What do you do with the beatitudes, as these verses of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are often called? Surely the words of this sermon carry significant weight, as they are the words of the Savior’s sermon. Jesus is the preacher, so we do not take his words lightly. But what do we make of these words? How do we digest them, apply them, live them?
As we rightly emphasize the substitutionary work of Jesus as the foundation and certainty of our salvation, I am sure it hasn’t been lost on you that this sermon of Jesus doesn’t seem to focus on who he is and why he came, but rather on who we are and how we are living. This list, these beatitudes, sounds like a conditional script for sanctification. This sounds like Jesus is providing us with a how-to list for tracking a spiritual scorecard or securing certain spiritual blessings. If we _________, then this will happen. Indeed, that is most often how these verses are treated – as a guide for how we ought to be. You may have come across the play on words, the “be” – attitudes, which reflects this approach.
I suppose we could analyze each verse and dissect what that would look like as far as what Jesus has in mind. But perhaps that would be better suited for a Bible class. But instead, we want to appreciate the big picture that Jesus paints for us in this sermon. In the Savior’s Sermon, Jesus assures his people of his gracious blessings as they live the humble, honest, and holy lives he has sanctified and set us apart to live.
The list here is quite striking in an assertive, self-promoting world. It seems to be describing and praising attributes and qualities that are the exact opposite of what is encouraged and celebrated in our culture. The world’s version of beatitudes might sound something more like this: “Blessed are self-confident. Blessed are those who assert themselves. Blessed are those who practice self-love and self-care. Blessed are the woke. Blessed are the vocal. Blessed are the offended. After all, these describe the sorts of attitudes and actions that receive the most praise from the world.
But they are a far cry from the humility that is woven throughout the beatitudes Jesus preached in his sermon. Not only that, but if you pay attention to the verb tenses attached to each blessing, you’ll notice the blessings aren’t immediate. Rather, each beatitude speaks of what will happen. As in, not right here and right now, but at some point in the future.
Can we admit that doesn’t sit so well with us today? We are very practical, very pragmatic, and so the efforts into which we pour ourselves are often times those which promise immediate results. Consider why February is such a good time to join a gym – after just a few weeks in January, all those new health resolutions have dwindled because the results weren’t immediate enough. The new YouTube channel or blog or podcast that got up and running just as quickly fades into the online abyss when it failed to get a million new subscribers, readers, or viewers after two whole weeks. The DIY project sits incomplete because the effort it took to get it started hasn’t yielded enough visible results to keep the momentum going to see it through. We choose to spend money instead of saving it or investing it because we have the immediate satisfaction of enjoying what we just bought. We want what we want here and now, not later, and so many of the blessings in Jesus’ sermon are for later.
Except one. Did you notice it? In fact, Jesus mentions it twice – first and last, sandwiching all the other blessings in between; bookmarking blessings with a “right here, right now” promise. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v.3, 10). Not “will be,” but “is.” Right now, right here, the kingdom of heaven is yours. Oh, you aren’t physically there, obviously, but by faith you are. Christ’s kingdom, from where he rules and oversees all things right now, is your kingdom, right now. This day. You do not just sit and read this as a citizen of the United States and resident of your city; you are also a citizen of the kingdom of heaven!
And you know full well how you became a citizen of that kingdom. St. Paul described it beautifully in his letter to the Colossians. “[The Father] has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (1:12-14). You didn’t pass a citizenship test to get into this kingdom. You didn’t impress with your resumé of self-righteousness. You didn’t make even the slightest contribution – God’s grace and his grace alone rescued you from eternal darkness and brought you into his kingdom. He redeemed you. He forgave and forgives you. He and he alone brought you into his kingdom. And friends, that kingdom is right here and now, not later and somewhere else.
Now since you are a citizen of that kingdom, and Jesus reminded us of that at the beginning and end of his sermon, let’s take a different view of everything that falls in between. I think it’s common for us to approach the beatitudes as conditionals. We see the word “blessed” attached to certain behaviors and attitudes and conclude that the relationship between them is an “if-then” relationship. “If we are this way or act that way, then this is how we will be blessed.” And so we view Jesus’ sermon solely as a guide for Christian living. While it is that to some extent, it’s much more than that when you pay attention to what Jesus actually said.
