Category: Beatitudes

The salt of the earth

John Johnstone Beatitudes, Sermons

Sermon: Sunday, 26th October, 2025
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Matthew 5:7-8

Are you being discipled in KFC? Let me ask the same question in a different way, are you being encouraged to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and live out his teaching? As we’ve said in recent weeks, this can happen in preaching, at a Bible study or in 1:1 relationships. Discipleship is a hugely important theme as it concerns the way Jesus wants his followers to live. Sometimes, we do not place enough emphasis on the daily task of following Jesus at work, home, the community and in the church. Perhaps that is because Protestants have focused so much on the need to be justified by faith (which is vital) that we have underemphasised our need to ‘walk the walk’ each day. But we are having a season of deliberately focusing on discipleship, on the way Jesus wants us to live. And one of the best places to be is here in Matthew chapters 5-7, which we call the Sermon on the Mount. It is a quite wonderful summary of the ethical teaching of Jesus.

Of course, we are not saved from sin by obeying this teaching. We are saved by Jesus; but having been saved by God’s grace, this is how Jesus expects us all to live. We are his apprentices after all. The same pattern is seen before God gives the Ten Commandments, the great ethical summary in the Old Testament. Back then, his people were not saved by keeping these laws but by faith through God’s grace. But having been saved by God’s grace, God expected them (and us) to keep these rules. So, what is the pattern? We are saved by God’s grace and then called to keep his standards. ‘And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’   (Exodus 20:1-3)

As we have seen, Jesus’ ethical teaching begins with a focus on our hearts. Things can seem to be ok on the outside, but what matters to God most is what our hearts are like. So, we have spent four weeks considering how we are to be poor in spirit, mourn our sin and be meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, be merciful, pure and hearts and be a peacemaker. This is what Jesus’ followers are to be like. We need to be praying for God to increase these virtues within us. As we live in this different and countercultural way, we will be persecuted. If these things are not growing in our hearts then we will feel far from God, disconnected from him, and we will lack his joy and peace in our lives.

Now in verse 13, Jesus moves on from our hearts to consider what the relationship is between his followers and the rest of society around us. He assures us that as we live according to the beatitudes, in his strength, we will have a massive impact on the rest of the world. Jesus is telling us that his followers, including us here in this room who follow Jesus, will have a significant influence on those around us. Using such simple language, Jesus summarises this impact by saying we will be salt and light. This morning, I just want us to think about being salt. ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.’   (Matthew 5:13)

1. Salt stops the process of decay

We thought recently with the children about how salt was used in Jesus’ day. It was used to stop meat and fish from rotting. It had to be well rubbed into the meat or fish, but having done that, this food would last a long time, keeping people going through the winter months. And in the days before fridges, salt was a precious commodity. Something which stops food from rotting is very important indeed.

Perhaps we should be more shocked at Jesus’ claim that we are the salt of the earth. Think back to who he was talking to on the mount. This was a small group of men and women, mostly uneducated, from ordinary families, mostly Galilean peasants and not highly thought of in wider society. They were not rich. They did not command an army. They had not climbed the political ladders. In a way, they were a bunch of nobodies. And yet, Jesus emphatically says, you and you alone are the salt of the earth. This is both an honour and a responsibility for us.

If we fast forward to 2025 and to Fife, again Christians are very small in number here, and yet Jesus says to us, ‘You are the salt of the earth.’ Other people might look at the church and see it as pointless, irrelevant and useless, but Jesus makes this encouraging claim that in reality, we are making a large difference in society, an eternal difference, and by implication, if we were not here, things would be a lot worse.

There is a sad side to this. If Jesus says we are salt, then this means that the world around us is decaying. And if he says we are light then it means that without God the world is in darkness. This does not mean the world is as bad as it could be. There are many good things in our culture to be celebrated. But it means that without God’s church and God’s people, things will slide downhill.

Some might say, ‘That’s an arrogant claim.’ Maybe some concrete examples will help. Let’s start in Outer Mongolia! Many villages there have seen great moral and spiritual darkness and decay. A great deal of the husbands were drinking away their wages, and beating their spouses and children. Missionaries arrived and shared the gospel and God began to work. Some of the husbands became followers of Jesus. The drinking stopped. The change in the family unit was enormous. Other families could see this change and connected it with Jesus. Soon, a small number of Christians were having a very salty influence on the village. Much pain and misery was prevented.

