Blessed are. . . – Matthew 5:1-12
In the span of a few weeks two activists/demonstrators/rioters have lost their lives. One was a lesbian activist mother, whose three children are now without their mother. Another was an emergency room ICU nurse who brought a weapon to where he was demonstrating and is now dead and his valuable vocation to help those in emergency need is now lost to society. ICE agents in both situations have been traumatized while trying to do their job. There are no winners only losers in what is going on in Minnesota. The details are obscured by reporting favoring one side or the other. It’s a physically, emotionally, spiritually rattling situation with people who feel strongly they are right in their actions on both sides of this issue. Unity and division, love and hatred are bound up in a messy hairball of conflicting worldview positions. Where does Christianity, the Gospel, Jesus fit into all of this?
Those taking to the streets to demonstrate, to interfere with ICE agents, tend to turn a blind eye to whether immigrants are illegally, whether they are involved in welfare fraud or are being removed because of heinous crimes. Many of those who create unrest, if we’re honest, just hate President Trump, and for them he can do nothing right. Many on both sides of this crisis claim to know Jesus, to be Christian. As an example of the confusion taking place, Don Lemon, an activist reporter accompanied and served as the mouthpiece for an intrusive group of activists who barged into and interrupted a church worship service (1/18/25) in Minneapolis. [1] When the pastor expressed what he felt was the wrongness of this intrusion, Lemon claimed it was protected under the First Amendment and that he too “a Christian.” What about this? What would Jesus say? What did Jesus say?
How can we make sense of what is going on in Minnesota, our nation? As a Christian, a disciple, how should we understand, what should we do? Has Jesus said anything relevant to what is going on?
When I see what has transpired with our nation’s immigration situation along with recently discovered and exposed fraud in our welfare system one word comes to mind, “lawlessness.”
When I think of the word “lawlessness” a number of passages from the Gospel of Matthew come to mind. Three of these passages are either directly from or closely connected to major teachings of Jesus. Jesus was not obscure about “lawlessness.” We may not like what He had to say. But clarity not obscurity is what we receive from Jesus when it comes to lawlessness.
What Jesus Said About Lawlessness
Jesus Sermon on the Mount is arguably His best-known teaching (cf. Matthew 5-7). It is a message of His given particularly for “disciples” (Greek mathetes) or learners, those who followed Jesus as their Teacher and learned from His life practices as well as His verbal teachings. A good conclusion to a sermon ties all the loose ends together and provides a practical path for the listener to follow. How did Jesus conclude this greatest of His sermons? From the concluding words of Jesus for His Sermon on the Mount He says:
Matthew 7:21–23 – 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ [2]
From these words of Jesus we learn that lawlessness is a characteristic of those who may claim to know Him as Lord, but who in fact Jesus will say, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Lawlessness is evidence of self-delusion, misapprehension, a false personal appraisal. If you call yourself a “Christian” and act lawlessly, you need to repent and reconsider your waywardness before the Lord. The lawless “Christian” is out of touch with Jesus.
Jesus taught in parables. Parables are teachings taken from life situations. A parable is a teaching that is so clear that to not understand it exposes either spiritual deadness or willful disregard for the truth Jesus was teaching. Some parables seem confusing or beyond our grasp today, but that is only because we do not live in the cultural and societal milieu of Jesus’ day. But Jesus explained parables like this:
Matthew 13:11–15 – 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
Tender heart’s hungering and thirsting for righteousness are better suited to understand a parabolic teaching of Jesus. But the religiously spiritually dead pharisees, those Jesus described as “whitewashed tombs. . . full of dead men’s bones” were willfully resistant to Jesus clear teachings (Matthew 23:27). He said, “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28 emphasis added). “Lawlessness” is connected with spiritual insensitivity, willful dullness, some closed to the teaching of Jesus. Consider this if you are acting lawlessly.
Jesus said the most important of all His parables was the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23). On the heels of this most important parable He gave a warning to those who would resort to lawlessness to accomplish their missions in life. Scripture states:
Matthew 13:36–43 – 36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
From these words of Jesus we learn lawlessness is practiced by those destined for “the furnace of fire,” where “there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. If you are resorting to lawlessness, breaking God’s laws, to accomplish your “Christian” tasks, beware. Lawless people face God’s judgment.
