The Beatitudes deliberately come at the start to describe the character of a Christian because the rest of the sermon can only be practised by a Christian who has Jesus in their life and have become a citizen of His kingdom. They teach us about Christian character, before we hear about Christian conduct (because the rest of the sermon is not about doing things with our own natural abilities and temperaments, rather is about living out a new character). “Every one of us, whatever we may be by birth and nature, is meant as a Christian to be like this”. Indeed Robert Murray McCheyne once wrote: “It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus”.
The Beatitudes also are set in a deliberate order by Jesus to illustrate a person’s journey to salvation and then afterwards their life in the kingdom.
Road to the Kingdom (the gospel):
| Blessed are the Poor in Spirit | Recognise they have nothing good that will get them into Heaven |
| Blessed are the Mourners | See the evil of their sin, how it has wronged God and the impending judgement |
| Blessed are the Meek | They have no pride in believing they can do anything to contribute to their salvation |
| Blessed are the Hungry and Thirsty for Righteousness | They flee to God and His gracious mercy to be made right with Him |
Life in the kingdom: (Builds on what has come before as the Christian life builds on the gospel):
| Blessed are the Merciful | Having been forgiven of so much more, we can forgive and love even the worst people |
| Blessed are the Pure in Heart | No longer blinded by sin, we are given clean hearts and can see and know God intimately |
| Blessed are the Peacemakers | Having peace with God now, we bring the “gospel of peace” to others calling them to surrender to God. We are united in Christ, whatever our race, gender or wealth |
| Blessed are the Persecuted | Are glad to suffer the loss of all things (even life itself) because to have Jesus means we have all things and to be with Him is better! |
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