The Foundation Of Following Series

Journey With Jesus: The Daily Trek of Discipleship

The Foundation of Following Jesus

Matthew 5:1-10

Introduction

Mark 1:16-17 “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’”

The call of Jesus remains the same for us today: Follow Me. This summer we are going on a Journey with Jesus and we will look at various teachings about the Daily Trek of Discipleship. The word disciple occurs in the New Testament 269 times, Christian only 3 times. A disciple is “a learner or pupil who accepts the teaching of Christ, not only in belief but also in lifestyle.” (Sanders). The journey with Jesus is not one that is completed in a day or a week, it is a life-long walk. There is no such thing as short-term discipleship. If you feel you have not done well on your journey, there is good news - you can begin again today!

We are going to begin our journey with Jesus as he began his best-known sermon, the Sermon on the Mount.

We commonly call them the Beatitudes. “Jesus set forth the characteristics of the ideal subjects of His

kingdom - qualities that were present in perfection in the life and character of the one who announced them.” (Sanders). Jesus begins with eight qualities that we would never expect to lead to happiness - blessedness.

The Greek word translated as “blessed” doesn’t have a precise English equivalent. Swindoll suggests “an inward contentment or abiding joy unaffected by outward circumstances.” Bruner translates as “Blessings on…” meaning “I am with you; I am on your side.”

This is the beginning place of the journey with Jesus, and this teaching requires faith - trust that He knows us better than we know ourselves.

1. Eight Qualities of Jesus’ Disciples

Four Qualities of Our Spiritual Life

Spiritual Inadequacy

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The word for ‘poor’ here means one who has nothing at all, is bankrupt, no resources. On our own, we do not have anything to offer to the Lord. We may not even realize how fully we depend upon God for our spiritual life - for all our life. “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven” - the first and last beatitude - wrapping this teaching in the promises of serving Him now in his kingdom and forever in the fullness of the kingdom to come. Bruner: “The Son of God simply blesses broken people. The Beatitudes must first be heard as grace, or they will not be heard correctly.”

The first Beatitude is a key to unlocking the others - it is the starting place.

Spiritual Contrition

Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

A mourning over sin and failure, the slowness of our growth in likeness to Christ - our spiritual bankruptcy. Two mistakes a disciple may make: Believing Christians must never be happy and laughing. Believing Christians must always be happy & laughing. No one attains full maturity without the experience of sorrow. The blessing is found in the comfort God gives.

Spiritual Humility

Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Meek means “not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance, gentle, humble, considerate.” (Swindoll). The fictional Chief Inspector Armand Gamache uses four statements as guidelines for his life: I’m sorry. I was wrong. I don’t know. I need help." The world teaches us to be aggressive, stand up for our rights - The meek have an inheritance. The worldly have no future. Meekness aligns our will with God’s rather than seeking our own path. Under pressure, we can speak and act in ways that are not our best selves. 

Spiritual Aspiration

Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

A passionate craving after righteousness - a right relationship with God.

Psalm 42:1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

Four Pursuits of the Disciple of Jesus

Be Merciful / Compassionate

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Mercy is the ability to enter into another’s situation and be sympathetic toward his plight or problem. Swindoll: “…those whose hearts are moved for those in need, having a desire to step in and assist in relieving their pain.” Mercy encourages the one who has fallen to begin again. (Sanders)

Be Pure

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

The emphasis here is on inward purity. The word pure here means unadulterated, sincere, and without hypocrisy.

The pure in heart will see God - as they live out the Jesus-Life they will see God at work in their own life and in the