experience the same blessing for themselves and become that kind of person? Jesus was planting seeds and stirring up hearts with the delivery of the Beatitudes.

So, in light of this, how should we understand the blessing of God?

First, we must realize that earthly blessings are temporary and can be taken away at any moment (think about the fact that there was an abundance of toilet paper in stores across the US, but now there’s not, or the fact that you had a job one day and the next day you didn’t).

In my own personal walk with God, I have found that earthly blessings don’t truly satisfy me, like only God can (“but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” John 4:14). In fact, I have felt the most satisfied, the most blessed, and the closest to God, during times when our culture would argue that I wasn’t very #blessed. In the midst of my trials, my faith was satisfied in a way that prosperity and abundance could never satisfy me.

Take a look at these verses:

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

These verses do not allude to material prosperity or a trial-free life, but rather that blessings are usually closely tied with trials and the spiritual benefit of being joined by faith to Jesus. Through scripture, we see that blessings are anything that God gives us that make us fully satisfied in Him. They are anything that helps us realize our need for more of God and less of the world. Often times, the struggles and trials we walk through enable us to hold tighter to eternity and to have a kingdom-focused mindset.

Favorable finances, health, family, and friendships are all gifts from God, but they are not His greatest blessings. God’s greatest blessings are always rooted in God Himself…not in what He gives, or what He does, but rather in Who He is.

Reflection Question(s): Are you seeking after earthy/material/financial blessings or eternal/kingdom blessings? Spend some time praying and reflecting on the passages of scripture above. Pray that you would find full satisfaction in God alone and not by clinging to the things of this world.

Today’s Worship Song: The Blessing— Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, Elevation Worship

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2elEVvWjPZltkotzcCwKvM?si=J0WrWliCR8GzCPpggBSk4g

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-blessing-live/1503421628?i=1503421630

Please continue to send prayer requests my way! If you have any questions about what you read today, or just want to chat, my email is: blrich1399@gmail.com

With Love,
Brooke