Sundays with Kristi - Blessed

What does it mean to be blessed?

We’re starting a series talking about what it means to be blessed. Today we’re going set the stage for the weeks to come and look at this important question above. We’re going to unfold the verses that have commonly become known as “The Beatitudes.” (You can always look back at previous weeks by clicking on the “Sunday” tab above.) These Beatitudes are the first verses of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. Even though they are found in multiple gospels, we’re going to look specifically at the verses found in the beginning of Matthew 5.

This week, let’s take a look at what it means to be blessed and make sure we understand the context and setting for this amazing passage of scripture.

The Setting

The beautiful Sea of Galilee. This sea, which is actually more like what we in the United States consider a lake, has beautiful scenery with tall hills along both the east and the west sides. According to tradition, Jesus and the disciples were along the bank on the northwest side, next to where the fishermen were docking their boats. A crowd had started to gather to hear this teacher that spoke with an authority that their local rabbi’s did not. Literally a stone’s throw from the houses to the water itself, this side of hill had a beautiful, natural concave shape that meant it mimicked the sound qualities of the Roman amphitheaters. Therefore, one person could stand down at the bottom of it and speak in a normal voice and the sound waves would bounce around and amplify so that even the person sitting on the grass 100 yards away could hear with perfect clarity. There Jesus stood, with the Sea of Galilee as his backdrop, looking up at the thousands of people who had thronged to hear Him and He was able to speak and be heard by every person present.

The People
Jesus had already made quite a name for himself. He’d chosen his twelve disciples and had been traveling the area teaching, preaching, and performing miracles. He’d stirred up the crowds and had already raised the ire of the Pharisees, the local religious group.

The group following him was a diverse group indeed. This group was full of those who had followed Jesus from another town, those who had heard and seen Jesus and were eager to see more. Then there were those who had heard about this amazing teacher and were curious about what He would say or do. Also sprinkled through the crowd were the Pharisees, trying to find out more about this man who was gaining so much attention and saying things that seemed so contrary to all they had been taught and raised to believe. There were probably people in the crowd who were just there because they didn’t have anything else to do and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

The Message
What would Jesus say to this crowd gathered? What great truths would he strive to impart to them? Jesus opened His mouth and the first word out of His mouth is the word “Blessed.” What does it mean to be blessed?

The people would have understood that the “blessing” was of great importance. Every son wanted to receive the blessing from his father. Jacob was willing to lie in order to steal his father’s blessing from his brother (Genesis 27). To be blessed means to be set apart, to be found worthy, to receive special honor and recognition. It is a highly desired designation and Jesus starts out His message telling the people what type of person is worthy of such high praise.

Matthew 5: 3-12
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The people couldn’t have been more confused. Surely Jesus was joking. This does not sound like the people that they had learned to revere. This didn’t sound like definition of success they had learned. How could these people be considered blessed?

Are we confused about what it takes to receive the blessing of our Heavenly Father? What does this look like in today’s success driven world? As we look at each blessing over the next few weeks, we need to look at our own lives and recognize that our Heavenly Father blesses us and sets us apart for special purpose. We are His and we are loved and we are special. We are blessed!

Father, as I look at my life, I often don't feel very blessed. I know that You love me and I love You, but my feelings and perception of what it means to be blessed get in the way. Help me to be open to learn exactly what it means to be blessed and set apart by You.

May you live out His Word today!
Kristi Burchfiel
Check out my daily devotions either on my blog or on my Facebook page

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