Series: Never Seen Before In 2024
Thesis: To see something we have never seen before in 2024 requires us to do something we have never done before! So, what is the “One Thing” you need to do that you have never done before to see your miracle – your breakthrough – a divine revelation or your desire from God come to pass?
The challenge: We are challenging you to Read through the Bible this year – attend church regularly – do a Bible Survey Class so you see something you have never seen before!
Scripture Verse: 2 Timothy 3:16-17: 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
On the lighter side of life:
One of my favorite true stories about finding joy in the unexpected makes me smile every time I think about it. Grandmother and granddaughter, a very precocious ten-year-old, were spending the evening together when the little girl suddenly looked up and asked, “How old are you, Grandma?” The question startled the woman, but knowing her granddaughter’s quick little mind, she wasn’t completely shocked. “Well, honey, when you’re my age you don’t share your age with anybody.” “Aw, go ahead, Grandma . . . you can trust me.” “No, dear, I never tell anyone my age.” Grandmother got busy fixing supper, then she suddenly realized the little darling had been absent for about twenty minutes—much too long! She checked around upstairs in her bedroom and found that her granddaughter had dumped the contents of her grandmother’s purse on top of her bed and was sitting in the midst of the mess, holding her grandmother’s driver’s license. When their eyes met, the child announced, “Grandma, you’re seventy-six.” “Why, yes, I am. How did you know that?” “I found the date of your birthday here on your driver’s license and subtracted that year from this year . . . so you’re seventy-six!” “That’s right, sweetheart. Your grandmother is seventy-six.” The little girl continued staring at the driver’s license and added, “You also made an F in sex, Grandma.”
Swindoll, Charles R.. Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React (p. 3-4). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
Sermon: Be – Attitude!
Thesis: Attitudes can open the door to blessing or close the door to blessing! I believe attitude is the number one factor that opens the door to blessings from God. Your attitude to be Christ like determines your position within the Kingdom of Heaven. Attitude is your choice, no one else’s!
Introduction:
Quote: Chuck Swindoll:
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances. Attitude is more important than failures and successes. More important than what other people think or say or do. It’s more important than what other people think or say or do. It’s more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. Attitude will make or break a company, a church, and a home. (Page ix Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react! Charles Swindoll)
Attitude will create a life filled with joy and peace or the wrong attitude will destroy a life of joy and peace.
The reality is we cannot change the past, change how people treat us, change certain things in our life but there is one thing we can change and that is our attitude! We can choose to have a “Be – attitude” or choose a “Me-attitude.” (we could also call it “The me, myself and I Attitude” or “The self-centered attitude.”)
Swindoll: “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react.”
Who does God bless? Does Scripture teach God only blesses those with a “Be-Attitude” or does He bless with “Me - Attitude?”?
Growing up, I’m sure more than once your parent, mentor, or teacher told you, “Attitude is everything!” Well, it’s not everything, but I’m convinced it’s almost everything. Attitude is a way of thinking and feeling, yes, but it’s also a way of acting.” Swindoll, Charles R.. Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React (pp. ix-x). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
Today we are looking at the book of Matthew chapter 5 – The subject is Jesus famous Sermon on the Mount teaching focusing on the beatitudes – These points of focus by Jesus in his sermon focus on attitudes that The Kingdom of God blesses! We will be gleaming spiritual truths from Jesus owns words as he addresses the crowd that is following Him.
These teachings are radical, they will be risky, some would even say dangerous thoughts, they would be teachings that would be opposite of what the religious leaders and people of the day were teaching, they would become points of dissension, division and points of exhilaration.
What Jesus was about to teach them would put them on the edge of their seats and totally change the way people of this day thought or perceived what the Kingdom of God was like.
Jesus’ teaching along with their acceptance by the crowd would change the course of history between God and mankind. The same is true for you today – if you embrace Jesus Beatitudes and apply them to your life you too will change the world around you. We have the choice to think our own thoughts, hold onto our own attitudes, and live our live independently of Jesus perspectives on life.
Scripture Text: Matthew 5:1-12: (NIV)
The Beatitudes – the path to blessing!
