"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 Purity sounds like such a insult in today's vernacular. It conjures up images of weakness, insecurity, or naivete. The Greek word katheros used in this sense means to be "clean or free of stains or corruption." That seems innocent enough on the surface, but what does it take to make something pure that … [Read more...] about The Purity of the Kingdom
New Testament
The Mercy of the Kingdom
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."Matthew 5:7 Mercy and grace are two sides of the same coin. We have often defined mercy as "not receiving the judgement that we deserve" and grace as "receiving a blessing that we do not deserve." In both cases, the definition of mercy and grace imply that they are not something that is deserved or can be earned. In … [Read more...] about The Mercy of the Kingdom
The Hunger of the Kingdom
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."Matthew 5:6 Have you ever known hunger, and I mean real hunger? Hunger to the point of starvation? What about thirst? Thirst to the point of gulping down gallons of water at a time? A thirst that has your throat so dry that your throat feels like sandpaper? True to form, Jesus uses … [Read more...] about The Hunger of the Kingdom
The Meekness of the Kingdom
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."Matthew 5:5 The first time I ever heard the word "meek" was in that classic childhood film "The Wizard of Oz." Dorothy stood before the fearsome visage of the Wizard who thunders: "I am Oz - the Great and Powerful. Who are you? Who are you?!" Dorothy's timid response was "If you please, I am Dorothy - the small and … [Read more...] about The Meekness of the Kingdom
The Mourning of the Kingdom
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."Matthew 5:3 There is no mistaking that 2020 has been a truly unusual year. The year started with one disaster after another, leading into a global coronavirus pandemic that so far has lasted for five months in the United States, and as long as eight months in China, where it all began. During this time reported … [Read more...] about The Mourning of the Kingdom