“Blessed are the Humble”
Matthew 5:3
In the last message we compared happiness and blessedness. So if I asked you this morning, “Are you happy?" Being the spiritual people that you are, and knowing that happiness is not the same as “blessed,” you might stumble and hesitate because the question is not an easy question to answer. Some theological dictionaries define "blessed" as a "state of happiness" but this is not completely accurate because blessed differs from ''happy'' which describes a person with good ''luck''. Because as we learned last week the English word "Happy" comes from the root hap which means luck as in favorable circumstance. Isn't it true that even for most Christians that as long as we still reside on this Earth that our happiness tends to go up or down depending on what "happens" or how things are going in our life?
John Stott writes, “Happiness is a subjective state, whereas Jesus is making an objective judgment… He is declaring not what they may feel like (happy) but what God thinks of them and what on that account they are – they are blessed.” [John Stott. “Essential Living: The Sermon on the Mount.” (IVP; 1988) p. 33]
Anyone in their right mind would choose to be blessed over just being momentarily happy. After we get through with our study of the Beatitudes if someone ask you, “Are you happy?” I hope that you will be able to answer them, “Yes sometimes, but I am blessed all the time.” That might even lead to them asking you to explain the difference between being happy and being blessed and I hope that you will be able to do that.
How much superior is the condition of the saint who is “blessed” – the state in which we are still in the world and yet are independent of the world because our satisfaction comes from God and not from favor-able circumstances. Yet we need to understand that one can be “blessed” and yet be in less than favorable circumstances. Jesus points this out in just few verses when He says, "Blessed (makarios) are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven…" (Matthew 5:11-12)
“Most people are interested in being happy! The pursuit of happiness is the driving force of our affluent western culture. However, when you look at the list of ingredients Jesus gives for happiness, (in the Beatitudes) there is a big shock in store! This is a strange list to say the least, and many of these qualities appear the exact opposite of what most of us are looking for.” (Charles Price. “Focus on the Bible Commentary: Matthew.” (Christian Focus Publications, 1998).
With the difference between blessed and happy in mind think of those who had come out into the wilder-ness to hear Jesus speak. They came because they were convinced the He was the one – He was the Messiah – He was the long awaited deliverer. They had dreams and hopes and expectations for the future and they all hinged on Him. What would He say? What secrets would He share about the future? What strategies would He lay out to defeat Israel’s enemies and restore the kingdom. With great expectation they awaited His first words. The very first sentence of His first sermon stunned them into silence. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (v. 3)
This morning we want to ask and attempt to answer four questions concerning the poor in spirit.
First, Why Does Jesus Begin With Poor In Spirit?
There is in the field of study of the Bible (Hermeneutics) what is called the “law of the first mention” which to put simply means that the place in Scripture where something is first taught is very impor-tant in determining its significance. This is the first statement, of the first recorded sermon of Jesus, recorded in the first Gospel. Jesus begins with the state-ment “blessed are the poor in spirit” it is therefore fair to ask, why does he begin here?
As D. Martyn Lloyd Jones points out, “There is, beyond any question, a very definite order in these Beatitudes. Our Lord does not place them in their respective positions haphazardly or accidentally; there is what we may describe as a spiritual logical sequence to be found here. This, of necessity, is the one which must come at the beginning for the good reason that there is no entry into the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God, apart from it. There is no one in the kingdom of God who is not poor in spirit. It is the funda¬mental characteristic of the Christian and of the citizen of the kingdom of heaven, and all the other character-istics are in a sense the result of this one.” [D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount “(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub., 1959) p. 42]
Being “poor in spirit” is important because it is fundamental first step in becoming a Christian. More about that as we examine….
Secondly, What Does Poor In Spirit Mean? Who then are the poor in spirit?
• Not Materially Poor
What kind of poverty is he talking about? There are in fact two Greek words for poor, the one used here (ptochos - pu-tac-os) is the most severe term for poverty it meant absolute poverty, completely dependent, and reduced to begging. The Greeks distinguished between those who lived hand to mouth and those who had nothing. The first group lived day to day with nothing left over for a rainy day; the second group found every day to be a rainy day. It wasn't that they didn't have anything left over it was that they didn't have anything period.
