“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16
Our text for today follows hard on the Beatitudes and seems an appropriate appendix to them. It is my judgment that the beatitudes are representative of the character of the incarnate Son of God and His approbation of those who manifest these qualities, “Blessed are ye…” - favored of God - indicates God’s great pleasure when He sees the character of His Son reproduced in those who are fellow members of the family of God.
The Savior was meek and poor in spirit; “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Mat. 11:29). He mourned; “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). He hungered and thirsted after righteousness; “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34). He was merciful; “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17). He was pure in heart; He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15b). He is the ultimate peacemaker; “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col. 1:19-20). And that He was “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” needs no verification; the cross is the ultimate proof, conjoined to Pilate’s remark, “I find in Him no fault at all” (Cf. John 18:38, 19:4, 6).
Certainly these are visible characteristics of “the man Christ Jesus.” And that He was blessed of God the Father is evident in the voice that came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased [Matthew 3:17].” And just as certainly they are qualities God longs to see reproduced in us and constitute the Divine intention for “the today of our experience” while we remain on earth. We have noted before that this is the present objective of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer,”For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to to be conformed to the image of His Son… [Rom. 8:29].” It formed an exhortation on the part of the apostle Paul who wrote to the Roman Christians, “…put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…” and to the Ephesians, “…put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness [Rom. 13:4, Eph. 4:24].’ And it was part of the apostle’s agony for his flock when he said, “My little children, for whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you [Gal. 4:19, italics mine.].”
The Savior said, “As my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you [John 20:21b].” He was sent as “God manifest in the flesh,”and could say to the inquirer “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.” It is obviously God’s intention that those who are in Christ should so cultivate His characteristics that those who want to know what God is like can see the family resemblance in us. This side of heaven we will never attain any of these qualities to His level, but that is not the issue; the issue is, are we aspiring to display His likeness before the watching world? Are we making any progress in that direction?
A dear friend of mine is in the habit of saying, we are still here because God has something for us to do. May I alter that just a bit and suggest that more than something for us to do, God has something for us to be. As we make progress in being what God wants us to be, whatever we do will reflect His glory, and that will align us with the Savior Who said to His Father, “I have glorified Thee on the earth… [Jn. 17:4].” That was His aim, and it should be ours.
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain: O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
T. O. Chisholm - 1897
For our good—for His glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
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