Anesti Ministries

walking in blessing.

v1-2 Jesus has come to establish God’s Kingdom here on earth. In the same way that God spoke the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1), Jesus opened His mouth to teach His disciples about how we should live in the Kingdom of God. The blessings in the Beatitudes are a mirror of the ten commandants given in Exodus 20:2-17. God gave the ten commandments as a sign of His covenant with Israel. Likewise the Beatitudes are a sign that we are God’s covenantal people through Christ.

v3-12 Jesus teaches us that Kingdom living leads to blessings. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must recognise that what God values is totally different from what the world values. It should not surprise us that choosing to follow Jesus will inevitably lead to hardships and rejection by the world. Those who choose to walk in God’s ways will encounter persecution from those who claim to be “religious”. One example of this is the apostle Paul who was brought on trial by the religious leaders for bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 2518-19). Despite all these, God promises to be faithful to those who love Him and fill their lives with His blessing.

walking in Christlikeness.

v13-16 As disciples of Jesus, we are called to reflect who He is to the world. In the Old Testament, God commanded that the grain offerings were to be seasoned with salt (Leviticus 2:13). Salt was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel (Numbers 18:19). As Christians, we are now God’s covenantal people. It must be evident in our lifestyle that we belong to Jesus and not the world. Each time we treat someone in a Christlike manner, we are helping people encounter Jesus.

walking in righteousness.

v17-20 Jesus restored our covenantal relationship with God by fulfilling the Law that Israel was not able to keep. While some may then conclude that it is no longer necessary to keep the Law of Moses, Jesus explains that the standard of Kingdom righteousness far surpasses the minimum standard set by the Law. Obedience to the Law does not make a person righteous because no one can keep the whole Law (Roman’s 3:20). It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we receive the Kingdom righteousness that empowers us to walk in covenantal relationship with God daily (Romans 3:21-22).

v21-43 Kingdom righteousness is not merely outward religiosity but inward obedience. The humanly unattainable standard of Kingdom righteousness is not meant to condemn us but to reminds us of our need for Christ.

• Jesus is clear that we are to be reconciled to others before we come to worship God.
• While Jesus is not asking us to literally gorge out our eyes or cut off members of our body, He calls us to war against lust by cutting off temptations in our lives.
• Marriage is a covenant in which a man and woman become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Deuteronomy 24:1-4 does not show that God allows divorce but ensures that divorce does not result in sin. In Matthew 19:8, Jesus explains that Moses only allowed divorce because of the people’s rebelliousness against God. Jesus explains that divorce is only permitted if one party is unfaithful breaks the marriage covenant. This does not mean that God wants people to stay in abusive relationships. The Law is clear that God does not condone harm or violence within the community and especially so in the family (Leviticus 24:19-20).
• We should honour our words at all times.
• Jesus calls us to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Meekness is not weakness but the ability to respond in gentleness that comes from an inner strength.
• Jesus calls us to love others in the same way that He has loved us (John 13:34). True love means loving those whom we deem as undeserving. When we find it difficult to love, look to the infinite love of God.