Cov thwjtim lub neej tshiab”

Mathais 5:1-12

Kxh. Ntxoov Yias Vaj

Greetings: Thov Vajtswv foom koobhmoov rau nej, thiab thov Tswv Yexus txojkev hlub nrog nraim nej txhua tus nyob. Asmees.

Text: Mathais 5:12

Prayer:

1. Introduction:
a. The world, especially the US, teaches us that in order to be successul or to have a good life, one must seek pride and personal independence. Seek happiness at any cost. Seek power and riches. Put personal needs above all. Seek strength without feeling. Deception is acceptable. Seek personal peace without concern for the world chaos, etc.

b. But the life that Jesus taught the disciples and the Christians to live is a total opposite of what the world teaches. Power, fame, riches and personal success are not important in God’s kingdom.

c. Thinking that Jesus was to become the leader of the Jewish nation, the disciples might have ideas that they will become important leaders plus riches, fame and powerful positions. What Jesus taught them in Matthew 5 was not only a challenge to their thinking but also to the legalistic living of that day as well. Jesus told them, “As my disciples, you live your lives differently…..(My own quotation).”

2. How to be truly happy as God’s people (Beattitude):
a. In order for us to understand the Beattitude, we need to look at it from the Gospel side. Without this understanding, the Beattitude is just another set of law for us to accomplish happiness and blessings, and we all will fail miserably. We cannot be saved, and the Bible has contradicted itself about saving faith in Christ.

b. But with the Beattitude, Jesus was teaching about His own Beattitude to the disciples. Jesus had fulfilled the Beattitude for us in His life here on earth. He humbled Himself so that He can be one of us, to live and die for our sins. He mourned for our sins. He was meek and slowly in His dealing with people. He dealed with our sins, the world and Satan with justice. He was kind and merciful. His heart was pure. He came to bring the peace of God to all people. By doing and being all these, He stood persecutions and sufferings to the end, which He did. What Jesus did saved the world – saved you and I. And by faith in Him, we received God’s blessings in His name.

c. By faith, the Holy Spirit will lead us to live a new life like His – humility, mourning, meekness and lowliness, justice and goodness, kindness and merciful, pure hearts and peace, and we will be faithful to the end even when we are facing persecutions and sufferings as His people, for we know our reward in heaven is great and wonderful.

3. Closing:
a. So dear friends, Jesus has done it all for us, and He wants us to enjoy the greatest life has to offer while we are on earth. This life is to live after Him in the Beattitude.

b. And yet, God knew that by our own sinful nature we will never enjoy this truly manificicent Christian life, and still He wants to help us to have it by giving us the Holy Spirit. At our baptism, God not only forgave our sins and claimed us to be His children, but He also gave to us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will bring forth this wonderful life in us as we continue to hear His Word and partake of the Sacraments, which are the means by which the Holy Spirit works in us.

c. May God give you His peace and love forever by the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name. Amen.