Matthew 5:1-16
5: Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
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 meek, 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 are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Reflection
Jesus has called his first disciples to follow him (Matt. 4:19, 21), and now, in his famous “Sermon on the Mount” (chs. 5–7), he teaches them what the kingdom of God will look like.
It is important to avoid two errors in interpreting the “Sermon on the Mount.” First, Jesus was not teaching the disciples about the requirements for entering the kingdom of God. This message is for those who have already begun following him (4:18–22; 5:1). Second, this is not a description of life in heaven. In heaven, there will be no need to turn the other cheek (5:39). Rather, these teachings are a description of what life looks like for Christians as they try to follow Jesus in a broken world. Jesus is showing us what life should look like for a heart that has been humbled and transformed by the gospel of grace. Living this kind of life is possible only because of the One who has done it perfectly in our place. Only by the grace we receive in Jesus can we find favor with God and begin to walk in his ways.
The sermon begins by describing what Christians look like, as those who understand their weakness and need for God’s mercy. Christians are “poor in spirit” (v. 3) because they know that they are sinners who do not have the spiritual strength to perform God’s demands perfectly. They are “those who mourn” and who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (vv. 4, 6) because they have experienced the disaster that sin has brought to the world. Because they understand their true weakness before God, the “meek” (v. 5) have humility, and that enables them to treat others with kindness. Christians are “merciful” because they understand their own need for God’s mercy (v. 7).
Those who exhibit such qualities are like salt and light in the world around them. Jesus calls them to demonstrate the character of God and his kingdom through the character of their lives so that others will glorify God as a result of their influence (vv. 13–16).
Romans 3:9-20
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:“None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Reflection
Humanity faces a dilemma. “The whole world” (Rom. 3:19), every single person, fails to live up to the moral standard God requires. We are all “under sin” (v. 9). This is the conclusion of everything Paul has been saying since he began his critique in 1:18. Now he uses quotations from the Psalms to help him summarize his point (vv. 10–16). The evidence leaves us speechless; all mouths are stopped (v. 19). Deep down, people know that they are sinful and guilty, but we have no ability to cleanse ourselves and avoid God’s judgment. As long as we are relying on our own performance, we will never be declared righteous (“justified”) in God’s courtroom (v. 20).
Psalm 51:1-2
51: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Because of pride, we are often reluctant to confess our sin to God and others. Ask God to give you the courageous humility to be honest with him about your failures and the state of your heart.