Even though the Sermon on the Mount has been called the constitution for citizens of God’s kingdom, we won’t see flawed human beings reach this level of perfection in this lifetime. Jesus begins the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) with our inability in mind – Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Those acknowledging their spiritual poverty are in the best position to experience God’s blessing and enjoy his kingdom.
Our salvation and hope for heaven are rooted firmly in the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8). Nevertheless, God’s grace will produce positive, tangible change in our lives. Even when our attempts result in failure, we’re to keep trying and trusting. The Beatitudes are an ethical model that requires our declaration of dependence on God.
The Beatitudes describe the life of blessing God intended for humanity from the beginning. The closer we come to Jesus’ standards, the more we experience the blessing of God.
This Sunday we move to the next section in the Sermon on the Mount: being salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16).