Who Is Blessed?

Day 5: Matthew 5:1-23

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." - Matthew 5:6 ESV

In our Scripture for today, we see Jesus begin what is now called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). In all nine of these opening "blessed" statements, Jesus is saying, "Let me tell you who is successful in my eyes" or "these are the fortunate ones."

These statements aren't prescriptive (do this, and you will be successful). Instead, they are a picture of Jesus meeting these people where they were, in their desperation and humility, and telling them that His kingdom has a place for them to thrive.

Can you identify with that?

Do you long, in humility, to see God move in your generation? Do you feel overlooked? Are you quickly dismissed, excluded, or mistreated because of your faith in Jesus? Jesus' Kingdom isn't about worldly status or fame. It is one in which we all are declared valuable and considered equal in view of the cross.

This closing comment on our passage today by S.K. Weber illustrates it well: “Our modern idea of happiness is a diluted version of the joy implied by the term Jesus used. Our idea of happiness is a dependence on circumstances. Instead, God’s happiness or joy is dependent on the assurance of God’s blessing (sometimes present, often future), not on current circumstances, and it abides deep and undisturbable within the believer.”