The gulf of discipleship

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Mat 5:1-3)

Jesus responded differently to multitudes at various occasions, sometimes in compassion (Matt 9:36), in healing the sick (Luke 5:15, Matt 19:2), taught in parables, fed them but there had been times when He sent them away that He might be in prayerful fellowship with the Father. In this incident in Matt 5-7 He saw the multitudes and went up a mountain and those who were willing would have to follow Him. Up the mountain reminds us of the Psalms of Ascents or Degrees (Chap 120-134) when the people would go up to Jerusalem (literally, for it was a city built on a hill) with gladness (Psa 122:1) to the House of the Lord both to bless and receive blessings from Him.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
(Isa 2:3)

From the mount (place of authority) is where God will teach us His ways, our respond in obedience is to be careful to observe to do all that is taught (Josh 1:8) by walking in them. So similarly Jesus went up to the mount and delivered this powerful message of the normal and glorious Kingdom life. It has been said by some quarters that teaching of Matt 5-7 are too lofty to walk in. Isa 49:2 tells us that Jesus mouth is like a sharp sword; dividing the disciples from the multitudes. There will always be a gulf between the multitudes and the disciples.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
(Act 1:15)

Of the thousands that tasted miracles of food and healing, and the five hundred that saw Him after the resurrection (1 Cor 15:6) only 120 waited in obedience for the promise of the Holy Spirit. Indeed many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16, 22:14). Discipleship and not blessings determine the gulf.

Jesus started by teaching ‘Happy are the poor in spirit’ and with each beatitude the gulf of discipleship widens. The eighth beatitude is probably the biggest challenge to following Jesus in taking up our crosses daily (Luke 9:23)…. ‘Happy are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Our natural tendency is to defend our rights; in discipleship to Christ our rights have been surrendered.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
(Rom 8:17)

Even our righteousness have to be surrendered, ‘happy are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness'. In order to experience the blessedness of persecution for righteousness sake, it has to be Christ’s righteousness we are suffering for, for it if were for our own righteousness than there is no value in the suffering.

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
(Tit 2:12-13)

The teachings of Christ that leads to this gulf of discipleship will bear fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life (Rom 6:22). Are we disciples or do we belong to the multitude that don’t make it in His glorious appearing? Jesus than goes on to say that we are salt and light; Christ disciples are not just heaven bound, but also of earthly use for we are His earthly expression to declare the praises of Him who called us our of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9).