The Beatitudes- Part 2
Mathew 5:7-10
Teaching about more kingdom attributes, Jesus continued to show that true righteousness goes beyond the superficial teachings of the Pharisees.
SLIDE #1
INTRODUCTION
• Today we will are into part two of the Beatitudes!
• The first four that we explored together last week were focused on underlying spiritual attitudes, whereas the final four we will explore together today center on fundamental virtues that are reflective of Christian character.
• The list of kingdom attitudes contained in the Beatitudes marked a completely different approach to righteousness, both for the Jews and for us today.
• Our primary association, when it comes to righteousness, is with actions.
• This association results from the fact that our real, physical, everyday world deals with people who can’t see our hearts.
• We forget that God is very real and sees not only our actions but also our heart.
• In the Beatitudes, Jesus’s list of attitudes deals primarily with righteous attitudes that produce righteous actions.
• Jesus is trying to grow us.
• When one places their emphasis on where Jesus wants it to reside, there will be a natural outflow to produce the right actions.
• With that thought in mind, understanding the difference between external versus internal righteousness is key to being able to implement what Jesus has been saying.
• Jesus is not negating externals.
• External actions are still essential because we are the salt (v. 13) and light of the earth (vv. 14–16).
• However, we need to be conscious of the fact that others can’t see our internals, so externals are essential.
• However, if all we have is an external show and no internal foundation for those actions, we are no better than the Pharisees who missed the point of the law.
• Imagine yourself going to the Apple store and asking to see the latest MacBook Pro.
• The salesman shows you the computer and points out all the specs, gigabytes, RAM, and other impressive tech facts.
• At this point, you’re so excited to see it in action that you excitedly ask the salesman to turn it on and let you “give it a spin.”
• To your horror, the salesman explains that the MacBook Pro is not meant to be used; it’s merely meant to be admired. “What a joke!” you would think to yourself.
• Shouldn’t it be reasonable that the latest computer not only be built to look good but also to function?
• We are no better representations of Christ if all we do is try to look good with no functionality of true righteousness going on in the inside.
• Both are important, but perhaps the onlooking world exclaims, “What a joke!” to us.
• Let’s dive into the Beatitudes today!
SLIDE #2
Bible Verse
Matthew 5:7 (CSB)
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
SLIDE #3
1. I. Jesus welcomes the merciful.
Explanation
• The first of the final four attributes that Jesus wants to see in Hid disciples is the attribute of being merciful!
• A merciful person is a person who shows leniency, compassion, or forgiveness, especially toward someone who has offended them.
• Boy, could to world use some of that today.
• What do we see happening today when someone is offended in the slightest? It is not mercy; it is venom.
• I saw a post where a lady was talking about how she went to the drive-thru at a local restaurant to get some food. She explained that the young girl at the window had her mask on; however, it was not covering her nose.
• Then this lady blasts on Facebook how she had not been back to that establishment again.
• Then someone else tried to defend the establishment by trying to say the incident was an oversight, and maybe she should contact the manager of the restaurant to let the manager know what happened.
• Instead, the lady said that she knew the girl with the mask below her nose was making a political statement and that the owner was probably also in on it.
• I jumped in and said, sure, we should just assume the worst of someone.
• Jesus tells us that if we want mercy from God, the very God whom we have offended by our actions, that we MUST be merciful to others.
• I cannot tell you how many times I have seen Christian treat other people and other Christians in mean, nasty, and unmerciful ways simply because they were inconvenienced over something, or they were mad at something.
• I have had it happen to me, and sadly I have done it my self on occasion.
• The kingdom principle is that if I want God’s mercy to shine on me, I need to offer mercy to others in my life.
• Verse seven calls to mind Exodus 34:6, which says….
SLIDE #4
Bible Verse
Exodus 34:6 (CSB)
6The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord ?—?the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,
Explanation
• God is merciful and compassionate! God sent His Son to die for us so that we could have eternal life!
