Today, we are starting a new series called “Becoming.”
In this series, we will explore Jesus' most famous sermon, “The Sermon on the Mount,” which spans Matthew chapters 5 through 7. (Turn there)
For those who think my sermons are long, they might not have enjoyed Jesus' sermons, as this one is three chapters long!
If you haven't read it in one sitting, I highly recommend doing so—it's a spectacular sermon.
At the beginning of this sermon, Jesus presents powerful truths known as the Beatitudes.
While some say there are eight and others say nine Beatitudes, I personally believe there are nine.
Over the next nine weeks, we will be covering each of these Beatitudes.
I want to give you a heads-up: these teachings are challenging…
They will test your resolve and confront your self-centeredness, putting you at odds with the desires of your flesh.
As you embrace these truths, you will find that they demand a complete reevaluation of your priorities and a surrender of your personal desires.
If you allow it, it will be a transformative process, but it requires you to let go of pride, self-reliance, and the pursuit of worldly pleasures.
But in this breaking and reshaping, you will discover a deeper sense of purpose and a closer walk with Christ.
This path, though difficult, leads to a richer, more fulfilling life rooted in humility, dependence on God, and the joy that comes from living in alignment with His will.
As followers of Christ, these powerful truths provide a guide for how we should live for God.
I titled this series “Becoming” because I believe that if you take these truths, break them down, and apply them to your life, you will start to look, act, and talk like Christ.
We are called to become like our Master… We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus… His representatives to the world.
However, many struggle with actually “Becoming” like Christ.
As Christians, we are told to always exhibit the Fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but many of us fail at this.
I believe that when we truly listen to, understand, and apply what Jesus is teaching, it will start to resonate in our hearts and minds.
There is cause for great concern about humanity and its values today—there is so much evil and hatred.
People are often miserable, deceitful, prideful, and easily offended. We end up disappointed when we try to address these problems because we attempt to address them with the world’s solutions.
People turn to therapy, medication, and self-help books to overcome their issues.
While these can help, I believe the solution is simpler than any of those: we need the gospel.
True and lasting change in a person happens not through external methods, but through a transformation of the heart.
The Beatitudes teach us how to embody the qualities that Jesus values, such as humility, mercy, and purity of heart.’
True change starts right here… Matthew 5…verse 1...
This is what we are looking at today....
Let's allow the truth of God’s word to deeply affect us, not just as pleasant words to our ears, but as a transformative force in our lives.
~Pray~
Jesus embodied these truths, living each day in the full manifestation of these principles and the fruit of the Spirit… And you can too!
When you allow the truth of God’s word to take root in your heart, you will realize that you can live it out.
If Jesus could do it, so can you.
Jesus was not meant to be just a model to us, so that we would adore him for what he did.
He came so that we can take on His life… He came to show us a new way, and a better way.
This is saying… little by little…piece by piece... gradually....we are being transformed into His image…
This is a process… and IF you are ever going to BEAR fruit… you must go and grow in this process.
You could break this down like this…
Sanctification-becoming clean and Holy…
Spiritual Growth- studying the bible, worshiping, praying and fellowship with to others (church)…
Reflecting His character- Exhibiting love, compassion, humility, patience, and obedience....
Overcoming sin and self centeredness- removing sinful and self-centered habits and attitudes through surrender…
Manifesting the Fruit- Having the fruit…in its entirety on full display and dominating us everyday…
Experiencing God’s Glory…finding true happiness and joy…and reflecting that to others around us...
This was always his intention!! We often forget that while Jesus was fully divine, He was also fully human.
If it weren't possible to be like Him, He wouldn’t have taught so much about our character.
The New Testament has a lot to say about your character for a reason.
Why would Jesus teach such powerful truths and why would the Bible focus so heavily on character if it weren’t possible to live them out every day in every way?
It is possible, but it begins with allowing the Holy Spirit to take the truth of the word, change your heart, and renew your mind.
“Blessed”
Right from the start, we encounter the word "blessed."
Before we dive deeper, there are a few things we need to understand.
Notice that "blessed" begins each of the Beatitudes.
The Greek word is Ma-car-riose...
This word literally means "happy,"
What I believe Jesus is suggesting is… that true and lasting happiness can only be found and obtained, but only through these truths.
These verses show us that happiness can indeed be ours.
However, understand that this challenges our human reasoning because we are conditioned to seek happiness through what satisfies our flesh.
For example...
When the sun is shining, you are happy; when it isn’t, you are not.
When you have money, you are happy; when you are broke, you are not.