As a point of clarification I think we need to distinguish laws particularly given to God’s people the Jews for a specific historical time and context. Dietary laws meant as a precaution against illness may not apply today. If you eat shellfish you’re not going to hell. But the Ten Commandments are universally applicable. Having said that, we are not saved from our sins by keeping God’s law. This is stated throughout the new Testament. Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount that the righteousness He was teaching was one that “exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees” (Matthew 5:20). “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). Jesus calls us to give Him our heart (e.g., Matthew 5:21-28).
There is nothing wrong with God’s law. “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12). And we are not to simply throw God’s Law away once we come to Jesus through faith in Him according to His Gospel. No, we are to be born again of the Spirit through faith in Jesus. The indwelling Holy Spirit then pours God’s love into our heart (Romans 5:5). And in the power of the Holy Spirit, in His love, we fulfill God’s law. “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
I can hear activists shouting in response, “But isn’t the immigrant, illegal or legal, our neighbor?” The immigrant is our neighbor, but to be a neighbor doesn’t mean we disregard law, from a spiritual or civil sense. What the activist often forgets is that the victims of crimes perpetrated by those in our country illegally, they are also our neighbor. Love is not lawless. Love FULFILLS the law.
We need to discern if those resisting the arrest and removal of illegal immigrants are doing so because they genuinely care for them, love them, or because they see immigrants as a resource of votes to acquire or maintain control politically. Please don’t feign shock or revulsion at such a possibility. The open borders of the Biden administration weren’t for humanitarian reasons alone, if at all. The open-minded policy was to garner votes by inviting an entirely new constituency and locking them in through promised financial benefits. I believe the immigration situation has arisen for political expediency to counter the conservative movement in our nation.
Lest you think I am bigoted against immigrants, please understand my father was an immigrant. I am the child of an immigrant father who worked hard to attain his citizenship and lived a life contributing to his adopted nation that he grew to love. He passed that love of country on to me and I passed it on to my children. I am a patriotic Christian who loves his country. I am not a “Christian nationalist,” or what has become an epithet in the mouths of many. I do not believe Christians or the “Church” needs to establish God’s Kingdom on earth so that Jesus can return. I believe Jesus will return for His Church, there will be seven years of terrible Tribulation on earth, then Jesus will return with His Birde the Church and establish His Kingdom on earth. But I digress. Suffice it to say that “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, . . . Let all things be done decently and in order,” not lawlessness (1 Corinthians 14:33 and 40).
Lastly, in Jesus well know teaching on the Latter Days leading up to His return He also mentions “lawlessness.” In Jesus’ Olivet Discourse made on the Mount of Olives just outside the eastern gates of Jerusalem, He spoke of lawlessness as a characteristic of the Latter Days. In Matthew 24 it states:
Matthew 24:3–14 – 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
From these words of Jesus we see that lawlessness leads to lovelessness. Lawlessness is the product of lovelessness. Lawlessness leads to more and more lovelessness. The person who acts lawlessly finds more and more excuses to paint their opponent in a darker and darker light. The lawless person finds more and more excuses to act lovelessly toward those they oppose. Lawlessness breeds hate. And that is exactly what we see in our streets.
Let me ask you something, what is your heart response to what is going on? Love? Or Hate? Lawlessness is a rotten fruit of lovelessness (i.e., hate). Lawlessness, facilitates and pours fuel on the fires of hate. How many of you hate me for simply reading these words of Jesus? How many of you hate anyone who doesn’t agree with you or support you regardless of right or wrong, truth or falsehood.
Remember the Purpose of Government
When Jesus was challenged about taxes and our relationship to government the conversation went like this:
Matthew 22:15–22 – 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
Give what belongs to God, to God. Give what belongs to government, to government. I think something “Christian” activists often forget or overlook is that God ordains government for His purposes one of which is keeping the peace and order by keeping the Law. God is indeed for law and order. The Bible states:
Romans 13:1–7 – Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Now there are times when government becomes genuinely tyrannical, but even then God would have us pray hard and seek the leading of the Holy Spirit before we take to the streets. The only time rebelling against government is justified is when it runs contrary to God’s word (in its appropriate context). We should always exhaust all peaceful means of change before anyone takes to the streets.
