While on earth, Jesus demonstrated mercy by meeting the needs of people in deep trouble. In doing so He was only following the pattern laid down for us in the Old Testament, where God is pictured as full of mercy.

Jesus continues His description of those who are really happy and to be admired by pointing out the reward coming to those who are merciful. What does “merciful” mean? We can see the face of mercy by looking at the way Jesus responded to people who cried out to Him in desperate need.

Disease, discord, and death, painful as they are, represent only symptoms of a deeper disorder: Our disobedience towards God and impending doom under His righteous wrath. That is why no sorrow compares to the agony of a violated conscience.

Loss brings grief. Major losses produce profound grief. Permanent major losses can engender lasting, inconsolable sorrow. What does the Bible say to such pain?

Believers in Christ will suffer grief along with the rest of the world, but they will also enjoy comfort, even in this life.

Followers of Jesus Christ will partake of many of the same sorrows that others experience, as we have seen. Indeed, they will have some pain that non-believers do not, for their loving hearts will break over their own sin and the ravages of evil in the world.

We have no lack of causes for unhappiness.

Who are the “poor in spirit”? What are they like? As always, we look first to the sacred history for the answer.

Sometimes God does not heal people because they are not following His teaching or heeding His command to repent and believe. Are there any other reasons why healing does not come? Once again, the Bible gives some clues.

Although some people still receive miraculous healing simply through faith in Christ, most do not. The natural question is, “Why?”

We can understand why Jesus would go around teaching the Word of God. But why did He heal all kinds of illness and disease? The answer to this question shows us a great deal about Christ.

Notice the promise: Jesus will make His followers fishers of men. He does not promise to make them wealthy, or healthy. He does not offer them fame, or comfort, or popularity, or pleasure. He only promises that they will attract men to God through faith in Christ.

If Jesus’ disciples obey His teachings, how will that make them “fishers of men”? Think for a moment what it would be like if Christians actually lived, to a substantial degree, as Jesus told them to live.

We have seen that to follow Jesus is to adhere to His words. But that is not all. Disciples of Christ will also follow in His ways.

What does it mean to follow Jesus? He summons us, first, to adhere to His words. To be more specific, we are to follow His creed. Followers of Jesus will believe what He taught, about God.

Jesus issues the same summons to us today. Why did those first disciples follow Him? Why should we follow Him? Matthew gives us several compelling reasons.

To repent is to recognize the error of your ways; to regret having offended God; to renounce your sinful attitudes and actions; and to return to God in humble faith. Why did Jesus command people to repent?

Jesus, who called Himself “the light of the world,” dispels darkness in all its forms. He preached the good news of God’s rule, and showed us how to live, thus banishing ignorance.

In Jesus’ experience, we discern clearly the path of blessing for all who trust in Him: If we will only admit that we are wrong and sinful, God will recognize us as His beloved children. In other words, if we confess our sins, He will forgive us.

John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees, not because they came to be baptized, but because they came with the wrong motives. They were still in the grip of pride, which prevented them from true repentance and thus receiving forgiveness of sins.