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed 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.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Thought: The opposite of “To Be” could be “To not Be” which means to fade, to disappear or even to cease to exist! In Jesus eyes and the message within this sermon is “You will cease to exist within the Kingdom of Heaven when you fail to follow the 8 beatitudes of this message! It’s important to note these 8 beatitudes open the door to God’s blessings – without them in operation in your life you will stop His blessings!
2nd Thought: God will never bless sin! Never!
Thesis: Jesus in the beginning of His message on the Sermon on the Mount teaches the crowd that God blesses those who have 8 specific attitudes and character traits in their life. These spiritual qualities all come with the promise of His blessings.
Quotes and thoughts:
Phil Steiger from sermoncentral.com challenges us to imagine this scene of Jesus as he teaches: As Matthew chapter 5 opens, imagine the scene you would have encountered if you were with Jesus. First, you know very little about this teacher. His ministry has just begun and you are just a few days old as a follower, but you have already been witness to some amazing things. Just the day before, Jesus was teaching in the Synagogues and healed “every disease and affliction among the people.” (Matt. 4:23) As far as you can tell, no teacher has actually healed anyone. His message is the kingdom of God. Your curiosity is piqued as you try to absorb the meaning of life in this new kingdom, for it is clearly different from the kingdom you have spent your life in so far. After all, in the kingdom of God, people are healed. Then the crowds begin to follow him. The people are made up of the recently healed and the “need-to-be-healed.” The people bring to him “all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.” (Matt. 4:24) This crowd is not comprised of the socially mobile, the cultural elite or the rich and handsome. In fact, this crowd smells just a bit. It is at this point that Jesus gathers his disciples around him on a hillside and begins to teach them and the crowd a little more about the kingdom of God, and instead of beginning with a list of requirements or moral imperatives, he begins with blessing; he begins with what it is to be blessed in the kingdom of God.
The one repeated key word in our verses is the word “Blessed”
Steiger notes, “To the new disciples, the word “blessed” means to be a privileged recipient of divine favor and was normally applied to the wealthy and powerful. But now, surrounded by a crowd of needy and broken people, this teacher says they are privileged recipients of divine favor.”
The Hebrew word is “barak” which means to kneel and thus be given a blessing from another. Knights would do this when they bowed before Kings upon being knighted or blessed by the King with the sword.
The Greek word is makarios, meaning the “blessed, fortunate, or happy one.” Holman notes, “The special characteristic of New Testament uses of “bless” and related words is close relationship to the religious joy people experience from being certain of salvation and thus of membership in the kingdom of God.”
This is how Jesus decides to open his sermon to them – You are blessed by God if you are the following. Remember many of the people now following Jesus never looked at themselves as blessed but as outcasts, low casts, flawed, poor and needy. Blessed? How? How do we get God’s blessing? Jesus says by being like this!
T.S. – Let’s look at the 8 beatitudes of a servant of God – of inner happiness and see the promises from God for those who have a life that God will bless.
1. 1“The Be - Attitude of Humility” - the opposite attitude of this is - “The Me - Attitude of Pride.”
a. Having beatitudes (Be-Attitudes) leads to blessings, but “Me attitudes” lead to cursing’s and none of God’s blessings.
i. Acknowledging our need for God's grace in a graceless world and giving grace to others
ii. Putting others before ourselves is a key component of having an attitude of Humility.
iii. Seeing the good in others rather than just the negative side of others is also another sign of having a “Be – attitude of humility”.
iv. Proverbs 16:18-19 (NIV) Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
b. The Be – Attitudes of Humility!
i. 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
1. Recognizing our spiritual poverty (Matthew 5:3) – is the idea of losing the Holier than thou mindset – the attitude that I am better than others!
a. In this passage the word for poor means to be humble and in a helpless position before God. It’s the idea that we are unable to get ourselves into Heaven because we know we are unworthy of this great place so therefore we humble ourselves – strip ourselves of our self and bow before God for His blessing and favor.