Closer to home, in Britain following the revivals in the 18th century, the Evangelical Revival and the Second Great Awakening, the impact of the church on society was clear and significant and very salty. It fed into the abolition of the slave trade, the end of child labour, the rise of the nursing movement, prison reform, the building of hospitals and schools and formation of labour unions. When a church is strong in a country, it prevents decay and when weak, the decay happens more quickly.

For us today, this should be both an encouragement and a challenge. Jesus is saying to us today, ‘You are the salt of the earth.’ You have a vital role to play in Fife. You mustn’t think you are unimportant – quite the reverse is true. Christians are not the only influence restraining evil in society; good government can help to do this, as can the family unit. So can a workforce of carers in the NHS, the police and fire brigade and so on.

In a world where moral standards can be low, constantly changing, or non-existent the steady, Biblical, moral back-bone of God’s people can have a profound impact. This can be seen in the workplace, where the presence of a Christian ought to shift the workplace in a more positive moral direction. Often colleagues swear less, knowing we find it offensive. If we don’t join in the gossip or complaining, then this too will have an effect, as will hard work, helping others (being a good employee), and just living a kind and humble life before the face of others. If we are known as those who do what they say, reliable and trustworthy, then that is a precious thing indeed.

2. Be involved in ordinary society

The point is often made than salt is no good in the salt cellar, but must come out of its container and be rubbed into the meat. This is true. Christians will have zero impact living in a ‘holy huddle’. We must be involved in the lives of our neighbours, colleagues and friends who do not know God. We must be ‘well rubbed in’. We need close contact. Again and again, we repeat, you can’t talk to people about Jesus if you don’t talk to people. Are you the kind of person who keeps yourself to yourself, or do you try and make a positive impact on those around you? We only spend an hour or two in church each week, but we spend a huge amount of time at work, at school or university, at the shops, playing sport, in the office and with friends. As we spend this time, we have a job to do, and that is to be as salty as possible.

What does it mean to be as salty as possible? It means to be involved in ordinary things around us but without compromising on the teaching of Jesus. We can be involved in clubs and schools and community groups and community events and choirs and toddler groups and allotments and litter picking and food banks and local shops. ‘Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.’   (Jeremiah 29:7)

What happens if we are involved in these things but are not living out Jesus’ teachings there? What if we compromise and are like chameleons and just fit in with everyone else? Jesus tells us. We lose our saltiness. And we become useless in these places. We are only useful in these places as we live out the beatitudes and the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. It’s hard! It is so easy to compromise so we don’t stand out. It is also easy just to withdraw from society and exist in Christian bubbles. Naturally, if we are in bubbles, we will not be acting as salt. What wisdom it takes to be in the world but not of the world. How we need to pray for this wisdom.

So, what are we saying? Christians must not give up on the world or run away from the world. Rather, we must permeate the communities in which the Lord has placed us, but without compromising and becoming useless.

3. Salt stings

Salt preserves but what else does it do? In Jesus’ day it was used medicinally and placed on a wound would sting. Perhaps this view is also in Jesus’ mind here – I am not sure. Sometimes it hurts to have other Christians around. A Christian drinking in moderation can irritate others who are drinking in order to get drunk. A Christian speaking the truth into a moral situation will sting. Of course, we are called to speak truth only in love. John the Baptist spoke to the King in a salty way by informing him that he should not have taken his brother’s wife for himself. It stung them. John acted as salt and as a result he was beheaded.

4. Salt also brings out the flavour of things

I love porridge if there’s a bit of salt added. The same goes for other foods, from fish to avocados. This is really positive stuff. If we, as Jesus’ apprentices, live lives of love, we will bring out good flavour where we go. When you go tomorrow to your places of work, or study, or to your families and communities, if you go with love, following Jesus’ example of love, very often you will bring out and unlock and unleash much good in other people. How are we to love one another in the church and in the world? ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’   (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Friends, go into the normal places this week and live like that. Live out the beatitudes. Live out the Sermon on the Mount, and you will have an influence beyond anything you might realise. A little salt in our food makes a huge difference in taste and prevents decay. Even this small group of Christians here, as we follow Jesus’ example, will make a significant difference. If we don’t live lives of love, we’ll become useless, fit only to be trampled on. That’s what happened to salt which had been corrupted in Jesus’ day – it was thrown onto the roads to level them, to be trampled underfoot.

Do you want to make a real difference? Do you want to stop decay? Do you want to bring out the good? Then make it your passion to live out Jesus’ teachings. Be a salty Christian.

