00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page i The A P P L A U S E of H E A V E N MAX LUCADO 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page ii © 1990,1996,1999 by Max Lucado All rights reserved.No portion ofthis book may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic,mechanical,photocopy,recording,scanning, or other—except for briefquotations in critical reviews or articles,without the prior written permission ofthe publisher. Published in Nashville,Tennessee,by Thomas Nelson.Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark ofThomas Nelson,Inc. Thomas Nelson,Inc.,titles may be purchased in bulk for educational,business,fund-raising,or sales promotional use.For information,please e-mail [email protected]. Unless otherwise noted,scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible:New International Version® (NIV).© 1973,1978,1984 International Bible Society.Used by permission ofZondervan Bible Publishers.All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked TLBare from The Living Bible.© 1971.Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers,Inc.,Wheaton,Illinois 60189.All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NEBare from The New English Bible.© 1961,1970 by The Delegates ofthe Oxford University Press and the Syndics ofthe Cambridge University Press. Reprinted by permission. Scripture quotations marked PHILLIPSare from J.B.Phillips:The New Testament in Modern English,Revised Edition.© J.B.Phillips 1958,1960,1972.Used by permission ofMacmillan Publishing Co.,Inc. Scripture quotations marked KJVare from The King James Version ofthe Bible.Public domain. ISBN 978-0-8499-2123-0 (Special Edition) The Library ofCongress has cataloged the earlier edition as follows: Lucado,Max. The applause ofheaven / Max Lucado. p. cm. ISBN 978-0-8499-1324-2 (HC) 1.Beatitudes=Devotional literature.I.Title. bt382.l8 1990 226.9´306=dc20 90–39315 Printed in the United States ofAmerica 08 09 10 11 12 QW 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page iii To Stanley Shipp, my father in the faith This page intentionally left blank 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page v C ONTENTS Publisher’s Preface vii Foreword ix Before You Begin xiii 1. Sacred Delight 3 Blessed . . . 2. His Summit 17 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 3. The AZuent Poor 27 Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . 4. The Kingdom of the Absurd 37 . . . for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5. The Prison of Pride 51 Blessed are those who mourn . . . 6. Touches of Tenderness 61 . . . for they will be comforted. 7. The Glory in the Ordinary 69 Blessed are the meek . . . v 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page vi T H E A P P L A U S E O F H E A V E N 8. The Bandit of Joy 79 . . . for they will inherit the earth. 9. A Satisfied Thirst 93 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness . . . 10. Life in the Pits 101 . . . for they will be filled. 11. The Father in the Face of the Enemy 109 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 12. The State of the Heart 123 Blessed are the pure in heart . . . 13. Nice Palace but No King 135 . . . for they will see God. 14. Seeds of Peace 141 Blessed are the peacemakers . . . 15. The Greasy Pole of Power 151 . . . for they will be called sons of God. 16. The Dungeon of Doubt 163 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness . . . 17. The Kingdom Worth Dying For 173 . . . for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 18. The Applause of Heaven 185 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward. . . . Notes 195 Study Guide 199 vi 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page vii P ’ P UBLISHER S REFACE Since The Applause of Heaven first appeared in the fall of 1990, Max Lucado has truly become a household name in Christian America. Over the years his books have touched the hearts of millions of men and women around the world. Enthusiastic response to this book—including reviews in many periodicals— makes it clear that the work has become a modern classic.It is a book that will be treasured for generations to come. What readers find in these pages is a series of soul-stirring insights into some of Christ’s most provocative teachings in the New Testament. It is not a theological treatise, however, but a heart-to-heart conversation. By offering a fresh look at the Beatitudes—as they appear in the Gospel of Matthew— Lucado’s narrative opens our eyes to old truths in compelling new ways. It allows us to see ideas and images we may have missed,no matter how many times we have read them before. In the hands of this gifted writer, words and phrases become instruments of wonder and imagination. Max Lucado’s personal examples and his stories from real life reveal the sparkling facets of the biblical text in a penetrating vii 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page viii T H E A P P L A U S E O F H E A V E N and colorful light. Every page offers new treasures and new moments of joy. The work, as a whole, is a re-examination of heaven’s value system. No wonder The Applause of Heaven has become one of the most successful Christian books of our time. To add to the overall enjoyment of this edition, we have chosen eighteen dramatic illustrations by several great mas- ters, each one representing in some way the theme or mes- sage of the accompanying chapter. We hope you agree that these pictures, in a variety of styles and media, are a natural complement to the remarkable breadth and versatility of Max Lucado’s poetic vision. Max Lucado reminds us that “Matthew, chapter five is not a list of proverbs or a compilation of independent say- ings, but rather a step-by-step description of how God rebuilds the believer’s heart.” In the Beatitudes, Jesus promises “blessings” to all who come after him—to all who decide to live their lives each day by his example. This edi- tion of The Applause of Heavenshows us how to have that kind of life, and how to live it more abundantly. THE PUBLISHER viii 00.Applause SE 8/1/08 9:34 AM Page ix F OREWORD God says all the big words in our lives. Still, it is ofttimes the little words that make the Big Word sing.Max Lucado is a rare and welcome talent who is dedicated to the Word made flesh,but is also a spellbinding spinner of such smaller words as may ornament God’s Word. I first discovered Lucado when I casually took No Wonder They Call Him the Savior off a bookstore shelf. Nothing was casual after his first line hooked my eye. Lucado has become popular for two reasons: he reveres Christ, and he loves the world around him. This double love binds our minds and beckons us to follow closely to see where his paragraphs may lead. It is because Max Lucado loves his Lord that he turns from the muddlesome and thumbworn language so common in the church. To Lucado, Jesus is no ordinary noun to be theologized into dullness. Rather, all holy relationships are glorious, and only the best, most creative English is worthy. So he weaves anew the Shroud of Turin,leaving us no doubt that this splendid cloth has touched the body of our Lord ix