The Blessing Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-12
Meditation
As Jesus heals every disease and sickness among the people, news spreads. Large crowds follow.
Not far from Capernaum, at the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee, there’s a gently sloping hillside. Jesus climbs the hill, comes to a plateau, and sits down. His disciples come to him and he begins to teach them about life in the kingdom of God.
He begins with eight declarations of “blessedness”.
Eight beatitudes.
The disciples who sit at his feet have left everything to follow him. They have forsaken family, occupation, and worldly security. They sit at his feet and eagerly await his first words about the kingdom of God. They know what they have given up, but they don’t know what they’re going to get in return.
His words aren’t what they expect.
They don’t promise power, privilege, or prestige. They’re words of poverty, grief, humility, and hunger. Jesus speaks of charity, purity and peace—character traits and conditions not often found in their world. And he warns of persecution—persecution that hurts on earth but that brings a great reward in heaven.
He begins each statement about the kingdom with the word “blessed”.
It’s a relational word.
There’s always someone behind, or in, or with the blessing:
“God bless you.”
“Blessings in what you do.”
“Go with God’s blessing.”
Eight times Jesus says, “blessed”.
Eight times he connects it to someone who needs blessing. Eight times he speaks his best into the world’s worst. When Jesus says, “blessed”, he is assuring his disciples that in the midst of the world’s worst he will be present. He’ll give them nothing less than his best.
“Blessed” is also a kingdom word.
Jesus takes a word that they all know and he gives it a new definition. He redefines the word and—in the process—redefines their world.
If they’re to follow Jesus they must learn that “blessed”, in his kingdom, has nothing to do with political power or socioeconomic strata. It doesn’t deal with heads of state, or gold, or silver; rather, its concern and its currency is that of the cross—commodities such as grace, mercy and peace. These are the riches of Christ and the foundation of life in the kingdom of God.
When the world is at its worst, Jesus gives nothing less than his best.
He gives himself.
Blessed are …
… the poor in spirit. The Blessing Christ pays the debt for the spiritually bankrupt.
… those who mourn. The Blessing Christ embraces the gut wrenching lonely.
… the meek. The Blessing Christ uses the humble in heavenly ways.
… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The Blessing Christ satisfies those who search for God.
… the merciful. The Blessing Christ reaches a hand down to those who have a hand up.
… the pure in heart. To those who want to see God, the Blessing Christ makes them clean from the inside out.
… the peacemakers. When things go wrong the Blessing Christ makes things right.
… those who are persecuted. The Blessing Christ gives eternal pleasures to those who are picked on, punched out, and put down on account of his name.
Prayer
Father,
As your Son began his ministry, large crowds followed him. Seeing the multitudes, he went up on a mountainside, sat down, and began to teach.
His disciples sat around him and he explained to them what life in the kingdom of God was like. He said that, in him, they would be blessed. He assured them that they would have more than the world could offer. He promised them that they would have nothing less than God’s best.
But he also warned them.
He told them that they would be insulted, persecuted, and all kinds of false things would be said about them. Because of him, they would be exposed to the world’s worst.
As he taught, he proclaimed the “blessed” paradox of life in the kingdom of heaven. Through eight beatitudes, he promised God’s best in the midst of the world’s worst.
During this day, help me experience the blessedness that comes with Christ.
As I wait for God’s best in the midst of the world’s worst, may I desire something more than pleasure. May I long for something more than joy. May I yearn for something more than happiness. As I wait, may I crave nothing more and nothing less than the forgiveness, the gifts and the presence of Christ.
I pray this in the name and character of the Blessing Christ. Amen.
Reflection
In what area of your life do you need Christ to say, “blessed”?
What beatitude are you living in right now?
How have you been persecuted for being a follower of Christ? What do you think the eternal reward for such persecutions will be?
Why is “blessedness” something more than pleasure, joy, or happiness? Why does it only exist in the work, the person and presence of Christ?
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day (Matthew 5:1-12). Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted in parenthesis. All Scripture quoted on this site is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