Merciful and pure in heart…

John Johnstone Beatitudes

Sermon: Sunday, 28th September, 2025
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Matthew 5:7-8

When we become Christians, it is important to realise that this is just the beginning of a life-long journey following Jesus as his disciples. When Jesus becomes our Saviour and King, he expects us to live in a certain way – his way. And what Jesus focuses on in our discipleship is our hearts. For Jesus, our hearts are the heart of the matter.

T Johnson: ‘Here in the beatitudes we are treated to Jesus’ most complete description of his disciples. Jesus works from the inside out, zeroing in on the heart and describing the behaviour that flows from it. What emerges is an individual, and then a community that is radically different.’

Today we consider ‘Blessed are the merciful and pure in heart;’ and we need to know that Jesus expects these virtues to be in your lives. He expects to see all 8 characteristics. Christians are to be different. In what way? We are to be poor in spirit, mourn our sin, show meekness, hunger for righteousness, be merciful, pure in heart, act as peacemakers and we will be persecuted. We must display all of these qualities, albeit imperfectly. Is this realistic?

The world high jump record has been held for 30 years by a Cuban called Javier Sotomayor. He cleared 2.45 metres. Imagine God expected us to all jump 2.5 metres. We would think that is unrealistic and discouraging and impossible. Perhaps that’s how we feel reading this list of eight virtues. It might seem just as impossible and unattainable. But there is one thing we are forgetting – we can grow in all of these areas through our own efforts and through the help of the Holy Spirit!

If we want to be merciful and pure in heart, it begins on our knees in prayer and then we must make every effort to follow Jesus, the one who is always merciful and pure in heart. Are you a strong Christian? Mature? How can you tell? You must consider your heart and whether or not it is growing in these eight areas. And again, if this series does not result in you going home and praying and asking God to enlarge your heart in these ways, it will be a waste of time. Think of David’s words: ‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.’   (Psalm 51:10)

1. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Jesus’ followers must be merciful. Why? Because we are the ones who have received enormous mercy from God, and so surely then we must, in turn, display that mercy. If we don’t, it’s possibly a sign that we are not true Christians. That’s what the parable of the unmerciful servant is all about. Surely a man forgiven an enormous debt must, in turn, forgive a smaller debt owed to him.

What is mercy? How can we define it? Mercy is pity for the needy which leads to active help. Mercy is not seeing someone in need and feeling sorry for them but doing nothing about it. That is just sentimentalism. One of the best examples of mercy in the Bible is the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan saw a man helpless, and suffering and his mercy was costly, as it involved his time, money and even some personal risk. Imagine the Good Samaritan looked at the injured man with warm and fuzzy feelings in his heart but failed to act. He would have been known as the sentimental Samaritan! The religious leaders of the parable were unmerciful: they saw the need, but they did not want to get involved.

Friends, this is a searching beatitude. Blessed are the merciful. If I am honest, there are times when I see a need, and I don’t want to get involved. What should I do? I need to keep coming back to the foot of the cross and meditating on the fact that in Christ, God has shown enormous mercy on me. The more I appreciate the extent of God’s mercy on me, the more likely I will be to show mercy for others. The more I remember that God helped me when I was helpless to save myself, the more I will look on those around me in need with mercy.

John Stott defines mercy as: ‘Compassion for those in need.’ We see far beyond our own needs and wants and we see the needs of others and want to help. Are you like that? Actually helping?

You might see someone who is lonely, or in pain, or in distress. You might see someone who lacks the basics. You might not know them personally. They might even be on the other side of the world but through a missionary agency you help them and show mercy. You help to give them clean water or clothes for winter. You might give to Steadfast Global or Blythswood, and through that people are given help, such as micro-loans which change their lives and enable people to support themselves.

Terry Johnson: ‘We live in a fallen world and are often surrounded by the consequences of the fall. Because there is sin in the world we encounter poverty. The merciful will try to secure material provision for the poor. We will encounter children who are orphaned. The merciful will find families for them. We will encounter ignorance. The merciful will provide schools… We will encounter sickness. The merciful will seek to heal. We will encounter war. The merciful will soothe the wounds. We will encounter crime. The merciful will provide protection. And of course, we will encounter the spiritually lost. The merciful will bring to them the gospel. The world may turn away in contempt or disgust from the weak and the needy. The disciples of Christ respond with compassion and sympathetic help.’

