The Way of Blessing

Background Scripture: Matthew 5:1-20
Lesson Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Introduction

God, who richly supplies all things for our welfare (1 Tim. 6:17), once again has furnished us with another three months’ provision of Sunday school lessons. Did the new Sunday school book materialize out of nowhere, suddenly appearing on the table in the back of church as if by a miracle? No, it has taken countless hours and many brethren applying themselves to diligence and prayer, using the inspiration and ability that God has given. God’s judgments, Spirit, and grace are embedded in each lesson because it is undergirded and upheld by the word of his power (Heb. 1:3). The Bible’s power potential for the edifying and perfecting of the saints and the church becomes more apparent when used in such a manner as Sunday school and study.

The natural bounty that God provides for sustaining life must be gathered, prepared, and made ready for consumption. Most places in the world must actively seek for this natural provision, but there are some nations where prodigious amounts are simply wasted. Idle Christians who are not taking up and utilizing the spiritual bounty God has provided in Sunday school and worship service are likewise wasting it. “The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious” (Prov. 12:27). It is unethical to kill only for sport and not consume that which is taken; God has not given us heavenly provision to simply leave lying unused in the field.

There is an underlying urgency in these lessons. Studying this quarterly will lay the burden of the gospel upon our shoulders and remind us of the great separation that is coming. Understanding judgment, joy, the way of peace, and the promises of God will take on deeper meaning and will cause us to take a closer look the depth of our sincerity.

“Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger” (Prov. 19:15). Maybe too many well-meaning Christians are sleepy and malnourished, failing to be aroused by God’s Word, because of an idle soul. It is time to use what has been placed in our trust and become actively involved in living the gospel to the saving of our souls and those around us.

The Way of Blessing

Lesson 1

December 4, 2022

Background Scripture: Matthew 5:1-20

Lesson Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Introduction

From a shuddering, smoking Mount Horeb once came a voice that brought terror to those who heard it. The Ten Commandments thus given became a foundation on which the law of right and wrong was built.

Centuries later, Jesus, “seeing the multitudes . . . went up into a mountain . . . and taught them” (Matt. 5:1-2). The Sermon on the Mount did not nullify the Ten Commandments; it strengthened and embedded them into the very core of a new and better way of living. The law teaches us the things we must do and must not do; the gospel of Jesus teaches us what we can be and must be.

Key Verse

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isa. 2:4).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

The Sermon on the Mount has been referred to as the constitution of Christianity. The Beatitudes are the opening statement of this constitution of the church. They set out the guiding principles and fundamental qualities of Christian living.

“Blessed are . . .” is present tense. A channel of blessing is open now, this very moment, to those who qualify. To be numbered among the blessed means that the barrier between man and God has come down, and the blessings can flow freely. The Beatitudes list nine conditions or settings that open these channels. “Shall be . . .” is set in the future. Blessings begin now, and they will continually brighten the future. What today is a shining light will shine “more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18).

Three of the Beatitudes point us to our own personal condition. To the poor, the sad, and the hungry, Jesus offers the wealth of his kingdom, the comfort of his love, and the filling of every void.

Three more of the Beatitudes deal with our relationships. To be among the blessed, we will need to be meek, merciful, and peace-loving among our fellowmen.

Taken together, these six qualities provide a basic framework of humility. To see ourselves as poor, to acknowledge our hunger, to give way to our sadness—these are the attributes of a broken and contrite heart. Such a heart will be gentle, meek, and merciful.

Perhaps the least attainable of the Beatitudes is that of purity in heart. Unregenerate hearts are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9). They will never be pure unless we bring them to the cross to be purified. Only then can our eyes be opened to see God.

Finally, the last two Beatitudes deal with circumstances that are beyond our control. Persecution and defamation are the actions of ­others toward the Christian. We do not need to seek persecution, but when it comes, it comes with blessings and promises attached.

Practical Truths for Today

Like Psalm 23 and 1 Corinthians 13, the Beatitudes are so familiar that many of us can read them without even thinking about them. They are simple enough that a child can understand them. They are also profound enough that no one can completely grasp their full import.

Few gospel teachers, if any, would be likely to use the Sermon on the Mount to explain the new birth. Most would reach for other chapters to explain justification by faith. The doctrine of the church of God is explained more clearly elsewhere, yet in this discourse, Jesus drew a wonderfully detailed map that his people have followed ever since He laid it out. It is not a map of how to reach the cross; it is the map that takes us from the cross to heaven. The road it describes can aptly be called the way of blessing.

The blessings described in the Beatitudes are not wages. Jesus is not saying, “You may apply for a title to the earth if you can provide a certificate of meekness.” Instead, He is pointing out that eternal life is found on the path of meekness. We cannot walk the road of pride and self-assertiveness and expect to arrive at eternal life. That road simply does not go there. The blessings are not wages; neither are they reimbursements for our sacrifices. They are the consequences of having, from the inside out, the attributes of Jesus.

