Mark preached on the Beatitudes on Sunday morning from Matthew 5:1-12. Jesus had spent time healing many people and here He moved from the physical realm to attending to people’s spiritual and emotional needs.

The blessings that Jesus talks about here are more than mere happiness. As we experience God’s grace and love in our lives, we truly are blessed!

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
This is not talking about financial poverty, but about the need to look to God for help. God provides for all we need and can use all the resources at His disposal to bless us with every spiritual blessing (see Eph 1:3). There is no deficiency or shortage in God!

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted
God comforts us in every situation and is able to bring succour to all who mourn.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Meekness is not the same as weakness! Instead, there is a humility, self-discipline, serenity and calmness about those who are meek which will attract others. We should all ‘seek to be meek because it’s not weak’!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
We need to know that spiritual hunger and thirst can be met in God. We need a passion for God, to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and we can be confident that we will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Mercy is shown by our actions – by active compassion and a willingness to love and forgive.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
The heart is the centre of all our desires and ambitions. It’s rare to find elements that are 100% pure. Malachi 3 reminds us that God is the refiner and purifier. He is the one who works in our lives to purify us.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. One of the fruit of the Spirit is peace. By being peacemakers we show that we are children of God, that we are ‘in the family business’.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
We have all known ridicule or persecution because of our faith at some point. We may not enjoy this, but we can be blessed in the midst of it because we know that such things build us up in God so that we can partake of all that God has for us, on this earth as well as in the one to come.