What Does the Bible Say About Borders and Immigrants
In the case of immigration, BORDERS ARE BIBLICAL:
Deuteronomy 32:8 (NKJV) – When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.
Acts 17:26 (NKJV) – 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
What about how we should treat immigrants? The Bible states we should love immigrants as we love ourselves (Leviticus 19:33-34). We are to leave a portion of our harvest for them (Leviticus 19:9-10). God is a defender of the fatherless and widow and loves foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). We are not to oppress the foreigner but that doesn’t mean we should not hold foreigners accountable for crimes committed. In the last book of the Old Testament it states:
Malachi 3:5 – And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien— Because they do not fear Me,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Immigrants or those of foreign descent are not exempted from living by the laws of the land in which they seek residence. When God speaks of loving our neighbor or immigrant it is in hope that they will reciprocate the kindnesses and assimilate into society. This is what citizenship is supposed to accomplish today. But immigration without assimilation is invasion. And that is what we see too often today.
The Pledge of Allegiance
In 1943, a time of world war where Nazis were trying to perpetrate their hateful worldview on planet earth, in our country it was decided that no child should be compelled to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public school classrooms. About half of the fifty states in our Union no longer recite the Pledge at the beginning of the school day. While I understand the reasoning for this somewhat, I think it appropriate to revisit this decision.
I remember starting each day in school with reciting the Pledge. But then most students did so halfheartedly. I was in school during the Vietnam conflict when being an American or patriotic was scorned. But I think we should pray and discuss the possibility of reinstating the Pledge in our schools as a unifying instrument. Read what the Pledge says:
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the united States of America, and to the Republic for which it stand, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Those who choose to be citizens of our nation recite the Pledge as part of their welcoming ceremony. Those words remind us that our nation is not merely a “democracy,” but a “Republic.” It reminds us that we are “one nation,” united. And it reminds us that the only way we can be one nation is if we are “under God.” Then we are all together, “indivisible,” with a heart aimed at “liberty and justice for all.” That’s a wonderful part of Americana that should have never been removed. How many today can even recite the pledge? How many of us would be “indivisible” instead of divided if we had remembered who we are as a nation, “one nation under God”?
Blessed Beatitudes for Lawless Loveless Days
But as wonderful as that Pledge is, Christians, disciples, are called to a higher worldview. I’m talking about the Beatitudes of Jesus. Considering this higher view of living is the key to God’s blessings for the practitioner as well as those around them.
Every disciple is a Christian, but not every Christian is a disciple. If you want Jesus’ best, if you want to be blessed in your relationship with Him, and to be a loving blessing to those around you, seek to live by Jesus’ Beatitudes. Jesus introduced His greatest sermon, the Sermon on the Mount with eight short but profoundly powerful statements of blessed truth. These statements are the beginning of blessings for the disciple of Jesus. These Beatitudes are a call to be different, more than horizontal worldview, but to an otherworldly, higher worldview, a vertical worldview. These Beatitudes are life changing and world impacting. If only we would take them seriously.
Let’s just look at these Beatitudes:
Matthew 5:1-12
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
The Sermon on the Mount is in particular, FOR DISCIPLES. Remember, a “disciple” (Greek mathetes) is a learner, a pupil, a student. Jesus is speaking to those who want not merely to be a “Christian” in name only, but to those who want to follow in the steps of Jesus and be like Him (cf., Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:1-6).
Remember the gospel context. A disciple thus far in Matthew is one who:
- Has been born of the Spirit as Jesus patterned for us – Matthew 1 and for us John 3.
- (Has been attacked or resisted by the enemy like Jesus – Matthew 2.)
- Has been baptized with the Holy Spirit (and fire) – Matthew 3 and for us Acts 1 and 2.
- Has been led by the Spirit to be tested in the wilderness – Matthew 4:1-11.