The self-help strategies of the world often include goal setting. We may resolve to be more meek and more merciful, or we may set a goal to keep ourselves pure. These are worthy goals. They are in line with the will of God, and we dare not set a goal to be merciless, aggressive, or impure, but the underlying strategy of goal setting does not work well on the way of blessing.

If we treat these beautiful attributes as destinations, there is danger of feeling that our work is finished. At this point, we are tempted to celebrate our success, only to discover that being poor in spirit has eluded us. Instead of mourning, we are celebrating. Instead of hungering after God’s righteousness, we are feasting on our own. Like a youngster struggling to put a bicycle tire back on its wheel, we find that we can never cover all the points at the same time.

“An highway shall be there, and a way . . . the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein” (Isa. 35:8). The way of blessing can be difficult for the intellectual mind to discover. It is not attractive to those who have great possessions or to those who are firmly rooted in dogma or tradition. To the carnal mind, it is foolish, even dangerous, to discard our accomplishments and come down to being a supplicant, but this emptying of ourselves brings us to the entrance of the way. When we are thus emptied, Jesus fills us with his own righteousness and the presence of the Comforter. By a miracle of grace, ours is the kingdom of heaven.

There is tremendous relief in accepting the trio of needs Jesus described: poverty, hunger, and grief. Our flesh recoils at the admission, but it is no more than the truth. We are poor whether we recognize it or not. Whether we know it or not, we have an inner hunger that only Christ can satisfy. Our own sin is the cause of our misery. Only when we face these truths squarely can our deep inner needs be met.

Accepting our neediness is more than an intellectual admission of need. If a man’s laziness has brought him to poverty, he may readily admit that he is poor. To admit that his own inaction has caused his poverty is much more difficult, but it is a step toward becoming poor in spirit. In the same way, we may admit that we are hungry and unfulfilled. What we think we need is social acceptance, better health, or more time to relax. In truth, these appetites usually reflect a deeper need, a need for God to fill us with his righteousness.

When Jesus says, “Blessed are they that mourn,” He is not rejoicing in our sadness. He knows that our grief is caused by sin, most often our own. Far too often, our mourning is not for our sins but for the consequences of our sins. When we can truly mourn our own sinfulness, then we are ready for the comfort of his redemption and forgiveness.

The Sermon on the Mount repeatedly emphasizes that our righteousness must be genuine. It is not enough to refrain from fornication; we must keep our thoughts pure. Our giving and our prayers are to be in secret so that the Father can reward us openly. This concept of inner integrity is greatly tested when we face the relationship Beatitudes: meekness, mercifulness, and peacemaking.

To be genuinely meek and merciful, we must first be secure. An aggressive or vindictive response toward others is often evidence of inner insecurity; we feel threatened and respond accordingly. A self-assertive, angry attitude also reveals ignorance of God’s role in the affairs of men. It shows that we understand neither our own neediness nor the needs of others.

When God has comforted us, filled us, and enriched us with his own goodness, then we are ready to walk the way of meekness and mercy. We know that God has treated us with mercy, not justice, and we long to see that same mercy extended to others. We understand that God does not require our angry words or strong arguments to accomplish his purpose. Meekness is closely aligned with a childlike spirit; we know that our Father can do anything, and we expect Him to do whatever needs to be done. This frees us from the need to force others. We can leave them for God to deal with.

Meekness and peacemaking require spiritual and emotional strength. We will need patience, fortitude, and self-possession to dismantle barriers of prejudice. Building peace from the rubble of human conflict is the work of Jesus, who is our peace (Eph. 2:14). As we toil beside Him in this wonderful work, we become identified with Him. We will be known as the children of God.

Finally, the way of blessing is a path of purity. Experience has taught us that purity in action, word, and thought is beyond us. No amount of diligence can prevent repeated failures. We must remember that purity is a way of living, not a preassigned place. Instead of seeking to reach purity, we walk a road of sanctification. To be pure in heart indicates the direction in which we are traveling.

Purity is closely linked with vision; the pure in heart shall see God. We come from the darkness of an unregenerate heart. As we travel the way of purity, the light by which we journey becomes brighter. Again and again we see the work of God in our own hearts and in the lives of those around us. Of course, this light reveals more impurities in our lives. Ignoring what God shows us means turning back again to the shadows we came out of. If we bring our needs to Jesus, we continue our journey toward brighter sunshine.

The blessings promised are astounding. Not only shall we acquire the kingdom of heaven, but we shall also inherit the earth. The cost of discipleship is small when compared to its rewards. Why would we choose any other way?

Questions

1. As we receive the rewards of Christian living, can we connect them to the attributes of the Beatitudes in our lives?
2. What is the difference between doing good things and God’s righteousness? For example, is it acceptable to feel angry and resistant as long as I respond outwardly with meekness?
3. Will living the first seven Beatitudes bring on the persecution mentioned in the last two?
4. When do the blessings begin?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).