An Invitation to Lasting Joy
“What does God expect of me?”
“How should a Christian act under pressure?”
“Am I pleasing the Lord and honoring Him?”
Answers to these questions can be found throughout the Bible, but there is one section of the Word, where Jesus Himself answers these questions and more! I invite you to open your Bible to the wisdom of the Sermon on the Mount.
TEXT – Matthew 5
Home Depot’s ad line addressed to people like me who aspire to do our own home repairs says, "You can do it, we can help!" It’s a great line, but I am not sure how accurate it really is. Sure, I can buy the materials there, but the work, the necessary skill is still my responsibility! Anybody ever attended one of HD’s workshops that teach skills?
There is another building project in my life that requires even more of me than maintaining my home. I am
building a temple of the Lord, a place for the display of His Glory before the world. In the Scripture God says,
"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. . . . Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple." (1 Corinthians 3:11-14, 16-17, NIV)
Since I read there that He will thoroughly inspect and that He expects to find quality - I conclude that it important to follow the building codes. Don’t you agree? I want to encourage you with this thought - You can do it! He will help! Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit to live in us, to help us to understand, to give us insight and wisdom, to guide.
As we study His sermon, it is important to be clear- He is not pointing the way to earn God’s favor, or a place in God’s kingdom! He is describing how a person who has entered God’s Kingdom by faith, will live by the power of the Spirit. There is a benefit for us - right here, right now, too. In addition to creating a home worthy of Him, following His plans creates a life that is strong and stable. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus concluded with this statement– READ Matthew 7: 24-25
So, over the next few week, I invite you to explore the Divine Building Code for life with me.
PRAYER
Sometimes we skip over verse 1 like it really doesn’t matter, but it does. 5.1 says “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.”
There is a clue about the importance of what Jesus is about to say in those words, "he sat down." In Jesus’ time, there were many itinerant rabbis, another word for ‘preacher.’ These men gathered little groups of people around them on the side of the road, in the marketplaces, and at city gates. They had dialogues and debates about God’s Law. but when a rabbi was really serious about his teaching and wanted to make sure his audience understood him, he took them to a place aside from the rush and he sat down with them.
Do you sit down regularly with Jesus? Do you give Him the kind of quality time that is needed to build a rich relationship with Him or is He always speaking to you from the sides of the road of life? Think about it, friend.
Jesus opens his sermon with a series of saying we call the “Beatitudes.”
In the text we will read in a moment, you will notice the way each of the verse starts. You will see the word, "blessed." What does it mean? Some say, “Happy,” but when Jesus pronounces a person “blessed,” He means much more than simply happy.
The word in the Greek of the original NT is "makarios" which meant to be full, satisfied, and thus, contented. In these verses, Jesus declares how you and I can find a life that is complete, God-approved - yes, Blessed!
Let’s read these radical words that turn the usual ways of understanding life and happiness upside down!
READ vv. 2-12
Most of us are not happy because we believe that JOY is a product of favorable circumstance and pleasant situations. However, because of something called "the greener grass syndrome," we always feel that there are more favorable circumstances out there somewhere.
Others of us are not happy because we confuse pleasure and joy.
∙ A cocaine addict may experience a great deal of pleasure when he snorts the white power up his nose, but he is not a happy person by anyone’s estimation.
∙ An alcoholic feels a physical euphoria after a few stiff drinks but again he or she is not a happy person.
∙ A sexual experience with a prostitute will produce a pleasurable moment but again there is no lasting joy derived from such exploitation.
Jesus wants us to know that the state of being blessed is different than physical comfort, wealth, pleasant situations, good sex, or a full belly. True joy is God-centered. It involves knowing Him, connecting with Him, and living under His rule. At first hearing, we might say; "OK! Yeah. I’ve got it."
But I challenge you to ponder these simply words several times in the coming week. They are radical and revolutionary. Jesus was serious about turning our natural perception of things upside down as He taught this Sermon and He starts right up front by challenging our ideas about what "the good life" is all about.
Let’s take a closer look at the first three of Jesus’ statements about finding the true ‘good life!’
READ Matt. 5:3
Is Jesus Christ commending those who are weak willed, with blah personalities, who live like they are already dead? Absolutely not. The poor in spirit are not those who have given up on life.
Is Jesus commending earthly poverty? No, again. Poverty results from the curse of sin. God’s plan is that those who love and serve Him will enjoy provision!
A better way to read this first verse is “Blessed are those who are spiritually poor, who have realized their need of God.”
The spiritually poor are those who have recognized the folly of trying to become good through their own efforts. They have declared spiritual bankruptcy. By that act they discover (Ephesians 2:7-8) "the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Ill- my own grace awakening, only when the illusion of my own goodness was shattered by failure!
Being spiritually poor is illustrated in a story told by Jesus, recorded in Luke 18. Two men went to pray. One was a really good man called a Pharisee who was impressed by his own goodness. In his prayer, he recommended himself to God as a good guy with the implication that God was pretty fortunate to have men of his quality on earth. The other man was a garden variety sinner who nobody thought much of. In his prayer, he declared his spiritual bankruptcy with these words... `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ Listen to Jesus’s conclusion. LUK 18:14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Are you ready to declare spiritual bankruptcy in order to discover the contentment and joy of the kingdom of Heaven?“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule." (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
READ Matthew 5:4
I have mourned and I don’t like the feeling! Too many times I have stood with families who have lost a son, a daughter, a father or mother, a husband or wife - and felt something of their sorrow. This week I stood beside the bedside of man who was strong and robust, who has been laid low by age and illness. I could feel his frustration at being totally helpless, but even more I could sense his sorrow! In my car, I wept for him.