Showing others mercy must be our default position, even those who we feel have let us down. Did we not let God down? We still do. Listen to how important mercy is to God. ‘For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.’   (Hosea 6:6) Jesus repeats this verse in Matthew chapters and 12. God wants to see mercy in your heart resulting in acts of mercy upon others. How can we do this more together as a church? How can we do this in our families and as individuals? The shoebox appeal is a start but it has to be much more than once a year. It must be a way of life for us. Think back over the last month. When have you shown mercy to others?

Why do often fail to show mercy, even as Christians? Sometimes we are just too self-centred. We are too caught up in our own needs and wants and feelings. We live in our own little bubbles. Perhaps we’ve never experienced poverty so we just don’t think about those who are poor. It’s not on our radar. Perhaps we’ve never been seriously ill. For some, we might be full of self-pity, caught up in our own suffering. We think: ‘I’ve got enough going on in my own family without getting involved in someone else’s mess.’ Our prayer ought to be: ‘Lord, help me to get past myself and see the needs of others and to help them, by your grace.’

Another barrier to showing mercy is our own selfishness. Like we saw in the Good Samaritan, it’s costly to show others mercy. It involves our time and money and energy and personal inconvenience and getting out of our comfort zones. Some people just want to keep their time and money and energy all to themselves. Our prayer: ‘Lord, keep me from selfishness’.

Friends, we need to keep coming back to this question: where would we be today were it not for the mercy of God? We would be lost and without hope. Surely, then, we ought to be the first to show mercy to others. Sadly, sometimes those who aren’t believers can outdo us showing mercy.

What does God promise the merciful? They will be shown mercy. Of course, this does not mean that we earn God’s mercy by showing mercy to others. It is not saying God shows us mercy because we show mercy to others. The only basis for God’s mercy to us is the death of Jesus on the cross.

What Jesus means is this: those who have been shown mercy by God will in turn extend mercy to others. And if we do not show mercy, it is a sign that we have never really known God’s mercy. Our hearts are devoid of mercy and are instead filled with pride, selfishness, bitterness and a judgmental spirit. This is a serious state to be in. Our prayer: ‘Lord, give me a heart filled with mercy’.

2. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Of all the beatitudes, this one seems the most out of reach. Of course, it is not. It is not meaning that we can reach a state of perfection. What does it mean, then, to be pure in heart? In our culture, the heart often refers to our emotions. We are broken-hearted, for example. But in Jesus’ day, the heart meant the core of your being – the real you. So, it includes your desires and motives and thinking and personality. It is your essential core.

Being pure in heart means being morally pure inwardly. Again, this is not about being perfect, but about striving with God’s help to put sins in our lives to death and to nurture what is good and true. This word was used for washing clothes in order to rid them of impurities. Is this what you are doing in your life? Purging the bad and clinging to what is good? Or, are we beginning to tolerate things in our lives which should not be there, like gossip, pornography, pride and greed? As soon as we begin to accept such things, we cannot be pure in heart. We need to wage war on such things, taking them seriously. If you eye causes you to sin, says Jesus, then gouge it out. The pure in heart have a no-nonsense approach to sin.

We can fool other people by coming to church regularly and looking the part. But we never fool God. He wants purity on the inside. ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.’   (Matthew 23:27-28)

But there is another element to being pure in heart. The pure in heart have an undivided loyalty to God. It is a heart unmixed. This word for pure was used for wine which had not been mixed with water. It was pure wine. God wants our motives to be pure and not mixed. When we give to the church we do it to please God and not to show off. When we do good we do it to serve God and not because we are self-righteous.

This is not easy. Does God have all our hearts? Or do we love money more or sport or our families? If so, our hearts are not pure but divided. Of course, we never reach perfection this side of eternity. But we pray asking God that when we do things, it would be less about doing things for selfish reasons and more about doing them for his glory – to please him. ‘Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.’   (Psalm 86:11)

The promise God gives. The whole point of Christianity is to bring us into God’s presence. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’   (Matthew 5:8) We can see God now by faith.

‘By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.’   (Hebrews 11:27)

We see God in Christ. ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’   (John 1:14)

And in Heaven, John says we shall see him as he is. ‘They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.’   (Revelation 22:4) There is great mystery here. ‘Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.’   (1 John 3:2-3) I love these verses. They’re saying one day we will be totally pure, so get on with being as pure as we can be right now! Our present efforts for purity are consistent with our future hope.

