Topic: Enjoying the Blessedness of Saintly Character
Read: Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV)
1. And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3. “Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4. Blessed [are] those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5. Blessed [are] the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6. Blessed [are] those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7. Blessed [are] the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8. Blessed [are] the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9. Blessed [are] the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12. “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great [is] your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
ANGLICAN COMMUNION DEVOTIONAL OUTLINE FOR 1ST NOVEMBER 2021.
All Saints Day is a day traditionally set aside by the Church to remember and honour those saints who have triumphed in their earthly race and have already crossed the finishing line unto eternal glory. In our seripture reading today, Jesus intentionally cites eight beatitudes or distinguishing traits of saints, characters which partly qualify them for a glorious place in eternity as saints triumphant. Every one of these beatitudes states a condition to be met and then a blessing to enjoy partly in this present life but fully in the glorious eternity.
The first three beatitudes the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and the meek, all reflect humility towards God. They signify that true saints recognize and are grieved by their emptiness before God and are therefore not proud in their relationship with Him nor in the exercise of whatever graces they possess.
The other beatitudes indicate that true Saints are also disposed to purity of heart towards God and man, are merciful, peacemakers, and would never succumb to pressures from persecution suffered for the sake of Christ. As saints militant, we are all called to be exemplary in our worldview and character, and these beatitudes describe our ideal character. None of these is to be esteemed lightly and no one can lay claim to kingdom citizenship except they intentionally imbibe these virtues.
Therefore, as we celebrate those who already walked this path before us, we must commit ourselves wholly to these ageless kingdom principles so we may ultimately share in their temporal and eternal blessedness.
Read Our Daily Bread Devotional for Monday 1st November 2021 – Ring the Bell
PRAYER: Heavenly Father help me to constantly uphold the virtues of my kingdom citizenship in Jesus ‘Name. Amen.
The Anglican Communion is the fourth-largest Christian denomination. Founded in 1867 in London, England, the communion currently has 85 million members within the Church of England and other national and regional churches in full communion
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