But the mourning of which Jesus speaks is not the sorrow felt as a the result of experiencing tragedy or disappointment. He speaks of the emotion that is felt by the person who sees the world as God sees it, whose heart is broken by the things that break the heart of God.
He sees the sins of his life and feels great pain over them! He sees oppression, greed, cruelty, and allows his emotions to be touched.
I want to be like my Lord who Matthew tells us "made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He ... healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:35-38, The Message)
What do we often do when confronted with suffering? We look for someone to blame.
“If they were not so stupid...”
“That’s what happens when you spend all your money on drugs...”
“They knew better, so let them suffer...”
What if Jesus said that to you, to me?
He mourned our lostness, our brokeness. He is compassionate and kind.
We don’t grieve over our sins or the suffering of others for one reason – pride! Our inflated sense of self-importance and an impoverished understanding of God’s grace turns us into Pharisees.
But if we will let our hearts be broken by the things that break God’s heart – Jesus says that a curious blessing results....
Look again at that 4th verse. READ
What is the reward of those mourn? Comfort! Perhaps one reason we know so little of the comfort of God that comes from the assurance of His salvation is due to our refusal to allow ourselves to see the offense of our sins.
Ill - Those who suffer great personal tragedy but who will not allow themselves to mourn often pay a huge emotional price later on in life. They cover the wound in their soul and sometimes are successful in getting on with life for months and even years only to be overcome with a paralyzing sorrow later on. Then, however, the pain of mourning because the support that was available earlier is no longer there.
Are you ignoring the pain of your sinfulness?
Are you pretending that you really have no guilt?
Are you still making excuses for the sins committed months or years earlier?
Friend, don’t miss out on the comfort of God.
The Bible promises that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1.9
READ Matt. 5:5
In most of our minds, meek and weak go together. Universally, we would agree that we would rather be “Superman” than Jimmy Olson!
Our heroes are arrogant, powerful people who cause others to bow to their will. We greatly admire people who are able to assert themselves, that get their way in the world.
So what quality of character is Jesus speaking of in this verse?
In my study I went back to the Greek NT to uncover the word used in the original writing and I found that the same Greek word translated "meek" in this passage is translated "gentle" in three other NT passages.
"Praeis"- the Greek word- is not a word indicating timidity, lack of courage, or weakness. It is a word indicating even temperedness and gentleness. If you take pride from the fact that your kids cringe, your dog runs and hides, or that people who work along of you never want to cross you - you have some discipleship training waiting!
Jesus was the Lord of Glory, but was also described as “gentle and humble in heart.” That humility is a quality that will lead to a state of contented joy!
ill. - When I lived in Massachusetts I had time to join the the local Chamber of Commerce, which got me out of the church, away from dealing with Christians, and into a whole other world. I became a director and eventually was elected to the office of VP for a year. I recall a meeting where an issue involving our possible commitment to backing a loan for a sizeable amount was raised. The loan was to help finance a project that many thought would spur economic development in the town.
One of the men there had invested a great deal of himself and his credibility in the project we were discussing. Sensing that the discussion was not flowing in favor of his project, this man became extremely angry. His face grew red. His language became profane. He threatened those of us sitting in that bank board room.
Ultimately, in his rage, he made some very stupid statements and looked very foolish. He was not meek! He was not even-tempered. He was not gentle. He did nothing to help those of us in the room to appreciate the importance of the project by his explosion of anger. Instead, he created a confrontation.
Having strong convictions is admirable. Being a strong person of great courage is not to be despised. Having the gift of persuading others in the course of leadership is something to cultivate. BUT, for the Christian, the issue is never SELF, never about ‘what is best for me,’ and never about having our way at the expense of the dignity of others.
Those who see life as one battle after another will find what they are looking for. They will be at war constantly. Those who cultivate an attitude of meekness will discover how to build consensus, how to lead others, and ultimately Jesus says, "they will inherit the earth."
Jesus is the living Example of His own truth. Tho’ He had courage and strength, He offered up Himself sacrificially. He died a criminal’s death, was despised and rejected by men. Now, He stands as the pivotal Man of history!
Know this – you cannot subjugate ego on your own! Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ, therefore I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” We find meekness when we let God bring us to the end of self, when we kneel at the Cross and receive Christ as Lord, and when we invite the Spirit to be the Guide of daily life!
In closing, let me review these three statements about contented joyfulness by reading them from The Message, a translation by Eugene Peterson.
"You are blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.
You are blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are- no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought."
As I meditated on these words this week, I found my ideas about contentment and joy challenged by the wisdom of God once again. You will too. Your temptation will probably be the same as the one I felt. I wanted to brush them away as hopelessly idealistic and out of touch with our 21st century way of life.
Want to build a life house that pleases God, that is of the best quality, that is prepared to weather the inevitable storms of life? Then, let’s study Jesus’ words with me.
AMEN
Jerry D. Scott, 2007
all rights reserved
www.WashingtonAG.com
