Introduction: Oswald Chambers: The Sermon on the Mount is what we look like when Christ has His unhindered way in our lives. William Barclay: The Sermon on the Mount is not one single sermon which Jesus preached on one definite situation; it is the summary of his consistent teaching; it is the essence of all that He continually and habitually taught; it is the official teaching which He gave to His inner circle of followers; it is the concentrated memory of many hours of heart to heart communion between the disciples and Jesus, and that which the Holy Spirit inspired them to write. The beatitudes are not pious hopes of what shall be; they are not … vague prophecies of future bliss; they are the blessings, that exist here and now in our lives through faith.
#1. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit (Matthew 5:3 … theirs is the kingdom of heaven.)
A. Pastor Dan: My family was very poor, so as a child I learned what it meant to live in need. There were so many things I wanted to do but it always seemed that we never had enough money: the tonet, engineer boots, a white shirt and tie, the trumpet. Poor to me meant not having enough. To be poor in spirit means that we are …
1. Not capable of coping with life apart from God.
a. Hesychios: We are not mightier than Samson, wiser than Solomon, more knowledgeable about God than David, and we do not love God better than did Peter, prince of the
Apostles. So let us not have confidence in ourselves; for he who has confidence in himself will fall headlong.
b. Matthew 18:2-3 NLT Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little
children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
c. 1 Samuel 15:12, 17 God said to King Saul, “When you were little in your own eyes I was able to use you.
d. 2 Chronicles 26:15-16 Uzziah was marvelously helped until he became strong.
e. Thomas Brooks: Everything that we lean upon other than God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce our hearts through and through. They who lean only on Christ, lives the
highest, choicest, safest, and sweetest life.
** Psalms 51:16-17 NLT God, You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not
reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
** Isaiah . 57:15 NLT The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One says, “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore
the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
** Isaiah 66:2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken. I will bless those who have humble and contrite
[remorseful, repentant] hearts, who tremble at My word.
f. Pastor Dan: Genesis 4:16 Cain left the presence of God because he did not want God to control him; he wanted to do what he wanted to do.
g. Hudson Taylor: All God’s giants of faith have been weak individuals who did great things for God because they believed that He would be with them.
#2. Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted (John 14:15-18, 26 NKJV If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will
give you another Helper [Comforter, Strengthener], that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor
knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 26 The Helper [Comforter, Strengthener], the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.)
A. William Barclay: The Greek word used in Matthew 5:4 is the strongest word for mourning—like one mourning for the dead; it speaks of a passionate grief for one who was love ; it
is the word used in the Septuagint describing Jacob’s grief when he believed that Joseph, his son, was dead (Genesis 37:34 Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time ).
1. Blessed are they who experience the disappointing reality of their own way and realize their need for change—for God.
a. Acts 2:26-38 Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to
the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do. 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
b. William Barclay: Blessed is the man who is desperately sorry for his own sin and his own unworthiness.
c. Ignatius [and Polycarp disciples of Apostle John] It is impossible for a man to be freed from the habit of sin before he hates it, just as it is impossible to receive
forgiveness before confessing his trespasses.
d. 2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
e. John 8:34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that
one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness. (Romans 8:13-14; 1 John 3:6)
f. Pastor Dan: I saw two things that night on 14th Street that changed me forever. First, I saw my ugly self and then I saw God’s goodness. My ugly self didn’t make me cry
because I was pretty much acquainted with that side of my life. What broke my heart more than the revelation of self was the fact that God who was loving, powerful, big, pure
and good would want to come and help someone who was selfish, dirty, small and bad as me.
g. Psalms 51:10-12 NKJV Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit
from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
h. Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
i. James 4:7-9 Submit yourself to God resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts
for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter
and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
Closing and Invitation: Pastor Dan: The harder I tried to quit doing wrong the harder it was to do. Don’t worry about doing wrong—focus all your attention on doing what is right and everything else will take care of itself. Jean Ingelow: How does the branch bear fruit? Not by incessant effort for sunshine and air; not by vain struggles. It simply abides in the vine, in silent and undisturbed union, and blossoms and fruit appear as of spontaneous growth. (Matthew 18:2-3 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.)
