Beatitudes - Sermon on the MountSample

You have to be older to use social media but may know the saying “# blessed” when people post a picture or video of themselves on a tropical holiday “# blessed,” or sailing on a yacht “# blessed,” or stepping onto a private jet “# blessed.”

You don't often see someone who has faced a tragedy or crisis posting about it on social media, saying “# blessed.” Jesus teaches in the beatitudes that this is exactly when we are really blessed! Matthew 5:4-5 (CEV), “God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort! God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!”

The second blessing in this verse talks about God blessing those who are humble. Have you ever heard someone ‘humble brag’? They say something that is supposed to sound like a nice thing to say, but they’re really drawing attention to themselves to boast about something. They might say something like, “Oh man, it’s such hard work to be good at sports and always get picked first for the team.”

That’s NOT the kind of humility Jesus is talking about. To be humble means to have a lower view of your importance. Some translations use the word ‘meek’ in this verse, which means quiet or gentle and putting others before yourself. The Bible paints a picture with these verses that when we grieve and are truly humble, we recognise our need for God. We realise that we can’t go it alone.

Jesus taught again about humility; we read later in the Gospels in Luke 14 when Jesus was at an important religious leader’s house and noticed how people chose the places of honour to sit at the table. Jesus teaches that those who humble themselves will be lifted up.

When we empty ourselves of our own ‘self’ and humble ourselves before God, He can pour into us, and He will lift us up. When relying on God, that’s when we are truly blessed!