DAY Eight of Twenty-one "Son of God"

DAY Eight of Twenty-one "Son of God"

Matthew 5:4-8

4God blesses those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5God blesses those who are humble,

for they will inherit the whole earth.

6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,

for they will be satisfied.

7God blesses those who are merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8God blesses those whose hearts are pure,

for they will see God.

Matthew 5:1-12

1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him,

2and he began to teach them.

3“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

4God blesses those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5God blesses those who are humble,

for they will inherit the whole earth.

6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,

for they will be satisfied.

7God blesses those who are merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8God blesses those whose hearts are pure,

for they will see God.

9God blesses those who work for peace,

for they will be called the children of God.

10God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

12Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

SORTING IT OUT Jesus’ followers expected an earthly king: someone who would rise up against the government, overturn Roman rule, and free them from their oppressors. But Jesus had a different plan.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ teachings probably stood in direct contrast to what his followers expected—the opposite of what seems logical. Happy are those who mourn? Happy are the humble? Because, Jesus is saying, I am offering you a better way to live.

God isn’t telling us to be miserable. What Jesus is saying is that when you are miserable, God gives you hope and comfort. When you are humble, God will take care of you. When you put others first, God will bless you.

This sort of teaching flies in the face of a me-centered culture, possibly more so today than it did 2,000 years ago. But it is what Jesus calls his followers to do—then and now.

YOUR TURN What can you do today to share God’s hope and comfort with someone else?

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