Approaching the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount
What does “Beatitude” Mean?
1.
“Beatitude” means “blessed (happy) saying”. The idea is a person finding joy and satisfaction in the new nature as opposed to worldly circumstances.
2. Job 5:17 – “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty
(also see Prov. 8:34; 28:14).
Why did Jesus teach these Beatitudes?
They Lead us to True Joy
1.
Jesus spoke these blessed sayings for our comfort and joy. The entire Sermon should be read from a perspective of Jesus bringing instruction and comfort to the listeners.
a.
The sermon is not a sharp rebuke to the rebellious, but was an encouragement to the eager listeners.
b.
Jesus gave a description of a believer’s spiritual fruit to the crowd. This is encouraging, and not a discouragement.
2.
He understood that this “fruit” (beatitudes) was produced in the life of a believer to lead him to true joy and communion with God.
a.
The more these are present in our lives the closer we walk with God. The closer we walk with God the more satisfied and at rest we are.
3. John 17:13
– “But now I come to You [Father], and these things I speak in the world that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
a.
The words of Christ always lead to joy because the words of Christ always lead to God.
b.
The whole point of the incarnation was to show sinners the way to God and inevitably the way to joy.
4.
If we don’t see this sermon through the lens of Jesus showing us the way to true joy we will interpret it wrongly. This element of joy cannot be missing.
Why must we understand the whole sermon?
1. The layout of the sermon –
There are logical and spiritual sequences to the way that the Sermon on the Mount is laid out. Certain phrases are laid down, and on the basis of that, the other phrases follow. Our Lord did not say any part of the sermon accidentally.
a.
The entire thing is deliberate.
2. It proceeds from the general to the specific –
This teaching proceeds from the general to the particular. We should take this sermon as a whole before examining the details. Before we understand what the entire sermon generally implies, we cannot be ready to fix ourselves on any particular statement and neglect all the others.
a.
The entire thing is deliberate; we must understand the first part before moving on to the second.
3. Understanding the sermon’s different parts –
No part of the sermon can be understood truly except in the light of the whole. No part can be understood unless it is in the light of the Beatitudes. Unless we understand the Sermon on the Mount as a whole we cannot properly understand any one of its commands.
a.
You’ll understand the teaching best when you understand that it is describing first) the Christian, and second) his relationship to the world.
What must we understand about it?
4. The Sermon must be interpreted in light of the Beatitudes –
It is pointless to confront anybody with any particular command in the Sermon on the Mount unless the person has already believed, accepted, conformed to, and is living the Beatitudes.
a.
Meaning they are truly Christian. We must understand that the Sermon is a description of the individual Christian who is already living the Beatitudes.
b.
Every command stated in the sermon derives from the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are at the beginning of the sermon, not at the end.
c.
If we do not understand the Beatitudes we should not go any further, we cannot go any further for fear of misinterpreting and misunderstanding the entire sermon.
The Beatitudes (vv 3-10)
3. The Breakup of the Beatitudes –
The S.O.T.M. is a perfect sermon. Every good preacher will start with the broad and work his way to the narrow. This is exactly what Jesus does.
a.
The first 16 verses are broad statements regarding the Christian (Matt.5:1-16).
b.
3-10 are the Beatitudes: A description of the character of the Christian in general.
c.
Verses 11-12 are a description of the Christian’s character proved by the reaction of the world to him. When Christians live out 3-10 then 11-12 will be the response.
d.
13-14 – a description of how the believer is to live in the world.
e. 16 onwards deals with the specifics.
4. They are general and broad descriptions of the Christian person –
The beatitudes are not something we do they are something we are and continue to become. They are a description of the new nature.
5. Who are the blessed whom Jesus speaks of here? –
Christians in general. Not different groups of Christians. Each saying is a general description of a Christian.
6.
Each of the 8 beatitudes portrays the ideal heart condition of a Christian; a condition which brings joy in Christ though it may bring opposition from the world.
How do I “do” the beatitudes?
I.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
II.
A work which the Holy Spirit produces in us.
a.
It is of the new nature, not the old nature.
b.
The Holy Spirit produces and matures the new nature in believers. From Adam we all inherit a sin-nature which includes blindness to God’s beauty and deadness to God’s joy (St. Augustine). The Holy Spirit restores our souls.
c.
