TOPIC: BLESSED LIFE
(A Life that Honors God – Sermon on the Mount Series)
Text: Matthew 5:3-12
INTRODUCTION:
In1Timothy 4:16 Paul declares clearly: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” NOTICE THAT PAUL PLACES “LIFE” BEFORE “DOCTRINE”. Watching our life can be a bring blessings or destruction to our life and others. How can we watch our life?
As Christians, we sometimes get the idea that, once we get saved, we can just set back and relax. Everything is going to be fine! The reality is that Jesus taught us that it isn’t over. It has just begun. (ILL. Babaeng pangit at mga lasengo.) Changing our attitude cannot get from sleeping and waking, we need to intentionally do it, develop it. Base on Paul we need to watch it, in our text Jesus keep on repeating the phrase “blessed are those…” Jesus here is not saying, “Blessed are those who dream, or who desires…” what Jesus is trying to say to us here is that, we need to goal for it, we need to intentionally do it, develop our attitudes, that it is possible because of Him who now live in those who believe - Gal. 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ’s lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (ILL. Bring a bottle of water with loose cover and try to shake it, and let the water come out with the loose cover and ask the congregation, “Why the water spill out?” For sure they will answer, “Due to a loose cover.” Explain, “That’s one but the very reason why it because it is full of water, even if you have a loose cover with water in low, it will not spill!”). Matthew 12:34b, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” We need to empty ourselves from the principles of this world and let the attitude of Christ fill us through the principles that He is teaching us to the full.
Our text today in our Sermon on the Mount Series will challenge us to do is to look at our life, our personhood, our attitudes, because The Beatitudes reveal to us that BLESSED LIFE IMPRINT and IMPACT. Let’s read Matthew 5:3-12. Your life is blessed when you:
I. IMPRINT YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD YOURSELF (v3-4)
POOR IN SPIRIT - (How you view yourself: With pride or humility)
FUTURE IMPACT: theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
a) Not Physically Poor - Some people pride themselves in being poor, like more spiritual.
b) Spiritually Poor - Ones ability to admit they cannot achieve righteousness in one’s self.
c) A Willingness to Admit Sin - The key to being accepted by God. PSALM 51
d) Your attitude toward sin will determine where you spend eternity.
THOSE WHO MOURN - (The attitude you have toward your sin. Some are not being affected even commits sin, or justified sins and treats it as okay.)
FUTURE IMPACT: they will be comforted
a) Not Sad or Negative - Some people enjoy sorrow, they aren’t happy unless trouble.
b) There is a progression from verse 3 to 4. MOURN FOR SIN, Recognizing the impact
c) A Brokenness of Sin - Altars all over our county should be full today of broken people
d) Your attitude toward repentance will determine your inner peace.
II. IMPRINT YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD (v5-7)
MEEK - (The attitude you have toward God and others once you have become an heir.)
FUTURE IMPACT: they will inherit the earth
a) Doesn’t mean weak or shy. Being meek is not being weak. (ILL. Horse controlled power.)
b) Those who are Powerful (Christians) but are CONSTRUCTIVE NOT DESTRUCTIVE
c) Many Christians want to be humble as they come to God, then get haughty (proud) minded. Your attitude toward God will keep you in check in how to act toward him and others.
THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS
FUTURE IMPACT: be filled
a) A real desire to have the correct attitude of righteousness.
b) Many people go to church today and have no desire to be righteous before God or man.
c) Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these things will be give to you as well.”
d) Your attitude toward God righteousness will determine your future needs being met.
MERCIFUL
FUTURE IMPACT: will be shown mercy
a) Your attitude toward God will determine the mercy you show to others.
b) Romans 12:1 "In view of God’s mercy offer your bodies as living sacrifice." This means, once we’ve reflected on how good God has been to us, we will in turn offer ourselves to Him. He wants us to love Him, but the rest of the law is built around loving other people.
c) Your attitude toward God dying for you and showing you mercy will help you show mercy toward others. AND YOU WILL BE SHOWN MERCY
d) The degree that we judge people, we will be judged by the same degree.
III. IMPRINT YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD OTHERS (v8-9)
PURE IN HEART
FUTURE IMPACT: will see God
a) Pure motives will not abuse other people.
b) When we have the correct attitude toward ourselves and God we will not have the old mentality of impure motive to have our own needs met rather than others. (ILL. Our motive in sharing the gospel to others, many times are not pure. Even our service to others. Check it!)
Nehru said: “Christ I like. Christianity I like. Christians I don’t like.”
Mahatma Gandhi said: “I would have been a Christian if it were not for the Christian.”
Muhammad Ali said: “I love Christianity. It’s the Christians I hate.”
PEACEMAKERS
FUTURE IMPACT: be called Son’s of God
a) When we are pure in heart we are promoting peace.
b) We attempt to live at peace with others. Having a peaceful heart will promote peace.
IV. IMPRINT YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SACRIFICE (v10-12)
THOSE WILLING TO SUFFER PERSECUTION FOR CHRIST
FUTURE IMPACT: Rejoice and Be Glad for the Great Reward in Heaven
a) As we remember John 6:25-66, the reason so many people walked away from Christ was that they weren’t willing to sacrifice of themselves for God.
b) Many are willing to die in Christ but they aren’t willing to live for Him.
c) Those who are willing to suffer for the sake of Christ will be rejoicing and glad because of the great reward await for them in heaven.
CONCLUSION:
Are the attitudes that you are sowing today going to reap you a good harvest in the future, including eternity?
“Leaders are effective because of who they are …” John Maxwell. Our best asset is not our ability, achievement, education, or experience but our attitude, our character, our personhood, our being not our doing. Not our altitude but our attitude. (ILL. Song: If you want to be great in God’s Kingdom, let you be the servant of all.) “PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER US FOR WHO WE ARE NOT FOR WHAT WE DO.”
Is our attitude making an IMPRINT in the present time for future IMPACT toward ourselves, our God, towards others and our attitude toward sacrifices? If not then intentionally develop your attitude through God’s principles. With this we will able to honor God as His disciples! I believe Jesus gave us these principles because GOD must first work IN our BEING before He can effectively work THROUGH our BEING. This is giving importance on our health.
