Jan. 19, 2010 – Matthew 5

Look at the first few Beatitudes.  Remember that the Jews were waiting for someone to save them from the oppression of the Romans.  Blessed those who are poor, mourn, meek, and thirst for righteousness.  They will inherit, the kingdom is theirs, will be satisfied.  You listen and are waiting for the leader and you get pumped up and ready to follow Him anywhere.  Then the next half take you in a different direction.  Blessed are the merciful, peacemakers, insulted, and persecuted.  Your reward is great in heaven.  You can picture them with confused looks on their faces.  They thought they were going to war for their freedom and this guy is saying show mercy and blessed are the persecuted. 

Jesus’ teaching is a whole new way to look at life.  We are at a disadvantage because I think we take these for granted.  That doesn’t mean we live it out, but we know what we are suppose to be striving for.  This was completely foreign to them.  You can tell this more clearly when He begins to go through the laws of the Old Testament and deepen them. 

Divorce was allowed, it isn’t anymore.  The law said to hate your enemies, He says to love them.  If someone strikes you, turn the other cheek.  A complete expansion of the law to bring us back to where God intended it in the first place. 

I love the image of a light being put under a bushel basket.  So many times we are almost ashamed of our beliefs and afraid to show them in our everyday life.  That is our calling.  To let that light shine.  To make our faith so much apart of our life that it is impossible to hide it away.