Everyday Beatitudes

Now that's the way this classic sermon speaks to me. I do not even pretend I have uncovered any new insights or meaning to what Jesus said that day. I really look at it like I maybe have finally thought out what these timeless words really mean to me in light of my 63 years of observations and experience. I do think I finally understand why everyone has always been so excited about this sermon. It is really the essence of the message Jesus taught during those three short years of his ministry.

While I found Dr. Greer's entire series of sermons on this subject to be fantastic and inspiring, I think the thing that caught my attention and drew me to attempt this meager offering was a portion of the last sermon in the series. Since I do not think this portion of the series could ever be improved, and should not be paraphrased, by anyone, especially this writer I am going to take the liberty of using it in its entirety, giving full credit to Dr. Terry L. Greer, my minister, Senior Pastor of the Mother Church of Decatur, and friend. As I stated before I continue to encourage Dr. Greer to publish his entire series. When he does publish I highly recommend that Christians around the world read it to be moved closer to the Christ we serve by gaining a better understanding of what his message was all about.

From Dr. Greer's final sermon of the series:

"The Beatitudes are a step-by-step outline of the faith pilgrimage, a chronological description of the way the spiritual life unfolds, how it develops and matures:

First, we are poor in spirit-that is, we humbly recognize how much we need God.

Second, we mourn our sins.

Third, in meekness, we offer ourselves unconditionally as God's servants; we commit our lives totally to God.

Fourth, we want to learn the faith, to grow spiritually; we hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Fifth, then we go out into the world to live the faith in the spirit of mercy.

Sixth, the spirit of genuineness, being authentic-not being hypocritical, but pure in heart.

Seventh, we come to the height of spiritual maturity. In the Spirit of God, we become peacemakers, reconcilers.

Then Jesus adds, a P.S.: 'Oh, by the way,' he says. 'if you do these things -if you live the Beatitudes out there in the day-to day world-you may well be persecuted. People may turn against you. They may give you a hard time, they may bad-mouth you, they may accuse you of lying when there was really no lying only misunderstanding, but do not be aftaid, because I AM WITH YOU! I will protect you. I will see you through."

Each Beatitude compels us to rethink our definitions-definitions of life in general and of happiness in particular. This last Beatitude is the crown and climax.