Think of the money people will spend to go on holiday and see beautiful things, from the Great Barrier Reef to Machu Picchu to hiking in the Alps. But the pure in heart will see God. It is mind-blowing to think what that will be like. To see God is to experience the greatest, loveliest, most awesome One in the universe. ‘You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.’   (Psalm 16:11) Seeing God, and full of joy.

M L Jones: ‘The only way to have a pure heart is to realise you have an impure heart, and to do that which alone can lead to cleansing and purity.’

We cannot change ourselves and so we need to pray for a pure heart. God will give this to us if we ask! And the other thing we need to do is soak ourselves in scripture.

‘You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.’   (John 15:3)

‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.’   (John 17:17)

Meekness and hunger…

John Johnstone Beatitudes

Video

Sermon: Sunday, 14th September, 2025
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Matthew 5:5-6

The beatitudes are a portrait of the kind of people Jesus wants his disciples to be. We are those who are poor in spirit, understanding that spiritually speaking we are beggars. This leads us to mourning over our sin. We have true sorrow before God for our wrong thoughts, words and actions knowing that it is God’s rules we have broken, and it is God we have let down. Not everyone values being poor in spirit and mourning our sin before God, but Jesus does, and we are called to be his disciples. The first two beatitudes are both connected to humility. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought but are to have a realistic and sober view of ourselves. This humility helps us to relate both to God and to others in the right way. Proud people might easily feel they do not need God and might look down on others because they have an inflated view of themselves. These first two beatitudes, then, are foundational. It is likely this is why they come first in the list.

Have you been thinking and praying about these virtues since last Sunday? Do you want a heart that is poor in spirit and mourns over the gulf between God’s character and ours? The truth is, the eight virtues listed in the beatitudes are greatly valued by Jesus but perhaps we have not valued them as we should have. The next two virtues are also undervalued in our culture – meekness and longing to grow in righteousness.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.’ (Matthew 5:5)

Meek people are sometimes thought of as unassertive and easily dominated. To use an animal metaphor, it is someone who is spineless like a jellyfish. But that is not what meekness is. Meekness is very different to weakness. Meekness is very different from being spineless and timid. Actually, meekness is a virtue whose beauty we urgently need to rediscover.

What is a good definition of meekness?

John Stott: ‘Gentle, humble, considerate, courteous and therefore exercising self-control without which these qualities would be impossible.’

I think it’s good to think of meekness as humility towards God and gentleness towards other people. To use a much better animal metaphor, meekness is like a horse which has been tamed and whose power and strength are under control. In other words, it is a horse which answers to the reins. A wild horse has great strength, but it is no use to us as it kicks and bucks and is actually something dangerous. Think of a domesticated horse. Is it weak? Absolutely not! But its strength is now directed in the right way. This is meekness – strength under control.

Let’s break this picture down. Meek people are humble towards God. This is seen in how we respond to God’s Word, the Bible. ‘…get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.’   (James 1:1) The word for meekness is here translated ‘humbly’. Humble and meek people are happy to give God his rightful place. If God says something which we don’t understand or struggle with, the humble conclude that God knows best, and it must be our own lack of understanding that gives rise to the problem. God is all-wise and all-knowing and can be trusted. It is we who are so limited. When we hear a sermon in church, and get into the car afterwards to drive home, the meek person is not evaluating how the preacher got on: ‘He was good today or bad today’. Nor are they judging others in the light of the sermon. Instead, he or she is keen to see how what was taught can be put into practice in their own lives, at home and at work. We are to meekly receive God’s word.

The meek also humbly accept the providence of God. Things happen in our lives which might bring us great pain and confusion and hurt. But even in that, we recognise that God has a reason for it, even when we have no idea what that reason is.

Jerry Bridges: ‘God does as he wills and we can do nothing except what he wills. This would be terrifying if that were all we knew about God. But God is not only sovereign; he is perfect in his unfailing love and infinite in his wisdom, which is far beyond our ability to understand.’

As well as being humble towards God, the meek are gentle towards other people. Gentleness is a massively underrated quality. Were I to go back in time to my early 20s, I wish I had understood the value of gentleness.

‘Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.’   (Numbers 12:3)

‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’   (Matthew 11:28-29) If you want to be like Moses or like Jesus, you need to be gentle. Jesus is the quintessential human being. And he is gentle. We need to be gentle.

