We are investigating the revelation Jesus gives about the beauty of becoming.
Our Lord provides us with a highly detailed spiritual formation portrait. We know precisely what God declares is beautiful in a disciple’s life.
In Matthew 5:1-12 features two words, eight times each.
- Blessed – Are
- Be – Attitudes
Doing flows out of being. God’s merciful kindness flows out of His being. Psalm 116:5 Ephesians 2:4
The beatitudes are the prophetic autobiography of Jesus.
Matthew 5:1-12 reveals Jesus’ being and the rest of the Gospel features His doing.
“Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy” is both a specific entity and part of the whole of the beautiful disciples’ being.
Blessed are the…
- Totally dependent upon God
- Totally dependent upon God – who mourn not being dependent upon God
- Totally dependent upon God – who mourn not being dependent upon God – and receive life as God allows it to come to them
- Totally dependent upon God – who mourn not being dependent upon God – and receive life as God allows it to come to them – and hunger and thirst for this to be made right
- Totally dependent upon God – who mourn not being dependent upon God – and receive life as God allows it to come to them – and hunger and thirst for this to be made right – and extend the mercy God has given us in this development process to others.
In your entire process of becoming a beautiful disciple of Jesus, God has been and is merciful to you. Lamentations 3:22-24
- His mercies never cease (Continuous action)
- His mercies never come to an end (eternal)
- His mercies are new every morning (Fresh)
- His mercies are faithful (Count on it)
- His mercies are my portion (Divine nutrition)
- His mercies are my confidence (Trust Him)
God’s discipleship requirement is very simple and uncomplicated. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Give to everyone, all the time, the same mercy He has given, is giving, and will give to you.
The importance of extending God’s grace and mercy to you to others cannot be overstated. Matthew 6:14, 15
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
It is clear. If – will. If not – will not.
We make the heartfelt commitment to extend to others the matchless mercy God has extended to us and in so doing we are blessed!
We are then beautiful in God’s eyes.