Matthew 5.1-12

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

What thoughts do you have about the person you are looking at?

What we usually see when we look at ourselves is unrealistic.

For some of us, we see an inflated version of who we are.

We see someone who is always strong and never weak. 

We see someone who is capable of conquering every obstacle that life throws at them.

We see not just a human but a superhuman.

We see someone who is invincible and not able to be defeated.

But for others of us, we see a deflated version of who we are.

We see someone that is weak and never strong.

We see someone that will never accomplish their goals in life.

We see someone who has been beat down and defeated by what life has brought their way.

We see someone that we consider less than human.

In this morning’s text, we return to the beginning of one of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  In this opening statement to His sermon, Jesus describes what we should see and say about ourselves when we look in the mirror.

Jesus is describes the life that we have through faith in Him and He is also telling us about the life we have without faith in Him.

Let’s hear Jesus’ words now.

Jesus’ says:

[1] Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

[2] And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

[3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[4] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

[5] “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

[6] “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

[7] “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

[8] “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

[9] “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

[10] “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[11] “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In Jesus’ words to his disciples, he is describing two lives.

The first life that Jesus directly describes is that of a Godly person.  

This is the blessed life; the life where one has a relationship with God and therefore reaps all of the benefits of God’s goodness, grace and mercy.

The second life that Jesus indirectly describes is that of an ungodly person.  

This is the unblessed life; the life where one does not have a relationship with God and therefore does not reap any of the benefits of God’s goodness, grace and mercy.

It is easy to look at Jesus list of Godly characteristics and see them as goals to accomplish in order to earn the rewards mentioned.  

However, because of sin, we are unable to enter into the blessed life when left to our own strength and efforts.  We can only enter into the blessed life described here through faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus makes that clear when he says to us,

[6] …“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, ESV)

In a book I was reading this week, the author masterfully describes us before we find ourselves believing in Jesus.

He says:

“[Let’s turn] to man as he is before his conversion, while still in his natural, sinful, unrenewed state. In this state of sin, the will shares, in common with all the other parts of his being, in the ruin and corruption resulting from the fall. The natural man has the “understanding darkened;“(Ephesians 4:18) “is alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in him, because of the blindness of his heart”(Ephesians 4:18). He “does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned”(1 Corinthians 2:14). He is “in darkness,” “dead in trespasses and sins”(Ephesians 2:1). Thus is the whole man in darkness, blindness, ignorance, bondage to Satan, and at enmity with God. He is in a state of spiritual death. The will is equally affected by this total depravity. If the natural man cannot even see, discern, or know the things of the Spirit, how much less can he will to do them! Before his conversion, man is utterly impotent “to will or to do” anything towards his renewal. 

In the Formula of Conconrd, Martin Luther speaks these strong words:

“In spiritual and divine things which pertain to the salvation of the soul, man is like a pillar of salt, like Lot’s wife, yea, like a log and a stone, like a lifeless statue, which uses neither eyes nor mouth, neither senses nor hears (Matthew 3:9).”

That means that:

Without Jesus, we do not have God’s favor poured out upon us.

Instead, we have God’s anger poured out on us.

Without Jesus, we are not blessed.

Instead, we are cursed.

Without Jesus, nothing stated here is true about us.

Instead, the exact opposite of what Jesus states is true about us.

Without Jesus, we are not living with God’s favor in our lives.

Instead, we are living with God’s condemnation of our lives.

Without Jesus, we are not poor in spirit.

Instead, we are arrogant and self-exalting.

Without Jesus, the kingdom of Heaven is not ours.

Instead, the kingdom of Hell is ours.

Without Jesus, we do not mourn.

Instead, we find pleasure in ungodly living.

Without Jesus, we are not comforted.

Instead, we are burdened.

Without Jesus, we are not meek.

Instead, we are prideful.

Without Jesus, we do not hunger and thirst for righteous.

Instead, we hunger and thirst for the pleasures of this world.

Without Jesus, we are not satisfied.

Instead, we are unsatisfied, always searching for a feeling of wholeness.

Without Jesus, we are not merciful.

Instead, we merciless.

Without Jesus, we do not receive mercy.

Instead, we receive exactly what we deserve — punishment and condemnation for our sin.

