The Sermon on Repentance

This last week I had one of my most favorite lectures thus far in this New Testament. He took the Sermon on the Mount and completely just blew my mind. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus begins his discourse with a list of people that are "Blessed" (V.3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10). As do most people, it is really easy to just look at that list and think that those are just different groups of people Christ understands, and appreciates and that there isn't a deeper connection other than that.
He first state "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." (v. 3) It is easy to presume that he is referring to people that lack confidence, or arrogance. Christ is there to lift those people up or is there to teach them. If we do take it as it is, it can also read "poor in the Spirit..." Looking at it that way may be initially confusing because that seems contrary to the way Christ wants us- he wants us to be rich in the Spirit. Instead we should view it as being aware of our lack of Spirit. There has been times in all of our lives when we have felt spiritually stagnant. We feel like we've hit a brick wall and aren't "feeling it." That is a time when we will feel bad for all the ways we fall short and our shortcomings because extremely obvious to us. That might a time when we would consider mourning (v. 4). Once we do see all of this, the hope is that we turn to God for help. We pray to him and come to him with meekness (v. 5). If you turn to that chapter you can start to see how I am connecting the verses together in such a way that Christ is not talking about groups of people, but of a process. That process that is coming forth is repentance. I personally feel that the biggest difference between people that don't progress and do progress is becoming meek. Often they feel the guilt for the mistakes but they don't turn to God to overcome them. This humility will cause one to hunger and thirst after righteousness (v. 6). I think that is the action behind the meekness. I also noticed that it mentioned both hunger and thirst. This reminded me of the eating of the bread and drinking of the water during the sacrament. It can be compared to how the atonement can satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst. As God is merciful to us throughout this process, it is important to be merciful (v. 7) to others. When we do all these things, God will begin to purify our hearts (v. 8). That purifying will grant us peace. When we have found that peace, we are responsible to help others find that peace in their life (v. 9) This is the essence of missionary work. As is always the case, those who try and share truth will have many enemies and will be persecuted for it (v. 10). As Christ taught this sermon, it was much more than just explaining that these groups of people were blessed. He was teaching us the steps of full and complete repentance. Those to live this and continually apply this steps will in inherit the kingdom of heave (v. 3, 10).