The Constitution of the Kingdom: The Beatitudes Text: Matthew 5:1-12
Introduction: The World Turned Upside Down
When our Lord Jesus Christ began His public ministry, He did not do so by taking a poll. He did not assemble a focus group to determine the felt needs of the Galilean demographic. He went up on a mountain, sat down in the posture of authoritative teaching, and delivered the constitution for a kingdom that would turn the entire world upside down. And He did this by redefining the one word that every man, woman, and child is chasing: the word "blessed."
The world has its own beatitudes, does it not? Blessed are the rich, for they have everything. Blessed are the popular, for everyone loves them. Blessed are the powerful, for they get their way. Blessed are the self-sufficient, for they need no one. Blessed are the happy-go-lucky, for they are untroubled by the world's sorrows. Our entire civilization, from our advertising to our entertainment to our politics, is a gigantic sermon on these worldly beatitudes. It is a gospel of self-fulfillment, self-assertion, and self-esteem.
Into this festival of self-worship, Jesus speaks, and His words are like a thunderclap. He does not offer a minor course correction. He does not suggest a few helpful tips for a more balanced life. He takes the world's definition of "blessed" and detonates it. The Sermon on the Mount is not a gentle, inspirational talk for nice people. It is a declaration of war against every false gospel of man. It is the manifesto of a King, describing the character of the citizens of His kingdom. And we must be clear from the outset: this is not a ladder of self-improvement you are supposed to climb in order to get into heaven. This is not a list of entrance requirements. Rather, this is a family portrait. This is a description of what a person looks like after the grace of God has gloriously wrecked their life.
This is the character of Christ Himself, and by extension, it is the character that the Holy Spirit works into all those who belong to Him. If you are a Christian, this is your portrait, however unfinished. If this portrait does not resemble you at all, in any way, then you have every reason to question whether you have been born again. This is the normal Christian life.
The Text
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the lowly, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
(Matthew 5:1-12 LSB)
The New Lawgiver on the New Sinai (vv. 1-2)
Before we get to the substance, we must see the setting. It is thick with meaning.
"Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying..." (Matthew 5:1-2)
Matthew wants us to see this immediately. Jesus goes "up on the mountain." Where have we seen this before? This is a deliberate echo of Mount Sinai. Moses went up on the mountain to receive the law for the old covenant people of Israel. Now, one greater than Moses has come. Jesus, the divine Son, the true Lawgiver, goes up on the mountain not to receive the law, but to give it. He is not a messenger; He is the message. He is the source.
And notice His posture. He "sat down." In the ancient world, this was the official posture of a teacher with authority. Rabbis stood to read the Scripture but sat to expound it. Jesus takes the seat of authority, and His disciples, the core of His new covenant community, gather around Him. He is not offering suggestions; He is issuing royal decrees. "He opened His mouth and began to teach them." This is the formal inauguration of His kingdom's ethic. This is the law of the new creation.
The Foundation of Grace (vv. 3-4)
The first two beatitudes lay the foundation for everything that follows. They are the gateway into the kingdom.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:3-4 LSB)
To be "poor in spirit" has nothing to do with your bank account. It has everything to do with your spiritual account, which is utterly bankrupt. The poor in spirit are those who have come to the end of themselves. They know they have nothing to offer God, no righteousness of their own, no leverage, no bargaining chips. They come before God with empty hands. They are spiritual beggars. The Pharisee in the temple was rich in spirit; he trusted in himself that he was righteous. The tax collector, beating his breast and unable to even look up to heaven, was poor in spirit. And Jesus says the kingdom belongs to the beggar, not the braggart. This demolishes every religion of self-effort. You do not enter the kingdom by being good; you enter by confessing that you are not.
Flowing directly from this is the second beatitude. "Blessed are those who mourn." This is not a blessing on general sadness or a melancholy disposition. This is a specific kind of mourning. Those who are poor in spirit, who see their sin for what it is, mourn over it. They grieve their rebellion against a holy God. This is the "godly sorrow" that Paul talks about, which "produces a repentance that leads to salvation" (2 Cor. 7:10). They also mourn over the brokenness of the world that their sin contributes to. They are not entertained by sin; they are grieved by it. And the promise is that they "shall be comforted." This comfort is the comfort of forgiveness, of pardon, of reconciliation with God through the blood of Christ.
The Character of the Citizen (vv. 5-9)
Once the foundation of repentance is laid, Jesus describes the disposition and desires of the kingdom citizen.
