1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Matthew 5:1-11, KJV

(See also Luke 6:20-23)

The Beatitudes

Can you imagine going to college, but instead of attending a formal classroom, you follow your teacher from town to town, learning from His words and examples? Our "class" today occurs on a mountain. Jesus sat on the mountainside, and His disciples came and sat around Him. While the birds sang, and the wind rustled in nearby trees, Jesus' precious words poured from His mouth--words that certainly proclaimed an entirely new way of thinking to these disciples.

In a world where riches seemed to mean the most, what could Jesus mean? Like in our day, men commonly sought every opportunity to advance themselves, seeking the highest seats in the synagogue, and attempting to be honored by all men. Yet Jesus' words flew contrary to such thinking.

Though we are familiar with the beatitudes, it would be good for us to take some time to ponder in a greater depth, their meaning and their implications to us, as believers in this 21st century. Like the disciples' time, we live in an age where men are greedy, riches are everything, and self-advancement is the "common" attitude among all people.

As believers, how are we to think? Are the words of Christ still applicable to us today? Yes! Just as when He originally spoke these words, Jesus is speaking to believers of our day as well, saying that riches are not blessings. Being famous, or popular, or well known is not to be our goal. Rather, let us seek the things of Christ, where we are told:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, they that mourn, the meek, they which hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, and even us, when men revile us, persecute us, and say all manner of evil against us falsely, for the sake of Christ! As we walk through the Beatitudes, may our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ be strengthened, and may His name be glorified above all other names.