These qualities (beatitudes) are the fruit of the Spirit. They are formed in us through the power of the Holy Spirit; not in our own strength.
d. We cooperate with the Holy Spirit through relationship
i. Friendship (He’s Comforter, Helper, Leader, Teacher)
ii. Obedience (Luke 14: becoming a disciple, self-denial)
iii.
Tasting and Seeing the joy in God.
7. A Test of Our Spiritual Appetite
a.
“Without this righteousness [Nature, qualities] we’re lost and damned and doomed. All who lack this righteousness [Nature, qualities] are under the wrath of God and are facing eternal perdition.” – Dr. M. Lloyd-Jones
i.
These “blessed sayings” are descriptions of the righteousness of God manifested in a Christian.
b.
These qualities are the only way to blessing and true happiness in this life and in eternity.
c.
Either they all describe you because you are a Christian, or none of them describe you because you are not born again and don’t have the new nature.
The Beatitudes: Matthew 4:23-5:12
God as Preacher
______________________
(1-3) Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountain side and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them…
Context – Events leading up to the Sermon on the Mount
I.
Main points of Matthew 1-5
a. Early Childhood activities (Matt 1-2)
i. Birth, wise men – as a king He is presented with gold, frankincense and myrrh (perfume/incense)
ii. Escape to Egypt from Herod
iii.
They return to Nazareth
b. Then 30 years later
i. John the Baptizer (Matt 3)
ii. The Christ is baptized
iii. Tempted by the devil in the wilderness (Matt 4)
iv.
40 day fast
c. Ministry begins
i. Jesus goes to live and preach in Capernaum
ii.
He calls His first disciples – Peter, Andrew, James, and John
d. (4:23-25) Just before the Sermon
i. He begins to teach in the synagogues
ii. preach the gospel
iii. heal multitudes of sick people.
By this point Jesus was so famous that His fame spread from Israel to Syria. People from both countries were flocking to Him. He had at least 5 regions of people following Him(4:24-25).
Sermon on the Mount (The Text)
II. The Crowd –
[Jesus drew a certain type of crowd to give a certain type of message]
a.
“Seeing the crowds” Where did they come from? The crowd came in response to what Jesus had been previously doing. The people heard of a teacher/prophet who healed the sick in the name of God.
i.
Read 4:24 – the news about Jesus which spread.
b. The nature of this crowd.
Jesus often gathered crowds. He often had a variety of crowds. He had crowds that laid down palm branches and shouted “hosanna” and He had crowds who threw stones. This crowd was not angry at Jesus. This crowd was coming to Him for ministry. They were eager to hear what He had to say in the name of the LORD.
Q – Why is the nature of the crowd important?
c. The nature of the crowd matters because Jesus was always personal. He drew a certain type of crowd to give a certain type of message.
He addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees differently then He addressed the broken and rejected.
d.
A message of this nature was meant for a crowd of this nature. The crowd came seeking what was from God. They came not to through stones, but to hear the word of the Lord. The crowd wanted to hear what He had to say.
The point
is that Jesus wasn’t rebuking rebellious people with the Beatitudes. He was describing the Kingdom of Heaven and its citizens to those who would seek the way of God.
III. The Preacher – The Man and His Qualifications
“Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them”
a.
This preacher was qualified in absolutely every way.
b. The preacher is Jesus Christ.
Jesus was the greatest preacher who ever lived.
c. The preacher is the Word of God.
He is the “Word become flesh” and the “Word [who] was God”. Many people preached the word but Jesus was the Word. Jesus demonstrated the reality and the authority of the word of God to the people by His living.
d. Jesus spoke the words of eternal life.
His words imparted life to people’s spirits and drew men to God.
John 6:68 “But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Read John 17:11-14
John 17:13-14 – But now I come to You [Father], and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
·
Jesus speaks the words of life that men might possess joy.
·
The world hates the ones who keep His words.
o
We must see this in the SOTM as well.
e. His Authority.
Jesus spoke with authority and power (Matt. 7:29). His authority came directly from the Father. Over and over in the gospels Jesus states this. These are not My words but the words of My Father.
Matt. 7:29 – “The people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
(end of the Sermon on the Mount)
f. The perfection of Christ as preacher
was that He showed preaching and the life to be one. Jesus not only instructed people with facts, but communicated His own way of life.
g. This preacher is a man who
i. Is the Word of God
ii. Possesses Deity Himself
iii. Speaks words of eternal life
iv. Speaks that hearers may know the way to joy
v. Speaks with all authority
vi. Demonstrated His message with His living
Poor in spirit
(5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Principle/Teaching
The ones who have poverty of spirit are blessed because they will inherit the kingdom of Heaven.