b. It’s the idea that a person see’s themselves of being spiritually bankrupt before God and not deserving of his blessings. Romans 3:23 tells us “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
c. The apostle Paul was considered poor in spirit after his divine encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. He realized that his religious legalism would not save him – his spiritual eyes were opened, and he knew no one deserved salvation by their own religious works.
i. Terry Laughlin notes this from sermoncentral.com: “To be poor in spirit is not poverty-stricken, financially poor or having a lack of courage. It is a spiritual poverty, acknowledging our utter dependence upon God for our spiritual needs. Knowing that our spiritual needs and even all of our mental and physical needs can only be truly satisfied through a vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The poor in spirit realize that they are unable to respond to life's trials and temptations in a way that is pleasing to God unless He enables them to be over comers… Are you truly poor in spirit? Are you a "self-made man" or a Christ-made man? "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5: 6)
ii. Question: Have you come to the point in your life where you have realized that you are poor in spirit?
2. Jesus tells the crowd hanging on the edge of his words that you don’t get to Heaven by being a devoted religious fanatic, by doing good works but by admitting you can never be good enough to get into Heaven! This was in direct opposition to what the religious leaders of the day were teaching – He is essence said, “you can only bow and ask for God’s forgiveness, mercy, grace and blessing to get into Heaven.” You can never earn it! You are not good enough!
3. The apostle Paul revealed to us this attribute at his point of conversion on the Damascus Road in Acts 8 and 9.
i. Paul had been persecuting the followers of Jesus in the name of God. But when face to face with Jesus he realizes his religious deception.
1. He see’s that He is poor in Spirit!
ii. Paul had an impressive religious background and a high position in the Jewish faith,
1. Paul was a native of Tarsus and His father a Roman. (Acts 21:31; 22:3; 25:16)
2. He was a Pharisee by birth, a Pharisee, and a leader among the Pharisee’s (Matthew 22, 23; Acts 23:5, 6; Phil. 3:5-8).
a. He had strict religious training along with strict observance of the Law. He would highlight his credential as a Pharisee to let everyone know he was blessed, favored by God that he was in a divine covenant relationship with God. In other words, he was in God’s divine favor – so he thought –doing God’s will-persecuting the followers of Jesus. Yet he was deceived by his own self-righteousness and man-made religious works.
i. He would have memorized Scripture as a boy growing up and been an avid student of the Law.
ii. He would have known Jewish history and the writings of the Prophets.
iii. He studied under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) a great Hebrew Rabbi teacher.
iv. Yet he was not poor in spirit! He was arrogant, self-righteous, deceived, and heading away from God not toward God. He did not even recognize when God was moving – why because he was not poor in spirit.
3. The truth for Paul was he did not know God until Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus Road. But Paul changed after this divine visitation and realized that none of us deserve Heaven unless we humble ourselves before God and ask for His forgiveness – in other words making ourselves poor in spirit.
a. This is why Paul said in Romans 7:14-25:
i. 14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;
23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
iii. Paul knew from experience what it meant to be poor in spirit! He learned that it’s these types of people that God blesses and lets into Heaven.
1. The promise is that those who are poor in spirit get to go to Heaven!
4. Funny Illustration: WOULD THAT GET ME INTO HEAVEN asked a Sunday school teacher:
"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked the children in my Sunday School class.
"NO!" the children all answered.
"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?"
Again, the answer was, "NO!"
"Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my wife, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked them again.
Again, they all answered, "NO!"
"Well," I continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"
A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOTTA BE DEAD!"
[forwarded by Taylor Francis] SOURCE: MIKEY’S FUNNIES, www.mikeysFunnies.com.
5. Application: So according to the point from His sermon “Those who are poor in spirit are the real ones who get to enter Heaven” not the self-righteous religious ones who think they earned it and think they are better than others. Jesus was already with point one of this message stirring up the hornet’s nest for the religious leaders.
ii. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
1. To mourn means to have a passionate lament or grief for one who is loved. It conveys the sorrow of a broken heart, the ache of the soul or an anguished mind.
a. Examples of this type of mourning:
i. It is mourning over the wrong in this world especially the way sin is destroying peoples around you.
ii. It is having grief over what you see around you as evil is destroying our society.
iii. It is mourning over the impact of sin on your family members lives and especially in your life.
iv. It is mourning over one’s own sinful condition and asking God for grace and forgiveness.
1. Terry Laughlin from sermoncentral.com states; “To mourn means to have a broken heart. In the Greek, it means to have a deep inner pain which occurs when something tragic happens, such as a death of a loved one. It also means to have a desperate sorrow over evil and suffering. In this Scripture it is mourning over sin against God and the results of its which leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God. It is a brokenness of heart that comes from understanding the suffering Christ went through upon the cross and realizing that our sin put Him there.”
2. This term also denotes having empathy for those trapped in the bondage of sin – morning for them and being driven to pray for them.
3. Perhaps another interpretation could have read like this, “How blessed are those who care intensely for the hurts and sorrows of others.”
2. Remember true servants of the Lord desire to be like Jesus. Jesus is the example – Hebrews 4:15, 16: 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
3. The promise for those who mourn and grieve over sin and its impact on others is they will be comforted from God who will wipe away their tears. Then Jesus hits the 3rd beatitude and redefines who will inherit the earth.
iii. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
1. Jesus tells them and us that the mighty = the ones in power – the bullies of this world - will not inherit the earth – it’s going to be the meek.
a. In a sense The Roman Empire did not inherit the earth, the dictators of the world of the past did not inherit the earth. It’s reserved for the meek!
i. In our NT Survey class, we looked at what happened to all the world leaders in Jesus’ day and played a part in His crucifixion – each leaders life ended in tragedy.
1. Suicide, murder, assassination, execution, and banishment.
b. Many think this teaching says, “Blessed are the weak for they will become door mats!” Jesus says the opposite of this!
i. But if you research the word - The Greek term here is “Prays” which denotes the following:
1. Meek can equal the English word gentle.
a. Like a wild stallion that has been tamed, brought under control, is described as meek. It is still powerful but controlled by the leadership of its master.
b. Carefully chosen words that soothe strong emotions are referred to as “meek” words.
c. Those who are polite, who have tact and manners, who treat others with respect and dignity are considered – meek and gentle.
c. Moses was described as meek in Numbers 12:3 as meek.
i. Moses was not a door mat!
1. He confronted Pharoah.
2. He unleashed plagues on Egypt.
3. He stood up to Paroah.
4. He carried the staff and saw the Red Sea parted and then saw crash in and drown the Egyptians!
a. Side thought: I heard a great thought the other day – Paroah had made the edict to drown all the baby boys in Israel in the Nile River and the last act God did to the Egyptian army was drown them in the Red Sea – thus showing God; s judgment on his drowning of the defenseless boys of Israel.
b. The USA will be judged and held accountable for its holocaust of abortion one day!
ii. Being meek is a Christ like character but Jesus stood up to spiritual forces, religious leaders and political leaders with boldness and strength!
1. Matthew 11:28-29: 28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
iii. We are instructed to be meek by Peter who in the beginning was not meek I Peter 3:15: 15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…
1. The promise is they will be the ones who inherit the earth. The Bible tells us that these types of people of God will be the ones who win out in this life. We are even told in Scripture that in the Millennial Reign we will be given territories in the Kingdom of God, to judge and to rule over so that we carry out the work of the Lord in the earth.
2. Application: Jesus tells the crowd that it is the meek who will rule the earth not dictators or leadership bullies – pay attention to this truth -then He shifts to the subject of those who have a hunger or a thirst for God, He tells them that they will be filled and even satisfied!
iv. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
1. The Message words it this way, “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.”
a. The servant who possesses an insatiable appetite for what is right – what is good – what is of God will never be left empty - he will not starve but be given a buffet of God.
b. Jesus says later in John 6:35: "35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
2. The person who is in a pursuit of God, who has a passionate desire to walk and talk with God will be filled.
a. Example: Enoch did according to Hebrews 11:5: Jude 14 and one day walked off in fellowship with God.
i. This person hungers and thirsts for an intimate, meaningful relationship with God - wants a right lifestyle, a right relationship with God and His Word.
3. The promise of blessing- “They shall be filled or satisfied-They will find the spiritual buffet of God and be stuffed with Him and His blessings."
4. Application: When we hunger or have a strong natural desire for a relationship with God, we will be given life giving spiritual food. It's a promise from the Lord. He then shifts gears and tells them that those who give mercy to others will also receive mercy and grace from the Lord in return.
2. The Be - Attitude of Compassion – the opposite attitude is “The Me – Attitude of hard-heartedness.”
a. Showing mercy to others (Matthew 5:7) is rooted in the “be attitude” of compassion.
i. Ephesians 4:32 - "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
1. Forgiving as we have been forgiven.
ii. Mark 6:34 - "And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things."
1. Being empathetic and understanding toward others.
iii. Colossians 3:12 - "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;"
b. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
i. Mercy means having an authentic genuine concern for people in need. It is ministry to those who are struggling, hurting, who are feeling miserable in life.
ii. These servants of God offer them empathy, compassion, and help under the distressing blows of adversity and hardship.
1. 2 Cor. 1:3-4: 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
iii. True followers of the Kingdom care for others and are willing to lend them a helping hand according to Mark 11:25.
1. Examples of those who show mercy to others:
a. Like David did to Saul (1 Samuel 24:10-17)
b. Like Daniel for his people (Daniel 9:16).
c. Like Christ to the sinners (Matthew 9:13, 27)
iv. If the truth is told about our ice-cold society this is rarely demonstrated.
1. In my experience very few people offer mercy to those who need it.
a. Scriptures: James 2:15,16; 1 John 3:17
v. Jesus makes this statement to the crowd because it was filled with people looking for mercy – he tells them you want mercy – show others mercy. What you do is what you reap.
vi. I am sure he also had the religious leaders in mind here because they lacked mercy for others.
vii. The promise is that they shall find the blessing and the mercy from God the Father! Those who show mercy will receive mercy and those who are purified in their hearts will literally get to see God face to face.
c. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
i. This quality emphasizes the inner man, the motive, the heart of a person.
1. It refers to doing the right things for the right reasons.
2. It’s about our inside mindset – our passion and desire to stay clean and pure in the eyes of God.
ii. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of the day for not having a pure heart in Matthew 23:13-29.
1. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders, who claimed to serve God and yet did not because of their hypocrisy, they lacked purity of the heart.
a. A pure heart is a clean and humble heart.
2. The religious leaders had impure hearts even though they portrayed in public that they had pure and holy hearts before God.
3. They were like the following:
a. They were big on rules and little on Godliness.
b. They were big on externals and little on internal attitudes with others and with God.
c. They were big on public commands and little on personnel obedience to the things of the Lord.
d. They were big on appearance and little on living out a holy reality.
4. The term pure literally means clean. It’s the idea of being uncontaminated, without corruption or evil.
iii. The promise – Jesus promises that consistent servants who are pure in heart – will see – God face to face!
1. Do you want to see the face of God?
iv. We must make sure our hearts are pure and that we are also God’s peacemakers.
d. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
i. A peacemaker is at peace with God, with themselves, and with others. They are not ill tempered or agitated in life.
ii. They work hard to settle quarrels do not start them. They seek peace instead of dissension.
iii. They find no pleasure in being negative or critical of others.
iv. Paul and Solomon gave us wise counsel on some of the thing’s peacemakers do:
1. Peacemakers persevere the unity (Eph 4:3)
2. Peacemakers build up not tear down (Proverbs 14:1)
3. Peacemakers watch their tongues and heal rather than hurt (Proverbs 15;1; Proverbs 16:24)
4. Peacemakers are slow to anger (Proverbs 15:18; 16:32)
5. Peacemakers are humble and they trust God (Proverbs 28:25)
v. Notice this quality is placed after the other 6 because you need all the others to be a peacemaker.
1. Examples of:
a. Jesus when he was arrested had to rebuke Peter who drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant. He did it to defend Jesus. But Jesus rebuked him and picks up the ear and puts it back on the servant and heals it. He tells Peter he that lives by sword dies by the sword.
i. Luke 22:50-53; Matthew 26:51-56
b. King David (1 Samuel 24:10-20)
i. King David spared Saul’s life even after Saul was out to kill him.
ii. This is a peacemaker quality.
vi. Promise is that those who do this will be called the children of God!
1. Is it no fitting that the children of the God of love be peacemakers and not agitators, or divisionary or war starters?
a. IN A PEANUTS CARTOON, LUCY SAYS TO SNOOPY, “There are times when you really bug me, but I must admit there are also times when I feel like giving you a big hug.” Snoopy replies, “That’s the way I am . . . huggable and buggable.”
i. Swindoll, Charles R.. Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React (p. 69). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
vii. Peacemakers seek peace and unity but because of their stance for Jesus there will be those who persecute them because they see Jesus in their lives.
3. The Be - Attitude of Perseverance – the opposite attitude is “The Me – attitude of quitting.”
a. Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
i. Enduring hardships for righteousness' sake (Matthew 5:10) Remaining steadfast in faith. Trusting in God's promises for the future all open the door to God’s blessings!
b. “10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
i. The truth is wrong treatment will come upon those who follow and do what Jesus told them to do.
1. It is to be expected according to Matthew 10:16-23 and Luke 6:22
ii. Examples of this: Paul, Peter, Stephen, John, Jesus and even hosts of others for millenniums have been persecuted and martyred for the Kingdom.
1. How many Martyrs since Jesus?
a. From Voice of the Martyrs - The Early Martyrs Were Actual Witnesses to the Life of Jesus: Although Christian persecution continues in the 21st Century, the voice of the martyr in the 1st Century is still the most dramatic evidence that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not a man-made hoax conspired by a group of disciples. Since the apostles and many of the early disciples were eye-witnesses to the life of Jesus, their story was not just based on religious belief, but actual historical events. It’s one thing to die for a religious belief, such as an Islamic fundamentalist or a follower of David Koresh. It’s quite another to die for a known lie. Here is a list of eye-witness martyrs as compiled from numerous sources outside the Bible, the most-famous of which is Foxes’ Christian Martyrs of the World:
i. Stephen was preaching the gospel in Jerusalem on the Passover after Christ’s crucifixion. He was cast out of the city and stoned to death. About 2,000 Christians suffered martyrdom during this time (about 34 A.D.).
ii. James, the son of Zebedee and the elder brother of John, was killed when Herod Agrippa arrived as governor of Judea. Many early disciples were martyred under Agrippa’s rule, including Timon and Parmenas (about 44 A.D.).
iii. Philip, a disciple from Bethsaida, in Galilee, suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified (about 54 A.D.).
iv. Matthew, the tax-collector from Nazareth who wrote a gospel in Hebrew, was preaching in Ethiopia when he suffered martyrdom by the sword (about 60 A.D.).
v. James, the Brother of Jesus, administered the early church in Jerusalem and was the author of a book in the Bible. At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned, and finally had his brains bashed out with a fuller's club.
vi. Matthias was the apostle who filled the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.
vii. Andrew, the brother of Peter, preached the gospel throughout Asia. On his arrival at Edessa, he was arrested and crucified on a cross, two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground (thus the term, St. Andrew's Cross).
viii. Mark was converted to Christianity by Peter, and then transcribed Peter’s account of Jesus in his Gospel. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria in front of Serapis, their pagan idol.
ix. Peter was condemned to death and crucified at Rome. Jerome holds that Peter was crucified upside down, at his own request, because he said he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.
x. Paul suffered in the first persecution under Nero. Because of the converting impact he was having on people in the face of martyrdom, he was led to a private place outside the city where he gave his neck to the sword.
xi. Jude, the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa in about 72 A.D.
xii. Bartholomew translated the Gospel of Matthew in India. He was cruelly beaten and crucified by idolaters there.
xiii. Thomas, called Didymus, preached in Parthia and India. He was thrust through with a spear by pagan priests.
xiv. Luke was the author of the Gospel under his name. He traveled with Paul through various countries and was supposedly hanged on an olive tree by idolatrous priests in Greece.
xv. Barnabas, of Cyprus, was killed without many known facts about 73 A.D.
xvi. Simon, surnamed Zelotes, preached in Africa and Britain, where he was crucified in about 74 A.D.
xvii. John, the "beloved disciple," was the brother of James. Although he suffered great persecution, including imprisonment where he wrote the book of Revelation, he was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.
b. Millions have died so why do we think in America we should not be persecuted for making a stand for the Lord?
i. Billy – Somalia: Somalia might be the most dangerous place in the world. Decades of conflict have gutted the country’s infrastructure. Somalia’s economy ranks dead last among all nations, and it isn’t a matter of if you will experience a terrorist attack but when. Billy was born into a religious family in Mogadishu. His father was a tribal and religious leader who had memorized the entire Koran. Out of curiosity, Billy started studying an English Bible alongside his Koran. After three years of study, he converted to Christianity. He learned a lot from Christian radio broadcasts from the Seychelles and Kenya, and it was on the radio that he first heard the voice of another Somali who was a Christian. Billy’s family threatened him when he confessed his new faith. That was when he first began to understand the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:12: “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Six years after his conversion, Billy met his first Christian Somali. Together, as underground Christians, they gathered fourteen believers and started an underground church. A year later, Muslims discovered the growing Christian community and started persecution in earnest. One of their church members, Liibaan, now a famed Somali martyr, was the first to be murdered. Then a doctor who attended the church was shot to death. An educator was kidnapped and executed. A Christian man and his Muslim wife were executed together in their bedroom. Another church member was taken off a bus and executed in broad daylight. Twelve in all were murdered. None of the murderers were ever prosecuted. Today, just two members have survived out of the original church of fourteen—Billy and one other. Billy escaped many attempts on his life before moving to another country. From that base, he travels in and out of Somalia, planting and nurturing underground house churches. No longer are there only fourteen Christians in Mogadishu. The church is quietly growing, partly because of the testimony of those twelve who died for Christ.
1. From https://www.tyndale.com/sites/readthearc/true-stories-of-the-persecuted-church-around-the-world/
2. Also see the book Insanity of God by Ripken
c. The question could be asked, “How many are martyred every year?”
i. According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith. David B. Barrett, Todd M. Johnson, and Peter F. Crossing in their 2009 report in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research (Vol. 33, No. 1: 32) estimate that approximately 176,000 Christians will have been martyred from mid-2008 to mid-2009. This, according to the authors, compares to 160,000 martyrs in mid-2000 and 34,400 at the beginning of the 20th century. If current trends continue, Barrett, Johnson and Crossing estimate that by 2025, an average of 210,000 Christians will be martyred annually. http://www.m-b-t.org/2010/03/25/how-many-christians-are-killed-for-their-faith-every-year/
2. Quote from Swindoll: “Tough times are upon us, no question. The issues we all face are both serious and real. But are they so intense, so all-important, so serious, and so all-consuming that every expression of joy should be eclipsed? Sorry, I can’t buy that. A good sense of humor enlivens our discernment and guards us from taking everything that comes down the pike too seriously. By remaining lighthearted, by refusing to allow our intensity to gain the mastery of our minds, we remain much more objective. People who live above their circumstances usually possess a well-developed sense of humor, because in the final analysis that’s what gets them through. Finding joy in the mundane and challenging seasons is the key to living a balanced life. There will always be times when we don’t think we’ll make it, but if we’re willing to hold on to joy and relish in those moments, we’ll identify better ways to handle life. …I know of no greater need today than the need for joy. Unexplainable, contagious joy. Outrageous joy. When that kind of joy comes aboard our ship of life, it brings good things with it—like enthusiasm for life, determination to hang in there, and a strong desire to be an encouragement to others. Such qualities make our voyage bearable when we hit the open seas and encounter high waves of hardship that tend to demoralize and paralyze. A joyful attitude will help us sail through wave after wave of the challenges life sends our way… Unfortunately, our world seems to have lost its spirit of fun and laughter. Just look around. Bad news, long faces, and heavy hearts are everywhere—even in houses of worship.