But the poverty that Jesus is talking about is not material poverty. Some people think that there is some kind of moral value in poverty itself, that the absence of possessions and the absence of money is somehow itself a virtue. But if that were true then we would need to stop all our efforts to alleviate anyone’s material burden. We should close up all the Manna feeding centers around the globe. We should no longer give aid to orphanages and inner city missions. After all it would be unchristian to do anything that would prevent the poverty that actually draws them closer to God and to real blessedness. Fortunately that is not what Jesus is talking about.
Being poor or rich has nothing to do with it! Although it must be acknowledged that riches can hinder recognition of need. Surveys in the United States show that that religious commitment is generally somewhat higher among people with less income. If there is any spiritual advantage in poverty it is that the poor know that they must seek a source greater than themselves. But poverty is no guarantee of spirituality. By the same token it is the self-sufficiency of the rich that the Bible warns of. Jesus says that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to Heaven. (Luke 18:25)
• But Poor In Spirit
So that the poverty described in the firs Beatitude is not to be taken as materially poor but in a spiritual sense - devoid of any spiritual assets. Being poor in spirit is the opposite of being rich in pride.
According to the Word of God everything begins with broken-heartedness.
Psalm 51:17
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise.”
Psalm 34:18
“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
Isaiah 57:15
“For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
In Luke 18:9-14 Jesus gives us a vivid illustration of one "poor in spirit"... “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were right-eous, and despised others: (10) "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' (13) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Two men went in the Temple, both men prayed. Whose prayer did God hear? Was it the religious man, the Pharisee? No, because he wasn’t praying, he was giving God his resume! Notice that in verse eleven it is revealed “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. “ Jesus said that God heard the other man’s prayer because his words came from a man who was “humble” or "poor in spirit." Then Jesus gave the moral of the story:
One man was rich with pride, the other poor in spirit. One man thought highly of himself, the other felt his shortcomings. One man was impressed with his own accomplishments; the other was depressed by his sin. One man boasted, the other man begged. One man recommended himself to God, the other man pleaded for God’s mercy.
One man was saved, the other lost. But the surprise was that it was not the “good” man who was saved. He ended up lost. It was the “bad” man – the one who recognized his need that ended up saved.
C. S. Lewis wrote of this experience saying, "Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good, above all, that we are better than someone else, I think that we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil. The real test of being in the presence of God is that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about ourselves altogether." [C.S. Lewis. “Mere Christianity.” (New York; MacMillan Co., 1958) pp. 96-97]
Salvation begins with the understanding that one cannot save themselves. All our lives hard work has been applauded. We are rewarded in this life according to performance. If you study hard you get good grades. If you work hard you get promoted. But what Jesus wants everyone to understand is that the Kingdom of Heaven cannot be earned. God does not save us because of what we have done, but in spite of what we have done, by His grace. God does for His children what they cannot do for themselves. Paul states it clearly in Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do…. God did by sending His own Son.”
Third, What Is the Result Of Being Poor In Spirit?
It is not until one is poor in spirit that they can go to Heaven. It is not until a person realizes their poverty (that is that they cannot save themselves) there is no sense of need to turn to God to be saved. But the promise of the Lord to those that are poor in spirit is that “theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” This should be seen more in the sense of consequence than of reward.
• It Is Their Possession.
In the original Greek the pronoun is emphatic and the sense is "their's alone" that only those who have recognized their need (are poor in Spirit) that are getting into the kingdom of Heaven – they are the only ones!
• It Is Theirs Now!
And even beyond that the verb is present tense meaning that it is theirs (ours) now. Happiness is now. Blessedness is now. There is of course, a future element in which the Kingdom of Heaven is to come. It will come when Jesus Christ returns to set up His millennial kingdom, to physically rule and reign over this Earth. It will come completely and entirely then, but it is present now. At that time every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord. (Philippians 2:10-11) But whether the world recognizes it our not He is already LORD!
Fourth, How Do We Know If We Are Poor In Spirit?
