Mat 5:1-12; Heaven on Earth – the Blessed Life of Christ’s Apprentice.

Class Outline:

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Sermon on the Mount is taught to disciples:

MAT 5:1-2, Who is Christ teaching? He is teaching His apprentices. Who is “them”? 

No matter how many in the crowd could hear Him, it was the disciples that He was teaching.  

The disciples (apprentices) are blessed:

The apprentices of Christ are blessed: fortunate, privileged, favored, and happy. If they are what they should be and manifest it in works of life and do it well enough or consistent enough to be reviled and persecuted for it - they are blessed. 

It is a life of heaven on earth, but not heaven in the world’s view. 

What does “blessed” mean?

Blessed (makarios) meaning: Pertaining to being especially favored, blessed, fortunate, happy, privileged. Privileged recipients of divine favor. 

“Blessings and favor on …”

Passages that use the word will help us get it. 

MAT 11:5-6 (quoting Isa [click in] 35:5; 61:1 which sums up Beatitudes). 

JOH 13:17, the blessed poor do not become like the earth’s blessed. 

“Blessed are you if you do them …” 

LUK 14:7f. Taking the last seat … and “invite the poor and the crippled and you will be blessed.” 

(Doer) JAM 1:12, 25. 

LUK 11:28, No rather, blessed are they who hear the word and keep it. 

LUK 12:37, Servants found working. 

Sufferer 1PE 3:14; 4:14

Others: ROM 4:7 (sins forgiven); JOH 20:29 (not seen but believed); ROM 14:22 (does not condemn himself); REV 22:14 (washes [pres act participle] their robes). 

How does a believer enter into this blessed life in experience?

With God’s life, its manner and way, there is always blessing. It is always blessed. There is not a moment when God is not blessed. 

You have to have faith to do it. 

Talk is not doing it - ISA 29:13 (quoted by the Lord in MAT 15:8-9 when the Pharisees were upset about hand washing). 

You must accept God’s idea of blessings and their timing and not your own idea or the world’s.