The Beatitudes are the introduction to Jesus’ sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount is not a new law from Jesus. It’s a description of new life in Jesus. And in the Beatitudes, Jesus describes the character and life of his disciples. The Beatitudes are not a set of “if-then” conditions to meet in order to enter the Kingdom. “Blessed” is a declaration of the flourishing life that belongs to all those who belong to Jesus, now, and in the future. They are the marks of a disciple of Jesus in this world, as we wait in hope for the next!
Scripture: Matt. 5:1-12; Deut. 28, Ps. 1, Matt. 23, John 2, 4, Matt. 27
