A Slight Change of Plans

I have decided to make a slight change to my plans. I have decided to not do an up-close study of the Gospels. My intent is to re-read the Gospels and take a new look at the life of Christ and His teachings. But I've decided not to go verse-by-verse or even section-by-section. Instead I want to post only those things that have a direct impact upon me at a given moment. Hopefully, this will be more applicable to daily living of the good news.

The Beatitudes 2

Matthew 5:3

Jesus says those who mourn will be comforted. Those who mourn what? I believe this refers back to the first beatitude: the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn their spiritual poverty. They see their sin, their sinfulness, their need - and it brings them to tears, weeping, and groaning. They will be comforted.

The word used is for "comfort" is a form of the same word used for "comforter", i.e., the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). Those who mourn their sin, their poverty, their need, will be comforted by the Holy Spirit and their needs will be met therein. Whatever the need, Christ answers with the Holy Spirit. And we are comforted because our sin doesn't disqualify us. Instead, the very need itself qualifies us for the comfort and the supply by the Holy Spirit.

Do I mourn my sin? Do I mourn my need? Do I let the Comforter comfort me and free me from my poverty? Or do I embrace my sin and nurture selfishness and/or self-pity?

The Beatitudes 1

Matt. 5:1-3

As Jesus looks on a crowd of broken humanity, he begins to utter to his disciples simple characteristics of the blessed life. The word used for blessed here means the highest blessedness.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (v. 3). The word for poor means the deepest and worst poverty. It doesn't mean "having little" or "insufficient amounts"; it means having absolutely nothing at all.

To those who acknowledge and embrace their deep poverty, Jesus brings good news: "the kingdom of heaven is yours". Not Heaven one day (although that's true, too) - Heaven NOW! All the resources and riches of Heaven are available to the one who acknowledges their abject poverty and desperate need. Our abysmal lack is what qualifies us for his abundance.

Do I acknowledge and embrace my poverty? Or do I still believe that somewhere, at some level, I still have what it takes?