Matthew 5;1-11 I couldn't decide which translation to use because I loved both the Living Bible and The Message versions. So here are both
Matthew 5:1-11Living Bible (TLB)
5 1-2 One day as the crowds were gathering, he went up the hillside with his disciples and sat down and taught them there.
3 “Humble men are very fortunate!” he told them, “for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. 4 Those who mourn are fortunate! for they shall be comforted.5 The meek and lowly are fortunate! for the whole wide world belongs to them.
6 “Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied. 7 Happy are the kind and merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.8 Happy are those whose hearts are pure, for they shall see God. 9 Happy are those who strive for peace—they shall be called the sons of God. 10 Happy are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “When you are reviled and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers—wonderful!https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A1-11&version=MSG
Jesus didnt give his address to the crowds, He gave it to the disciples. They might well have been expecting to hear the 'tricks of the trade' - Jesus's deepest spiritual secrets. But what they got was a complete reversal of everything they had known until now. The secret is not in being learned and religious. The secret is not in having a high position in the right circles. Nor is it in being part of the ruling elite or in being politically and physically strong. Remember that Jesus was speaking to a people who were under occupation. People who had to struggle and work hard . They were looking and waiting for a liberating messiah to come and free them from the tyranny of Rome. But what they were hearing was that happiness was not to be found in regime change or political coups. It wasnt to be found in wealth and ambition. It could be found right here and right now. In the poverty and sadness and lowliness of an everyday life.
How often do we think to ourselves that life would be just fine if only.......
The keys Jesus brought in the Sermon on the Mount are simple. In essence they are the fruits of the spirit in action - being humble, good, peaceable, kind, genuine and longsuffering. God loves it when we grow this fruit in our lives. And not only that, but He says that when we grow this fruit we shall be blessed and happy. Jesus taught his disciples this key lesson in how to find true inner peace because He knew what was coming next.
None of us know what the future holds for us. But we can be sure that our security wont be found in performance, striving, worry, work, or any of those other things we can hold so dear. Its both comforting and tough. Which is kind of Jesus all over really :-)
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