WordJourney

1  And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3  Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4  Blessed are those who mourn,  For they shall be comforted.
5  Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7  Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8  Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9  Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12, NKJV)

It has been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I’m not sure how that statement fits in with posting the notes from a recently concluded three-part sermon that I heard. I’m not plagiarizing — as I’m crediting Jeff Rudd with the sermon — rather I’m sharing with you seven points he made about the Beatitudes that I think you’d be interesting hearing about.

Jeff Rudd, Free In Christ Prison Ministry

First, a little background information: our church’s pastor has been away on and off throughout the year, making several trips to India as part of organizing and holding a national pastor’s conference. The conference ended this past Sunday, but while he was gone several guest preachers were welcomed into the pulpit. Jeff Rudd, who found the Free In Christ Prison Ministry, had the pulpit for the last three weeks, thus the series on the Beatitudes.

The Beatitudes, which appears in Matthew (while also getting a partial write up in Luke) is often cited as the central theme for exhorting Christians to godly behavior. Mostly everyone has heard the Beatitudes in one form or another, though I’m certain that we’ve heard it misapplied often too.

Beatitude Observations

So, what did Jeff have to say about the beatitudes? Much, but I’m only going to share with you his seven observations as compacting three messages into one article isn’t something I’m about to do. Rudd’s observations about the beatitudes were as follows:

1. Jesus was speaking to His followers, namely his disciples. I’ve heard plenty of people ascribe the beatitudes to specific groups of people who may or may not be followers of Jesus Christ.
2. The sermon on the mount does not tell us to live a certain way and you’ll become a Christian. Instead, it says that since we are already following Jesus Christ, that we’re to live like this.
3. The beatitudes stresses spiritual qualities, not natural tendencies. We are called to this responsibility which will also lead us to the way of true happiness.
4. The beatitudes are both a privilege and a responsibility.
5. The person described in this passage is only type of person who is truly blessed. This is the character of a happy man!
6. Every single one of the beatitudes apply to each Christian. We are not called to specialize.
7. All Christians are called to live like this, not just the pastor or church leaders.

In concluding his message, Rudd mentioned that God blesses our likeness to Christ, more than any talent we might have. Clearly, using our talents wisely is important, but our attitude — or beatitude — toward God is what He honors the most.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:2,3)

Every person upon this earth is prone to sin and it is something that we can do in abundance. As Christians, we’re instructed to live pure and godly lives, but we often fall short. I’m amazed when I hear some people say that they’ve overcome sin and are now sinless — falsely believing that they have some how achieved sinless perfection (see Romans 7:24). Our lives don’t have to be ruled by sin, but we will slip up occasionally — sometimes badly.

David’s Sin, Cover Up, And Confession

David was one such follower of the Lord who blew it big time. He lusted after another man’s wife, committed adultery with her, attempted to cover up his sin by having her righteous husband killed off in battle, and lived a life of denial for many months thereafter. Finally, when the prophet of God confronted him about his sin, David readily confessed — perhaps just as glad to be relieved of the heavy burden as wanting to make his life right with God again.

In our culture today, we love to “dig up dirt” about other people and broadcast it for all of the world to see. Even when someone has clearly repented of their transgression, there are people who reach back into history and pull up unseemly information about that individual. Oftentimes, this done under the guise of “people’s right to know” when God calls it something else: gossip.

In David’s case, his sins were made apparent to all because of the position that he was in. As the human ruler of Israel, God put plenty of responsibility on his shoulders to guide His people. David’s sins could have brought down the entire country, but God let him bear the responsibility and suffer personal consequences. In the midst of his sinning, David got the other man’s wife, Bathsheba, pregnant and she ended up losing their child (see 2 Samuel 12:15).

The Restoration Of David

After we genuinely confess our sin to God, forgiveness is instant but restoration takes time. We can’t pretend that we’ve sinned and all is done and simply forgotten and that is the end of that. Rather there is a time of restoration that takes place.

It isn’t penance — where we atone for our sin, which is something that only Jesus can do — rather, it is allowing God to begin healing our hearts and souls, bringing us to the point where we can once again serve Him freely (without guilt and shame weighing us down).

David is an excellent example of someone who recognized his sin, knew that he deserved God’s punishment (God could have killed him), but also recognized the mercy of God and the consequences his sin brought forth (death of a child, rebellion of Absalom, public disgrace and humiliation, etc.) Still, God was merciful to David, allowing him and Bathsheba to bear a son, Solomon, whom God loved and whose name is in the lineage of Jesus.

Have You Confessed Your Sins To God?

Of course, sinning has its consequences and it isn’t something we should do. God knows our frail condition and is there to intervene on our behalf.

If you’ve never committed your life to Jesus Christ, your sins are separating you from God. Only Jesus can forgive you of your sins as He atoned for all sins — past, present, and future — when He died upon the cross. Confess your sins to Jesus and allow Him to take full control over your life, bringing healing and restoration to you.

God loves you just as you are, but He also loves you too much to leave you as you are.

Further Reading

David and Bathsheba: Sin, Cover-up, Condemnation, and Restoration

How To Become A Christian

The Dangers of “Sinless Perfection” Doctrine