The Shape of the Christian Life
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. — Matthew 5:1
- There has been a lot of prosperity gospel being preached
- But gospel sounds different in this Beatitudes passage, or in chapters just before when the disciples were being called
- First 4 Beatitudes (“suffering”)
- Poor in Spirit – “end of yourself”, taking down the mask of trying to please others
- Those who Mourn – to “bring it all out”, to share with others
- we are such “domesticated suffers”, in the American “Strong” mentality, and not being honest with our frustration
- Meek – not being weak, but to channel all energy of our wild ways to Christ
- Hunger and Thirst – to be demanding
- Last 4 Beatitudes (“character shaping”)
- Merciful – not just acts of mercy, but in character of merciful (like doing it willingly, not just for the sake of it?)
- Pure (Undivided) Heart – not just acts of doing good
- it might be the case that you have been heart-broken, that you have been in mourning (suffering beatitudes leading to this beatitude)
- Peacemakers – different from Peacekeepers (who avoid conflicts)
- stepping into situation of injustice, and to make it right
- again, it might be the case that you have been heart-broken and in mourning, that you have been shaped into one who can “uphold justice without being brutally blunt”
- Persecuted – only when you have grown and shaped into it; not being manipulated, tricked, or forced into doing things that lead you to be persecuted