A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam
“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying; “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:1-3 NASB2020
As I said in my last devotional God gave me a word for this year and that word is follow. What better way to be a follower of Christ than to follow what he says in the greatest sermon ever given. Therefore, for the next few weeks we are going to be immersed in the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-6.
All too often we go right to what Jesus said and we don’t look at the context or subtext. Look at what Jesus did before He began to speak. Jesus sat down. This was the teaching style of Rabbis. They did this as to not talk at their students but with their students. As teacher this is my most effective teaching tool. Students are so much more receptive to teaching when I am talking to them not at them. This is a very key point to the sermon on the mount. One that gets missed all too often.
Now we can look at what it means to be a follower of Christ. We must be poor in spirit. What does that mean? It literally means spiritual poverty. It means we should never act as if we know it all. We should always be seeking to know more. At the end of this sermon Jesus will say ““But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.”
Matthew 6:33 NASB2020
In order to follow Christ we must begin and end with a spirit of humility and a constant thirst for the knowledge and will of God.
Lord, thank you for your humility, thank you for talking to us and not at us. Lord, help us to seek you first. Help us to have a spirit of humility and help us to constantly thirst for your word and your will in Jesus Name Amen…
Shalom Blessings and Press In and Press On!