Psalm 15 / Matthew 5:1-12

I am going to make a departure from my all-Psalms preaching schedule during this season after Epiphany. This Sunday, in addition to reading Psalm 15, we will read (and I will preach from) Matthew 5:1-12.

The reason I am doing this is that Matthew 5:1-12 is a uniquely-foundational passage for understanding the Christian concept of God’s grace.

Read Matthew 5:1-12. As you read, be aware of several things. This is the first of five long speeches (discourses) by Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel. There is much in the literal layout of Matthew’s Gospel that is meant to present Jesus as the new Moses. The five speeches are a parallel to the first five books of the Bible, known as The Pentateuch (or Five Scrolls/Teachings). It is these five books that Jews refer to as The Torah (meaning The Law).

Matthew 5:1-12 is also known as The Beatitudes (from the Latin “beati”, meaning “blessed”, which is the first word in the series of statements beginning at Matthew 5:3). Read The Beatitudes not as a description of a goal to achieve, but as a description of a state of being aligned with God.

What benefits are there to being aligned with God?

What challenges face those aligned with God?