The Jesus Code: Part 1
“Be-Attitudes”
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Pastor Kelly Dufour
Text: Matthew 5:1-12
Introduction:
Today we begin a new sermon series that I have titled, “The Jesus Code.” No, this is not some new conspiracy fashioned after a fairly famous fictional novel and Hollywood blockbuster.
“The Jesus Code” is a series of messages based on the teachings of Jesus – the Master Teacher. In the teachings of Jesus, especially the teachings that have been called “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus describes the character, commitment, code of conduct, and commission of His followers.
In our “Journey with Jesus” series, we took a look at the life of Christ during his first year of ministry. The first year of Jesus’ ministry was not focused on his teaching ministry. We do know that he taught in synagogues but there is not a written account of what he specifically taught. It appears that His first year of ministry was more about personal interactions (the would-be followers of Jesus, Nicodemus, Samaritan woman, Pharisees, etc.).
One of first things Jesus did at the beginning of his second year of ministry was select the 12 men who would be called his disciples or Apostles (the sent ones). After spending the evening alone in prayer, Jesus chooses his 12 followers. These would be the men who would carry on Jesus’ teaching and carry out His great commission.
The great task before Jesus now was to teach and train his new recruits. Over the next two and a half years He would invest in the lives of these men through teaching, mentoring, and practical application. This was a major crash-course in the Principles and Priorities of the New Covenant – the Kingdom Manifesto.
Place yourself in the disciples’ sandals for a moment. These men have more than likely been indoctrinated in the Jewish faith and ritual. The next couple of years would require an extreme makeover – spiritual edition. Jesus’ teaching would confront their current system of belief and practice and require a total reprogramming of their spirituality.
Illustration: Old Dog, New Tricks concept
At the end of the two and a half years in training with Jesus, these men were going to be responsible (Holy Spirit) to take the message of the Kingdom of Heaven into all the world in the face of fierce persecution. How many of you have been in church for more than two and a half years? How many of you would feel comfortable with that mandate?
So we see in the Sermon on the Mount, an Ordination Address to the Twelve but I believe that His teaching is just as important and relevant for all followers of Jesus – for us gathered here today who call ourselves Christians – Christ followers.
Jesus begins “The Jesus Code”, with a series of eight sayings, or blessings, that are called the "Beatitudes". This name comes from the Latin and refers to a state of happiness or bliss.
The word “Blessed” (makarios) is often translated “happy.” Unfortunately, our English language does not do this word justice. To us, happiness is often based on our current happenings – what happens to us. Happiness, in that context, is fleeting – a response to our circumstances. If it is a good experience, we are happy. If it is a bad experience, we are sad, mad, depressed, frustrated, etc.
Makarios, blessed or happy, is defined as possessing the favor of God, that state of being marked by fullness from God. This means that the believer should be fully satisfied no matter the circumstances. This happiness is untouched by the circumstances of this world. The Beatitudes are more than a way to happiness; they are a way to fullness of life (empty lives vs. full lives).
In today’s selection from “The Jesus Code” we are going to try to answer questions like, “What kind of life does God want people to live? What does life in the kingdom of God look like? What is a truly good (or righteous) life? How does this message differ from conventional earthly messages? What should the Christian’s attitude be? “The Be-Attitudes.”
Message: “Be-Attitudes”
Read: Matthew 5:1-12
1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matt 5:1-12 (NIV)
This morning we will look at the first four be-attitudes: poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
1. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit (vs. 3)
One of the things you notice right away is the contradictions in each statement. Blessed or happy are the poor? When is that last time you heard that proclaimed in the broadcasts of our world?
Blessed are the rich seems more appropriate according to the world’s standards. In fact, the world’s beatitudes might sound something like this:
Blessed are the rich, for theirs is the kingdom of the earth.
Blessed are the happy, for they live in comfort.
Blessed are the bold, for they will take over the world.
Blessed are the satisfied, for they have all they need.
Blessed are the powerful, for they need no mercy.
