Blessed

Matthew (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International

Bible Society

Matthew 4

Jesus Heals the Sick

23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in

their synagogues, preaching the good news of the

kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness

among the people. 24News about him spread all

over Syria, and people brought to him all who

were ill with various diseases, those suffering

severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having

seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.

25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[f]

Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan

followed him.


Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a

mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to

him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see G-d.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of G-d.
10Blessed 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. 12Rejoice and be glad,

because great is your reward in heaven, for in

the same way they persecuted the prophets who

were before you.


There's another idea that emerges in yesterdays

passage from Matthew 4. Look at the context.

Jesus has just recently launched his ministry,

and gathered together some disciples. He goes

out into Galilee and starts to heal people and

preach. The disciples are seeing all this for

the first time, and I'm sure that they are

impressed. Remember that the nation of Israel at

the time is under Roman rule and the jews are

hoping that they will again be able to throw off

the burden of foriegn rule. The Roman's provided

law and order and regulated commerce, but they

also placed a huge tax burden on the populace.

Then there was the really loathesome aspect of

Roman rule that had to do with temple worship.

The high priest was appointed by Rome, as a

political appointee. He was not a part of the

historic priestly tribe. This had to be deeply

offensive to the average jewish believer. Into

this social setting, Jesus arrives with a message

about the kingdom of G-d. John the Baptist had

already been preaching this message, but John did

not have the authority to heal. Jesus did. Is

there any wonder that the people, and especially

the disciples, were excited about Jesus. He

understood their religious frustration, and

desire to see the kingdom of G-d return to their

land. There's no wonder that they were hoping he

would be able to release them from the heavy hand

of the Romans.


In Matthew 4 and 5 there is this big crowd of

people following Jesus and his disciples. And

the disciples were, no doubt, hoping that they

too would have their place in the limelight. And

what does Jesus do at this moment? He takes them

away from the crowd and begins to teach them

about finding favor with G-d, and what it means

to be blessed. He let them know that his work is

not about being rich and famous and adored by the

crowd. Jesus already knew where it was all

headed anyway. He knew that the cross lay before

him. The disciples... mostly clueless at this

point it seems. So Jesus took them aside to

straighten them out about what it means to be

blessed in the kingdom of G-d. And sure enough,

when you read the Beatitudes, you find that the

kingdom of G-d is not at all like this world's

kingdoms. Whom the world despises, is who Jesus

says is blessed -- the poor, the mourning, the

meek, the righteous and so on. Can you imagine

the disciples scratching their heads and looking

around at each other wondering what Jesus is up

to? They had to be thinking that Jesus was going

to be able to do great things for them once he

got rid of those Romans. It was apparent to them

that had the power and charisma to do so.


From what it says in this passage, makes it easy

to imagine just how devastating the crucifixtion

must have been for the disciples. There went all

their wordly hopes, hung on a Roman cross. The

Romans win again. Ah... not so fast. They

didn't know that this wasn't the end, it was the

beginning. The Romans were just a tool in G-d's

hand. They served G-d's purpose. And it was an

event that helped to show the disciples just how

wrong they were about the kingdom of G-d. It

really is just as Jesus described it in Matthew 4

and 5. Blessed are those who are despised by

this world, because 'great is your reward in

heaven'.


These days, we still don't get it. There are any

number of preachers who tempt their followers

with a variety of earthly rewards. We like to

hear this message. We like having stuff. We

want G-d's favor. Jesus just had to point out

that there is a little conflict between the way

things are done in the here and now, and the way

things are done in the by and by. The kingdom of

G-d has the greater reward, but it's only for the

faithful. There's nothing about this world that

has changed since the time of Jesus, or in the

heart of man.


Matthew 16 (KJV)

24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man

will come after me, let him deny himself, and

take up his cross, and follow me.

25For whosoever will save his life shall lose

it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake

shall find it.

26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain

the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what

shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of

his Father with his angels; and then he shall

reward every man according to his works.


We shouldn't be surprised that the world doesn't

warm up to the idea that surrendering selfish

ambition is a great thing to do. It's not the

way of the world. This world has other ideas.

Jesus used the metaphor of taking up your cross

and following him. He never said that it was a

life of comfort and ease. But it is a life that

offers a lasting reward. The life of the

faithful is blessed.