The Light of the World.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

As the sun lightens the world, so Christians are to lighten the world. We are to bring God's light to others and illuminate their minds about the ways of God. As a lamp gives light in the darkness so men can see where they are going, so God's light leads them.

"...let your light shine" We don't have to work hard to shine; we are to let God's light that lives within us shine out to others. Then they will thank God for what we have done.

In Jesus' time many cities were built on hills for protection. People could see the city from miles away. It could not be hidden and neither can our works be hidden. What we do in our lives is usually plain to see, if not immediately then people will know later.

Lord, may your light shine through us. May we be a blessing to this world. Amen

The Salt of the World.

The Beatitudes are finished now, but I thought I would continue on with the rest of Jesus' sermon which is called The Sermon on the Mount.


"You are the salt of the world; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men." Matthew 5:13


Salt makes food taste good; it also preserves food. 


I take this to mean we should be a blessing to the world as salt is to food. We should be useful and a help to the world. We should taste good - be a friendly, nice person that people like to be around. Perhaps we could make the sharing of our life and our faith salty and tasty!


What if we are not salty Christians? Jesus says then our lives have no worth. A serious thing to say. 


"The salt used in this country is a chemical compound - chloride of sodium - and if the saltness were lost, or it were to lose its savor, there would be nothing remaining. It enters into the very nature of the substance. In eastern countries, however, the salt used was impure, or mingled with vegetable or earthy substances, so that it might lose the whole of its saltness, and a considerable quantity of earthy matter remain. This was good for nothing, except that it was used to place in paths, or walks, as we use gravel." http://bible.cc/matthew/5-13.htm


Paul said,  "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6

May God fill us with salt. May he make us attractive to all people we meet. May our lives be beautiful, flavorful and enduring.

The Persecuted.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing right, for the kingdom of God is theirs." Matt. 5:10

This is where God's mind and the human mind are vastly different. Would we say someone is blessed for being persecuted? No, we would probably say, "Oh, how terrible for them."

Good people of God have been persecuted since the son of Adam was murdered. His brother Cain killed him, "And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous." 1John 3:12

If we look at Cain and Abel, Jesus says that Abel was blessed (fortunate). I can see why this would be so. Which person in the story would you rather be?

The Romans killed the Christians in the arenas. The Catholics and Protestants killed each other in the dark ages. The Nazis killed Jews and Christians. Even today people kill in the name of God. And just as God did not save Abel's life, so he did not save millions of people through the ages.

Jesus went on to say, "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

I have to say I've had trouble understanding how a person could feel happy when persecuted. I honestly don't think Jesus felt happy the day of his death. So joy and gladness have to be more than feelings. I looked up the Greek and found a few translations of these words that make the above verse understandable for me.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad - Regard it as a great privilege thus to be persecuted and to suffer - a thing not to be mourned over, but as among the chief blessings of life. 
http://bible.cc/matthew/5-12.htm

5463 xaírō (from the root xar-, "favorably disposed, leaning towards" and cognate with 5485 /xáris, "grace") – properly, to delight in God's grace ("rejoice") – literally, to experience God's grace (favor), be conscious (glad) for His grace. 
http://concordances.org/greek/5463.htm

Speaking of Jesus, Paul says, "...for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. Consider him who endured such hostility from sinful men; so you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2

To remember what Jesus went through, to look toward heaven and to have the mind of God in order to see how he sees; that is what is needed to have joy (regard it as a privilege) in persecution.

The Peacemakers.

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the Sons of God."

"Those who strive to prevent contention, strife, and war; who use their influence to reconcile opposing parties, and to prevent lawsuits and hostilities in families and neighborhoods. Every man may do something of this; and no man is more like God than he who does it."  http://bible.cc/matthew/5-9.htm

Of all the prizes from the Nobel committee, none is more respected than the Peace Prize. When they choose someone to award, that person's name is on the front pages of the news all over the world. Peacemakers are respected.

War between nations brings horrible tragedy. Thousands and even millions of lives are lost, most of whom are innocent. Wars are usually fought because people in power are evil. I am sure God hates war.

There are wars in families too. Aunt Sue won't talk to aunt Mary. Sisters are jealous of each other. Brothers fight. Spouses argue over everything. Peace is needed everywhere: in the world, between neighbors and in the family.

If we forgive an insult, don't tell others of a wrong done to us, try to bring agreement between people, then we are a peacemaker. We may not receive a Nobel Prize, but we get something far better, the pleasure and smile of God upon us. When we act like a peacemaker God says, "Those are my children."

The Pure in Heart.

My Bible commentary says when something is pure it is unmixed with anything else. Pure gold is not mixed with any other metal. It says a heart that is pure is single-minded.

Is my heart single-minded? Is God first in my life? Is my heart pure?

When I look at myself, I don't feel pure but I try not to live by my feelings. God says I have a new heart, therefore I do have a new heart and I will give my heart to him each day and let Him change it.  The apostle John says to try to live with love so that, "...whenever our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows everything." 1John 3:20 And James says, "Indeed we all make many mistakes."

"Beloved, we are children of God and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 1 John 3:3

There is an example of God purifying hearts in our family. One of my daughters had been angry at her real father, my first husband, for years. She once told me she would never forgive him for the past. But after my grandson's death she has become more committed and closer to God. After the funeral she told her father she loved him and later she told me she has forgiven him. God purified her heart.

"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us. And God made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." Acts 15:9

It seems to me our hearts are made pure by God through hope and faith, which is our trust in God and His promises. I do trust God that he is purifying my heart each day and that some wonderful day I will "see him just as He is".

The Beatitudes - Have Mercy.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Matt. 5:7

mer·cy 

1. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.

2. A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.

3. Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.

4. Alleviation of distress; relief: Taking in the refugees was an act of mercy.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com

If we are merciful to others, God will be merciful to us. I think that is a good and fair exchange!

In the Lord's Prayer Jesus says, "And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."

Jesus explained God's position on this very well in the parable of the two debtors. This is a short version of that story:

A king had a servant (or tributary prince) who owed him ten thousand talents ( millions of dollars). The servant begged for time and mercy. The king's heart was moved  so he forgave all his debt.

When the servant left the king's palace he came across a man who owed him one hundred denarii (15 dollars).

 "He seized him and began to choke him saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' So the man fell to the ground and began to plead for mercy. But the first servant was unwilling to forgive the debt and threw him into jail until he could pay." When the king heard this he arrested and punished the unforgiving servant.

May God give us a forgiving heart and the grace to always show mercy to those around us.

The Beatitudes: Being a Good Person.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied." Matt. 5:6

When I was a child and watched movies on our little black & white TV I was always impressed with the good people in the show. I would think, "I want to be like that: brave, honest, loving, and good."

Later, as an adult Christian I still feel the same way. When I watch The Lord of the Rings, I wonder if I could be as brave as Frodo and Samwise Gamgee. Would I die for what is right? Would my faith remain strong? I long to be a good person.

Jesus says if we desire goodness in ourselves as much as we desire a cold drink and a good meal, we will get it. He will give his goodness to us. And just as we need to drink and eat food each day, in the same way we need to ask God daily for his goodness to live in us.

After we have asked, simply believe it is true for Jesus said it was. If we stumble and fall, he will pick us up, dust us off and help us keep walking in the path of goodness. "For I am the Lord your God who holds you by your right hand. Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' "