Sharper Iron — All Righteousness Fulfilled: Blessed in Christ

Rev. David Appold, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, KY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 5:1-12.

Jesus is the prophet greater than Moses. He ascends the mountain to teach His disciples the Word of God that is truly His own. He opens His mouth and teaches with divine authority.. Because this is the Son of God that is speaking, these words are not mere well-wishes, but declarations that accomplish what He speaks. When Jesus declares His disciples “blessed,” this is far stronger than “happy” or “fortunate.” Jesus is the promised Offspring of Abraham through whom the world is blessed. By faith in Jesus, therefore, His blessed disciples are saved. Those whom Jesus declares blessed are surprising according to the world’s wisdom. Neither the wise nor the strong, but those who come before God spiritually empty are blessed now to live under God’s reign. Even though the promises made by God may not have yet been fulfilled, still His people remain blessed right now. This is true as the Holy Spirit shapes the disciples’ lives to be conformed to Jesus’ own. In His life and ministry, these Beatitudes are exemplified perfectly. These opening words of the Sermon on the Mount remain valuable to the Church still today, that even in the midst of the world’s hatred, we would find our blessing in Christ alone.

“All Righteousness Fulfilled” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike as the fulfillment of God’s saving words and acts throughout the Old Testament. As the Christ in the line of David and Abraham, Jesus is the promised King who comes to bring sinners from every nation to live under His gracious reign.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Matthew 5:1-12

The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

²And 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 satisfied.

⁷“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons^[a] of God.

¹⁰“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Footnotes:

Matthew 5:9 Greek huioi; see Preface

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).