Jesus is in the midst of a large crowd that had come to hear him and be healed by him. The crowd consisted of those who were stricken with disease, those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and those who just sought to touch him. The opportunity to have your issues removed was too good to pass up. Jesus would use this opportunity to pass on what we know as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus healed the physical but also brought healing for the spiritual.

Jesus begins his teaching with the Beatitudes. Matthew records more of these than Luke. Luke gives us 4 of these teachings that speak directly to the heart of someone. The term that Jesus begins with is “Blessed”. This can also mean happy. As you read these it is important to remember that Jesus is challenging the way we normally deal with these subjects. Why would you be happy when you are poor, hungry, mourning, or hated? The answer is because of what comes after when we stand firm in the faith and remain committed to living the right way. The poor will inherit the kingdom. The hungry shall be satisfied. Those who weep will laugh. Those who are hated will reap a great reward in heaven.

The challenge is to see the bigger picture and not just the present. Jesus deals with the opposite of this in the next few verses. He pronounces woes for those who only live for the here and now. He pronounces woes to the rich, the full, the laughing, and the popular. The rich have already received all that they will get, there is no further reward. The full will eventually become hungry. Those that are laughing now will begin to weep. Those who are spoken well of are receiving the same praise as the false profits. There is no substance to it.

This teaches us that we need to be humble and keep our eyes on the goal of heaven. This is not the best it will ever be. God has a home prepared for the faithful and that home is forever. The present is a brief moment in time that will soon be gone. We have so much to look forward to because of Jesus.