This study is based completely on the expositional study of The Beatitudes; which are found in Matthew 5:1-12.

I can't wait to share some really exciting information about this entire passage.
But let's begin by praying.  Please stop in the quietness of your home and pray that God would show you "great & mighty things that you do not know".  Now let's read through the entire passage one time.

Did you stop and read it?  Good!  It's super important to read more of God's Word than to read to what other people say about God's Word.

Answer this for yourself... was this your first time to read The Beatitudes?  _______

In today's Introduction we're going to be focussing on the opening verses:  Matthew 5:1-2.

Read them again.  Today we're going to be answering the questions Who, What, When, Where, and How.  Then we'll conclude our time today with an amazing message of hope!


Yes, we're going to get to the Beatitudes - but there is so much "good stuff' right here in these first 2 verses that I just have to pause before diving into the meat of the sermon.  There are some beautiful life lessons to be mined out... and I can't wait to share them with you!

We often have a great respect for the work, and usually listen more when we know the speaker or the author.  Find the WHO in this passage.

These verses are actually a sermon that Christ preached to a multitude of people.  The WHO in this passage is Jesus Christ.  Here He states exactly who are blessed by the Father Almighty.  If there was ever a person to have this kind of authority - it would be Jesus!

Now find the WHAT.  What is Christ saying here?  In these verses he is giving us the marks, the evidence, of those who show a work of grace in their lives.

A work of grace.  Does your life reflect a work of grace?  Do your actions and passions illustrate this work of grace?  What can you do today that would show others that you are a work of grace?

For if we truly are a work of grace - shouldn't we then be... at our very core - HAPPY?

WHEN:  Look at the occasion for this sermon.  Verse 1 says, He saw the multitudes and began to speak about happiness, about being blessed.  What do you think Christ saw in the faces of the people that led Him to start talking about the marks of a blessed and happy life?

Do you think He saw their sadness?  I think He saw the hurt of the people, the burdens they were carrying, the emptiness inside of them and He had an eagerness to show them hope.  I believe His very soul was stirred at what He saw and He wanted to rescue them with this message!

Do you need to be rescued from YOUR burdens today?  Do you need to hear a message of hope?  Hang with me as we study these Beatitudes and I promise you will begin to see joy where there was once sadness!

WHERE:  Verse 1 says He went up on a mountain.  Much of the reason for this was because the people could sit where they could see & hear Him.  This was a very logical place for Christ to go to get the greatest impact for His sermon.  But I want you to notice something else.


Most of the time in those days, teachers would sit and learners would gather around and stand.  So for Christ to stand and teach was an "out of the ordinary thing."  However, He had something to say that should not be hidden.  Notice this message was not given in secret, but rather on a large open space - available for all to hear and to likewise spread to others.  If it was important enough to be spoken from a mountainside then, I should probably give it my attention today as well.

Also, great things happened on mountains. Name a few important things that happened on a mountain.

The law was given to Moses on a mountain.  Christ died on a mount to offer us redemption.  Jesus expounded on the law on this mountain and at the same time offered the people - us - hope!

HOW:  How did He deliver His message?

He opened His mouth and began to teach them.  I know this sounds overly simple and you may be wondering why I'm even bringing this one to the surface to discuss.

Christ taught the disciples all the time without ever opening His mouth - through the actions and words of others and through His miracles.  In the Old Testament, God's Word was taught through the mouths of the prophets and priests.  It was God who put the words into Moses' mouth - it was God who gave David a song - but on this particular day - it was God - Christ Himself who opened His own mouth and taught the people directly.

This is not a point to be taken lightly!  I for one can't wait for the day to hear my Lord open His mouth and speak to me directly - audibly!!

Whenever we see Christ open His mouth  - we should in in turn open our hearts!  He opens His mouth with a blessing, we should open our hearts with desire.  Just think for a moment the kind of results that could occur!

I want to show you one last thing before I give you homework for next week...

Turn in your Bible to the last verse in the Old Testament.

What word do you read in the very last verse?


The first words Christ speaks to the people at large is found in Matthew 5:3 - what word do you read here?


This is the first message that Christ gave to the people as He started His ministry.  Isn't this amazing!  The last thing the people heard from God in the Old Testament was a message of pain - a curse.  But the first message we hear from Christ is a message of hope and blessing!

He also doesn't just say it just once either!  I want you to count just how many times He uses this word BLESSED in the Matthew 5:1-12.

I count 9 times!  And in rapid succession too!!  I wonder if he was enumerating them by holding up his fingers as He preached.

Okay if He started His ministry talking about being blessed - how does He end it?

Look up Luke 24:51

Do you think a BLESSED life is important to Christ?  It was the very first thing He preached and He was doing it (blessing) until the very moment He was taken up into heaven.

The Beatitudes are instructions on how to have a blessed life and He wanted that message instilled in the people continuously!  Jesus is all about giving blessings - not curses.  He wants us to know we can have a good life in Him, not one riddled with guilt, sadnesses or depression.  He offers freedom from those chains!

The Beatitudes are also about character.  There are 8 Beatitudes.  For your homework for next Friday - I want you to find them and write them in your notebook.  No where else in scripture do we find a more concentrated place of instruction - a step-by-step (if you will) regarding living a blessed and happy life.

There are many many books, seminars, and quick fixes that try to instill the root of happiness and how to acquire it for your life.  Christ does so in just 8 small statements.  He's not redundant nor does he leave anything out!

Next week we will dive right into the first Beatitude - Blessed are the Poor in Spirit.

I want you to read Matthew 5:3 before next Friday.  It's very short... I know.

I promise you we're going to cover some great truths here that you're not going to want to miss!!!

See you next week!