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With Eternity’s Values in View

Part 2

by Samuel E. Ward

The BeatitudesMatthew 5:3-12

To view the text version of this sermon, go to

http://www.cbckck.blogspot.com

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Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV2011) 1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

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7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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Introduction

The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ answers to the questions, “what is the kingdom of heaven like?” and “How do I please God?” and much more. Our concern is first with the Beatitudes, as they have been popularly designated in Matthew 5:3-12.

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Dr. Thomas Constable has noted five basic interpretations that have been presented by scholars over the centuries:

1. The purpose of the Sermon was to enable people to know what God required, so that by obeying they might obtain salvation. One writer articulated this soteriological interpretation this way.

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2. [The purpose of the Sermon is to provide] a guide to the salvation of society.

3. The purpose of the Sermon was . . . to make [His audience] realize that their only hope of salvation and participation in His kingdom was God's grace.

4. The purpose of the Sermon was to present Jesus' ethical teaching for the church.

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5. The purpose of the Sermon was meant to describe the conditions that will exist only in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ only.

6. The purpose of the Sermon was to give ethical instructions for Jesus' disciples that apply from the time Jesus gave them until the beginning of the kingdom.

http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/Matthew/Matthew.htm

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I. Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit.

A. Material Poverty Is Caused by Many Factors.

1. Lack of opportunity (jobs not available)

2. Lack of initiative (lazy)3. Lack of wisdom (inability to properly

manage resources)4. Lack of patience (overspending

leading to debt)5. Lack of ability (disability, skills)

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B. There Are Two Levels of Material Poverty.

1. Some are poor in the sense of finding themselves living from day to day, pay check to pay check.

Matthew 20:1-2 (NIV2011) 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

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2. Some are poor in the sense of being completely destitute and needing to rely on the charity of others often because of some disability or status.

Luke 16:19-21 (NIV2011) 19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

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Mark 10:46-49 (NIV2011) 46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

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48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

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C. Spiritual Poverty Is What We Possess Because of Our Sinful Nature.

1. Even those in scripture who were highly regarded as spiritual role models recognized they were spiritually poor.

a. King David

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Psalm 51:1-5 (NIV2011) 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

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b. The Apostle Paul

1 Timothy 1:12-16 (NIV2011) 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

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15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

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2. Any of us who would be citizens of the kingdom of heaven must recognize our spiritual poverty.

a. The only thing we can bring to God is the realization that we can bring nothing to Him. All that we have He has first given to us.

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Isaiah 66:1-2 (NIV2011) 1 This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? 2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.

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b. The thing many try to bring to God is their own self-righteousness. God is NOT impressed.

Luke 18:9-12 (NIV2011) 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

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11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

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c. More appropriately is the attitude that recognizes that all we have to bring to God is our own spiritual bankruptness.

Luke 18:13-14 (NIV2011) 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

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14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

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Conclusion

If we would live with eternity’s values in view, enduring the discomfort of this world as Christ’s servants, then we would bring him our empty selves to fill us and use us to His eternal ends. For that our poverty will gain for us the riches of the kingdom o heaven.

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What characterizes a person who is poor in spirit?

1. They know that they are not so righteous that we do not need of God’s salvation. Indeed, we are all sinners.

2. They know that they are not so wise that they do not need to seek God’s wisdom.

3. They know that they are not so powerful that they can overcome every trial, challenge, and problem that life brings.

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4. They know that they are not so perfectly altruistic that they can be counted upon to always seek the welfare of others above our own. All have a selfish streak.

5. They know that they are not so rich that they feel no need to trust God for their needs.