• God sent Jesus to do that while we still sinners!
• In Matthew 6:22, Jesus made forgiveness from God conditional upon our ability to Forgive others.
• Jesus does the same concerning the issue of mercy; we have to show it to others so we can receive it from God.
• Our context reveals that after a person realizes their spiritual poverty, the morn over it, then understand they need help and hunger
after righteousness, then we can find mercy from God.
• However, that mercy will elude the one who will not show mercy to others.
• In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus told a story of a man who owed the King a large sum of money, the man begged the King for forgiveness, which the King granted.
• Then the man went out and had a man who owed him a small sum of money thrown in prison. When the King caught wind of this, he had the man he had forgiven tossed into jail because of the man’s lack of forgiveness.
• The Pharisees were not merciful people; they looked good on the outside and were unmerciful on the inside.
• Extending mercy to others simply models God’s compassionate and forgiving response to our unworthy condition (cf. Exod 34:6; Matt 18:23–35).
• The importance of “mercy” in Matthew’s Gospel is demonstrated by the fact that Jesus identifies merciful action as the most fundamental expression of one’s relationship to God (9:13; 12:7; 23:23; 25:31–46).16
• The merciful are those who reflect God’s acceptance of the unworthy, the guilty, and the ones in the wrong, based upon the premise that God’s forgiving and restoring acceptance has been manifested in the message and person of Jesus.
• They are blessed because, in the last day, they will be shown mercy.
SLIDE #5
Bible Verse
Matthew 5:8 (CSB)
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
SLIDE #6
2. II. Jesus welcomes the pure in heart.
Explanation
• A pure heart is descriptive of one’s innermost being and motivations.
• The purity referred to means singleness of motive and of devotion, as opposed to a divided motive, without specific reference to either moral perfection or sexual purity.
• In Hebrew thought the heart is used as a symbol of one’s mind or thoughts, and here the reference is to thoughts or to a mind concerned solely to please God.
• For example, it is applicable to one’s attitude toward people of the opposite sex (5:28), or money (6:20–21), or even toward one’s own words (5:37). Newman, B. M., & Stine, P. C. (1992). A handbook on the Gospel of Matthew (p. 112). New York: United Bible Societies.
• Those who are blessed to see God are those with individual loyalty and sincerity of purpose, who act with absolute integrity and transparent honesty.
• Like the Psalmist who experiences God’s presence in the context of temple worship, those who act before God with single-minded devotion and a genuine spirit, will, in the end, experience God’s presence in a most intimate way. (College Press Commentary Series)
• This verse builds off of Psalm 24:3-5
SLIDE #7
Bible Verse
Psalms 24:3-5 (CSB)
3Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord ? Who may stand in his holy place?
4The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not appealed to what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully.
5He will receive blessing from the Lord , and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Explanation
• The religious leaders of the day were far from having a pure heart, Jesus called them out time and time again for their heart issues!
• As Christians, we do not want to fall into the same trap; we need to keep our focus and devotion on God!
• With the disruptions of COVID-19, particularly where the church concerned, I have friends in ministry who are worried that since their churches have been shut down for so long, or they have been so restricted that many will not return when this is over.
• They worry that folks will find it more convenient to continue to stay at home after this ends.
• To be honest, I share that concern, but this passage keeps me balanced because I know that the pure in heart will be back as soon as it is possible.
• I believe that because the pure in heart will be entirely devoted to Jesus and His mission for us.
• Will some fall by the wayside, maybe, but I have faith that the faithful will be back, and they will be back with a passion like never before as they see what it is like not to have fellowship with their brothers and sisters in Christ!
• Jesus echos what the Psalmist states; the pure in heart WILL see God!
• When I am in Christ, I have to allow Him to purify my heart.
• Let’s look at verse 9!
SLIDE #8
Bible Verse
Matthew 5:9 (CSB)
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
SLIDE #9
3. III. Jesus welcomes the peacemakers.
Explanation
• Jesus wants us to be peacemakers!
