The Beatitudes describe the attitude of a person who has totally and completely surrendered to the authority of Jesus as Lord.  This person is quite different from the norm in that they are humble, merciful, pure, and peacemaking.  This person openly confesses their allegiance to Jesus in a hostile world.

Sometimes people misspeak about salvation, saying, “I’m going to make Jesus my Savior” while they live as if they had never surrendered their life to Him.  Do you think we can “make” Jesus do anything?  He’s King.  He does what He pleases.

However, our good King has extended to us an offer.  It’s an offer open to all who would receive it.  Those who respond to his call and submit to Jesus as Lord, Savior, and King are invited to be a part of His new kingdom.  Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  No one is a part of this kingdom who does not recognize Jesus as King and Lord, as well as Savior.

Beware of making our Lord your teacher first and your Lord second.  The tendency to recognize Jesus as a great teacher without recognizing his authority as King of Kings is prevalent today.  It is a dangerous trend – especially if it enters into the church!

We must know Him as Lord first before His teachings can have any real meaning.  In fact, without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, the teachings listed in the Beatitudes lead to little more than despair.  In my flesh, I’d never have the genuine desire for humility or purity.  Without Jesus ruling in my heart, the Beatitudes describe an attitude that is simply unattainable.

  • Imagine walking up to a man in the bondage of pornography and telling that man to be “pure in heart” in his own power.  It would be an ideal that he could never attain and probably would not want to attain in his own power.
  • Imagine walking up to an ISIS terrorist and saying to him, “be merciful” and a “peacemaker.”  Without Jesus, he would have no desire to do either thing!  He loves violence!

Jesus was not attempting to erect standards that no man could attain.  When a person responds to the call of salvation and submits their life to the authority of Christ, they have a new power to follow the Lord’s commands.  Jesus does not just teach us, but He is active in making us what he teaches us to be. The beatitudes are a description of a life that has been saved and radically transformed by the power of Christ.

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

 

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Mark Stafford             

Senior Pastor