Without Jesus, we are not pure in heart.

Instead, the evil inside of us motivates us to be self-serving. 

Without Jesus, we will not see God.

Instead, we are separated from God.

Without Jesus, we are not peacemakers.

Instead, we are troublemakers.

Without Jesus, we will not be called children of God.

Instead, we will be called children of the devil.

Without Jesus, we will not be persecuted for righteousness sake.

Instead, we will be rightly persecuted for the wrong that we do.

Without Jesus, the kingdom of Heaven is not ours.

Instead, the kingdom of Hell is ours.

Without Jesus, you will not rejoice at the saving of your life.

Instead, you will mourn the loss of your life.

In that same book I quoted earlier, the author also does a masterful job of talking about the change from the life we just heard about to the life that Jesus describes in his words this morning.

The author states:

“[Conversion means a turning from sin to righteousness, from Satan to God. The transgressor who had been walking in the way of disobedience and enmity against God and towards eternal death, is turned about into the way of righteousness, towards eternal life. This is a change of direction, but it is also something more. It is a change of state—from a state of sin to a state of Grace. It is still more. It is a change of nature—from a sinner unto a saint. It is finally a change of relation—from an outcast and stranger unto a child and heir. Thus there is an outward and an inward turning, a complete change. That this is the scriptural meaning of conversion is very clear from Acts 26:18. The Lord is about to send Paul to the Gentiles for the purpose of converting them. He describes the work of conversion thus: That they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

So let’s hear about the blessed life that Jesus describes for those with faith in him.

He tells us that:

With Jesus, God’s favor is poured out on us.

With Jesus, we are blessed.

With Jesus, we are poor in spirit.

We recognize our spiritual deficiencies and our need for a Savior to rescue us.

In this place, God makes the kingdom of Heaven our home.

With Jesus, we mourn over our sin, our disobedience to God, that has offended God.

In this place, God comforts us with the good news of forgiveness.

With Jesus, we are meek and live in submission to God our Creator.

In this place, God gives us with everything we need for life and love in this life and the next.

With Jesus, we hunger and thirst for righteousness.  That is, we desire to think, say, and do things that please God in this life.

In this place, God satisfies our need to be saved from our sins.

With Jesus, we are merciful.

We see the needs of others and rush to help them.

In this place, God sees our needs and rushes to meet them.

With Jesus, we are pure in heart.  

We are motivated to love God and love others more than we love ourselves.

In this place, we will see God at work in us and the world.

With Jesus, we are peacemakers.  

We seek to make peace with others because Jesus has first made peace with us.  

In this place, we are called sons and daughters of God because we carry on the family legacy of peacemaking.

With Jesus, we are persecuted for righteousness sake.  

We will be treated badly for doing the right things because this was how Jesus was treated.

In this place, you are have home in the kingdom of Heaven.

With Jesus we will rejoice. 

We are saved from our sins and God our Father in Heaven in preparing a place for us right now.

I beg you, have faith this morning and know that Jesus has come to you to bless you and give you all of the benefits of God’s goodness, grace, and mercy.

Hear God’s voice calling you and turn from the unblessed life of self-centered living to receive the abundant life that Jesus gives you, complete with righteousness through his life, the forgiveness of sins through his death on the cross, and eternal life through his resurrection. 

When you look in the mirror, see the reality that you are a child of God. You are one that God loves and takes care of.

And believing in Jesus, think this about yourself, “I am blessed!”

So you can sing this song:

I know that my Redeemer lives! 

What comfort this sweet sentence gives! 

He lives, He lives, who once was dead, 

He lives, my ever-living Head. 

He lives to bless me with His love, 

He lives to plead for me above, 

He lives my hungry soul to feed, 

He lives to help in time of need. 

He lives to silence all my fears, 

He lives to wipe away my tears, 

He lives to calm my troubled heart, 

He lives all blessings to impart. 

He lives, all glory to His Name! 

He lives, my Jesus, still the same; 

Oh the sweet joy this sentence gives, 

I know that my Redeemer lives!

This is the Word of God for you today.

This is the Grace of God for you today.

Amen.

Reverend Fred Scragg V.

March 15, 2026