Matthew 5:6-8
Big Idea: Truly Desiring God's Righteousness Leads To Continually Demonstrating God's Mercy
Blessed = perfect happiness, joy, inner satisfaction, divine comfort
Mercy = Allowing yourself to be inwardly affected by the needs of others that you are moved to loving action
A Conduit Of God’s Mercy:
1) Deeply Desires God’s Righteousness (v.6)
Daily Desiring God’s Righteousness Means:
1) Worshipping Christ
“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’”
-John 6:35
2) Walking with Christ
3) Working for Christ
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.’”
-John 4:34
2) Continually Cleans Their Heart (v. 8)
“Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.”
-Psalm 24:3-7
3) Joyfully Embraces The Mess (v. 7)
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
-Proverbs 31:8-9
Retributive Justice = punishing those who break laws
Restorative Justice = seeking out vulnerable people and loving and serving them. Seeking to reform social, political, and economic structures to prevent future injustices & compensating victims for past instances of oppression or harm.
“If a person has grasped the meaning of God’s grace in his heart, he will do justice. If he doesn't live justly, then he may say with his lips that he is grateful for God’s grace, but in his heart he is far from him. If he doesn’t care about the poor, it reveals that at best he doesn't understand the grace he has experienced, and at worst he has not encountered the saving mercy of God. Grace should make you just.”
-Tim Keller from his book, Generous Justice
4) Faithfully Prioritizes Creating Margin (v. 7)