IV. Not Poverty of Money.
Some people look at the teaching in Luke 6 which says, “blessed are the poor” and does not include “of spirit” and assume Jesus is speaking of financial status.
a. The poor man is no nearer to heaven than the rich man. There is no merit or advantage in being poor. Poverty does not guaranty spirituality. What Christ was referring to was a poverty of spirit; a spirit that has been brought down low and humbled.
V. But Poverty of spirit.
What Jesus is saying in this text is that those who have a spirit which is “poor” are blessed because they will inherit the eternal kingdom.
VI. Defining “poverty of spirit”.
Ultimately it’s a man’s attitude towards himself that matters, not his financial status. Poverty of spirit is a way we see ourselves. It is a perception; a way of viewing ourselves that incorporates our sin and need for a Savior.
Supporting Scriptures – Where Do We See this Poorness of spirit?
The Life of Jesus
I. The humility of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ
a. He put on flesh
i. John 1:1 – the word was God.
ii. John 1:14 – the word became flesh and dwelt among us.
iii.
Philippians 2:5-11 (9-11 eternal reward for living in obedience)
II. The humility of His Birth
a. In an animal stall
i. This
is one of the chief reasons Jesus was rejected as Messiah. Many Jews could not accept that a man a lowly as Jesus could have so much dignity. They anticipated their Messiah to appear with great power and glory.
ii.
This is perplexing, but the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah because they misunderstood their own Scriptures.
III. The Humility of
His Ministry: Servant hood
a.
God served people
b.
OT descriptions of His Ministry
a.
Isaiah [53:2-3]
He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
b.
Psalm 22
c. The Cross
i.
No one has been rejected and hated more than Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Him.
Apostles and Prophets
I.
The Prophets were poor in spirit
a. Isaiah [6:1-6]
– In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim… and one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”… 5 So I said: “
Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
b. Job [42:5-6]
– My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.
II. Poorness of spirit seen in the Apostle Paul
Ephesians 3:8 – To me, who am less than the least of all the saints this grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
a.
Paul was the lowest of all the apostles because he persecuted the church of God. We would see him as one of the greatest men who ever lived.
Teaching Further Explained
I.
What “poor in spirit” does not mean
a.
Depression –
b.
Self hatred –
c. Overlooking God’s work.
It is not a negative view of yourself that overlooks God’s redemptive work in your life.
II.
What it does mean
a. A Realistic View of Yourself. To be poor in spirit is to see your need of a Savior. Yet this view is balanced by also acknowledging the true of the Holy Spirit in your life.
i.
I am unrighteous yet I’m being renewed by the Holy Spirit.
b.
Poorness of spirit means we have seen enough of our own wickedness that we no longer hope in our own righteousness to save us. We hope in Christ.
i.
Paul shows us this in Philippians 3:4-10.
c.
To be “poor in spirit” means to have a complete absence of pride, a complete absence of self-assurance, and of self-reliance. It means a consciousness that we are nothing in the presence of God and that we need Him for everything.
i.
Without Christ we would have no peace with God and no righteousness. This should humble us and make us poor in spirit.
ii. Isaiah [64:6] – But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is like filthy rags.
d. Produced by the Spirit.
Poorness of spirit is not something we conjure up on our own; it is a quality of life produced in us by the Holy Spirit.
i.
We can pray for this in our lives and seek it out. We don’t just sit back and wait to be poor in spirit.
III. How do you “become poor in spirit”?
Let the Holy Spirit do His work
a.
The answer is that you do not look to yourself or begin by trying to do things to yourself. The way to be “poor in spirit” is to look at God. Just as with Job and Isaiah. In seeing God they understood themselves.
b. Let the Holy Spirit do His work –
You cannot impose the nature of the Holy Spirit upon yourself, it is a supernatural work done by God through God. You can only cooperate with it.
a. Sanctification – God is conforming us to the image of His Son. At salvation He “begot” us in a new nature. We are “born from above”. The rest of our lives are about maturing in that new nature and shedding off the old corrupt nature.
