Introduction
• Having right relationships with others begins with having a right relationship with God and yourself. In the Beatitudes found in The Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus starts off with how our internal reality should match what God wants for us. In the next part, Jesus tells us how those qualities should spill out into our relationships.
• I’m Brent, and this is episode 40 of The Bible Unplugged. We’re continuing the series, “Kingdom Attitudes: The Beatitudes of Jesus.” What we will learn together is that what God desires for us is radically different than the values and goals we see in our world.
• Please take a minute to visit the show notes for this episode at PowerLoveandMiracles.com under the Podcast tab.
The Beatitudes: A Progression
• In the last episode, we talked about the pattern Jesus gives us in this passage. So far, we’ve covered the internal qualities of a kingdom citizen:
• Poor in spirit – I know I need God.
• Mourning – I grieve over sin and brokenness.
• Meek – I surrender my power and trust to God's timing.
• Hunger and thirst for righteousness – I crave God’s will.
• In this episode we look at what happens when that internal transformation becomes outward action.
The Merciful
• In verse 7, Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
• The word translated merciful refers to someone who shows compassion, not just in emotion, but in action.
• In the Hebrew language a similar word refers to steadfast loyalty and deep feelings for those who are in pain and sorrow.
• Jesus tells us that mercy isn’t optional for kingdom citizens. It’s also reciprocal. If you want to receive mercy from God and others, you must be the kind of person who gives mercy freely.
• This echoes Jesus’ later words in Matthew 6:15: “If you don’t forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.”
• Mercy is how the heart of God flows through us to others.
Pure in Heart
• Jesus goes on the say in verse 8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
• The word translated “pure” is the same word used in refining silver to remove impurities. This happens only when silver melts over a hot fire. Our hearts are refined when we face challenges and grow closer to God because of them.
• This echoes Psalm 24:3–4 which says, “Who may ascend God’s holy hill?” The answer: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart.”
• Purity of heart is about integrity learned through personal challenges and growth. Integrity means we are the same person in secret that we are in public. Jesus promises that those who have a consistent and undivided heart will see God. That’s more than a future reward. It’s the ability to perceive God now—to recognize His hand in your life.
Peacemakers
• In verse 9, Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
• The word here refers to someone who actively creates a peaceful world around them. They don’t just like or love peace, they create it.
• The Hebrew phrase Jesus likely used is, “rodef shalom.,” which means someone who pursues wholeness, harmony, and well-being for themselves and others. This was a popular phrase among rabbis of Jesus’ time.
• Peacemakers are like their Father in heaven. When we choose to build bridges instead of burn them, we reveal our family resemblance to God.
• Jesus says that peacemakers will be called the children of God. Other people will see God shining through us and know that we are kingdom citizens.
What Do We Learn From This?
• Mercy is not a weakness. It’s the overflow of the grace we’ve received from God. When we actively show mercy, those around us will recognize God’s power in our lives.
• Purity of our hearts isn’t about perfection. The word Jesus used refers to the process of purity, not the end result. We live in a world that challenges and devalues integrity. Overcoming those challenges leads to a pure heart before God.
• We tend to think of peacemakers as being passive. What Jesus tells us is that actively pursuing peace in our world is one of our greatest strengths.
What Do We Do With This?
• Practice mercy this week. Ask God to show you someone in your life that needs a shoulder to cry on. Who do you know that need kindness, whether it’s deserved or not. Choose one person this week that needs more of God in their lives and show them the kindness and mercy that they so desperately need.
• When you start your day in prayer, examine your motives from the day before. Where is your heart divided? What is competing with your desire to serve God? Include this prayer from Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
• Is there a relationship in your life where you could be the bridge builder? Maybe it's time to make the first move. Create peace where there is none now and show others how great God really is.
The conclusion
• And yes, the music means my time’s up for this episode. But I’ll be back with more next time.
• I hope this has been helpful. If so, take a second to give this podcast a high rating and share it with someone who is searching for God’s direction in their lives.
• In the next episode, we will look at what often happens in our lives when we live out the true meaning of the kingdom attitudes we have learned so far.
• My prayer for you is that your inner transformation overflows into a life of mercy, clarity, and the power of being a peace-maker. Because the kingdom of God is not a concept. It’s a culture. And you were born again to live it.
• Have a blessed week.
The disclaimers
• Just to let you know
• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening, I might surprise you with something you didn’t know.
• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work.
• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license.
• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2025 by J. Brent Eaton
• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production.
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