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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6) |
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| EXPOSITION |
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 There are two meanings accorded to this beatitude.
Firstly, we can look from a melancholy, physical viewpoint. A spiritual blessing will be given to those, who because of their search for righteousness suffer physical deprivation.
Secondly, from a spiritual perspective. Those with a hunger for knowing God more and becoming like Jesus, through living a righteous life, will be spiritually blessed.
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| TESTIMONY |
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 A natural characteristic of my nature is to give my all to what I do.
In the physical, whether it is at work or in sport, I do my best to do my best. I remember at school (some time ago now!) competing in the annual, compulsory, cross country running race, being in third place (out of a hundred or two) with just two boys, twins actually, from the year ahead of me out in front. John, a tremendous runner, was well ahead, and his brother Robert, 50 metres in front of me. I resigned myself to third place. When Robert got to the finishing line he collapsed, completely exhausted. I arrived a few seconds later, still with some energy left. I could have beaten Robert, had I not been wrongly convinced in my own mind that he was going to beat me. I learned a lesson that day, to give my best, even when things seem impossible.
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 When I accepted Jesus as a 42 year old, it too, had to be all or nothing. In my early life I had been a ‘churchian’, before becoming disillusioned and moving out into the world for 15 years or so. Coming back into the church, this time as a genuine believer, I read my Bible, listened to sermons, attended teaching sessions and courses absorbing what I learned to gradually change my life. A process of change that still continues today and will, I trust, into the future.
But over the years, I have discovered that hungering for righteousness, of seeking to become like Jesus, is more than attending church and being involved in its activities. Indeed, discovered that righteousness is a state of ‘being’ rather than one of ‘doing’. This has been a profound, life changing, progressive revelation to me.
Some readers think I ‘slag’ the traditional church system. This is neither my heart, nor my intention at all. My desire, with all my weaknesses and failings, is simply to become more like Jesus personally and to see ‘the church’, however you define it, move in a similar direction. To achieve this it is necessary to change our focus away from the ‘institution’ of the church to the ‘person’ of Jesus.
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 The church has not made one single person righteous. It is only Jesus, through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, who can turn around our lives to live as the Father desires. The church is not to be an end in itself, but rather the means to an end. The physicality of property, position and programmes has taken precedence over the biblically ordained spiritual role of leading people to Christ and building believers into disciples, encouraging hunger for, and developing, righteousness in one's life.
Attending meetings and doing good works can lead to a form of righteousness or godliness, but as we see today, it is one without power. I will leave you with a warning from the Bible. Please don’t blame me! These are not my words!
2 Timothy 3:1-5
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May we, the church, not become as these.
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| 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:6) |
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| EXPOSITION |
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 Matthew Henry puts it better than I can.
"The merciful are happy, v. 7. This, like the rest, is a paradox; for the merciful are not taken to be the wisest, nor are likely to be the richest; yet Christ pronounces them blessed. Those are the merciful, who are piously and charitably inclined to pity, help, and succour persons in misery. A man may be truly merciful, who has not wherewithal to be bountiful or liberal; and then God accepts the willing mind. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must, by Christian sympathy, partake of the afflictions of our brethren; pity must be shown (Job 6:14), and bowels of mercy put on (Col. 3:12); and, being put on, they must put forth themselves in contributing all we can for the assistance of those who are any way in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity the ignorant, and instruct them; the careless, and warn them; those who are in a state of sin, and snatch them as brands out of the burning...... One of the purest and most refined delights in this world, is that of doing good. In this word, Blessed are the merciful, is included that saying of Christ, which otherwise we find not in the gospels, It is more blessed to give than to receive, Acts 20:35.
Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers) 1997.
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| TESTIMONY |
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 Another area of challenge in my life!
My wife would say I have (had) the mercy of a pinhead! Not in such words, mind you, but I do get the point!
In the natural I am hard on myself, and have high expectations of others, but not as high as I have of me, if that makes sense. Therefore, pastoring is not a gifting I am blessed with in great quantities! Empathy has never been a strong point!
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 But God does change us - if we let Him. Over the years I have mellowed and He has put me in situations, such as those with cancer sufferers that I talked about earlier, that have necessitated some development of this trait. People do now seem able to bring me their problems and get a sympathetic ear, particularly if they are genuinely prepared, where it is possible, to take practical steps to overcome them.
While some of the most merciful among you may not agree with me, I believe that while Jesus showed tremendous mercy, He also was quite definite in wanting people to change their lives. An example is the woman caught in adultery.
John 8:10-11
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 Shortly after becoming a Christian, God gave me a prophetic word for a necessary reconciliation required for a particular church. Before taking the word to the church concerned I spoke to a godly lady who had once been a part of that church. She agreed that it was accurate but gave me an additional Scripture with which to conclude - just the end part of the verse in bold.
James 2:12-13
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 I have never forgotten that - even if I have not always applied it!
The second basic area of mercy Matthew Henry comments on is that of doing good to others. This really is a key point of witness of our faith to the world. For doing good without expectation of something in return is a key element that distinguishes a follower of Jesus from most other people in the world.
For Kathy and I, completely unexpectedly to me, this has come in the form of Seekers Megamarts where we raise funds for development projects for Africa as well as assisting our local communities with affordable recycled clothing.
I said, 'completely unexpectedly to me', as I thought I would be in full time writing, internet and travelling ministry forever, as I had been for the 7 previous years. However, before I last travelled to Africa, 2 1/2 years ago, the Lord prepared me by saying that He had given me most of the revelation He wanted to give, and now would come a time of getting it out. Then, when in Africa, He led me, kicking and struggling, wondering whether it was Him or not, into the idea of the clothing. Something that has just taken off and which I can see will help get the concepts He has given me spread more widely in the future. I believe there is now a better balance in my life between faith and works.
No, I have not got there in terms of mercy yet, but the Lord is working on it. He has to, for it is outside my ability to change, as indeed is the application of all the Beatitudes. While some prefer to put then to one side as being too idealistic, I believe that the Lord is calling His end time church, His bride, through submission of our lives to Him, to live out the Beatitudes in our daily lives. I know, it is impossible in my own strength. But in and through Him, all things are possible. He can even change me!
Now the full circle has turned, and 10 years after my last visit, I have been able to go back again.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK:</i> SERMON ON THE MOUNT continues... |
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 ..... as we look at purity, the hardest beatitude to achieve but the one with the greatest promise, and peacemaking.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 If God can work on me in these areas He can certainly work on you too! Neither of us are in His 'too hard basket'!
Of course, we are all 'works in progress', none having yet reached perfection in these areas.
JESUS: BACKGROUND
Historical Overview
The Samaritans
In later Hebrew writings the word Samaritan speaks of the people of the district of Samaria in central Palestine. They came from intermarriages of certain Israelites with the colonists from Babylon and other parts of Mesopotamia and Syria. These colonists had been placed there by the Assyrian kings Sargon II and Esarhaddon, after the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered and the stronghold at Samaria fell to the Assyrians. It resulted in thousands of Israelites being deported away, never to be heard from again, and colonists being chosen by the Assyrians and placed in Samaria along with a governor.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
1090. To be as one with the character of Jesus is our highest call.
David Tait
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Check
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