Blessed are the deceitful, for they see only what’s in it for them.
Blessed are the aggressive, for they will be called victors.
Blessed are the safe and well-respected, for there is the kingdom of compromise.
Therefore we see Jesus, in these beatitudes, turning the normal expectations upside down.
Remember, the Kingdom of Heaven often values the things the world abhors, and the opposite is true as well. The Kingdom of Heaven abhors the things the world values. All 8 statements give us a prime example of the two worlds in conflict.
How are the poor in spirit blessed or favored by God?
Poor (ptochos) means to crouch, cower like a beggar, it describes someone in abject poverty, utter helplessness, complete destitution. This describes someone who is powerless to save himself from his condition.
Coupled with “spirit” signifies a spiritual poverty – the spiritually bankrupt, destitute, impoverished. It confesses one’s unworthiness before God and utter dependence on him. It is found in the person who realizes that he or she can do nothing to save themselves. This person knows that he cannot buy the favor of heaven. It is the person who realized they are totally dependent on outside help (God).
This is the kind of person God favors.
Becoming poor in spirit is also what happens to each person who comes into a personal, real confrontation with God.
Illustration: Visiting the home of a very wealthy man.
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1 (NIV)
Isaiah’s response: 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Isaiah 6:5 (NIV)
Peter’s response to Jesus: "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" Luke 5:8 (NIV)
Poor in spirit is not about comparing ourselves with others, it is about seeing ourselves in comparison to God.
Pharisees, scribes, teachers of the law VS prostitutes, tax collectors, sinners.
Poor in spirit is the essential step toward salvation. If we think we are good, upright people and that we can earn our right into heaven then we will never get there. On the other hand, if we realize we are sinners and can do nothing to save ourselves then God’s forgiveness and help awaits us.
Application: Poor in spirit is also essential for daily Christian living – this is the foundation on which Christian living occurs. We need to be aware that we still have nothing to offer God in our own power or strength and that we need God’s help everyday to live for him.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (NIV)
The blessing for the poor in spirit is that “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Access to the kingdom of heaven is available to those who are poor in spirit.
So the Jesus Code requires that we will not trust in ourselves for salvation. We must realize that we can do nothing in or of ourselves that will place us in right standing with God.
2. Blessed are Those Who Mourn (vs. 4)
Even more so than the first, this beatitude seems an oxymoron – a combination of two words with contradictory elements (jumbo shrimp, good grief, plastic glasses, easy labor, fiber glass, final draft, fighting for peace, family vacation).
How can those who mourn be happy or blessed?
The Greek word translated “mourn” in this passage is the strongest possible word for mourning in the Greek language. It is the word used for mourning the death of a loved one (OT – Jacob mourning over Joseph).
While there are several possible applications implied in this beatitude (God is near and will comfort those who grieve), most commentators believe that this beatitude speaks of mourning our sin – feeling grieved by our sins.
The first word spoken during Jesus’ earthly ministry recorded in the NT is “repent.” You cannot repent for your sins if you are not grieved by or sorry for your sins.
This beatitude, then, is step two in coming to Christ. Step one, give in the first beatitude, is to realize your desperate need for a Savior. Step two, become so grieved and sorry for your sin that it leads you to repentance.
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Cor 7:8-10
But there is also another dimension. The word “mourn” is in the imperfective aspect meaning that it is continual, habitual, repeated.
Application: Repentance must be a part of a healthy Christian life here on the earth. Until we get to heaven (made perfect in Christ) we struggle with sin on a daily basis. Mourning is a sign of repentance and a heart that loves the Lord (See Psalm 51).
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalms 51:17 (NIV)
15 For this is what the high and lofty One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15 (NIV)
The blessedness of those who mourn over sin is that they will be comforted by the grace and forgiveness of God.
1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalms 32:1-5
The Jesus Code mandates that we never grow calloused or hard-hearted and insensitive toward sin but rather we grieve over sin and its effects knowing that we will be comforted by the grace and forgiveness of God.
