The Imitation of Christ: Incarnating the Beatitudes

Read Matthew 5:7-12

The Beatitudes provide moral virtues for believers. But to avoid moralism, we should also note how each of these was perfectly incarnate in Christ; they each point us to our Savior.

#5. Blessed are the merciful. (5:7)

Jesus had so many opportunities to respond with coarseness or the absence of mercy. But he repeatedly chose the path of mercy.

In John 8, for example, when a group of leaders tried to entrap him by bringing a woman caught in adultery, did he recommend the death penalty for this? Hardly.

Actually, he confronted the accusers, writing in the dust something that must have convicted them. And he then turned to this woman who was being cruelly used as a pawn by the super-religious and said, “Woman, where are you condemners? Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Jesus was merciful.

He was merciful to:

• Those who were disabled and unable to help themselves due to physical maladies.
• Children, as in his Palm Sunday entrance to Jerusalem.
• Those who were social outsiders, even Samaritans.
• Those who were down and out.
• Those who had little or no power.
• Those who only wanted to feed on the crumbs from the table as dogs do.

Christ’s mercy is seen throughout his life and ministry. His essential character was merciful.

All his healings reflect mercy. Calling Zaccheus and other outcasts to himself shows mercy. He made a point to show mercy to the poor, to those who were friendless, to the rejected, and to the unclean. How do we show mercy? We are blessedly called to show mercy because we know mercy.     

#6. Blessed are the pure in heart.

To be pure in heart means to be undistracted in your desire to hit the goal that God has set for you. The pure in the heart keep their focus on God and his kingdom. Jesus certainly did that. Also he promised that if we’d seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, all other things would fall into place.

When Christ had opportunity to view people with cynicism, he did not. His heart was set on God. It was focused. He told his disciples toward the end of his life that he came to serve his Father, and when others sought to deter him from his covenanted destiny, he “set his face like flint toward Jerusalem.” Jesus’ singleness of purpose was to come and ransom God’s people. He suffered, died, and rose to effect that.

#7  Blessed are the peacemakers.

This one is a bit odd; after all Christ did say, “I have not come to bring peace but a sword.”

However, Jesus is the “Prince of Peace’ (Is 9:6,7). The gospel is the “gospel of peace” (Eph 2:17). Consequently those who are the sons of God resemble the image of their Father.

Moving toward the cross, Jesus is making peace with God—even if not achieving peace with human leaders. The Book of Ephesians tells us that the death of Christ tears down walls of separation. Jesus made peace, a peace that passes all understanding. His blessed disciples are called to follow him in this.

Finally:

#8 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.

Jesus’ final days exemplified ultimate persecution. He is opposed by the earthly powers because of sticking to God’s righteous ways.

And he was persecuted. Note the many ways that Christ was mocked, scorned . . .

• To begin at his birth and at the end of his life, there was no suitable enthronement for the King of the universe.
• There was no large budget for his last supper banquet.
• He could hardly rest; he has no place to lay his head. Every moment is a test.
• His closest friends betrayed and deserted him.
• He was arrested on false charges.
• He was tried by a religious false court in the middle hours of the night.
• He was accused of being worse than Barabbas. Jesus was persecuted for righteousness.
• He was mocked in a parade on Good Friday morning, having to carry his cross.
• He was hung, humiliatingly, exposed to the world.

And how did Jesus respond? Did he shrink back, or did he cancel the covenant? No, Jesus knows that we are to rejoice and be exceedingly glad; previous prophets were treated this way.

Wouldn’t you and I retaliate or seek to get even? But what does God call us to do when we are falsely accused or persecuted for righteousness? He does not tell us to hurl back a brick to get even. God does not tell us to hate our neighbor. He does not call us to lash out and accuse.

No, the contrary is called for. We are to do several things: First, we are to rejoice and be exceedingly—not a little!—glad. We are to put our full trust in God and know that he is more Just than all the powers of the world, and he will work his purposes out. We are to hear Jesus’ command and respond—whether it feels good or not—by rejoicing in the will of God. Do you think that Christ was ignorant of all the pain ahead of him? But he was to follow this commend, and rejoice. We do all this, knowing that the prophets before you were treated the same way. It will not be popular to stand for God’s righteousness.

And often we try to avoid that. That human nature must be crucified or else such avoidance will naturally occur.

Jesus actually promised that his followers would be hated. Listen to verses from John 15-16:

• 15:18: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”
• 15:20: “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
• 16:2-4: “They will put you out of the synagogue. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.”
• 16:33: “In this world you will have tribulation”

And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Tim 3:12)

Christ was persecuted for righteousness. In all of history no one has ever been persecuted more for less of an offense. And when he tells us to rejoice and be glad when this happens, you are in great company. Hebrews later states, “but for the joy set before him he endured the cross and its shame.”

Note also how Christ receives all the rewards of each of these! To him supremely is given the kingdom of heaven; he is comforted; he is filled; he is blessed.

These eight virtues are qualities that are often despised by the world. Jesus is turning worldly thinking on its head. He is teaching us to see things as God sees them.

• The world admires the proud, the strutting, the taunting, not the “poor in spirit.”
• The world demands revenge, not mercy.
• The world derides the meek? They’re wimps.
• The world avoids mourning? That would ruin the party.
• The world only honors superficial eace-making? Warriors are admired and glamorized.

These Sermon on the Mount beatitudes are not virtues honored by the world. These are weaknesses from which worldlings recoil. Power, war-making, the ability to control, the ability to inflict pain––these are the qualities respected and sought by the world.

Terry Johnson summarizes: “Ironically these virtues are the key to true success both in time and eternity. From them flow the influence described by Jesus as salt (5:13), light (5:14a), a city set on a hill (5:14b), and results in others giving glory to God (5:16). Who doesn’t want to make a lasting contribution? Who doesn’t want his life to count in eternity? The key to eternal significance is not to be found in techniques, in programs, or in wise management. The key is character. Influence flows from virtue. As one pastor pointed out in his Work of the Pastor, an education you can get. Godliness is much more difficult to come by.”[1]

Such godliness is described and embodied in these Beatitudes.

Christ our Lord not only taught these, but he also lived them. The best example of these first truths in the first gospel is Christ himself. Look to him!