THE “BE”ATTITUDES
SERMON ON THE MOUNT SERIES, 02
MATTHEW 5:1-3 (NIV)
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.
INTRODUCTION:
LAST WEEK WE INTRODUCED THE BEATITUDES AS PART OF OUR SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
THIS SERMON IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE. THEY ENCOMPASS A MULTI DAY TEACHING EVENT OF JESUS. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME HE SPOKE OPENLY AND CANDIDLY ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HOW IT SHOULD AFFECT OUR LIVING
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD MESSAGES THAT JESUS EVER GAVE. ONE GROUP SAYS IT IS GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION, THAT IF WE EVER HOPE TO GO TO HEAVEN, WE MUST OBEY THESE RULES. THIS SERMON, HOWEVER, DOES NOT TELL US HOW TO BE SAVED, IT TELLS SAVED PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE. IT IS A SERMON FOR CHRISTIANS TODAY AND TOMORROW. IT TEACHES US HOW TO BEHAVE DAY BY DAY.
CONDUCT FLOWS OUT OF THE CHARACTER OF A PERSON. WHEN A PERSON IS BORN AGAIN, THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER AND BEHAVIOR OF THE PERSON. IF THERE IS NO CHANGE AND IF THERE IS NOT A HATRED FOR SIN IN YOUR LIFE, PERHAPS YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BORN AGAIN. WE MUST REALIZE THAT WHEN WE DO NOT LIVE LIKE CHRISTIANS WE CREATE CONFUSION IN THE MINDS OF OTHERS THAT WATCH OUR LIVES.
ILLUSTRATION: AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION CREATED ON THE BATTLEFIELD BY THE UNIFORMS OF THE SOLDIERS. THE GRAY UNIFORMS, KNOWN AS THE "REBEL COLOR" WERE NOT WORN ONLY BY SOLDIERS OF THE SOUTH. UNITS FROM THE FIRST WISCONSIN, FIRST IOWA, FIFTH MAINE, 21ST NEW YORK, AND THE TWELFTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY DRILLED IN GRAY UNIFORMS WHICH WERE NOT WELL RECEIVED. AT THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS, THE UNIFORMS CREATED CONFUSION AND A CATASTROPHE AS MEN ACCIDENTALLY FIRED AT THEIR OWN TROOPS. IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO TELL WHO WAS ON WHAT SIDE.
BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF CLOTH, THE SECOND TEXAS INFANTRY WENT INTO BATTLE WITH PURE WHITE UNIFORMS WHICH INVITED SHOTS FROM BOTH SIDES NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS INFANTRY. A SOUTHERN UNIT KNOWN AS THE ORLEANS GUARD HAD STYLISH BLUE UNIFORMS WHICH CAUSED THEM TO BE MISTAKEN FOR YANKEES. THEY WERE FIRED UPON BY THEIR OWN ARMY. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS WERE CREATED BY A FAILURE TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE SIDE THE SOLDIERS REPRESENTED. THE LACK OF A CLEAR-CUT MESSAGE IN THEIR OUTWARD APPEARANCE CREATED CONFUSION.
TODAY, ARE WE IDENTIFIABLE AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD AROUND US? AND I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE MISSION FIELD, RATHER I AM SPEAKING ABOUT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. ARE WE IDENTIFIED AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST IN OUR HOME, WIH OUR FRIENDS, AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES
THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN WE CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS, BUT LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL. PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED AND WONDER WHERE WE REALLY STAND, WHAT WE REALLY BELIEVE, AND WHOSE SIDE WE ARE REALLY ON. WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON AND CAN PEOPLE TELL IT? ARE YOU A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST?
TRANSITION: THIS FIRST BEATITUDE SPEAKS TO US AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, AND AT THE SAME TIME GIVES A BACK DOOR QUESTION OF WHAT SHOULD KINGDOM OF HEAVEN LIVING LOOK LIKE
I. BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD
a. THE TENSION OF THE KINGDOM
i. THE KINGDOM HAS BEEN IN INAUGURATED – STARTED
ii. THE KINGDOM HAS NOT YET BEEN REALIZED – COMPLETED
iii. WE ALREADY HAVE THE BLESSING OF KNOWING CHRIST AND EXPERIENCING THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN HEIR WITH CHRIST
iv. WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LIVE OUT THE KINGDOM AS WE WAIT FOR IT TO GET HERE
1. WE SHOULD SEEK TO LIVE A STANDARD OF CONDUCT BEFITTING A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
2. WE SHOULD SEEK TO LIVE A STANDARD OF CONDUCT THAT CONTRASTS THE VALUES OF GOD AGAINST THE VALUES OF THE WORLD – ETERNAL AGAINST THE TEMPORARY
b. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BLESSED
i. TO EXPERIENCE HAPPINESS
ii. TO EXPERIENCE JOY
iii. TO EXPERIENCE HOPE
iv. BLESSEDNESS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD
1. BLESSEDNESS IS NOT A HUMAN CONDITION
2. BLESSEDNESS IS A CONDITION WHICH ONLY COME FROM A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
3. 2 PETER 1:4 THROUGH THESE HE HAS GIVEN US HIS VERY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, SO THAT THROUGH THEM YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE DIVINE NATURE AND ESCAPE THE CORRUPTION IN THE WORLD CAUSED BY EVIL DESIRES.
c. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “POOR IN SPIRIT”
i. THE IMAGE OF THE WORD MEANS TO CROUCH OR CRING
1. OF A BEGGAR ASKING FOR ALMS
2. ASKING IN THE FACE OF SCORN BECAUSE HIS STATION WAS TIED TO SIN BY THOSE WHO SAW HIM
ii. POOR MEANS TO BE BANKRUPT
1. ONE WHO HAS NOTHING OF VALUE
2. CANNOT GIVE ANYTHING TO GOD
3. CANNOT PLEASE GOD ON IS OWN
4. JUST LIKE A BEGGAR WHO DEPENDS ON OTHERS TO LIVE, SO WE MUST DEPEND ON THE MERCY OF GOD
d. THIS BEATITUDE IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE – WE ARE BE KINGDOM LIVING PEOPLE NOW IN DEPENDENCE UPON GOD
II. WHAT DOES KINGDOM LIVING LOOK LIKE?
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU 10 WAYS FROM THE SCRIPTURE THAT PROMOTE KINGDOM LIVING TODAY
a. FILL UP WITH GOD FIRST, NOT THE WORLD
i. START EACH DAY SURRENDERING OUR PRIDE, OPINIONS, AND BELIEFS
ii. WHEN WE START EACH DAY EMPTY, IT ALLOWS GOD TO FILL US WITH WHAT HE WANTS FROM US
iii. MATTHEW 6:33 BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL.
b. DON’T LET THE ENEMY DISTRACT YOU
i. THE DEVIL IS A MASTER OF DISTRACTION AND MISDIRECTION
ii. NEED TO BE CAREFUL AS THE DEVIL NEVER HAS A GOOD MOTIVE FOR WHAT HE IS DOING
iii. AS I SHARED BEFORE, SIN TAKES US FARTHER THAN WE WANT TO GO, KEEPS US LONGER THAN WE WANT TO STAY AND COSTS US MORE THAN WE WANT TO PAY.
iv. SATAN WANTS OUR FOCUS OFF OF GODLY KINGDOM THINGS AND ONTO WORLDLY KINGDOM THINGS
v. JOHN 10:10 (NIV)
10 THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.
c. LET GOD DO HIS JOB WHILE YOU DO YOURS
i. IT IS IN OUR NATURE TO WANT TO CONTROL EVERYTHING WE CAN AND WE GET FRUSTRATED AT TIMES WITH THE THINGS WE CAN’T
ii. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AROUND US IS MOSTLY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
iii. GOD’S JOB IS TO HANDLE TOMORROW
iv. OUR JOB IS TO LIVE INHIS PRESENCE TODAY
v. PROVERBS 3:5 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING;
d. PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD BEFORE YOU PUT ON YOUR SHOES
i. AS PAUL WROTE WE DO NOT BATTLE AGAINST T FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS
ii. TO LIVE IN THE KINGDOM, WE MUST REMIND OURSELVES OF WHAT WE LIVE IN – A SPIRITUAL BATTLEGROUND, AND WE ARE ENGAGED IN THE BATTLE
iii. EPHESIANS 6:12 (NIV)
12 FOR OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST THE RULERS, AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES, AGAINST THE POWERS OF THIS DARK WORLD AND AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS.
e. FOCUS ON JESUS NOT THE WIND
i. KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON JESUS NOT THE SURROUNDINGS
ii. MATTHEW 14:30 BUT WHEN HE SAW THE WIND, HE WAS AFRAID AND, BEGINNING TO SINK, CRIED OUT, "LORD, SAVE ME!"
iii. YOU ALL KNOW THE STORY – JESUS IS WALKING ON THE WATER AND AFTER CONVERSATION WITH PETR, JESUS TELLS HIM TO COME OUT TO HIM AND PETER WALKS ON THE WATER.
iv. WHEN PETER TAKES HIS EYES OFF JESUS AND FOCUSES ON THE WIND, HE BEGINS TO SINK, AND JESUS HELPS HIM GET BACK IN THE BOAT AND THE WIND CEASES
v. WE NEED TO LIVE FOCUSED ON JESUS
vi. EASY TO GET DISTRACTED AND THEN WE FORGET
1. IT WAS CALLED US INTO THE SITUATION
2. WHEN WE FOCUS ON HIM WE ARE NOT OVERCOME BY WHAT WE ARE IN
3. AND JESUS IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION
f. BE A FAITH WARRIOR, NOT A WORRIER
i. MATTHEW 6:27 WHO OF YOU BY WORRYING CAN ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO HIS LIFE?
