A Cup of Grace – with a shot of espresso

Matthew 5: 3-12 is one of my favorite passages in scripture. This section of Matthew 5 is referred to as the Beatitudes. The definition of beatitude is “supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.” But if you’ve read this passage, you know that this “exalted happiness” is not necessarily where we expect to find it.

Several years ago I heard a speaker define each of the terms used in those eight beatitudes. He carefully outlined connections between them that I had never seen.  This passage took on a new richness for me. The beatitudes were now a systematic lesson instead of separate pearls of wisdom. Jesus (no real surprise) spoke of them in this order for a specific reason as He taught. 

Our nation, our world, has been shaken by the murder of Charlie Kirk last week. And I found myself looking for a godly response. Instead of seeing what everybody else suggested, I paged through my Bible. Again this passage resonated deep within me as I thought about not only Charlie Kirk’s murder and of the grief of a father who turned his son in for the crime, but also the celebrations posted immediately following his death. 

I want to walk you through what I see in these verses and challenge you to think about what you see and how it applies. Read slowly and chew over each. Let them sink in and change how you define “exalted happiness.”

3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Poor in spirit” refers to recognition of our own spiritual deficiency. We are not good enough and can never be. In short, we are sinners who “fall short of the glory of God.” Not one of us meet His perfect standard of righteousness. Many felt judged by Charlie Kirk, but all he did was point to sin and call it sin. He would have been the first to tell you that he too was a sinner. Here’s the hard truth for Christians who avoid talking about sin for fear of offending: unless we see our sin, we cannot see our need for Christ. But when we understand our need for God’s forgiveness, we can obtain the kingdom of heaven.

There is a word of caution here. Discussion of sin should always carry compassion for the sinner. Do we have a heart for those we are talking to or are we merely being unkind. What sins do you struggle with? What sins remind you that you too fall short, are spiritually deficient?

4 – “Blessed are those that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

My first thoughts naturally went to all those mourning Charlie’s death – especially his wife and children. I also think of the family and friends of the young man who pulled the trigger. But when this verse is linked to verse that precedes it, the comfort promised is much more significant!

Recognizing our sin and that we fall short of ever meeting God’s standards, should result in mourning. We all have a choice when confronted with our sin. We can angrily double down, deny, and shake our fist at God and anyone else who calls it wrong, or we can mourn. God offers comfort to those who mourn. This is not a pat on the back and a “you’re ok as you are.”  This is the comfort of the offer of forgiveness of sin. This is the comfort of proffered mercy. 

5 – “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth”

Human pride doesn’t like meekness. We also don’t understand it. Meekness is strength surrendered to something greater. Think of the power of a warhorse who submits to the will of its rider. This isn’t a lack of strength, it is a submission of that strength and will to God. When we mourn our sin, we recognize that our strength of will has led us counter to His will. Again, we have a choice. What will we do with our will? Will we mourn but then go back to doing things our way? Or will we surrender our will to the One who truly knows best?

6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.”

When we realize that what we think we want is not enough, we have the opportunity to pursue what God wants. He promises being “filled” when we chase the things that please Him.  Jesus repeats this thought as he warns against chasing after the things of the world in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” 

To be human is to long to be satisfied. We seek that in wealth, control, identity, relationships, food, sex, etc. But none of those “fill” us for very long. We are quickly on to the next thing. Jesus has provided the answer here. May we pursue His righteousness and offer that as an answer to all who are dissatisfied.

7 – “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.”

So what is our reaction to this horrific event? Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. I’m less concerned with the justice that is out of my hands and far more concerned with my attitude toward those who posted celebrations immediately following the shooting. How will I respond as those who hate God’s word and spew that hate?

In light of the previous verses, I cannot “accept” or “applaud” sin. I should be heartbroken over it. These verses tell me how I should respond to sin, but they don’t empower me to scream at others in hate or self righteousness. God has shown mercy toward me, who am I to give less? How can we show mercy and compassion to those who hate us and all we stand for? God loves them no less than He loves us.

8- “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Only God can give me a pure heart.  I can ask God to give me a pure heart that I might love like He loves, that I might serve all with compassion and grace. I cannot change the hearts of those around me, but I know who can. 

9- “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the earth.” 

There are those who think that anyone who makes others angry when they speak can’t possibly be classified as a peacemaker. Again, I’m going to look to Christ who spoke these words. As his enemies became more filled with vitriol, he spoke the truth more clearly. And they got angrier. However, we never see him in a screaming match. And when in his last hours they screamed insults at him and falsely accused him, he remained silent. Christ didn’t change the truth to make it more palatable, but he didn’t ever treat others as less than himself.

It is interesting to note that those Christ was the harshest with was those who claimed to be the most righteous, those who looked down on the “sinners.” Consider how that applies to the church now. We must be careful not to become like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. 

Ultimately, Christ came to create peace between man and God through his death. He was the clearest example of a peacemaker. When we share the gospel, we too are peacemakers. Sharing the truth of sin and the need for Christ will make some angry. This is not a call to quit sharing or to be silent. This is a call to imitate Christ and to recognize that it may cost us.  

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

11 – “Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for so they persecuted the prophets before you.” 

These last two verses are exactly what we are watching now. Here, in the US, Christians have suffered very little persecution. We think if people make fun of or get angry with us or cut us off, we are being persecuted. We know nothing of true persecution. But one day we may. Will you see this as a blessing? Will I “rejoice and be exceeding glad”? 

Again, let’s look at these in the context of the other verses. The verses on persecution wrap up these beatitudes. Pay attention. Christ anticipates persecution for chasing what pleases God.  When we recognize our sin, mourn over it, surrender to God, when we chase after righteousness, mercy and purity of heart, when we seek peace with our neighbors and teach them how to make peace with God, then the persecution comes. 

I do want to be careful not to confuse true persecution with the anger induced if I am self righteous or unkind in my treatment of others. I cannot say hateful things to others and call what I get in return persecution. 

On the other hand, no one likes to be told what they hold dear is wrong or harmful. This doesn’t mean they don’t need to hear it. However, how we say it, our motive and attitude toward them, make all the difference. Jesus’ example was to love others where they were and then call them to something better. 

God loves us while we are still in our sin. The only reason to point out another’s sin is to help them see their need for Jesus. We can’t call others to forsake sin without first bringing them to the cross. 

So how will we respond? Charlie’s death challenges us to boldly live out our faith. Christ’s words and example tell us how. ”Exalted happiness” comes when we answer to our Father for how we chose to live the life He gave us.