THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 05
THE BEATITUDES
MATTHEW 5:3–6 “BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 4BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, FOR THEY WILL BE COMFORTED. 5 BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY WILL INHERIT THE EARTH. 6BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED.
INTRODUCTION: WE CONTINUE THIS MORNING IN OUR STUDY OF THE BEATITUDES AS PART OF THE SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. WE WILL, WITH THE COMING OF EASTER NEED TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK FROM THIS SERIES IN ORDER TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THE RESURRECTION, AND THEN RETURN HERE.
SO, HERE WE ARE AT THE 4TH BEATITUDE. SOME HAVE PROPOSED THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOURTH BEATITUDE, WE NNED TO ACCOMPLISH THE OTHER THREE
REALIZE THAT WE CAN BRING NOTHING TO GOD – IWE ARE SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT.
HAVE GENUINE SORROW FOR OUR SIN AND ITS RESULTS – OUR OWN SIN NATURE, OUR DAILY ACTIVITY OF SIN, AND THE DEATH OF CHRIST TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SIN
A COFIDENT BELIEF IN THE CONTROL OF GOD SO THAT I HAVE A CONTENTMENT OF MY POSITION THAT ALLOWS GOD TO BLESS ME AND ME IN TURN TO BLESS OTHERS.
THE BEATITUDES CAN BE UNDERSTOOD IN AT LEAST FOUR WAYS:
(1) THEY ARE A CODE OF ETHICS FOR THE DISCIPLES AND A STANDARD OF CONDUCT FOR ALL BELIEVERS.
(2) THEY CONTRAST KINGDOM VALUES (WHAT IS ETERNAL) WITH WORLDLY VALUES (WHAT IS TEMPORARY).
(3) THEY CONTRAST THE SUPERFICIAL “FAITH” OF THE PHARISEES WITH THE REAL FAITH THAT CHRIST DEMANDS.
(4) THEY SHOW HOW THE OLD TESTAMENT EXPECTATIONS WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE NEW KINGDOM.
THESE BEATITUDES ARE NOT MULTIPLE CHOICE—PICK WHAT YOU LIKE AND LEAVE THE REST. THEY MUST BE TAKEN AS A WHOLE. THEY DESCRIBE WHAT WE SHOULD BE LIKE AS CHRIST’S FOLLOWERS, AND BRING US TO THE REALIZATION THAT WE CAN NEVER HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS APART FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
I. BLESSING REVIEW
a. REMEMBERING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLESSED
b. A BLESSED PERSON IS ONE WHO IS ESPECIALLY FAVORED BY GOD
c. SO IN A REAL SENSE, THE BLESSING OR FAVOR OF GOD COMES FROM OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS DESIRES FOR US.
d. REMEMBERING THAT WE CAN ONLY FULFILL HIS DESIRES WHEN WE ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS -- BE HOLY EVEN AS I AM HOLY
e. A BLESSED PERSON IN THIS CONTEXT IS ONE WHO LIVES
II. HUNGER AND THIRST
a. THE MEANING OF HUNGER AND THIRST
i. CRAVING OR SEEKING WITH DESIRE
ii. INTENSE LONGING
b. THE ENVIRONMENT OF HUNGER AND THIRST
i. WE CANNOT CREATE HUNGER AND THIRST
1. WE CAN EAT AND/OR DRINK ANYTIME WE WANT
2. CANNOT MAKE OURSELVES HUNGER OR THIRSTY
ii. WE CAN CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ARE HUNGRY AND/OR THIRSTY
1. SPEND A FEW DAYS IN THE DESERT WITH NO WATER AND YOU WILL HAVE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU BECOME THIRSTY
2. GO ON AND EXTENDED FAST WHERE YOU DO NOT EAT, AND YOU WILL CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU ARE HUNGRY
iii. WE CAN AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT WE CREATE
1. WE CAN ALLOW EMOTIONS – HANGRY
2. WE CAN CHOSE THE WRONG THINGS
WE CAN FILL OURSELVES UP WITH SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD
OUT OF CONTEXT
PROOF TEXT
WORLDLY STUFF
WORLD HUNGERS OFR PLEASURE AND HAPPINESS
PROVIDES NO SATISFACTION BECAUSE THE ORDER IS NOT BIBLICAL
SEEKING FOR HAPPINESS IS FUTILE
DOES NOT LAST
BIGGER AND BETTER
FILLING UP WITH OTHER STUFF SO THERE IS NO LONGER ANY HUNGER OR THIRST
CHARLES PRICE IN HIS FOCUS ON THE BIBLE COMMENTARY SAYS, “JESUS DID NOT SAY, ‘BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS …’, BUT THOSE WHO ‘HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’. TO HUNGER AND THIRST IS TO LONG FOR SOMETHING THAT AS YET I DON’T HAVE. AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON I MAY BE HUNGRY. AT SEVEN I AM NOT. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? AT FIVE MY APPETITE IS AWAKE AND I WANT TO EAT. BY SEVEN I HAVE FINISHED A MEAL AND AM NO LONGER HUNGRY. THE EVIDENCE OF JESUS CHRIST IN A PERSON’S LIFE IS NOT THAT THEY ARE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THAT THEY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR IT.”
