By Ryan Shaw<\/p>\n
The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 has often been called the \u201cConstitution of the Kingdom.\u201d Jesus lays out His terms of discipleship and the standards He means all believers to rise to.<\/p>\n
These three chapters make up central teaching for every true Christian. We are meant to take Jesus\u2019 words very seriously. They have often been minimized as idealistic and impossible to live out.<\/p>\n
Jesus never gives His people commands that He Himself does not empower them to faithfully live by. To do so would be cruel. Instead there is power available to live the \u201cSermon on the Mount\u201d lifestyle.<\/p>\n
This available power is part of the New Covenant Jesus purchased through His death and resurrection. It is part of what the filling of the Holy Spirit enables us to make real in our lives.<\/p>\n
The Sermon on the Mount begins with \u201cthe Beatitudes.\u201d They serve a two-fold purpose.<\/p>\n
First, they identify core attributes believers are meant to diligently cultivate. What is a believer to be like (at the heart level)? Together, these eight give us a clear picture of what we are to become.<\/p>\n
Second, they reveal the qualities critical for effectively bearing fruit in our generation. The verses following the Beatitudes (vs. 13-14) call believers the \u201csalt of the earth and the light of the world.\u201d There is an unmistakable link here.<\/p>\n
The Beatitudes reveal the very heart of what God wills for us to develop within. Apart from setting our hearts toward purposely growing in each of the nine beatitudes, we will not have the quality of impact on the world around us which the Lord intends.<\/p>\n
The first four deal with internal core characteristics of disciples. The second four highlight external actions.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are the poor in spirit\u201d \u2013 We are to cultivate consistent awareness of our desperate need for God. Apart from Him, we can accomplish nothing of spiritual value. This is the essence of humility. Internalizing and living from the true place of Pride to dependence on God in all areas of life and ministry.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are those who mourn\u201d \u2013 Whose hearts are becoming sensitive to the power of sin and its deadly effects on people and institutions. We \u201cmourn\u201d because of this insidious power holding believers and unbelievers\u2019 alike captive. We long for the coming of the Kingdom to restore all things to their original intention in the heart of God.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are the meek\u201d \u2013Meekness is power under control. The purposeful restraining of oneself for a higher purpose. Mistreatment is a wonderful tool for the Lord to test our level of meekness.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness\u201d \u2013 This hunger seems to be at the core of obtaining all spiritual realities in the life of a believer. Without recognition of our sinful nature\u2019s bent against God and a converse proactive cultivating of hunger and thirst to walk in Jesus\u2019 righteousness, we are not living lives pleasing to God.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are the merciful\u201d \u2013 At the core of God\u2019s attributes is mercy. Though no human being deserves His mercy, He gives it liberally to all who come to Him according to His terms. We, too, are to live in such a way towards others.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are the pure in heart\u201d \u2013 Keeping our hearts free from the incessant pull of the love of the world is at the root of this characteristic. We pursue the highest levels of purity of our eyes, thoughts, desires, ambitions, and much more.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are the peacemakers\u201d \u2013 God is a reconciling God. Jesus was sent for the purpose of reconciling humanity back to God through His own flesh. We, too, are becoming what God intends when we help people over division among them.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cBlessed are those persecuted for righteousness\u2019 sake\u201d \u2013 This is the one beatitude that Jesus gives some explanation to. This one is very close to His heart because He knows how common it is. The persecution of true believers is not to surprise us. God uses it and our embracing of it in ways beyond our understanding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Ryan Shaw The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 has often been called the \u201cConstitution of the Kingdom.\u201d … <\/p>\n
Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":5556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",1280,853,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-1024x682.jpg",1024,682,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",1280,853,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",1280,853,false],"gb-block-post-grid-landscape":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",600,400,false],"gb-block-post-grid-square":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",600,400,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-600x400.jpg",600,400,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-100x100.jpg",100,100,true],"audioigniter_cover":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-560x560.jpg",560,560,true],"ppec_logo_image_size":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",90,60,false],"ppec_header_image_size":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",135,90,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable":" By Ryan Shaw The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 has often been called the \u201cConstitution of the Kingdom.\u201d Jesus lays out His terms of discipleship and the standards He means all believers to rise to. These three chapters make up central teaching for every true Christian. We are meant to take Jesus\u2019 words very seriously. They have often been minimized as idealistic and impossible to live out. Jesus never gives His people commands that He Himself does not empower them to faithfully live by. To do so would be cruel. Instead there is power available to live the…<\/p>\n","category_list":"Abandoned Devotion<\/a>","author_info":{"display_name":"Ryan Shaw","author_link":"https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/author\/admin"},"comments_num":"0 comments","featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",1280,853,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-1024x682.jpg",1024,682,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",1280,853,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",1280,853,false],"gb-block-post-grid-landscape":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",600,400,false],"gb-block-post-grid-square":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",600,400,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-600x400.jpg",600,400,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-100x100.jpg",100,100,true],"audioigniter_cover":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824-560x560.jpg",560,560,true],"ppec_logo_image_size":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",90,60,false],"ppec_header_image_size":["https:\/\/www.globalmmi.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/growth-hand-little-1072824.jpg",135,90,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"