Sometimes we have this idea of manliness that we need to be pushy and assertive in order to be men. What garbage. True men are gentle. And true women are also gentle. Husbands who follow Jesus properly need to display gentleness and when we don’t we need to repent. Parents need to parent with gentleness, even if we weren’t parented that way. We need to be gentle with our friends and colleagues, even if they mistreat us. The gentle person does not retaliate or give people the cold shoulder. They don’t wallow in self-pity or burn with resentment. They don’t cut people off when they are not treated in the way they want to be. That’s not the way of Jesus.

Blessed are the meek. Terry Johnson helpfully outlines the way in which the first 3 beatitudes connect together:

‘Those who are poor in spirit not only mourn their sins in relation to God but are so humiliated by their corruption and worldliness that they are gentle and humble in relation to others, particularly the weakness of others… because they know their own profound flaws, they are tender in dealing with the flaws of others.’

How do you respond to the weakness of others? When we ourselves make significant mistakes in life and are treated with gentleness it is healing and precious.

How should we behave as we pastor one another in the church? We should not ignore one another’s wrongs. Sometimes we need to speak to others about concerns. ‘Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.’   (Galatians 6:1) When we speak to unbelievers about Jesus, what should be our tone? ‘…in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.’   (1 Peter 3:15)

This sermon could make little or no difference to your life or it could make a huge difference. Let’s be positive. How could it make a huge difference? We need to realise that this meekness, connected to humility before God and gentleness towards others, is something supernatural. Gentleness is one of the fruit of the Spirit. The word used in Galatians 5:23 is this same word – meekness. We need to ask the Spirit to give us meekness. Will you ask? I am not a naturally meek person. I’ve made a hash of this. But as the years have rolled on, it has been my heart-felt prayer to be meek.

Listen to the promise which Jesus gives. We might think that the meek will be trampled all over by others and miss out in life. Jesus says they will inherit the earth. The tv series called ‘The Apprentice’ has been running for 20 years. Contestants compete for a cash prize and to work with Allan Sugar. Many watch as they are fascinated about how horrible and cut-throat people can be to get ahead and win the prize. In that world of business, the meek seem to inherit nothing. But in the long-run, with eternity in mind, the meek will not lose out. ‘But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.’   (Psalm 37:11) This land is the land of Heaven. Even in this life, the meek will be more contented than the pushy and domineering. And in the life to come, things will not be as they appear now. The meek and not the proud and pushy will inherit the Kingdom of God. A great reversal will take place. The meek shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5-6)

Those keen to grow in righteousness are sometimes thought of as narrow-minded, ‘holier than thou’ and legalistic. This is wrong. Rather, this hunger is the intense desire we have to both know God and to be like God.

Few of us have ever been truly thirsty or starving for food. But we understand what Jesus is conveying.

‘But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’   (Matthew 6:33)

‘As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.’   (Psalm 42:1)

I know from my dogs that if they go out on a long walk and there is no water, the first thing they do when they come in is have a big drink. We thirst to have a positive relationship with God through the Word and prayer and to be like him. This is a desire for holiness.

Terry Johnson describes this kind of person:

‘He sees his self-righteousness and pride and longs to be humble. He sees his lust and longs to be pure in heart. He sees his hypocrisy, and he longs to be a man of integrity. He sees his harsh and condemning spirit, and he longs to be gracious and forgiving. He sees his failure as a father, as a husband, as a friend, and he longs to be fulfilled.’

Robert Murray McCheyne: ‘Make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be.’

Can you relate to this hunger and thirst? I hope so. If not, ask God that you would have such a longing. This is such a positive thing to pray for. Our lives as disciples is not just about what we don’t do. It must also be about what we do. We are called to take off the dirty clothes and put on the new clothes.

‘Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator… Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.’   (Colossians 3)

Let’s be honest. What do you hunger and thirst for? Is it money or success? Is it just a quiet life and to be able to do what you want? The prodigal son went looking for satisfaction in the wrong places. He thought if he could just get away from family responsibilities and enjoy doing anything he wanted with his money – all those things he was told were wrong. Perhaps at first, they felt good. In the end there was no satisfaction to be found there. We were made for a relationship with God and so it stands to reason that only he can satisfy our souls. Money and what it can buy cannot. Nor can other people, power or pleasure. The Samaritan woman realised that after her sixth partner. Jesus promises you today that if you devote yourself to knowing God and being like God you shall be satisfied. The promise is not ‘Blessed are those who play with the Christian faith and keep God at arm’s length for they shall be satisfied’. Pray that God would help you to seek him and his ways.