How do you know when you have arrived? If this experience is so necessary, how can we know that we have had it? I want to give you a short list of five principles by which an individual can take inventory to tell if they are poor in spirit.
• You will start by Emptying Yourself of Self.
This the first of the Beatitudes, gives the principle that there has to be an emptying before there can be a filling. You cannot fill that which is already full. We must be emptied of self, before we can be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Part of that emptying is emptying ourselves of the idea that we can in any way commend or make ours-elves acceptable to God. We must put aside our dependence on being born in a certain country, reliance on wealth, or education or natural talent, reliance on morality and our own goodness.
Martin Luther is a great example. When he entered the monastery at a young age he did so with the expectation that could earn his salvation through holiness and good works. It was only after he emptied himself of his own expectation that he could earn salvation through his own efforts that God touched his heart and showed him the truth of salvation by grace through faith.
To truly be what God wants us to be is to die to self. That means that we need to stop thinking about ourselves first.
• You will stop faking it with some kind of false humility.
We are not talking here about some kind of false humility. It makes me think of the fictional character Uriah Heep created by Charles Dickens in his novel “David Copperfield.” Uriah Heep’s character is notable for his insincere humility. That kind of false humility is unacceptable to God.
• You will stop relying on Comparison.
The Christian, all too often, resorts to the danger-ous practice of comparison to determine how straight and accurate his life is. The danger in this method is that we are only as accurate as that which we compare ourselves against. Paul warns, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12) The only boast any of us should have is to boast of the Lord and what He has accomplished through us – it is not about it, but it is all about the Lord.
It is a completely different story when we compare ourselves to God or to standards found in His Word. Then we will truly see how needy and dependent we are on Him and His mercy.
We are face to face with Jesus in all His glory then the only logical response is like to that of Isaiah recorded in chapter six. “I am doomed, for I am a sinful man….. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” (Isaiah 6:5)
• You will stop complaining about your situation
no matter how bad it is - You and I don't deserve even what we have, right! We will experience things that we think are unfair in life. We will be tempted at times to ask, “Why me Lord?” But Paul reminds us, “…the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
(Romans 8:18)
• You will start spending time in prayer.
If we truly recognize our utter dependence up the Lord we will spend more time in prayer - because a beggar is always begging! And of course, the first thing we pray when we recognize our utter dependence on God for salvation is, “God be merciful to me a sinner!”
[Some principles drawn from Thomas Watson. “The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12” (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1971 (original pub. 1660) pp. 45-48]
How do you measure up? If you think you have arrived you have not even begun the journey. If you are overwhelmed by how much you don't measure up, then you are beginning to understand what it means to be poor in spirit.
Conclusion
Joseph Hart in the old hymn “Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy” (1759) catches the essence of this first and in some ways most important beatitude, he warns “for if you tarry tell you're better you will never come at all!” Perhaps you have never really seen yourself as utterly, totally bankrupt before the holiness of God. You've tried to be better, to do better and on and on... but it was always "you" trying. Jesus says we must recognize our poverty and quit trying to be good enough. And as the song says, “Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, Weak and wounded, sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you.”
This is how we begin the Christian life. It doesn’t start by measuring up but by recognizing that we will never measure up.
Song “Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy”
“Blessed Are the Humble”
Matthew 5:3
This morning we want to ask and attempt to answer four questions.
First, Why Does Jesus _______________ With Poor In Spirit?
Secondly, What Does Poor In Spirit ______________?
• Not ____________________ Poor
• But Poor In ____________ (Isa. 66:2, Psa. 34:18, 51:17,
Isa. 57:15) Example - Luke 18:9-14
Third, What Is the ______________ Of Being Poor In Spirit?
“theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”
• It Is Their _________________
The pronoun is emphatic and the sense is "their's alone"
• It Is Theirs ________
Fourth, How Do We ____________ If We Are Poor In Spirit?
How do you know when you have arrived?
• You will start with ________________ Yourself of Self.
There has to be an emptying before there can be a filling.
• You stop faking it with some kind of _________ humility.
• You will stop relying on ____________________. (2 Cor. 10:12)
• You will stop ___________________ about your situation.
(Rom. 8:18)
• You will start spending time in ________________.
