For A Limited Audience

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he opened his mouth and taught them. Matthew 5:1-2

Jesus withdrew from the crowd, went up on the mountain by himself, and was joined by his disciples. He began to teach the beatitudes. Humanly speaking, His sermon could have benefited the crowd he left behind but instead, Jesus chose to share it with His chosen few. Some messages just aren’t for everyone.

The beatitudes were a collection of kingdom principles so difficult that only the ears of His true disciples could understand them. Religious leaders wouldn’t have grasped them because the spiritual posture of each beatitude could only be understood through a relationship with Jesus. True spiritual understanding is theology learned through relationship, through a deep intimacy with the Savior.

I have heard some anointed messages in my lifetime. By earthly definition, they weren’t always insightful or clever. Something otherworldly was going on. From the time the speaker opened his mouth, my heart was burning. As truths poured out in quick succession, I was too stunned to take notes. The message went to so deep a place that I couldn’t have explained to anyone what I had heard. My body felt heavy under the warm hand of God and I just prayed someone had recorded it.

Such is the impact when reading the beatitudes. When I take them in slowly, I am stunned by Jesus’ words. Each one is too hard for me to apply. I can wonder why Jesus would give a sermon like this if it’s impossible for me to apply it.

The beatitudes hold up a mirror to His perfection and allow me to see my fatally flawed reflection. Each one describes Jesus and I recognize my need for the Holy Spirit.  Without a personal Pentecost, I am unable to walk by the power of the Spirit.  With it, the essence of each beatitude can begin to bubble up in my regenerated heart. I won’t have to live as an actress, appearing one way while hiding inner corruption. I can be authentic through and through; admittedly imperfect but in the process of supernatural change.   

Fill me with Your Spirit. Repentance and dependence will characterize my life. Amen