Read the Bible
c. Proverbs
-Every negative Proverb applies to your old nature.
d. Read the OT Law
– look at what God’s standards were.
e. Read Jesus in the Gospels
. Put yourself in the stories. You cannot truly look at Him and not feel your absolute poverty, and emptiness.
f. Read the Sermon on the Mount!! – Probably the greatest way of all!
Pray
g.
Contemplate standing before God without the blood of Jesus covering your sins
IV.
Our Inability and Our Responsibility
a.
We are responsible for this to be true of us; yet we are unable to produce it.
b.
Remember, because this beatitude is a general description of the Christian, it is true of every Christian to different degrees.
Review
I.
The poorness Jesus is speaking of isn’t in finances but in attitude towards self.
II.
While we acknowledge our sinfulness we also remember that we are being renewed by the Holy Spirit more and more every day.
III.
Poorness of spirit will always lead us to Jesus not away from Jesus.
IV. Quality produced by the Spirit.
Mourning
(5:4) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Principle –
Jesus turns our mourning into comfort.
God turns our greatest sorrows into our greatest joys.
Where else is this teaching found?
John 16:24 – Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
I.
Jesus tells His disciples that on the day of resurrection all the sorrow they’ve acquired in this life will be turned to joy. (vv 16-22).
II.
And that the Father will give them all things in the name of Jesus. (23)
III.
V 24 – He gives the reason for this Great Exchange: “that your joy may be full” or “complete” (NIV)
a.
Here Jesus says 2 things will happen for the same reason.
i. All our earthly sorrow will be turned into everlasting joy.
ii. We will be given all things in the name of Christ.
Reason – that we would inherit the fullness of joy.
The Mourning
I.
This mourning is mourning for sin and our condition.
II.
It’s an awareness of our spiritual bankruptcy apart from Christ.
III.
When we see ourselves as we are we will mourn.
IV.
This mourning is an acknowledging of reality.
The Comfort
III.
Those who mourn are blessed because God will comfort them.
IV.
Following the revelation of our sinful condition is the revelation of His mercy.
V.
The greater we see our sin the greater we will see His mercy.
VI. When we chose to acknowledge reality and feel the pain and sorrow of our true condition then Jesus shall comfort us.
Supporting Scriptures
Jesus Mourned
I. John 11:35
Lazarus. Jesus wept when Lazarus had died. But Jesus did not weep because His friend was dead; Jesus could raise Him from the dead. Why did He weep? Was it because of the Jewish unbelief in verse 27?
a. Some people teach that Jesus wept here because Lazarus died.
b. Some teach He wept because of Jewish unbelief.
“He wept over Lazarus. He saw this horrid, ugly, foul thing called sin which had come into life and introduced death into life, and had upset life and made life unhappy. He wept because of that; He groaned in His Spirit. And as He saw the city of Jerusalem rejecting Him and bringing upon itself its own damnation, He wept because of it. He mourned because of [sin], and so does His true follower, the one who has received His nature.” – Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
c. Matt. 23: 37-39 –
Jesus also wept over the city of Jerusalem just before its destruction. Again, there is Jewish unbelief. But the reason for that unbelief is sin.
II. Paul Mourned. Romans 7.
O wretched man that I am!
Teaching Further Explained
What mourning is not
I. Mourning is not depression. Jesus was sorrowful but never depressed. His mourning was a result of acknowledging reality. There is a huge difference between mourning and letting
depression* take hold of us.
II. Mourning is not fake or conjured up; it comes with revelation of truth. There doesn’t need to be tears, though there may be.
III.
Purposely being negative in your outlook on life: gloom and doom
IV.
Mourning is not a fickle emotion that is produced solely by you.
What Mourning is.
I. Mourning is ongoing –
Mourning does not only happen at salvation, but it remains true throughout a Christian’s life. The Christian is continually mourning for his sin and continually being comforted by Christ. As long as there is sin the Christian will mourn.
a. The Christian mourns until the Lord comes with His kingdom and wipes away every tear and takes away sin and death and pain.
Revelation 21:1-5 – Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
* When God dwells with His people there is no more sin (Dan. 9), death, or pain. These pass away with the old order of corruption and bondage. When the Lord comes He makes all things new.
* This is when the Christian no longer mourns. This is when his mourning is fully turned to joy.
II. To mourn is to live in reality.
Our attitude is to be the opposite of the world’s attitude. The world tells us not to think about these things; there too negative. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. The Christian however lives in reality.