3. Blessed are the Meek (vs. 5)
The world has equated meek with weak but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The original Greek word translated “meek” does not translate well into the English language. There is no single word in the English language that can capture the truest form of the word.
Meek, according to Aristotle, is one of the great Greek ethical words. It is used to strike a balance between excessive anger and excessive angerlessness (total passivity). Therefore, one definition is that meek is the happy medium between too much anger and too little anger. It means to be angry at the right time (for others) and never angry at the wrong time (selfish). To be meek toward others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit.
Meek also has second Greek usage. It is the regular word for an animal which has been domesticated, which has been trained to obey the word of command, which has learned to answer to the reins. It is the word for an animal which has learned to accept the control of a master. It implies one who has resigned his will to another. Not making the animal a spineless, weak creature but harnessing its strength (like a horse or oxen). Perhaps it is best defined as “gentle strength” or “strength under control.”
There is also a third usage of meek. It is used for true humility without a hint of pride. Without humility a man cannot learn because the first requirement in learning is realizing your own degree of ignorance. Without humility a man cannot experience true “religion” because true religion begins with a realization of our own weakness and of our need for God and His forgiveness. This describes our attitude toward God.
There is obviously application for all three in the Beatitudes. One is our attitude toward God (our spirit or will submitted to the Lordship of Christ, humility) and the other is our attitude toward others (appropriate anger, not malicious or vengeful, not thinking of ourselves only).
Expanded translation: Blessed is the man who is always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time, who has every instinct, and impulse, and passion under control because he himself is God-controlled, who has the humility to realize his own ignorance and his own weakness.
It is also listed among the fruit (evidence or by-product) of a Spirit-filled life (Galatians 5:22).
Both Jesus and Moses were said to be meek. Neither of them could ever be seen as weak, but rather men of great power and authority. However, both were under the control of the will of God which was where their power and authority came from.
Application: Surrender to God’s will, true humility, and how we treat others. This is the third step (poor in spirit, mourn over sin, and surrender to God).
The blessing of the meek is that they will inherit the earth.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ’Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Matthew 25:34 (NIV)
Revelation 20:4, 6 tells us that we will live and reign with Him (Jesus) a thousand years on the earth (new earth).
4. Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness (vs. 6)
Hunger and thirst are two of the strongest human desires and needs. It is the basest of our physical needs. But this beatitude is not talking about physical hunger or thirst but rather a spiritual hunger and thirst – a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
This is the fourth step in the development of our spirituality (poor in spirit, mourning sin, submitting to God in humility, and then having a hunger and thirst for righteousness – right living before God.
Cultural understanding of hunger and thirst – this doesn’t just imply the need of a snack but rather the hunger of a starving man and the thirst of a man dying of thirst.
We all hunger and thirst for something. Our appetite is usually defined by which power is in control (sinful nature or the Spirit). Illustration: The Diet
As mentioned earlier, this hunger and thirst is more than just a desire for a small snack and drink. It implies a hunger and thirst for the whole thing (I’m so hungry I can eat a cow). This hunger and thirst is not satisfied with a small helping of righteousness – He wants complete righteousness.
At the same time, this beatitude does not imply that a man is blessed only if he reaches perfection – it is about the appetite and desire. We will never reach total righteousness but that doesn’t mean we should lose the appetite for it.
Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 42:2; Psalm 63:1
Application: The blessing is that we will be satisfied. The soul who hungers after God and right living finds satisfaction. The soul who hungers after the lust of the flesh or the things of the world will never be satisfied.
He will be filled – does not imply that a man can obtain perfect righteousness. It means that we will enjoy a full life, he will be satisfied in his soul but continue to have a hunger and thirst for more.
Closing:
If you want to live according to Jesus’ Code of Conduct it begins with being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, submitting to God (meek) in humility, and maintaining a healthy appetite for living right before God. This is what our attitude should be -- the Be-Attitudes. Next week we will take a look at the next four which might appropriately be called the “Do-Attitudes”.
