Verse of the Day 1/6

Verse of the Day 1/6

 

Matthew 5:3  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

For today's verse we'll go to Matthew 5 and the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount which begins with the beatitudes and nine different "blessed" statements that Jesus makes that are the foundation of the teaching in the next couple of chapters in Matthew.

 

John MacArthur writes, "the word (blessed) literally means "happy, fortunate, blissful."  Here it speaks of more than a surface emotion.  Jesus was describing the divinely bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful.  The Beatitudes demonstrate that the way to heavenly blessedness is antithetical to the worldly path normally followed in the pursuit of happiness.  The worldly idea is that happiness is found in riches merriment, abundance, leisure, and such things.  The real truth is the very opposite."

 

The "poor in spirit" mentioned here are those who realize that apart from God they are spiritually empty.  What they need is a relationship with God, Jesus is the way,  finding Him is finding the way to the kingdom of heaven.  The rest of the passage and the rest of the sermon reveal much more of the way, quite a different way than what the world subscribes to. 

 

Sometimes it takes being at the end of your rope (v.3 The Message) or in a finding yourself in a desert place before we find the entrance to the kingdom heaven. 

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Matthew 5:2-4

The Message (MSG)

You're Blessed

5 ^1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

³ "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

⁴ "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.