III. Mourning is repenting –
The person who truly mourns because of his sinful state and condition is a person who is going to repent; he is, indeed, actually repenting already. If we truly repent as a work of the Holy Spirit we will be lead to the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV. You must mourn to know Jesus –
No one can truly know Jesus as a personal Savior and Redeemer if he does not know what it is to mourn for sin. If you’re not sorry for your sin you’re not repentant.
V.
Mourning happens when we sincerely contemplate our actions, words, and thoughts at the end of the day.
VI. Mourning happens when we think of the ugliness of sin and death, its impact on this world, and how we are forced to live under its horrible sting. Watching the news each night should make us mourn; just seeing the reality of the world’s condition is enough.
True and False Spiritual Joy
I.
True spiritual joy is life that arises from within. It controls the whole of our being. It becomes true of us. It is not fickle; here today and gone tomorrow, but is something we are transformed into as part of the new creation.
a.
It becomes true of us permanently.
II.
We don’t need to fake being happy to make it look like we possess joy. This only confuses people as to what is real. We don’t need to counterfeit the Holy Spirit’s work. Many Christians confused about the nature of spiritual joy fake being happy when they really are not.
a.
They are usually people who don’t really want to deal with their sin, and as a result never receive true comfort and joy from Jesus. Dealing with our sin will ultimately result in joy. The removal of sin makes the Christian happy, not the hiding of sin.
i.
A Christian is always aware of his sin and is happy when it is removed from practice.
III.
Joy comes from being comforted by God, and this often happens after we have been convicted of sin.
a.
We have joy because we have a “sin covering”, a “sacrifice of atonement”.
b. Joy comes by believing the Gospel
Romans 3:21-26 – But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
i.
The righteousness of God is not a righteousness obtained our performance.
ii.
It is through faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
iii. This is now revealed to all peoples, and it is witnessed by the Law of Moses and by the Prophets.
For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation[sacrifice of atonement] by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness,
iv.
Not only all people but each person has sinned against God and fallen short of giving God glory.
v.
People can be justified before God freely by His grace.
vi. Our faith is in the redemption found within Jesus.
1.
He frees us from sin, death, the law
vii. God made Jesus a propitiation for our sin.
1.
If you are united to Jesus by faith then God punished your sins in the body of Jesus.
viii. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness.
because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
c.
God is both just and the justifier of sinful people who have faith in Jesus.
d.
This gives us great joy, because it is the greatest thing in the world. There is nothing greater than being a Christian.
Remember
I.
True mourning and true joy is a work of the Holy Spirit; not of man.
a.
We cooperate with the Holy Spirit to see this in a greater measure.
b.
We respond to what the Spirit shows us about ourselves and the world.
c.
We don’t try to forge a feeling.
II. Also, we must remember that this is true of every Christian, even if we don’t always recognize it in ourselves.
Meekness
(5:5) Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
I.
Definition of “Meekness”
a. Meekness is a personal quality (attribute/characteristic) produced in believers by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Meekness is a “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:23). This quality is usually displayed most during suffering or difficulty and is it accompanied by faith in God.
Galatians 5:23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness [gentleness], self-control. Against such there is no law.
b.
Basically meekness is a combination of: gentleness, self-control, and humility at heart (contrite, lowly).
c.
Biblical meekness is usually not simply gentleness and humility but those qualities displayed with integrity during times of trial.
d.
Pressure applied reveals what’s inside.
i.
When pressure is applied to our lives the condition of our heart is exposed. The more pressure is applied to our lives the greater the revelation of our spiritual foundations.
1. Matt 7:24-29 – House on rock/sand
a.
The waves came and the wind blew
II. Principle of the Beatitude
a.
The people who are meek at heart will have joy, and they will inherit the earth.
1. They will be lead to/possess joy
2.
They will inherit the earth
III. Other Places We Find Meekness and this Teaching
Meekness in the Life of Jesus
a. Matthew 11:29 –
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
i. Gentleness and humility are in Christ’s heart.
Therefore we can come and learn from Him and find rest for our souls. Because Jesus is meek He is approachable.
1.
Sinners, prostitutes, and the rejected of society felt comfortable around Jesus. They were convicted of their sin; yet they liked being around Him.
b. Isaiah 53:7 –
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was lead like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
i.
Jesus was marred more than any man (Isaiah 52:14), yet he didn’t open His mouth in self-defense.
1.