When things go exactly as planned, you are happy; when they don’t, you are not.
When you are able to have that truck or that house or that job you are happy; when you can’t have any of those things, you are not.
When the pastor preaches a short sermon, you are happy; when he doesn’t, you are not.
For too many, joy comes and goes with circumstances.... But this is not so with the people of God!
As people of God, we are to have something so deep on the inside of us that, regardless of our circumstances, there is this happiness and internal joy that confuses those who are not of the faith.
Jesus suggests that once we grasp these truths, we will experience true happiness—and it is found in the most unlikely places!
I want to add also…the happiness Jesus refers to here… is not what we typically think of... it’s an inner joy, an inner delight that the world cannot give.
It is a joy and happiness that is not influenced by circumstances.
This is why it’s countercultural: the world teaches that happiness depends on experiencing good things…
but Jesus says that true happiness and true joy, in all circumstances, come from understanding these truths.
Jesus wants us to understand that God’s version of Happiness…
does not depend upon emotions, circumstances, or possessions…
instead it is an inner joy that REMAINS constant and stable in every situation!
"What is Poor in Spirit”
What is poor in spirit…it is recognizing one's spiritual need and dependence on God.
I am willing to suggest that, if you do not understand this… the remaining 8 Beatitudes will be unobtainable. (same with the fruit and love)
Jesus is not referring to your bank accounts.
He is not talking about your wallets…social status…or economic state.
He is not talking about whether or not you have property, cars, houses, boats, shoes, or other possessions that the world says you need to be happy, wealthy, or successful.
He is talking about… your heart!
To be poor in spirit is to recognize your utter spiritual bankruptcy before God.
It means understanding that you have absolutely nothing of worth to offer Him.
Being poor in spirit is admitting that, because of YOUR sin, you are completely destitute spiritually and can do nothing to deliver yourself from your dire situation.
Jesus is saying that, regardless of your status in life, you must acknowledge your spiritual poverty before you can come to God in faith to receive the salvation He offers.
In order for you to enter the kingdom of Heaven… you must see yourselves as totally bankrupt before him.
Unable to pay the debt of your sins.
Unable to put anything down on the overwhelming debt that our sin has immersed us in.
Until you recognize that it is only by the grace of God through His mercy, that salvation is only thru Christ… you cannot and will not inherit the kingdom of God.
AND… Blessed is the person who realizes this…
That they are completely destitute, utterly helpless...
This phrase does say Kingdom of Heaven… I believe this is a more of a broad meaning… I truthfully believe this refers to SALVATION in General!
We must recognize our sinfulness before we can understand our need for a Savior.
We must admit our spiritual poverty before we can receive the spiritual riches God offers…
MANY have a real problem admitting their guilt and wrong doing…
Pride has poisoned the hearts of even the most dedicated and influential people…
A life without humility is a life lived without Christ… humility is one of the core Christian virtues.
Jesus taught and exemplified humility throughout His life and ministry.
This leads me to the first point…
Humility in a Culture of Self-Sufficiency
We must understand the concept of humility and recognize our spiritual poverty without God.
We must recognize that we are not spiritually self-sufficient.
In Scripture, humility is often linked with acknowledging our dependence on God rather than relying solely on our own strength.
Being "poor in spirit" means recognizing our spiritual wickedness and relying on His grace and provision.
We cannot earn our way into heaven, nor can we buy our way there.
It is not something we can stumble upon by accident.
Today's culture often promotes self-sufficiency, independence, and self-reliance.
Social media and societal pressures emphasize personal achievements, wealth, and success, often glorifying individual accomplishments.
This cultural mindset can lead to spiritual pride and a sense of self-sufficiency that neglects our need for God.
Most people today, have no idea how poor they truly are… we are so wealthy here…we are so blessed here…
We are so spoiled here in America that we truly do not know how bad things are outside our comfort zone!
Here is a fact…
If you have a lot, it is very hard for you to recognize where you do not have a lot.
If you are here today, sitting int his building… you are rich!!… You have a lot!
If you drove here in a car or rode here with someone today… you have a lot!
If you are watching this now or in the future on a phone or a laptop or a tablet… you have a lot
if you have running water in your house.... you have a lot…
If you slept in a house last night… you have a lot…
If you slept in a bed last night… you have a lot…
if you woke up and filled your belly…you have a lot…
if you had options for food and clothes for today you have a lot!
If you have a job and a constant regular income… you have a lot…
I’ll say it again… if you are rich… it is hard to to recognize your wretchedness… when your rich!
Here is a statement that will snap you back to reality....
