Clash Of Clans Series

The Beatitude Sermon Series

“Clash of Clans” Matt. 5.10-12

8/16/15 CFBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

A The Beatitudes paint a very vivid picture of what the genuine/ideal believer looks like.

1 Matthew 5:3-9 (NASB) 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

a Living with these attitudes allows us to be blessed (seeing God in the circumstances).

b Everyone of us who is genuinely born again must have come to Jesus Christ with these attitudes, however simple/underdeveloped the attitudes might have been.

aa broken spirit, mourning over sin, humble before a holy God, huger/thirsty for righteousness, seeking mercy and a pure heart, desiring to make peace with God.

bb If these things existed, however minimally, you entered His Kingdom.

2 These attitudes should develop as we progress in our walk with Christ. (Be more broken, feel worse about our sin, etc.,)

a The beatitudes are a tall order to fill/high standards, but we’re talking about a God who never lower His standards just because man is sinful.

aa IL. In one class at University, the prof gave a test and the highest score was 71% (C-grade), and the rest of class were all D’s & F’s. He lowered the grading scale (60% were now 90%, 50% were now 80%, 40% were now 70%, etc.,) He lowered the standard. (God has never done that!)

bb He gave us His Son to live in us so that through Jesus working through us, we can meet the standards of God.

b When the first seven beatitudes results in the eighth.

aa When we begin to live the way God wants us to live (broken, mourn, gentle, hunger/thirst, merciful, pure hearts, peacemakers), we’re going to be troublemakers in the eyes of the world.

bb The beatitudes are not embraced by an evil world.

cc It can’t handle the poor in spirit, because the world lives in pride/look at me; doesn’t tolerate mourning over sinfulness . . . it want’s to by-pass sin all together.

c I suggest that the only thing universally recognized sin in our world (at least in the West) today is that of “intolerance.”

aa Intolerance is defined as not believing that all beliefs, lifestyle practices are equally valid (COEXIST).

bb You start saying there is only one way, one truth, and you committed the worst ‘sin’ that you can commit today.

cc Yet, as a Christian (a follower of the risen Jesus) the one thing the world hates (intolerance) is the one thing we’re told to do. . . believe, proclaim, and defend the Kingdom & King we serve.

B There is a popular app called, “Clash of Clans” where millions of players all over the world build clans to war against other clans, the goal to bring is to bring your own clan to victory.

1 There is a real-life “Clash of Clans” in our world today, not made up of a bunch of clans . . . only two: the people of God and the people warring against God.

a Cain & Abel (Cain killed able. Why?) 1 John 3.12b “Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

b There was Lamech & there was Seth; Noah and the rest of humanity; Israel and the nations . . . today, there is the Church and World.

2 Declare today that monogamous heterosexual marriage is the only legitimate outlet for sexual expression and any thing outside of it is sin . . . or declare that Jesus is the only truth/Savior of the world and all other religions are false, you know what response you’ll get? Scorned, intolerant, judgmental.

a 60 years ago the world might have been neutral (maybe even positive) toward Evangelical Christianity (although it never actually was)), today the world is hostile, opposed, against Christianity.

aa If you stand for the Kingdom and the King for which it stands . . . you’re going to catch some flack. (In parts of the Middle East, you lose your head.)

bb Matthew 5:10-12 (NASB) 10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.