This is how Jesus is described while undergoing intense suffering. When the pressure was put on His life meekness came out.
ii. Isaiah included meekness in his description of Jesus’ ministry because His meekness was so obvious.
Meekness in the Life of David
c. Psalm 38:12-13
, (read 12-22).
i. Actions of David’s Enemies.
1. (12) Sought his life, spoke of his ruin, and plotted deception.
2. (16) gloated over him, exalted themselves
3. (19)hate him without reason
4.
(20) slander him when he does good
ii. His response.
1. (14) his mouth can offer no reply
2.
(15,22)he waits for God to vindicate him
IV. Teaching Further Explained
a. Meekness is radical; yet it is basic to Christianity.
Meekness is foreign to the ways of the world and therefore stands out as radical. Yet this is what Christians exhibit in their lives.
b. 2 main ways meekness is expressed
: Towards God (1st commandment) and towards people (2nd commandment).
c.
Towards God - 1st commandment
i. Meekness submits to God’s will
. We let God do what He wants with us. We let Him create whatever temporary conditions He pleases in our lives for His purposes. When offense and/or accusation arise in our hearts towards God over His leadership and life’s situations we choose to submit rather than rebel.
1.
It is better for us to wrestle with understanding why we have offense than to accuse God of wrongdoing/injustice.
ii. Meekness believes that God knows what’s best for my life.
He knows better than we what is best for us. And as a loving Father He will give us what is best. Whether it be comfort and pleasant circumstances or wilderness wandering. Meekness chooses to believe that God alone knows what is best for my life.
iii. Meekness submits to God’s Word -
Meekness is expressed when we’re willing to let the full authority, weight and implications of God’s word rest upon our souls. Meekness is seen when we are not trying to excuse ourselves from having to respond to Scripture in the way that it demands us to.
1.
Especially in areas like giving, suffering, holiness, loving enemies, loving the church, being unashamed of the faith, and giving thanks in all things.
2.
(James 2:21-27) The wise man does what he reads.
iv. Meekness Suffers Patiently – The person who is meek suffers patiently. This is praiseworthy in the sight of God. (Revelation 13:10 – they overcome by martyrdom not resistance)
d.
Towards People – 2nd commandment
i. Meekness means not easily provoked. Meek people are not easily provoked to anger or to sin by others. Meekness releases grace for us to endure longsuffering and to come to God in the midst of it.
Romans 5:3-4 – …we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.
1.
This is impossible without meekness. Without a spirit of meekness we immediately get offended at hardship. Meekness allows us to accept hardship in our lives, and it enables us to use this hardship as a means to grow in intimacy and communion with God.
ii. Meekness doesn’t seek revenge. The meek have a complete absence of retaliation, and therefore have patience in suffering, especially when suffering unjustly.
Romans 12:19-21 - Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath; for it is written, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay”, says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head”.
iii. Learning from others –
Meekness means that we are ready to listen and learn; that we have such a poor idea about ourselves and our own capabilities that we are ready to listen to others. Proud people feel they know more than the others, and so they don’t need to listen to them or consider them.
1.
A meek person isn’t afraid of being wrong – even if it happens often. He no longer feels the need to protect his image in front of others.
The Meek Inherit the Earth
V.
They literally inherit the earth.
a. Isaiah 61:1-7. This is literal. The “meek” or followers of Christ will actually inherit the earth in the next age. When Jesus comes He will bring a new heavens and a new earth that are reserved for the righteous. God’s people will reign on the earth with Him forever!
b.
As His child you will literally receive an inheritance on this earth forever. This inheritance will never pass away, and no one can take it from you (Matt 6:20).
c. These rewards are motivations for us to pursue meekness.
Hunger and Thirsting for Righteousness
(5:6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
I. Principle stated and explained
If you hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God you will be filled with it.
II. This beatitude deals with
a.
The issue of spiritual hunger. The hungry get fed. Those who don’t want to eat won’t get food.
b.
The issue of pleasure. From which fountain do we get our pleasure; the superior fountain of Christ, or fleeting and temporary pleasures?
Teaching further explained
III. Our pursuit of Pleasure in everything
Sin & The Christian
a.
The Christian’s problem is not with any particular sin, the Christian’s problem is with sin itself. To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to be done with sin, and now seeking communion with God.
i.
We’ve tasted its sting and death and we’ve tasted Christ. What else do we want with sin?
ii.