- Has taken action to minister to others – Matthew 4:12-25.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them,
This phrase, “opened His mouth and taught them” is an idiom to tell the listener a prophetic word was coming.
saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The word “blessed” (Greek makarios) means blessed, happy, “oh how happy.” These sayings of Jesus are not easy, they are hard. But the Beatitudes are worth the work of living them out. They will bring true eternal value. Living these Beatitudes out in life in the power of the Holy Spirit will bless us with no mere superficial earthbound “happiness,” that fades, but instead bless us with worthwhile happiness with eternal value.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6). Everything we do as a disciple begins with humility and submission to Jesus. Ask yourself, is what I’m doing more part of an earthly worldview than it is God’s view of things? Aam I willing to submit my preferences to God for His approval? If I say I love Jesus, do I obey Him? Jesus said loving Him included obeying Him and His word (cf. John 14:15 and 21). Jesus wants His disciples to be sanctified or set apart for His use as guided by the word of God (John 17:17). If you want to be a “disciple” of Jesus, you can’t disregard or pick and choose what parts of His word you will live by, you have to accept it all.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
A disciple is grieved over having lived in sin in opposition and separate from God. A disciple also has a heart of empathy and sympathy toward others.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
A disciple is self-controlled. MEEKNESS IS NOT WEAKNESS BUT STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL. The fruit of the Spirit is love and such love is characterized by self-control (Galatians 5:22-24). A disciple uses the power of the Spirit and their spiritual gifting under the control of the Spirit in submission to God and His plans (cf., 1Corinthians 12-14).
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
A disciple will hunger for WHAT IS RIGHT. A disciple will hunger for what is right and true spiritually – the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; 3:18-26). And a disciple will hunger and thirst for what is right socially, according to the governmental laws of the country in which they reside. If such civil law is unjust or contradicts scripture, peaceful means not anarchy is the priority to bring change. Jesus was not an anarchist, neither should His disciples be.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
Disciples are not merely about winners and losers, about people getting what they deserve.
- Justice = getting what you deserve.
- Mercy = not getting what you deserve.
- Grace = getting what you don’t deserve.
Disciples speak of the mercy of God to those who repent and trust Jesus as Savior. Disciples should always be open and facilitators of mercy. But mercy should not be an excuse for being duped politically. According to Jesus, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
A disciple is always seeking to be purified of anything contrary to God’s word that is in their heart. This is sanctification or an ongoing process of the Holy Spirit making us more and more like Jesus. Seek to have a holy pure heart. “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Ephesians 2:8).
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
A disciple should be known by their efforts to show people how to be at peace with God (Romans 8:7) and also at peace with each other. A disciple should cheer an effort at peacemaking, not only “peacemaking” that is performed by those of their own political persuasion.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Disciples should expect to be persecuted when they seek to live righteously according to God and His word. Persecution or resistance to your Beatitude discipleship living, is often evidence you are not off course, but right on track. Jesus was persecuted; His followers will be too (e.g., Matthew 10).
So true is this expectation that Jesus went out of His way to describe the persecution a disciple would experience:
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
This is only a very brief summary of the Beatitudes. Suffice it to say that if we are going to be serious Christians, we need to prayerfully ponder these words of Jesus and seek for the Holy Spirit to implement them in our lives. I encourage you, if you are a disciple or want to be one, to go over these Beatitudes. There is a blessing from Jesus for those who make these Beatitudes a part of their lives with Him.
Maybe, just maybe, if we practice these Beatitudes in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be used by the Lord to shine a light of truth and hope and eternal life to those caught up in the darkness of these Lawless Loveless days. Isn’t that our objective? I hope and pray it is. It is for me. I hope it is for you too.
Lord, in Jesus’ name, please save our nation. Unite us again. Gives us a singular purpose. Convict the sinner’s heart, especially if it belongs to us. Revive us. Holy Spirit save and come upon us. Lord, in Jesus’ mighty name, please make us what we need to be, to do what You call us to do, for Your glory, until Jesus’ returns. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
[1] https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/lemon-on-notice-as-doj-weighs-action-against-minnesota-church-protesters-dhillon-says-5973555
[2] All scripture is taken from the NKJV translation of the Bible.