It seems significant that Jesus opened this sermon by setting his priorities. The kingdom person would first be a person of character and secondly a person of action. We live in a world that has that order reversed. In our world people are generally valued more by what they can accomplish than by who they are. Our society even suggests that a person’s private life should be of no concern to others. What is important is what they produce.
There are many ways of examining how well your faith in Christ is growing. One of them is by comparing your life with the template Jesus lays down in the Beatitudes.
In his commentary on this sermon, Larry Richards has shown that each of the beatitudes establishes a value of Jesus that conflicts with the values of the world. Jesus begins by valuing “poverty of spirit.” The world values self-confidence, competency, and self-reliance. But bravado does not impress God. He wants to know if we understand our inadequacies. He knows that without Him we are nothing. The question is whether we recognize the same truth.
Jesus valued “mourning” over pleasure. That is, does the fact that we have nothing of concern to us? Or do we pass it off as “no big deal?”
Jesus valued a submissive spirit over a proud, powerful spirit. The word “meek” was used to describe a well-trained beast of burden. Although the animal was much more powerful than its controller, it moved as the slightest movement of the reins. Are you that much under the control of the Holy Spirit?
Jesus valued spiritual desire over self-satisfaction. Verse 5 literally says, “Blessed are those who are hungering...for they are being filled.” In the economy of God, you can’t be full without desire.
Jesus valued mercifulness more than independence. The world disdains mercy because it is condescending. We want to believe that we can do it ourselves. The only time we want mercy is when it is coming our direction! Not so with the Christ-follower!
To have a pure heart requires separation from anything unclean. By contrast, the world values “broad-mindedness.”
Jesus values peace over competition. We live in a very competitive society. But often, competitiveness is the birthplace of division. Jesus desires that we be one.
To Jesus, it was better to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake than to be the life of the party, the popular person whose attention everyone craves.
How do your values line up with those of Jesus? Being honest in your assessment will tell you a lot about your relationship with the King.