The Christian has had a DEEP change in his desires. He no longer desires sin, but desires righteousness on the contrary.
1.
Before he sought life, happiness, pleasure, and fulfillment in sin.
2.
Now he seeks those things in Life in Christ and righteousness.
b.
This is a DEEP fundamental change. This is a complete change of nature.
c. Augustine Salvation Quote:
“How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose!… You drove them from me, You who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place…. O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation.”
i. Our hunger for God will replace our hunger for fruitless joys. God will replace them.
d.
Hunger
i.
Desiring to be done with sin all together and nothing less than this. No compromise.
ii.
Sin separates us from God. Sin enslaves us. It binds us up in fear and torment. Sin darkens our minds and our thoughts of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for freedom!
IV.
Christian Hunger
a.
Christians have a deep fundamental change in their hungers. Instead of hungering for sin they begin to hunger for God. The more they hunger for God the more there hunger grows.
b.
This must be diligently kept.
i. Purity
ii. Holiness
iii. Prayer
iv.
Fasting
c.
Hunger is satisfied. God satisfies our hunger for Him by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
d.
Pleasure
i.
Is 55:2-3 – the Everlasting Covenant is based on a pursuit of joy in God. (2-3) delight yourself in abundance…and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you…you will go out with joy and be lead forth in peace (12).
ii.
The everlasting covenant is founded on the pursuit of pleasure.
1.
Pleasure sought in God
2.
V12 – it is rewarded with joy and peace
e.
Persistence
i. Luke 11:5-10 – (friend w bread)
1. Boldness is rewarded.
2. Hunger
must drive him to persistence
ii. Luke 18 – (persistent widow)
1.
Her persistence is rewarded
iii. Matthew 25 – (wise virgins)
1.
Their endurance is rewarded
iv. Problems with Persistence
1.
The Judge tells the widow to go away, the friend says no to the bread, and the virgins fall asleep after a long time.
a.
There are so many hindrances to perseverance.
b.
Yet hunger and thirst will be satisfied. And life in Christ “on the inside” will sustain.
v. Hungering for righteousness
– involves sustaining our faithfulness in seeking God with a whole heart through the changing seasons of our life instead of being burned out by our disappointments with God or by our offense at the way people treat us.
1.
Hunger drives us on over the long haul of life. Seasons are easy and hard, light and dark.
2.
Hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness drive us on.
V.
Righteousness
a.
Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God.
b. Romans 3:21-22a –
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ
i.
The righteousness of God is according to good works
ii.
The righteousness of God is God Himself
iii.
This is what the Scriptures testify to
iv.
Christ becomes our righteousness when His Spirit dwells within us through faith.
v.
Those who hunger and thirst for Christ shall be filled.
“Surely our souls find no rest until they find their rest in You.” – Augustine
Mercy
(5:7) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy
VI. Principle stated and explained
– Those who are merciful will be shown mercy on the Day of Judgment.
a.
Again we see how these beatitudes are broad and general statements of the Christian. Certainly no person will be forgiven of his sins who does not have faith in Jesus Christ.
i.
The one who shows mercy has been shown mercy. He who loves much is he who has been forgiven much.
VII.
Supporting Scriptures
a.
Seen in Jesus
b.
Healing
c.
Deliverance
d.
Salvation
e.
God’s Nature – Slow to anger, abounding in love, good to all
VIII.
Teaching Further Explained
a. Relating to others with mercy
(for they shall obtain mercy, Mt. 5:7)
i.
Having a tender spirit in how we treat others who fail spiritually
b. Having a tender spirit towards those who attack, resist or disappoint us.
IX.
What “mercy” is not
a.
Mercy is not being “easy going”.
b.
It is not turning a blind eye to justice
c.
God sent His Son so that He could justly show mercy.
X.
What “mercy” is
a.
Both forgiving and compassionate; it is having pity on those who need to be pitied.
Mercy is the foundation for forgiveness; grace is the foundation for salvation.
Pure in Heart
(5:8) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
I. Principle stated and explained
– the internal cleansing that we must have to enter God’s presence. (ps. 24:3-4)
II.
Supporting Scriptures
i.
Seen in Jesus
ii. (Rom. 10:6-10)
1. Those with a pure heart believe in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
2.
Here, a believing heart is linked to righteousness.
III.
Teaching Further Explained
a. Being pure in heart
i.
