Sermon On The Mount: The Beatitudes, Going Low
Seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His Mouth and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:1-6 (NKJV)
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Psalm 34:18 (NKJV)
Inarguably, Jesus is The Foundation of our faith: 'For no other Foundation can anyone lay than That which is laid, which is Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 3:11).
And us? 'Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone, in Whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in Whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit' (Ephesians 2:19-22).
But here's the thing: you’ve got to dig a hole before you lay a solid foundation. 'Whoever comes to Me, and hears My Sayings and does Them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep...' (Luke 6:47-48).
Digging deep means getting down and dirty. In the spirit realm, it’s humility. 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty Hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time' (1 Peter 5:6).
When following Christ, you must go low before you can go high. (That’s just what He did.) Jesus bore our sins, then hung on a Cross. He did the hard part (in bearing our sins)… so we can be rebuilt and raised by God.
But don't be fooled by all the worldly bling. Being raised by fame, pride, wealth, vanity, or popularity is Satan's game. Refuse his offers.
God’s Kingdom is found in humility: 'The poor in spirit,' 'Those who mourn,' 'The meek,' and 'Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.'
These godly conditions are overlooked, denounced, or beaten down by world powers. But in God's Eyes--every single one of these lowly, humble, and hard-pressed people… is a jewel getting ready to shine.
Sermon On The Mount: The Beatitudes, Going Low (Part 4)
* Poor in spirit: Matthew 5:3 Commentaries: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
* Definition of meekness: Meekness - Bible Meaning & Definition - Baker's Dictionary
NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.