a. GOD’S WAY PUTS HIM FIRST – RICE AND TENNIS BALL
III. WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS
a. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT A “POSITION” – WE ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY RIGHTEOUS
PHILIPPIANS 2:12 THEREFORE, MY DEAR FRIENDS, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED—NOT ONLY IN MY PRESENCE, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE—CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING,
b. THE THOUGHT HERE IS TO WORK IT OUT TO FULL COMPLETION
c. SALVATION IS NOT THE END OF THE JOURNEY FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, IT IS THE BEGINNING
i. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS DOING WHAT IS RIGHT
ii. FREE FROM SIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
1 JOHN 1:9 IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
iii. LIFESTYLE THAT PRACTICES HOLINESS
1. HOLINESS IS NOT MY PREFERENCES, BUT GOD’S PREFERRED CONDITION FOR US IN THOUGHT, ACTION, AND DEED
1 PETER 1:15 BUT JUST AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, SO BE HOLY IN ALL YOU DO;
1 PETER 1:15 (ESV) BUT AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, YOU ALSO BE HOLY IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT,
1 PETER 1:15 (NASB95) BUT LIKE THE HOLY ONE WHO CALLED YOU, BE HOLY YOURSELVES ALSO IN ALL YOUR BEHAVIOR;
iv. BEING LIKE CHRIST
EPHESIANS 5:1–2 FOLLOW GOD’S EXAMPLE, THEREFORE, AS DEARLY LOVED CHILDREN 2 AND WALK IN THE WAY OF LOVE, JUST AS CHRIST LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US AS A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD.
v. BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
EPHESIANS 5:18–19 DO NOT GET DRUNK ON WINE, WHICH LEADS TO DEBAUCHERY. INSTEAD, BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, 19 SPEAKING TO ONE ANOTHER WITH PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SONGS FROM THE SPIRIT. SING AND MAKE MUSIC FROM YOUR HEART TO THE LORD,
THE BEHAVIOR I CHOOSE CREATES THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WHAT I HUNGER/THIRST OR EARNESTLY DESIRE, AND IT IS THIS THAT FILLS ME.
FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IT IS THE “FILLING” WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS
IV. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FILLED
a. THE FILLING PROMISED HERE IS PASSIVE – I CANNOT DO IT MYSELF
i. NOT MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS
ii. NOT SOMETHING I BESTOW ON MYSELF
iii. SOMETHING GOD GIVES TO ME FOR HUNGERING FOR A LIFE THAT EMMULATES HIM
b. THE RESULT IS TO BE FILLED
i. TO BE COMPLETELY SATISFIED
1. THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS A SATISFIED WALK WHEN IT IS A WALK THAT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE FOLLOWS THE FOOTPRINTS OF JESUS
ii. AND IT IS NOT JUST SATISFIED, IT IS SATURATED