Breakthrough of purity in our thoughts (bitterness, immorality) and motives (helping people for their benefit without any personal gain).
ii.
To “see God” even in a small measure causes our spirit to be bright (i.e., fascinated with God).
b.
The Heart of the Unregenerate
c. Jer. 17:9 –
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt, who can understand it?
d. Gen. 6:5 -6 – Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
e. Gen. 8:21 – Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
f. John 3:18-20 – He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
g. Mark 7:21-23 –
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
h. Romans 3
IV.
The New Covenant
a. Jer. 31:33-34- But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
b. Ezek 36:24-28 – For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
A Peace Maker
(5:9) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
I. Principle stated and explained
– peacemakers invite men to be reconciled to God and to others.
II.
Supporting Scriptures
a.
Jesus reconciled believers to God through the sacrifice of His body.
i.
Rom 5:8
III.
Teaching Further Explained
IV.
Romans 5:6-11 - Christ in Our Place
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9
a.
We had no strength, and Jesus died for the ungodly
b.
God demonstrated His love
c. While we were dead in sin Christ died for us
i. He has set believers free from their nature of sin and death
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
d.
We are justified before God by His blood
e. We shall be saved from wrath through Him
10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11
f.
As enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son
g. We shall be saved by His life
i. Resurrection
ii. New nature
iii. Propitiation
iv. God’s love
And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
h.
Reconciliation – The only appropriate response in rejoicing
V.
God’s children seek to reconcile all other people to God as well
VI.
They also seek to reconcile people to one another
Persecuted Because of Righteousness
(5:10) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I. Principle stated and explained
– We should see the world’s opposition to our fundamental values and beliefs as normal (1 Peter 3:14, 4:14).
II.
Supporting Scriptures
a.
Romans 8:36-37 –“For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
i.
For the sake of Jesus Christians are killed all day long
ii.
Jesus told us we should expect nothing less if we bear His name. No servant is greater than his master.
iii.
Yet we overcome through Him who loves us.
III.
Teaching Further Explained
a. Enduring persecution (theirs is the kingdom, Mt. 5:10-12) – bearing the counterattack for plundering Satan’s Kingdom because we operate in power and/or stand for righteousness. We rejoice for the glory of knowing Jesus and the privilege of suffering for His name. (Acts 5:41).
b.
IV.
Persecuted because of
righteousness
a. Not persecuted for other reasons
The World’s Response to the Christian Life
(5:11) Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
I. [extension of verse 10]
II.
Supporting Scriptures
a.
Seen in Jesus’ life everywhere
b.
He was murdered on a crossbeam
III.
Teaching Further Explained
a.
People insult you
b.
People persecute you
c.
People speak false evil against you
i.
Because people don’t like you and your way of life they will lie about you.
d.
People will kill you because they hate you and your Christ.
The Christian’s Response to a Hostile World
(5:12) Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
IV. [extension of verse 10]
V.
Supporting Scriptures
a.
Seen in Jesus
VI.
Teaching Further Explained
a. Rejoice…great is your reward in heaven
i.
In the moment: rejoice.
ii. Rejoice because you understand reality.
Your suffering results in eternal rewards in heaven. These rewards are reasons, or motivations, for us to rejoice in the moment.
b. Be glad…great is your reward in heaven
i.
Permanent heart posture.
ii. Romans 5:1-5
1.
Persecution/tribulation has a different effect upon a regenerate person than it does upon an unregenerate person.
2.
The two natures react in opposite ways. The old [unregenerate] nature responds one way. The new nature [regenerate] responds differently.
iii.
Apostles rejoicing after prison and beating.
iv.
Hebrews – you joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods.
c.
Understand that in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you
i. Persecution is nothing new. Persecution is the norm for the children of God. For thousands of years God’s people have been predominately treated the same way: they’ve been persecuted.
Conclusion
I.
A Work of God
a. They are a divine work of the Holy Spirit. It is the new nature being wrought into us.
b. Though this “fruit” must be true of me I cannot produce it of myself.
i. Cooperation with the Holy Spirit brings this fruit about in my life
1. Through fellowship – communion with Jesus
2. Through obedience – even when it is at the expense of my fleshly nature
3. Through beholding the beauty of God in all of life
4. Though tasting the joy of the Lord.
a.
The greatest thing in the world is to be saved.
ii. These things cause us to walk closely with God through the Holy Spirit.