There is no, “You will be blessed if,,,” but only blessed “are.” In other words, no conditional, but rather a promised blessing for those who are. And dear friends, you already are. What “are” you, exactly? You already are in his kingdom. You already belong to him. You are already his. And so you are already blessed. These blessings are yours right now because these describe who Jesus made you to be; who you are in Jesus.
Grasp what Jesus is saying – these blessings already belong to you because of who you are in Christ. These are not blessings Jesus holds out to you conditionally if you meet certain requirements. These are who you are because who you are is blessed! Do you see what a marvelous thing it is to be brought into Christ’s kingdom? The blessings are yours by virtue of belonging to his kingdom, not because you’ve conditionally earned them by your right living! They are yours because Christ has made them yours.
Now if Christ is responsible for doling out these vast spiritual blessings, and I have not come into them on my own, by my own efforts or merits, then how does that leave me? It leaves me humble. 100% confident in the merits of Christ, yes, but humble as to my own recognition that every good and gracious blessing that is mine is mine only through Christ and not only not through me. These blessings are mine despite who I am on my own and what I daily demonstrate I deserve on my own! What grace! What joy is ours in Christ!
And what humility that fills us with. And when that spirit of humility overcomes us, then we look at these beatitudes differently. We humbly delight in the privilege that God gives us in being able to carry out what he calls us to as those who live in his kingdom.
Not only does Jesus already describe those in his kingdom as blessed to be meek and merciful, but we actually relish the opportunity to be meek and merciful to others. Let the world demand and insist and assert itself. In Christ’s kingdom we have all that we need – what need is there on our part to make even a single demand of the world – as if it could offer us what we don’t already have in Christ?!? No, let us instead model meekness, which is not at all weakness, but rather a calm confidence in Christ. And that same calm confidence frees us to be merciful, too. We let mercy flow without making demands of restitution or insisting on seeing others suffer for their wrongdoings. Rather, we are free and blessed to extend mercy in a world that demands its pound of flesh. Yes, we are blessed to be meek and merciful.
And not only does Jesus already describe those in his kingdom as blessed with righteousness and pure hearts, but we actually relish the opportunity to practice righteousness and reveal pure hearts to others. The pursuit of righteousness and purity in our lives is a noble pursuit. Surely it goes against the grain in this world, but that’s just the point. If as children of the heavenly kingdom we do not practice righteousness, then like lemmings, the whole world will tragically spill over the cliff into the sea of the abyss and eternal darkness. Yes, we are blessed – and are a blessing to others – as righteousness and purity characterize our lives.
And not only does Jesus already describe those in his kingdom as blessed peacemakers, but we actually relish the opportunity to proliferate peace when and wherever we can. The world is obsessed and infatuated with division and discord. It relishes rage and outrage. But that is to be expected when its efforts at finding genuine peace have so utterly failed! But where it lashes out in frustration with animosity and aggression, we have the peace it is seeking. Give the world Jesus so that it can experience the peace it craves, the peace it seeks but cannot find on its own. You alone are blessed to be those kinds of peacemakers.
Will all of these efforts of living in his kingdom be appreciated by those currently outside of it? Of course not, but even when these efforts are not appreciated – and are even opposed – blessings will abound even then. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (v.11). Blessings in the face of insult, persecutions, and evil directed against you? Yes, only for those in Christ’s kingdom – here and now!
So friends, rejoice, just as Jesus calls us to in our Savior’s sermon. “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (v.12). Rejoice, yes, because the kingdom of heaven is yours – both in the future and in the present. Then, yes, but also even now. We don’t need to wait until we’re there to rejoice in the heavenly blessings that are ours here. The prophets persecuted in the past testify to it. Jesus’ promises in the present testify to it. Rejoice right now, for the kingdom of heaven is yours right now.