CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON YOUTUBE
Matthew 5:1-2, 4
I am keeping Matthew 5:1-2 with each of these “Beatitude” lessons as a reminder that Jesus went away from the crowd that had been following Him to have a private time of teaching for just He and His disciples. I believe that we would be right in thinking that some, or maybe even many of the others that made up the “crowd” had also followed Jesus to this secluded place, but must have been left in the background, even though some of them may have been able to hear Jesus addressing His disciples.
Jesus teaches His disciples in Matthew 5:4, (NKJV)
“Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.”
To mourn shows love and concern for others. This is a type of servanthood in believing and following the example set by Jesus. The Bible teaches us in John 11:33-36 (ESV), “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’
This is an example of the blessing that those who believe in Jesus will receive for mourning.
We all mourn, this includes those who believe in Jesus and those who do not believe in Jesus. So we might ask ourselves, “What’s the difference?” The difference is that the promise is made by Jesus to those who believe in Him. We must keep in mind that Jesus is speaking to His disciples as He has retreated to a place to speak to them away from the crowd (Matthew 5:1). Even though some from the crowd may have followed Jesus and His disciples to this retreat, the words that Jesus speaks to His disciples are intended to be true only for those who believe in Him and follow Him. Too often we read a passage in the Bible and believe it to be true for everyone, regardless of our faith in God through salvation in and through Christ Jesus or not. But many things Jesus says in the Bible are directed to a specific group of people, sometimes to those who believe in Him, sometimes to those who do not believe in Him. We must understand that there is a difference, and a difference in the promises made and to whom these promises are to be received. The promises that Jesus makes in the “Beatitudes” are for those who believe – in Christ Jesus.
Dear LORD,
To be a Christian is to be set apart from the secular world with the difference being that a Christian believes in the saving power of Christ Jesus, whom You sent to save the world from sin (John 3:16-18). Please help us to believe LORD, that we may receive Your blessing on our lives. In Jesus name I pray, amen.