Building Blocks For Kingdom Living -Part 1. Series

NOTE: Study materials used for this message were taken from the following: Michael King’s sermon "Assurance of Salvation", "The Message of the Sermon on the Mount" Stott; "The Complete Biblical Study Library" Matthew. Since Michael’s message only named the first 3, the remainder I tried to create in order to build from one beatitude to the next. I also have power points for all the messages in this series, if you would like to use them, feel free to email me pastordeb@firstassemblyonline.net

BLESSED “BE” ATTITUDES Part 1.

Text: Matthew 5:1-5

INTRODUCTION

Matthew 5:1-3 And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And opening His mouth He began to teach them…

1. Many of us are familiar with these first 11 verses in Matthew 5. They are known as the Beatitudes and they are found at the very beginning of a discourse in chapters 5-7 known as “The Sermon on the Mount”.

2. Some of us may have memorized them in years past, we can quote them at opportune moments. But if we truly allow the truths to saturate our spirits, we will come to realize that we have only scratched the surface in how we are to live out our lives.

3. First of all, did you know that the word “disciples appears for the first time here? And so as we look again at these first few verses we see that Jesus is primarily addressing this to His disciples and not to the multitude.

4. This is Jesus’ first opportunity to address His disciples who will be spending the next 3-½ years with Him.

5. Jesus is laying the groundwork, so to speak, of what it means to live with a “kingdom” mindset.

6. Many scholars believe that the “Sermon on the Mount” holds the same significance for the new covenant as the giving of the Law held for the old covenant.

4. So as we study the Beatitudes in the next few weeks, know that they are not just “good ideas to try and live by” but in one sense they might be considered the “constitution” for Kingdom living.

5. Secondly, know that these are not 8 separate and distinct groups of disciples: Some of whom are meek

While others are merciful. Others are called upon to endure persecution

7. They are rather 8 qualities of the same group who at one and the same time are meek and merciful, poor in spirit and pure in heart, mourning and hungry, peacemakers and persecuted.

8. The beatitudes are Christ‘s own specification of what every Christian ought to be. All these qualities are to characterize all his followers.

9. And third, the Beatitudes react like a telescope that starts out compacted but as each one builds upon another they point the way in which we can allow our spirits to remain open to receive all that God desires to pour out upon us.

TRANSITION: What do you mean by that? Let’s begin with the first “Be” attitude we are commanded to have if we want to be a part of God’s kingdom and that is an ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY.

I. HUMILITY

Matthew 5:3 And opening His mouth He began to teach them saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1. It doesn’t tell you HOW to become poor in spirit; it just says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

2. There is a requirement to be blessed at a deeper spiritual level by God. Christ requires it of each of His servants. He required it of Paul when He struck him down on the Damascus Road. He required it of Joseph when he was left in the pit and then sold into slavery. He required it of Jacob when he left his homeland penniless and needy. He required it of most every major leader that He used significantly - brokenness.

3. Brokenness cannot be achieved on your own. It is something God does Himself. We cannot determine that we are going to be broken, but we can refuse to become broken.

4. When God begins this deeper work in our lives, we can kick and scream and refuse the process. We can manipulate and strive to stay on top, but this only delays His work.

5. God says until we are broken we cannot be an aroma pleasing to the Lord. God wants you to be an aroma in the home, your place of work, school, in the community.

6. To be ‘poor in spirit’ is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty, indeed our spiritual bankruptcy, before God. We can’t get to God via our: Talents

Abilities,Education, Intelligence, Conniving, Manipulation, Personality, Church membership, And so on and so on……

7. Perhaps the best later example of the same truth is was found in Jesus’ words to the church of Laodicea: