Image

The world teaches that IMAGE is more important than character. We have Public Relations people, Image Consultants, and Marketing gurus that can make your company, or you, sound and look like anything you want!

But as followers of Christ, Jesus talks to us in the Beatitudes, drawing us a picture of what WE are to be. Here Jesus described Christian character that flowed from the Spirit – from within! It wasn’t some gimmick that He was selling, but rather a divine list of godly attributes we should live by.

The scene at the beginning of Matthew 5 is Jesus coming to a hill with a trail of people, including His disciples. He had just traveled throughout Galilee teaching, preaching, and healing; His fame spread quickly and great multitudes followed Him.

The crowd was inseparable from Jesus and their eyes and ears were fixed on Him!

“What is He going to say next?” “What is He going to DO now?”

Jesus climbed the hill, sat down, His disciples drawing near and as He prepared to speak, I can just imagine the hush that came over the crowd...

Jesus said, “Blessed are the…” and the people were blown away!

You see the word “blessed” Jesus used meant “divine joy and perfect happiness” but it wasn’t normally used for humans. It was a word that described the kind of joy that was only experienced by gods and the dead!

It was a powerful word and the people must have had perplexed looks on their faces and maybe even questioned these first few statements because the people knew exactly what this word meant.

For Christians, this word means that there is a satisfaction that is quenched in the Lord and a sufficiency that is eternal in Christ, and this should be seen in the way we live our lives.

The IMAGE, as Christians, we are to portray is a real one that comes from the Holy Spirit living within us as we live in obedience to God!

Like the crowd on that hill, does Jesus have YOUR undivided attention? Do you hang on His every Word? Do you have that “divine joy and perfect happiness” that no person, or circumstance can take away?

What is the IMAGE you are portraying? Is it a list of godly attributes, or your own made up list?

Matthew 5:3-10, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…those who mourn…the meek…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…the merciful…the pure in heart…the peacemakers…those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”