January 08, 2025 | Be God's Family
Jesus Teaches the Beatitudes
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-16(NIV)
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
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 meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Devotional
There are three themes in Matthew 5:1-16: (1) Jesus as teacher; (2) blessings to live by; and (3) shining our inner light to glorify God. Jesus taught the Beatitudes to His disciples as part of the Sermon on the Mount. The word Beatitude comes from the Greek word makarios which means “blessed (receiving God’s favor), fortunate, good, happy” (Bible Gateway NIV). Each of the Beatitudes begins with “Blessed are” followed by the groups blessed and the ways they are blessed. These teachings were words for Jesus’ disciples to live by. They are words for us to live by, too, for a more holy life. They are blessings for all of us because we are people in need of comfort, care, and love.
Four similar blessings are found in the Book of Luke as part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20-22). Here, Jesus taught that:
“20…Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”
Later in Matthew, Jesus told His disciples that they were the light of the world and they needed to let their light shine for others to see their good deeds that glorified the heavenly Father. Jesus said to followers “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Questions for reflection
Read the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-16) again.
Why do you think the Beatitudes were important to teach the disciples?
How are the Beatitudes relevant to your life today?
Are you letting your inner light shine?
Is your inner light reflecting God’s teachings?
Choose 1 Beatitude, pray about its meaning for you, and teach it to a family member or friend.
Poem
The Good Life
Psalm 43
The good life, the blessing, is often disguised
In costumes of poverty, hid from our eyes
The sackcloth of mourning, the forgiving friend
The one who stays faithful, despite martyr’s end
For God will deliver the final just prize
And vindicate all who were seen as despised
With comfort and mercy, with bounty and love
He’ll give to the downcast great hope from above
So let God’s light lead you to high holy places
Let faithful care ease all of this world’s disgraces
With praise on your lips cast your sorrow aside
With beauty of attitude may you arise