• This verse ties back to Psalm 34:14 which says,
• Psalm 34:14 (CSB) Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.
• The world is full of hostility, and those who want to be called Sons of God need to be at the forefront of seeking peace.
• Who are the peacemakers spoken of in this verse?
• Are they people who make peace between man and God or between man and man?
• Either interpretation is possible, but both the nonbiblical Jewish literature and the biblical writings themselves support the idea that the peace spoken of is that which is established among people.
• I see this as a two-fold mission, being a peacemaker with people and also helping people make peace with God. We are called to be soul-winners!
• To become a son of God, we must first obey the Gospel! We become Christians by faith, repentance, confession, and baptism.
• This beatitude doesn’t negate the call to follow Jesus must accept the Great Commission.
• 1 John 5: 2-3. Tells us that all who love God will obey His commands and that His commands are not a burden to us! One of His commands is to preach the Gospel to lost people and to try to help lead them to Jesus!
• It is easy to get sucked into things that divide us.
• Before we get pulled into the gravitational pull of a divisive issue, we have to ask ourselves if the issue is more vital to our mission of witnessing for Jesus than the mission we have been called to do?
• A peacemaker is not a Nevil Chamberlian (young folks, Google Nevil), we are not peace at all cost, we d stand firmly on the Gospel; however, how many wars have we fought with people that matter to their salvation?
• Let’s close with verse 10!
SLIDE #10
Bible Verse
Matthew 5:10 (CSB)
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
SLIDE #11
4. IV. Jesus welcomes the persecuted.
Explanation
• The context for this verse is as follows: because you attempt to be a peacemaker because you proclaim the Gospel, people will persecute you.
• Because you strive to be Christlike, to be like Jesus, people will persecute you.
• When we are persecuted for righteousness sake, Jesus says the Kingdom of heaven is theirs.
• This verse does not mean we are to go looking for a fight; it means that we will stand on the Gospel no matter what the cost!
• In this text, righteousness is best understood as emphasizing a behavior or ethical stance in keeping with the will of God.
• The conduct which is described as “righteous” behavior is therefore defined as that which identifies with Jesus and his mission. For Matthew, Jesus is both the standard and source of true righteousness.
• Philippians 3:9 punctuates this thought!
SLIDE #12
Bible Verse
Philippians 3:8-9 (CSB)
8More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ
9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ ?—?the righteousness from God based on faith.
CONCLUSION
• Christ gives excellent examples of external versus internal righteousness.
• Remember, Jesus did not come to get rid of the law, but rather, to bring a mature and complete understanding of it.
• According to Matthew 5:21–26, sin is more than murder; it’s the anger that produced the murder.
• In 5:27–32, sin is more than adultery; it’s the lust that produced the adultery.
• In 5:33–37, sin is more than breaking oaths but the lack of integrity that causes the pledge to be broken.
• In 5:38–48, sin is more than improper retribution but the lack of love and concern for others that prompted the retribution.
• Jesus wants us to change our hearts, and He will help us to do that!
• How can our hearts change?
• How can we change who we are on the inside? How can be the righteousness of God?
• Through being a new creation in Jesus!
• We’ve already realized that we are spiritually bankrupt without Christ. It is our realization of this reality and our reliance on Christ that allows us to live righteously.
• Consider Galatians 5. There are fruits of the Spirit and works of the flesh.
• We easily produce the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21), but the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) are only produced when we “walk by the Spirit” (v. 16).
• Notice the end of Galatians 5:23. It says, “Against such things, there is no law.”
• This is what Christ is talking about. No law, rule, or standard can produce true righteousness; only Christ can. Internal righteousness is given, not earned (Romans 1:17; 3:21–22; Ephesians 2:1–5).
Application
• We can immediately begin to apply kingdom attitudes such as mercy, purity, peacemaking, and internal and external righteousness.
