Overview
Daryl Johnson’s sermon discusses the Beatitudes from Matthew 4:12–5:12, exploring Jesus’ vision of a blessed, new humanity and the meaning and implications of being "beatitude people" in God’s kingdom.
Framing the Beatitudes
- The Beatitudes reveal the kind of people Jesus calls “blessed” and what it means to join in his restoration work on earth.
- Jesus’ authority is foundational; separating his sermon from his person leads to misunderstanding.
- Jesus is presented as the new, greater Moses, but also as God, declaring the fulfillment—not just the reception—of God’s law.
Structure and Key Observations
- The Beatitudes are bookended with “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” emphasizing the present reality of the kingdom.
- They are structured in two sets of four, each set connected by the theme of “righteousness” and using exactly 36 words each.
- “Blessed” (makarios) is better understood as God’s objective approval or endorsement, not mere happiness or subjective feeling.
- All eight Beatitudes are deeply interrelated and naturally flow from one to another; none can be separated.
Theological Implications
- The Beatitudes collectively describe the qualities and experiences of those living in God’s in-breaking kingdom.
- The kingdom involves comfort, inheritance of the earth, satisfaction of longings, mercy, seeing God, and being called children of God.
- The Beatitudes present a holistic, interconnected portrait similar to the “fruit of the Spirit.”
- The qualities build upon each other, moving sequentially from poverty of spirit to persecution for righteousness.
Living as Beatitude People
- No one can make themselves into a beatitude person through effort alone; transformation comes from Jesus’ initiative and work.
- Repentance is our part—turning to embrace the king and his kingdom—but the change itself is God’s work.
- The call is to examine which Beatitudes Jesus is already shaping within us, and to request his work in areas still lacking.
Recommendations / Advice
- Reflect on the Beatitudes and identify which qualities are evident in your life and which you long to see developed.
- Engage with the text personally and prayerfully, inviting Jesus to continue his transforming work.
Questions / Follow-Ups
- Which Beatitudes do you sense Jesus is already forming in you, and which do you desire him to cultivate further?