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Multitudes gathered from all over the Levant region. Jesus surveyed the crowds gathering, then ascended the mountainside to address them. The King of the mountain took His rightful place and proceeded to deliver His inaugural address—espousing the attitudes and blessedness of the citizens of His kingdom.
Through His teachings and parables, Jesus painted a portrait of the attitudes His disciples were to portray. The Sermon on the Mount (recorded in Matthew 5-7) is one such teaching. It contains the beatitudes, the character and attitudes of the citizens of the kingdom of God.
The King of the kingdom set before His disciples a crown of splendor to wear when He presented the beatitudes. They have been called declarations of blessedness (NIV Study Bible) because blessed are those who possess them.
The beatitudes are what the crowned of the kingdom wear.
The crown of the kingdom of God
the citizens are to wear
is the beatitudes.The beatitudes are our crowning glory—because they reflect King Jesus. And because God bestows upon those who exhibit these values a certain blessedness. But they do not come naturally to us. Only as one abides in the Spirit are they able to discern the ways of God. In fact, practicing these attitudes is impossible to do separate and apart from the Spirit of God. But they can become a habit—by training our behavior to behave, until it becomes a part of us. Like something we wear. But we must first remember them. Then choose to put them on daily, sometimes moment-by-moment.
It all begins with being poor in spirit. We must first empty ourselves of ourselves, acknowledge that only God is God, and admit that we are entirely and completely destitute beings, dependent upon Him for our every breath.
Jesus was born crowned—crowned Son of Man and Son of God. Yet He wore a crown fashioned by man—a crown of cruel thorns. But God crowned Him in honor and glory. And He now wears the crown of victory as King of kings.
Which crown will you wear: the crown of the kingdom of this world or the kingdom of the Christ of God?
We are crowned in divine glory when we wear the attitudes of Christ Jesus. When we put on His humility, righteousness, mercy, and gentleness. When we display the beatitudes of the King, we wear the splendor of His grace. And we are crowned His.
Heavenly Father, we praise the King of Glory for His boundless mercy and love. Make us better students of the teachings of Jesus, as we commit to honor and reflect Him by wearing these blessed beatitudes.
Selections from my Bible Study, Crowned
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