a. Swindoll, Charles R.. Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React (p. 6-7). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. …
iii. The promise is that the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs! They get it! The ones persecuted for speaking the truth to a society that does not want to hear it! Are today bathing in the Blessings of God!
iv. Share the story of Jim Elliot and Elizabeth Elliot:
1. Quote Jim: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
2. Philip James Elliot (October 8, 1927 – January 8, 1956) was an American Christian missionary and one of five people killed during Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Huaorani people of Ecuador.
a. Shadow of the Almighty! Elizabeth Elliot
b. Gates of Splendor. Elizabeth Elliot
Conclusion:
Jesus laid out for the crowd of followers what resident in the Kingdom of heaven looked like, acted like and were. Jesus lived these traits in his own life and he expected his followers to do the same. Jesus practiced and lived what he preached as should we as Christians.
K. Edward Skidmore states:
The truth is most people fail to live up to their own Words. One prime example of this might be Karl Marx who wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848. Marx’ had --- and still has --- millions of followers. His Philosophy has shaped (and some would say, ruined) many Nations for a hundred years. Marxists consider Karl Marx a champion of the under classes.
But even his staunchest defenders admit that Marx did not live what he preached. He wrote “From each according to his ability; to each according to his need.” But he must have seen himself in the “needy” category because he never held a steady job. Instead, he lived off the inheritance of his aristocratic wife and his wealthy friend, Friedrich Engels.
He preached revolution for the downtrodden masses --- but did not form friendships outside his own class. In his personal life, Marx formed a few close ties. In fact, when he died, only 11 people came to his funeral. (http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=12622; Publishers Weekly, VII 2002)
Karl Marx and Jesus Christ had several things in common. Both were considered Revolutionaries. Both championed the Poor, the Outcasts and the Downtrodden. But the similarity ends there. People might follow the TEACHINGS of Marx, but they can’t follow the EXAMPLE of his life.
On the other hand, Jesus lived the simple, generous, pure life he advocated. He surrounded himself with the common folks that he championed. Jesus reached out to the Poor. He touched and healed the Outcasts. He lifted up the Downtrodden. Jesus truly LIVED what he taught.
His teaching changed many in the crowd and opened the heart of many to experience His love and grace. His beatitudes still paint a clear portrait of what a servant of Him looks like and acts like. As we have heard and learned the 8 beatitudes from Jesus sermon, we can also compare them to the Devil’s beatitudes:
• Matthew Sickling shares THE DEVIL'S BEATITUDES
1. Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend even an hour once a week with their fellow Christians – they are my best workers.
2. Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked -- I can use them.
3. Blessed is the touchy who stop going to church –for they are my missionaries.
4. Blessed is the troublemakers – for they shall be called my children.
5. Blessed are the complainers –for their complaints are music to my ears.
6. Blessed is those who keep a list of the preacher’s mistakes -- for they get nothing out of his sermons.
7. Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church – for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.
8. Blessed is those who gossip -- for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
9. Blessed is those who are easily offended -- for they will soon get angry and quit.
10. Blessed is those who do not give an offering to carry on God’s work – for in stealing from God you steal for me.
11. Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister -- for he shall be with me forever.
12. Blessed are you who, when you hear this, think the preacher is talking about someone other than you– for I’ve got you right where I want you.
Thoughts or notes:
• The Beatitudes are living examples of what it means to be a part of the kingdom of Heaven through a relationship with Jesus.
• You should say this out loud today: “I am blessed.” It does not matter what your circumstances are. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you are a privileged recipient of divine favor and a member of the kingdom of God.
• The truth is almost everything rises and falls on our attitudes!
• Swindoll: Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React.
So, the message here from Jesus’ sermon is we should seek to live like a Christian and be intentional about living the 8 beatitudes revealed in our text today. If you do this, you will be blessed! But it all comes down to “attitude.”