"Blessed are the lowly, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5 LSB)
The world hears "lowly" or "meek" and thinks "weak," "doormat," "spineless." This is a satanic lie. Biblical meekness is not weakness; it is strength under control. It is the war horse that is perfectly trained, not the wild donkey. The meek man is not passive; he is submitted to God's authority. He does not assert his own rights or demand his own way, because he knows he serves a King. And look at the astonishing promise. The arrogant, the aggressive, the self-promoters, they think they will inherit the earth. Jesus says no. They will grasp for it and be left with a fistful of dust. It is the meek, those who have surrendered their agenda to God's, who will inherit the earth. This is a postmillennial promise. The kingdom of God will advance in history, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The future belongs to the meek.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6 LSB)
This is the driving passion of the Christian. It is a deep, desperate craving, like that of a starving man for food or a dying man for water. And what is the craving for? Righteousness. This means two things. First, it is a hunger for a right standing with God, which is a gift received by faith alone (imputed righteousness). Second, it is a thirst to be made practically holy, to live in a way that pleases God (imparted righteousness). And it extends beyond the self; it is a hunger and thirst to see God's justice and righteousness established in the world. The promise is not that they will be partially snacked, but that they "shall be satisfied." God always fills a holy appetite.
The next three beatitudes describe how this character plays out in relationship with God and others.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy... Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God... Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:7-9 LSB)
The merciful are those who, having received the immense mercy of God for their own sin-debt, freely extend mercy to others. They forgive as they have been forgiven. This is a non-negotiable mark of a true believer. Purity of heart is not sinless perfection; it is singular devotion. It is an undivided heart, a heart that is not trying to serve both God and mammon. It is integrity. And the reward is the highest possible: they shall see God. Finally, the peacemakers. This is not about being a conflict-avoider. A peacemaker is one who actively works to bring about reconciliation. The ultimate peacemaking is sharing the gospel, which reconciles sinners to God. But it also means working to reconcile man to man. This is the family business. God is a God of peace, and so His children are to be makers of peace. This is how they are recognized as true "sons of God."
The Inevitable Reaction (vv. 10-12)
So what happens when a community of people who are poor in spirit, mournful over sin, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure, and peace-making are let loose in a world that is proud, entertained by sin, aggressive, self-righteous, merciless, duplicitous, and strife-loving? A collision is inevitable.
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven... Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me." (Matthew 5:10-11 LSB)
The final beatitude is not a surprise; it is the logical conclusion. A life lived according to this constitution will generate friction with the fallen world. The world loves its own. The darkness hates the light. If you live a righteous life, it is a standing rebuke to the unrighteous, and they will hate you for it. Notice the reason for the persecution: "for the sake of righteousness" and "because of Me." This is not a blessing on being persecuted for being obnoxious, foolish, or just plain weird. It is a blessing on being persecuted because your life looks like Jesus.
And what is the prescribed response? Licking your wounds? Complaining? Forming a victim-identity group? No. The command is radical.
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:12 LSB)
The response is to rejoice. To be exceedingly glad. Why? Because this persecution is a badge of authenticity. It means you are in good company; they did the same thing to the prophets. It is a sign that you are a true citizen of the kingdom. It is evidence that you are having an effect. And it comes with a promise of a great reward. Persecution is the compliment the devil pays to a faithful Christian.
Conclusion: The King's Character
As we look back over this list, it can be overwhelming. Who can live this way? Who is sufficient for these things? The answer is no one. Not in their own strength. If you read this as a self-help guide, you will be crushed by it. It will drive you to despair.
But that is the point. This is not a list of rules; it is a portrait of a person. It is a perfect portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the one who was truly poor in spirit, who had no place to lay His head. He was the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He was the meek one, who when He was reviled, did not revile in return. He hungered and thirsted for righteousness, saying "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me." He was the merciful high priest. He was the pure in heart. He was the great peacemaker, making peace by the blood of His cross. And He was persecuted for righteousness' sake, all the way to that cross.
The call of the gospel is not first to imitate this, but to believe in Him. It is to confess your spiritual poverty and receive His spiritual riches. It is to mourn your sin and receive His comfort. It is to abandon your self-righteousness and be clothed in His. And when you do, by faith, God sends His Spirit to live in you. And the Spirit begins to chisel away at you, to shape you, to conform you to the image of the Son. He begins to produce this very character in you.
This is the constitution of the kingdom. This is the character of the King. And by grace, this is the character of all His people. This is the Christian. So let us not read this and despair. Let us read this, look to Christ, and ask the Father to make us more like His Son, for His glory and for the good of the world He is saving.