Matthew 5:1-16

Notes for BSF

THE BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:1-12)

Blessed are those who (are)...
Poor in spirit (Isaiah 57:15; 61:1; Luke 18:10-14)
Mourn (Isaiah 61:2-3; Romans 7:22-24; James 4:8-10)
Meek (Psalm 25:9; Matthew 11:28-29; Zephaniah 3:11-12)
Hunger and thirst for righteousness (Psalms 19:7-11; 42:1, 2, 11)
Merciful (Matthew 18:21-35)
Pure in heart (Psalm 24:4-5; Matthew 6:21-24; 1 John 3:2-3)
Peacemakers (Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20; Ephesians 2:15-17; 4:3)
Persecuted because of righteousness (John 15:18-20; 17:14; Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 3:14-16; 4:16)


GREAT IS OUR REWARD IN HEAVEN (Matthew 5:11-12)

Salvation is only the beginning

Matthew 5:12, NKJV
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When we receive Christ with our heart, we receive salvation, and our eternity is sealed by the Holy Spirit. This is but the first step in a Christian's walk. Once we start our journey as a follower of Christ, we are guided by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God. That is, our walk in Christ is revealed in our works -- and we will all be rewarded on day for the works that we do.

We will be rewarded for our works

1 Corinthians 3:9, NKJV
... Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

We will be rewarded according to our own labor. Each of us have our own responsibilities to fulfill and should do so with great care. No one can get rewarded for our efforts, just as we cannot get rewarded for someone else’s efforts. Hence, there is absolutely no value in comparing ourselves against others, because God does not judge our works based on what others have done. Rather, God judges each of our works based on the abilities ("talents") He has given us (Luke 19:11-27). We may not all be given the same amount of talent -- We may not all be born with the best parents, the best brains, the best whatever -- but Jesus expects each one of us to do the best we can with what we are given. We may envy those who seem "just have it all," but remember, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him, much will be required" (Luke 12:48)!

Serve with all our HEART

1 Corinthians 3:12-15, NKJV
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Jesus has already laid the foundation of our lives. Upon this foundation, what do we choose to build our lives with? The best of materials (gold, silver, previous stones) or the worst of materials (wood, hay, straw)? In other words, when we do the works of God, how do we do it (Matthew 6:3-6, 16-18; Colossians 3:23-24; Hebrews 11:6)? What is the condition of our heart? Do we do it because we want to be awarded, because we want to be glorified? Or, do we do it because we are grateful for the love that God has shown us, because we want to glorify Him?

When we do good deeds in the name of the Lord, we should do it out of our HEART, not to show off to people to see how “good of a person” we are, not to grudgingly do it only because "God expects us to." God doesn't expect us to do anything. He only wants us to know that He loves us -- and then, allow that love to transform us from the inside out. God knows our deeds. He also know our HEART when we do our deeds. If our heart is not with God, then the works we do is nothing but a ritualistic waste of time.

We are rewarded for our works; we are NOT saved by works

1 Corinthians 3:12-15, NKJV
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Our works, on Judgment Day, will be judged by Jesus. If our works stand righteous, we will be rewarded. If our works do not hold under Jesus' scrutiny, we will have no reward – We will not lose our salvation, but we will have no reward.

If we are ever caught between choosing to please God or man, think hard about the materials (gold or straw?) we are building upon the foundation Jesus has laid for us; think hard about how well our works would hold up against the judging fire of Jesus; and then, remember, our salvation and our rewards come from not just a man, but the one and only God-man, Jesus Christ!

Therefore, REJOICE -- Even more so when we are persecuted!

Acts 5:41, NKJV
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

1 Peter 4:12-14, NKJV
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is reveled, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

Walking with Christ is not easy. We look forward to great rewards, but until that Day comes, we will suffer persecution for following Christ (Matthew 10:16-26).

Although it's not fun to have to go through persecutions, there are some comforting thoughts:
1) On our part, we are glorifying God -- while our persecutors unwittingly blasphemes God
2) Again, unwittingly, our persecutors are indirectly complementing our faith for God! When we are persecuted for doing God’s work, rejoice, because that means we’re doing a good job! If we are doing a horrible job representing the Lord, His enemies couldn't be happier with our failures. It's only when we shine God's light where they want darkness would they jump up and try to stop us through persecution.

Hence, when we are persecuted, do not be discouraged. Take it as a compliment, remain encouraged, and look forward to our reward in heaven (Hebrews 10:35; 11:26)! Rejoice that we had been worthy of suffering disgrace for God!


WE ARE THE SALT; WE ARE THE LIGHT (Matthew 5:13-16)

Matthew 5:13, NKJV
... if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out...

Salt is used to not just to flavor food but to preserve food as well. It prevents the proliferation of microorganisms that spoils our food.

We are likened to be the salt of the world. And so, like salt, we should preserve the goodness of the world by staying true to the Word of God; we should prevent the proliferation of practices that promotes evil in the world by walking and living the Word of God.

Living as salt can be easy or hard, depending on our environment. If everyone around us is also salt, it doesn't take much for us to preserve the Word of God in the world. However, if we are the only few grains of salt in an environment devoid of other fellow Christians, we will have to work much harder.

This passage tells us that when the salt is no longer salty, it serves no purpose and needs to be thrown away. Additionally, Salt flavors food -- without food, salt serves no purpose. Applying this concept to us, if we claim to be Christians, but we don't live His Word, we don't uphold His Word, can we say that we keep Christ in the center of our lives? And if Christ is not in the center of our lives, how "salty" can we really be?

No matter how easy or difficult the task in front of us is, we must never lose the saltiness of our walk. If we are no longer effective representatives of the Word of God, are we really still walking with God? Instead of being salt, have we become part of the rot? 

Matthew 5:16, NKJV
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Just as light is meant to reveal what darkness has hidden, we, too, should live as godly examples to reveal the Word of God to those around us.

Luke 11:35-36
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.

Shine the light of Christ. Share the Word of God. Stand for God’s ways -- So that people may see the glory of God through our deeds.