But God uses means. God has already revealed to us the ways in which we can know him and be like him. It’s not rocket science. They are things we hear repeatedly, but if we don’t do them then we will miss out. We need to put to death the wrong things in our lives, with God’s help. Take a no-nonsense approach to sin. ‘For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils… But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith…’   (1 Timothy 6)

Ask God to give you a hunger for weekly worship in church. A hunger to hear God’s Word being read and preached. Ask for a hunger to meet up with other believers in Bible study and fellowship. Ask for the discipline and love to turn off your phones and TVs and go away to a quiet place just to be by yourself with God. Pray that this would be your routine and that you would relish these times with God and guard them.

Transforming our attitudes

John Johnstone Beatitudes

Video

Sermon: Sunday, 7th September, 2025
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-16

How many times in the Bible are followers of Jesus called Christians and how many times are they called disciples? The word ‘Christians’ occurs 3 times whilst the word ‘disciple’ occurs 269 times. Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus calls us to: ‘… go and make disciples of all nations… baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’   (Matthew 28: 19-20)

It is crucial that all of Jesus’ followers embrace what it means to be his disciple or apprentice. We must obey all that he says. We must seek to live as he lived, not in our own strength but in the strength he provides. The late Dallas Willard believed that the bar for discipleship in the modern church has been set far too low. We live as if God has next to no expectations of how we live our lives. We are too content with just being ‘saved’ and conveniently forget all about being ‘followers’. Being a disciple is about far more than conversion. It begins with that. But it is about a lifelong task of active apprenticeship and not passive belief.

Dallas Willard: ‘The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples — students, apprentices, practitioners — of Jesus Christ.’

The best way for us to ‘raise the bar’ again and to be the kind of disciples Jesus wants is simple: we need to study the teachings of Jesus and then live them out in our lives. As we do this, our lives will be transformed, and we will become more like Jesus. How can we say we believe Jesus shed his blood for us but that we don’t really want to live in the way he commands? Are you ready to pursue the kind of life Jesus wants you to? If you are, the Sermon on the Mount is a great place to start. It begins with the beatitudes.

T Johnston: ‘The beatitudes are Jesus’ most complete description of his disciples. Jesus works on the inside out, zeroing in on the heart and describing the behaviour that flows from it. What emerges is an individual, and then a community that is radically different.’

If this is true, and it is, then the eight virtues outlined in the beatitudes ought to describe, in some measure, all the Christians in this church. Again, like the fruit of the Spirit, we can only become like this with the help of God’s Spirit. We need to keep praying that God would make us like this.

Most of us have experienced ‘pick and mix’ sweets at the cinema or in a shop. You see a whole range of sweets and you just choose the ones you want. These eight virtues must not be treated in that way. We cannot say: ‘I like the thought of being a peacemaker, but I don’t want to be poor in spirit’. Like the fruit of the Spirit, and the Ten Commandments, all eight of these virtues combine to outline what all Christians are meant to be. Jesus is saying to us today: ‘This is how my people are to live.’ This is not a description of an elite group of Christians but of ordinary Christians like us. And the more we live in that way, the more we will be salt and light in this world.

The late Donald Macleod once mentioned that he was often asked what the Free Church stands for. He said that he wished we could point people to the Sermon on the Mount and say: ‘This is what we stand for.’ In other words, we are those who focus on implementing the virtues of the beatitudes, on loving our enemies, on prayer in the secret place, not judging others and trusting in our Father to provide for us, rather than worrying ourselves sick.

What does the word ‘blessed’ really mean? Some people have translated the Greek word (makarios) as ‘happy’. But the meaning is much more precise than that. To be blessed means that God approves of how we are living. We have his smile upon us. He is pleased with us. Before we look at the first two beatitudes, it is important to acknowledge just how counter-cultural they are. Were you to poll the top eight virtues of the average person in Fife, in might be more along the lines of blessed are the healthy or the wealthy or those who managed to get Oasis tickets or have financial security. Jesus focuses the attention of his followers on mourning, meekness and showing mercy.

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus wants his disciples to be those who are ‘poor in spirit’. This has nothing to do with financial poverty. This speaks of spiritual poverty. This word for poor is a very strong one, speaking of someone who is destitute, like a beggar who has nothing. This beatitude is best illustrated by the parable in Luke’s Gospel.

