12 “Blessed”s

 Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He [Jesus Christ] went up on a mountain: and when
He was set, His disciples came unto Him:
 Matthew 5:2 And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
1. Matthew 5:3 “Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous-- with life-joy
and satisfaction in God's favor and Salvation, regardless of their outward
conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for
theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!-- future blessing
POOR, a. [L. pauper.] 4. Destitute of value, worth or importance; of little use; trifling.
7. Of little worth; unimportant; as in my poor opinion. 8. Unhappy; pitiable.
2. Matthew 5:4 Blessed [with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor
and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who
mourn, for they shall be comforted!-- can be a current blessing
3. Matthew 5:5 Blessed (joyous regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek
(the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the Earth! -- future blessing
4. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness
and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied! -- can be a
current blessing
5. Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy! -- can be a current
blessing
from the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary--
MER'CIFUL, a. [from mercy.] Having or exercising mercy; compassionate; tender;
disposed to pity offenders and to forgive their offenses; unwilling to punish for injuries;
applied appropriately to the Supreme being. The Lord passed before him (Moses) and
proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant
in goodness and truth. Exodus 34
MER'CY, n. [L. misericordia.] 1 That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart
which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he
deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive
trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will
warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous
with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness,
mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders.
Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being. The Lord is long-suffering and
of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty.
Numbers 14.
6. Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! -- future blessing
1 Peter 1:21-23
“Who by Him [Jesus Christ] do believe in God [the Father],
that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory;
that your faith and hope might be in God.
Seeing ye have purified your souls
in obeying the truth through the Holy Spirit
unto unfeigned love of the brethren,
see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

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 7. Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the makers {and} maintainers of peace, for they shall be
called the children of God!-- can be a current blessing
8. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (for
being and doing right), for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!-- future blessing
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all
kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account.
 Matthew 5:12 Be glad {and} supremely joyful, for your reward in Heaven is great
(strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before
you. [2 Chronicles 36:16] -- future blessing
 Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the Earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its
quality), how can its saltiness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be
thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.
 Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
 Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
 Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven. [See Ephesians 2:8-10.]

For more thinking-- 1.) Reread the Beatitudes and think of your spiritual testimony.
2.) Reread the Beatitudes and think of the development of a few of your
beliefs/convictions.
 Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not
come to destroy, but to fulfill.
 Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle
shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.
 Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall
teach men [and women] so, he [or she] shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven:
but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of
Heaven.
 Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven.”

For more thinking--

3.) True Christians should have the right motives for doing righteousness, which are
because they love Jesus Christ (John 14:23-24) and are not trying to impress others.
Now, reread the Beatitudes and make a list of righteous character traits a Christian
should have or be wanting.