Reversal of Fortunes
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.
1. Identifying the Struggle
Identification: There are many people who have become poor in spirit, who are mourning, who have been through so much, yet are meek and gentle (as opposed to angry, bitter, resentful), who crave justice, (have been treated mercilessly) yet are merciful, are pure in heart, and are peacemakers. Many are persecuted because they love and live what is right.
-These words of Jesus were caring words of compassion and understanding. He was saying to these people, “I know your struggles. I understand what you are going through and I care.” Jesus was validating them and their experiences. He was identifying with them in the midst of the injustices they were facing. Yet He turned these things around to show how God could work in the midst of impossible situations. Jesus brought more of a kingdom-minded perspective. (Lord’s Prayer: Yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory.) These can be turned around for His glory and our blessing!
-The world might look at someone and say, “Life has been hard on that person. They don’t have much to offer b/c they are poor in spirit. They aren’t the life of the party. Always so serious!” Or they might say, “That person is so sad. Why can’t they just get over it and move on?” Or, “He is so quiet. You never know what he is thinking. You barely notice when he is in the same room. And he’s way too nice to people – too concerned about what they think.” Or, “She is always griping about getting a raw deal. Well, she should just accept the fact that life isn’t fair!” Or, “She is such a goody two shoes. Thinks she’s better than everyone else.” Or, “I think he is afraid to fight. He is always trying to negotiate peace instead of letting people just fight it out.”
-The world system (our culture) often has these things turned upside down. The beatitudes are viewed as negatives rather than positives. Let’s move on now and take a look at how they can be positives in a person’s life.
2. Entering the Kingdom
-But before the kingdom value of these adverse conditions of their world could be realized or appreciated, it is necessary for people to receive and identify with the Kingdom of Heaven. The first beatitude introduces the way into the kingdom. The way up is down. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
-Just prior to the start of the earthly ministry of Jesus, John the Baptist preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was near and that people could prepare for it through repentance from sin. John also pointed ahead to the Messiah who would follow him up.
-When Jesus showed up He spoke about heart issues and commitment and a person’s treasure. He talked about the need for a spiritual birth, a new beginning with new life.
John 3:3-7 Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
-Jesus also made it very clear that He was the way into the kingdom of heaven:
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
-So, becoming poor in spirit, repenting of sin and yielding oneself to God is a necessary first step in the process of reversing the negatives in life. It is only when we are surrendered to God that we can begin to experience the blessed life.
3. Embracing Kingdom Life
-For each of the beatitudes there might be a call to action for a person who has entered into the kingdom of God. We’ve already looked at the first one:
1. Become poor in spirit. Humble yourself before God. A broken and repentant heart God does not despise.
2. Seek comfort in Jesus. Whether you are mourning the loss of a loved one or the apparent absence of blessing in your life, or something else, realize that the only true and lasting comfort comes from the Lord, through His Holy Spirit (aka, The Comforter).
3. Cultivate humility. Do not dominate others. Leadership and greatness flow from servant hood. Meekness or gentleness does not deny one’s own strengths, but only uses them to help others, not for self-promotion.
4. Seek to be fair and righteous in all your dealings. We tend to want mercy for ourselves and justice for others. Craving righteousness means wanting what is right and fair for everybody. And remember that the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God.
5. Be merciful to the degree that you want mercy.
6. Remain pure through faith, repentance/confession, guarding your thought life and input. Recognize that God is holy and calls us to be holy. Don’t flirt with the things of the world. Draw near to God instead.
7. Make peace in every direction possible. Grace and peace flow together. Let the grace of Jesus in you influence the atmosphere wherever you are! There is enough anger, fighting, bitterness, and dysfunction. Don’t add to it or feed the fire. Gently, quietly remove the fuel.
8. Be willing to endure persecution with a smile, knowing you are suffering for Jesus! Rejoice and be glad! You’re in good company and you will be rewarded greatly!
Application: There are a lot of people all around us in our families and communities who would identify with the struggles of the people Jesus ministered to in Matthew 5. Sure, we live in a different time, different culture, and we are blessed to live in the free world. Yet, there are those whose life situations have beaten them down until their spirits have been broken. They are poor in spirit, not because they have found Jesus, but because they have been abused, rejected, and tossed away by others. Some are meek for the same reasons. Some are wishing that they could catch a break and have justice in their situation. They haven’t been treated fairly and nobody seems to care.
Jesus invites people like that to come to Him and find rest for their souls. He will give them new life and turn the negatives of this life into positives. Jesus calls each of us to give up our own way, to become poor in spirit, to yield ourselves to Him, asking Him to forgive us and help us. When we do that, the kingdom of heaven becomes ours and we are received into God’s favor by faith in Jesus! Our struggle may or may not involve mistreatment and injustice, but every person also has a struggle against sin. And it’s a battle we cannot win on our own – which is why Jesus came and fought for us! His work on the cross provided for our forgiveness and gave us a path for right living. It is only when we receive Him that we can see the reversal of woes. Blessed are those kingdom people who are mistreated and who get a raw deal from others. Why? Because God will come to their aid and give them eternal life, comfort, an inheritance, justice, mercy, His close face-to-face presence, a new identity as children of God, ownership in His own kingdom, and a great reward in heaven! The kingdom life is a blessed life. You may not have 2 nickels to rub together, but if you’re all in with Jesus, you are and will be blessed in so many ways!
-How is your life going? Have you been beaten down by the circumstances of life to where you feel like giving up? Well, you might be very close to the kingdom, since giving up our own way is what Christ calls us to do. Jesus can do more with your surrender than you will ever do in your own strength! Will you come to Him?