1. INTERPRETATION: CAN ALL OF THE ENERGY YOU PUT TOWARDS WORRYING BE OF ANY BENEFIT? NO!
ii. WORRY DOES NOT CHANGE OUR SITUATION
iii. WORRY DOES NOT CHANGE OUR OUTCOME
iv. FAITH IN JESUS SUSTAINS US THORUGH OUR SITUATION
v. KINGDOM LIVING IS FAITH FUL LIVING DIRECTED TOWARDS JESUS
vi. JESUS IS TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING EVEN WHEN WE CAN’T SEE HIM DOING IT.
g. REMEMBER WHO GOD IS
i. KINGDOM LIVING IS FOCUSED ON WHO YOU ARE BELIEVING IN
ii. DO WE BELIEVE IN THE CREATOR OR THE CREATION?
iii. REMEMBER THIS ABOUT JESUS
1. GOD NEVER CHANGES, EVEN THOUGH THE WORLD AROUNDS US DOES.
2. HE IS FAITHFUL (2 THESSALONIANS 3:3).
3. HE IS STEADFAST (PSALM 25:10).
4. HE IS TRUSTWORTHY (PSALM 33:4).
5. HE IS OUR SHIELD (PSALM 18:31).
6. HE WON’T LEAVE YOU, NOR FORSAKE YOU (DEUTERONOMY 31:6).
7. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME, FROM THE LOVE OF GOD (ROMANS 8:35).
h. THINK ON THINGS ABOVE
i. KINGDOM LIVING IS NOT ONLY WHAT WE ARE DOING BUT WHAT WE ARE THINKING
ii. COLOSSIANS 3:2 TEACHES US TO “SET OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.”
iii. WHAT GETS AND HOLDS OUR ATTENTION\KINGDOM LIVING HAS OUR ATTENTION ON GOD WHO DOES NOT CHANGE, NOT THE WORLD WHERE CHANGES HAPPEN AT LIGHT SPEED
iv. TAKE A MIND INVENTORY TO SEE WHERE YOUR THOUGHTS LIE AND THEN EMBRACE THE WORDS OF PAUL
v. PHILIPPIANS 4:8 FINALLY, BROTHERS, WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS NOBLE, WHATEVER IS RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS ADMIRABLE--IF ANYTHING IS EXCELLENT OR PRAISEWORTHY--THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.
i. DRINK FROM THE WELL OF GOD, NOT THE WORLD
i. YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF JESUS AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
ii. JESUS ASKED FOR A DRIN THAT TURNED INTO AN CONVERSATION
iii. JESUS IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS THE WELL THAT SATISFIES
iv. WITHOUT JESUS WE ARE LEFT WITH A LAY’S POTATO CHIP WORLD
1. JUST ONE MORE
2. NEVER SATISFIED
v. JESUS PROMISED SATISFACTION AS WE ARE FOCUSED ON HIM
vi. KINGDOM LIVING DOES NOT NEED MORE BUT WANT TO GIVE MORE.
j. FIND HAPPINESS IN WHAT HAPPENED
i. ROMANS 8:28 AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.
ii. EVERYTHING IS NOT GOOD
iii. KINGDOM LIVING UNDERSTANDS THAT BUT ALSO KNOWS THAT
iv. TO LIVE WITH A KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE IS TO KNOW THAT SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY, GOD WILL WORK WHATEVER IT IS OUT FOR GOOD, AND FOR THE GLORY OF HIM.
OH, AND HERE IS A BONUS ABOUT KINGDOM LIVING:
TRUST THE NEXT CHAPTER BECAUSE WE KNOW THE AUTHOR
JESUS IS ABOUT OUR LIVING TILL HE COMES OR WE CLOSK OUT AND MEET HIM BEFORE THEN.
10 WAYS TO LIVE WITH A KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE
1. FILL UP WITH GOD FIRST, NOT THE WORLD
2. DON’T LET THE ENEMY DISTRACT YOU
3. LET GOD DO HIS JOB WHILE YOU DO YOURS
4. ARM YOURSELF WITH THE ARMOR OF GOD.
5. FOCUS ON JESUS NOT THE WIND
6. BE A FAITH WARRIOR, NOT A WORRIER
7. REMEMBER WHO GOD IS
8. THINK ON THINGS ABOVE
9. DRINK FROM THE WELL OF GOD, NOT THE WORLD
10. FINDING HAPPINESS IN WHATEVER HAPPENS
TRUST THE NEXT CHAPTER BECAUSE WE KNOW THE AUTHOR
