The Blessed
Series: Jesus began to preach
04/18/10 AM
Text: Matthew 4:17; 5:1-10
Introduction
This morning we begin a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount. This series of messages, titled “Jesus began to preach,” is intended to be practical, providing lessons on applying the Lord’s spiritual principles of the sermon to everyday life and will encompass all of Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, Jesus’ longest uninterrupted teaching in all the Gospels and, perhaps excluding Psalm 23, the Sermon on the Mount is one of the most familiar passages of Scripture. Everybody knows “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” “Turn the other cheek,” “Walk the extra mile,” and “An eye for an eye.” But familiarity does not make the principles revealed by Jesus any easier for us to apply as His disciples.
In the order of chronological events the sermon follows immediately after Jesus’ 40-day fast and temptation in the wilderness, His baptism by John in the Jordan River, the calling of the 12 Apostles, His multiple healings, His Galilean ministry, the beginning of his great popularity, and with inauguration of his teaching ministry. Matthew tells us in chapter 4: 17 that “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
The sermon begins at Matthew 5:1 and continues through to Matthew 7:28, providing a clear teachings of what is expected from a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 5:1 makes it clear that these teachings were given to disciples) and in this series we will examine these expectations and consider how we are to apply them to our daily walk in Christ.
We will begin with the lessons given to the blessed found in Matthew 5:3-10.
I. These are not World's Attitudes.
A. Matthew 5:1 ...His disciples came to Him.
1. Nobody is like this naturally but Jesus says “Repent.”
2. John 3:3 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
B. Sometimes the beatitudes are not our attitudes.
1. "Idealistic." "Can't really live in the real world like that."
2. When they are we can expect to be insulted, abused, and persecuted (v11 notice also that we'll be rewarded because of it.)
3. To Walk with Jesus is to step OUT of the crowd.
C. All in the church are called out (ecclessia)
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
D. The Beatitudes are a Package Deal
1. Not like gifts of the Spirit Romans 12:6-8
a. Some have these gifts, others have other gifts.
II. What is the meaning of Blessed?
A. It is more than to be happy
1. The Greek word used here is makarios and we need to understand the fullness of it's meaning.
2. Many English translations of the Beatitudes translate makarios with the word “happy,” as in “Happy are those mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Our English word “happy” come from the Middle English word “hap” meaning chance. Thus, happiness as we know it depends upon beneficial circumstances. That’s not what Jesus had in mind in the Beatitudes.
3. In our case, “blessed” is the best translation of the original word; and in this context it means one who, by adopting these attitudes will externally be the recipient of God’s favor, and internally experience joy and peace.
a. It is related to the word “bliss,” which was used by the ancient Greeks to describe the existence of the gods, a life of anxiety-free, work-free, untroubled state of perfect harmony and calm.
b. The Greek word conveys something like a short cry of joy, “Oh, you fortunate person!”
c. Thus, adopting these attitudes provides one with an internal joy unaffected by circumstances and the recipient of God’s eternal favor and the recipient of a reward. And some of these rewards are given in this life; some in the next.
Let’s look at these “attitudes of beatitude” quickly and then spend a few moments in application.
III The Beatitudes are to Be our Attitudes.
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit… applied to Lazarus (Luke 16), and rendered beggar. We recognize our spiritual poverty which cannot be relieved by one’s own efforts, but only by the free mercy of God.
Unlike the Pharisee in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18 who reminded God how fortunate He was to have a servant like him, the tax collector, so remorseful over his sin, and with no pretense or excuse, simply said, “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.”
The tax collector is the model of the beatitude here. The trouble is, we like to compare ourselves to others always worse off morally than we to feel convince ourselves that we might not be perfect, but we ain’t doin’ half bad.
The blessed are those who without excuse know, and confess to God they know, that they have nothing inherently to please God. “I have nothing without you, God; I am nothing without you.” To them belong the kingdom of heaven.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
4“Blessed are those who mourn, Signifying grief manifested; too deep for concealment; sorrow for our sins.
The word Jesus uses here denotes a profound grief over the loss of a loved one and it expresses how we should feel over the separation our sin causes from God.
1) Paul tells us that godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10.) And repentance and confession lead to you guessed it forgiveness and comfort from God.
5“Blessed are the meek,
Jesus uses the Greek word praus here. Praus was also used to designate animals that had been domesticated. We could also replace the “meek” with the word “gentle” here as in gentlemen and gentlewomen: Men and women of propriety. The word involves an attitude of trust and subservience to God. These shall inherit the earth when the Lord returns.
James 1:21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Filled but always desiring more. 1 Peter 2:2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
7“Blessed are the merciful,
No need for much discussion here. Jesus is saying that if you have really had mercy extended to you, you will extend it to others. (Parable of the forgiven debt, Matthew 18:21-35)
And what is mercy? Undeserved acquittal and forgiveness.
8“Blessed are the pure in heart,
In Scripture, when not referring to the muscle that pumps blood through our bodies, the use of the word “heart” means the seat and center of the human person. It is our mind, will, and emotions.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Having purity in focus, singular desire in following Christ and having His motives in our heart.
9“Blessed are the peacemakers, Romans 12:18 …be at peace with all men. Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
We must be founders and promoters of peace; who not only keep the peace, but seek to bring men the peace of Christ carried in our own hearts.
10“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
If we are living this life of a disciple of Jesus right, we will invariably suffer some reproach. Moral choices will mean not getting a raise. Convictions will cost friends. But there are 3 reasons these persecutions make us blessed.
1) It demonstrates our identity with the Lord. He suffered.
2) It is evidence of our sanctification, as unbelievers and immature believers rarely suffer for doing the right thing.
3) Persecution is a tool God uses to humble us, give us patience, and cause us to be like His Son, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
We must realize that these “attitudes of the blessed” are dispositions of the heart and not merely actions. Acquiring them results in right actions and righteous behavior, but they themselves are convictions of the heart. In other words, Jesus is calling for much more than a mere cosmetic makeover, or a papering over of the same old you. We can fake righteousness, humility, gentleness, etc, etc for an hour on Sundays, but our spouses and kids and our employees know who we really are. Jesus didn’t come to bring more external laws to add to Moses’ laws. He came to call us to Himself. He is the Sermon on the Mount. His every word, action, and heartbeat was to do the will of the Father. And so it must be with us. These beatitudes show how inadequate we are in and of ourselves, that we may see our need of Christ, and in Him be reborn to a blessed life.