‘To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’   (Luke 18:9-14)

Which man is blessed? Which man does God favour? Clearly, it is not the one who evaluates his life before God and concludes that he is a great guy, far better than everyone else. The Pharisee is self-righteous and is not seeing things as they really are. God hates this kind of attitude. However, the tax collector evaluates himself properly. He recognises that he has not loved God as he ought to have and has not loved his neighbour as he has loved himself. He knows he has lied and stolen and been selfish and proud. He knows he needs God’s mercy. And God says that he is blessed and that nothing less than the Kingdom of God belongs to him. He knows the truth. The truth is, I cannot even live up to my own standards of behaviour, far less God’s. I am spiritually bankrupt.

Yes, we come to God like this when we become Christians, but as disciples we need to keep on coming to God like this.

Jerry Bridges: ‘Believers who are growing continue to see more sin in their lives. It is not that they are sinning more; rather, they are becoming more aware of and more sensitive to the sin that has been there all along. It is not the flagrant sins of society around us, but rather such sins as our selfishness, our pride, our jealousy and envy, and above all, our judgmental spirit towards others.’

Even as Christians, we can fall into the trap of minimising or ignoring our own sins and maximising those of others. But if we are poor in spirit, we will not do that so much!

Most of us are happy to go to the doctor and admit the physical or mental problems we have. There are things which are wrong, and we cannot deal with them on our own and we need help. We go and seek out that help. It would be foolish to turn up at the GP practice and then say ‘I’m fine. I’m in perfect health. And I’m far healthier than most other people I know.’ The reality is that our blood pressure is high and something is wrong. If only we could have the same attitude with our spiritual and moral problems. We ought to go to our spiritual doctor, Jesus himself, and ask for his help, admitting our problems of pride and selfishness and so on. We ought to confess and ask him to change us on the inside by his Spirit. What gets in the way? Pride. Jesus reminds us that his followers are like the tax collector.

Don Carson: ‘We must come to him and acknowledge our spiritual bankruptcy, emptying ourselves of our self-righteousness, moral self-esteem and personal vainglory. Emptied of these things we are ready for him to fill us.’

And God most certainly does fill us. Who, then, is given the Kingdom of God? It is not the proud or self-righteous who receive God’s Kingdom, but those who are humble enough to acknowledge their unworthiness to receive it. You need to understand the truth about yourself. Don’t be self-deceived, blaming others for your wrongs. Instead, acknowledge your moral poverty, ask God for forgiveness and help and then he will empower you to live with humility and love and peace. Ask Jesus to fill you up so you become more like him. Ask him to cause the fruit of the Spirit to grow in our hearts. Ask him to help you to be serious about following him.

2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Of course, Jesus is not speaking here about mourning the death of a loved one but rather mourning over our sin. In this sense, the first two beatitudes are closely connected. Jesus’ followers are aware of their own shortcomings, and this accurate understanding of themselves leads them to godly sorrow before God. At first, blessed are those who mourn might sound crazy. Happy are the unhappy. But those who mourn over their sin before God will know the enormous comfort of God’s forgiveness.

These first two beatitudes come together in the Old Testament, in book of Isaiah we read; ‘The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.’   (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Do you know what it is to mourn because of your sin? Let’s look more closely at this. This kind of mourning is not the same as feeling sorry for yourself. For example, imagine you get drunk and end up behaving in a rude and crass way towards a friend, you might regret that in the morning. You might even go and apologise to your friend. But there is a piece missing. You ought to apologise to your friend but you should also apologise to God. Why? Because it is his rules you are breaking. He is the one who commands us not to get drunk and to treat people with respect. There’s an important verse Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians: ‘Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.’   (2 Corinthians 7:10) ( This verse tells us there are two kinds of sorrow or mourning. Godly mourning turns away from sin towards God, confesses to God and finds forgiveness and cleansing in him. It is this mourning we see in David after his adultery. He sins against Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, by stealing his wife and then by murdering him. But he knows that ultimately, he has sinned against the Lord. ‘Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…’   (Psalm 51:4)

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. We are comforted as mourning before God allows us to lay hold of God’s mercy. So, David goes on to say: ‘Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.’   (Psalm 51:7-10)

Those who don’t mourn before God will not receive God’s comfort. But those who do can say with David: ‘You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you for ever.’ (Psalm 30:11-12)

One day, the Kingdom of God will be consummated, and we shall live on the new earth forever. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’   (Revelation 21:4) But until that day, while we are on this earth we will continue to break God’s rules.

Rather than distracting ourselves with entertainment or blaming others our burying ourselves in work, let’s respond by going to a quiet place and mourning before him. He promises a deep comfort. This is Jesus’ description of his disciples.