Matthew 5:1-11

¹ Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

    He said:    ³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
   for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
   for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
   for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
   for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
   ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. (NIV)

The beginning of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount brings us the Beatitudes. I've always found the Beatitudes to be really interesting and sometimes confusing. The meek and the poor in spirit were two that made me wonder how they would inherit the earth and the kingdom of heaven but the more time I spent with this passage, the more I began to see the messages of hope, perseverance, and purpose. To be shown mercy, see God, and claim the kingdom of heaven? Not a bad deal.

What do you find meaningful, confusing, or challenging in this passage?