Be happy!
part oneWelcome to Silent Sounds! Each day this week you will study the same Scripture passages our students are using as the basis for their daily quiet times with God. As you read, do what we ask the students to do: Picture yourself hearing these words spoken directly to you, just as Jesus shared them with His followers while sitting on a hillside overlooking the sea.
This first section of Jesus’ teaching is likely one of the most well-known. These eight verses are often referred to as The Beatitudes. They guide us on a journey that may at first seem a little odd, but let’s trust the process and dig in to learn how Jesus wants us to live and act.
Look at what He says in Matthew 5:3-10:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
As you can see, each of these eight points begins with the word “blessed.” While Merriam-Webster defines blessed as “being held in reverence, or honored,” the word being used here just means happy. Jesus is laying out eight attitudes that His followers should have in order to experience true blessing and happiness.
1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” This doesn’t mean being broke or lacking possessions. To be “poor in spirit” means understanding how broken and lacking we are when we try to measure everything we have to offer God. It’s knowing we are not enough. The first thing Jesus wants us to understand is that we are spiritually broke (not enough) without Him.
2. “Blessed are those who mourn.” Next, Jesus tells us that we will be blessed if we mourn that spiritual brokenness. Basically, Jesus is challenging us to acknowledge our spiritual brokenness and to recognize that this brokenness comes with a significant price tag. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death.”The weight of our spiritual brokenness is too heavy for us to carry on our own. Some of us feel the crushing weight of our “not enough” and despair. Others run on the hamster wheel of constantly trying to measure up. We are not meant to do either.
3. “Blessed are the meek.” When we face something that heavy, we have two options: we can either crumble under the weight of our brokenness or allow it to bring us to our knees in humility. The next step in the journey Jesus takes us on is humility.
Webster’s dictionary defines humility as “freedom from pride or arrogance.” First, Jesus wants us to understand that we are spiritually “not enough” without Him. Then, He wants us to realize the weight and cost of our brokenness. Jesus wants us to let that brokenness bring us to our knees before Him, knowing we can’t do life on our own. Later in Matthew 11:28, He tells us to “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” When we hit rock bottom, it’s easy to feel hopeless if we aren’t careful. But this is where knowing Jesus changes things. Our cravings and feelings of lacking turn into hunger and thirst for His righteousness (completeness, perfection). Our way out of the brokenness of sin isn’t impossible, because it is not through any work of our own.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
That new self, that hope, that future comes only by being in, depending on, and walking with Christ. God’s free gift is eternal life through Jesus. Everlasting life. Something to look to, something to hope for. But that something only comes in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It doesn’t matter how “not enough” you are – He is enough.
5. “Blessed are the merciful.” We have acknowledged how spiritually “not enough” we are and recognized the weight of that brokenness. This has brought us to our knees before Jesus, where we have looked to Him and His righteousness alone. Next, Jesus calls us to be merciful and to empathize with others who are broken. We begin to look beyond ourselves.
6. “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Remember that the change in us only happened because of Jesus. Without Him, we would have no humility. Without Him, we would lack understanding of how broken we truly are. Without Him, we would be arrogant, self-centered, and unaware of how broken we are. But now, we get to see others as Christ sees them and love them as Christ loves them.
7. “Blessed are the peacemakers.” In a world driven by competition and ambition, peacemaking is a countercultural choice. Once we have walked the journey of understanding how spiritually ”not enough” we are apart from Christ, we are brought to our knees by the weight of that brokenness, and we hunger and thirst for the righteousness that only comes from Him. Only when we begin to see others as Jesus sees them do we begin to live in an “others-focused” way.
8. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.” Jesus isn’t in the business of sugarcoating things. He makes it clear that when we live our lives according to His design, we will face persecution. When we go against what people expect from us, they won’t always like it. We will stand out, look different, and this will upset some people. But remember, we don’t live and act this way to receive praise here and now. Our reward awaits us in heaven. We live and act this way to reveal Jesus to other people. It’s an invitation for others to experience the same freedom we now enjoy – as a new creation, living the new life only He can offer.
Thank God for the freedom Christ has given you. Begin now to pray for others in your life who need to experience this freedom.
jesus changes everything when we live a life of purpose
part twoSalt and light both play practical and important roles in our daily lives. In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus uses these familiar elements to teach us some important life principles.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Matthew 5:13
During the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, salt served many uses, including as a preservative and as a seasoning to add flavor to food. Just as salt preserves food by preventing the growth of bacteria and mold, the Gospel provides the truths that fight against the death and decay that cause people to feel hopeless and lost or out of place in this world. When you are “salty,” you enhance the world around you and make it a better place. And you allow the Gospel to fill your life so you can impact the lives of those around you.
Just as salt is essential to help your food taste just right, the Gospel must become an essential part of your daily life. Otherwise, you may lose your saltiness. During biblical times, salt was often mixed with other minerals that reduced its effectiveness and its ability to preserve food and enhance flavor. Are there things in your life that might diminish or lessen your saltiness?
We can lose our saltiness in three ways:
- By operating on the basis of our feelings instead of our faith.
- By compromising our commitment to the Lord.
- By failing to love those around us as Christ has called us to do.
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
Salt and light share an important quality; both fulfill their purpose naturally and without discrimination. Consider what Jesus is saying in these verses; light is not meant to be hidden but is instead used to illuminate the area around it and to dispel the darkness. Throughout Scripture, Jesus is referred to as the Light of the World, and now He tells us to be the light of the world in which He has placed us.
As believers, we are expected to positively impact the world around us. This is what it means to be salt and light. It means we have a purpose, a new way of living that shifts our focus from ourselves to others. This purpose frees us from the fear of not fitting in, because being salt and light means being different, standing out, and pointing others to the grace and goodness of our Lord and Savior.
We are to let our light shine brightly so that those around us may come to the Father Who loves them and sent His Son to die on their behalf. How awesome it is that God allows us to participate in the work of pointing people to Jesus.