There is about 719 million people in our world who would trade places with you even on your worst day...
According to the world bank… 719 million people live on less than $2.15 a day!
We are so overly blessed that we truly have no understanding of real poverty!
Here we are… living in abundance… living extremely blessed lives… and we are self satisfied… and most have no clue what real poverty is.
You may ask… why is that relevant or important??
You will never depend on something that you do not think you need.
Many people fail to recognize their spiritual poverty because they are so abundantly blessed materially and in other ways… that they fail to see their condition!
The idea is that when we have plenty in terms of material wealth, comfort, and success, we might easily overlook our deep spiritual need for God.
In essence… we are to full… and for many… it is too full of yourself!
Our focus on worldly things blinds us to the reality our true condition before God—spiritually bankrupt without His grace and salvation.
For example, someone who is financially successful, healthy, and surrounded by loving relationships may feel self-sufficient and not perceive their need for God's forgiveness, guidance, and eternal life.
This contrasts with the biblical concept of being "poor in spirit," which acknowledges our utter dependence on God and our need for His mercy despite our worldly accomplishments.
Basically what I am saying is… if we do not perceive something as necessary or essential to us, we are unlikely to rely on it or to depend on it…
We need to have honest acknowledgment of our need for God…
It takes humility to look at ourselves and acknowledge Spiritual Bankruptcy
admitting that, because of your sin, you are completely spiritually wretched and can do nothing to save yourself.
Just as a destitute person in the physical world cannot buy food or shelter, a person who is poor in spirit recognizes they cannot earn their way to God’s favor through their own efforts.
This recognition of spiritual poverty leads to a deep dependence on God.
You realize that you need His grace, mercy, and salvation because you cannot achieve righteousness on your own.
Being poor in spirit is tied to humility.
It means seeing yourself as you truly are before God… this guards you from being prideful and self sufficient.
That leads me to our next point…
Dependence on God in a World of Distractions
Modern society is filled with distractions that can divert our attention from God (technology, social media, busy schedules).
These distractions can lead to spiritual emptiness and diminish our dependence on God.
The more distracted we become, the easier it is to feel satisfied with the superficial aspects of our lives.
Temporary pleasures and achievements offered by these distractions will create a false sense of fullness that masks our deeper spiritual needs.
This sense of satisfaction may lead us to believe we are content and do not need to seek deeper meaning or spiritual growth.
These distractions capture our attention and time, often pulling us away from focusing on our spiritual life and relationship with God.
They do this by creating a constant buzz of activity that in turn will drown out moments of spiritual reflection.
As our minds and hearts become preoccupied with worldly concerns, there is little room left for a deep spiritual assessment of ourselves.
And little time for nurturing a relationship with God.
So in the end… we avoid our spiritual needs because we have substitutes this for the temporary relief or excitement that keeps us occupied and content with our lives the way they are.
The continuous prioritization of distractions over activities that foster spiritual growth—
such as attending church
fellowshipping with church family
participating in church functions and events
reading the Bible
maintaining a meaningful prayer life
They often result in a lack of conviction.
When individuals consistently choose distractions over these spiritual practices, they will not experience a sense of urgency to their spiritual condition.
and for Christians… allowing distractions to overtake your life…will lead to a diminished connection with God and a shallower spiritual life.
I do not know if many do not realize this… or if it is just that fact they do not care…but
attending church services and events, engaging in Bible study, and cultivating a sincere prayer life…
are essential for nurturing faith and deepening one's relationship with God.
However, distractions that prioritize personal desires or immediate gratification can overshadow these foundational practices.
As a result, the spiritual life may become more superficial and less transformative.
Then prayer becomes self-centered—focused solely on personal wants and needs
it lacks the depth and intimacy that comes from seeking communion with God and aligning one's heart with His will.
In essence, recognizing the impact of distractions on spiritual priorities underscores the importance of intentional and balanced living.
The world is full of distractions, and these can prevent us from seeing ourselves as we truly are, which in turn keeps us from fully depending on God.
We need to recognize and understand what God has provided for us and why he provides it!
My last point…
Recognize what God provides for us. (Musicians)
Truthfully, many people have an extremely limited understanding of salvation… I blame it on a strong emphasis on conversions with a poor effort for discipleship.
How are you ever going to depend on God, with the understanding of being truly and absolutely destitute… utterly helpless… and completely bankrupt before him… without ever understanding what shape we are truly in without Jesus?
Understanding our spiritual poverty is the catalyst for authentic dependence on God!
Salvation has taken on such a limited view..
It has been reduced down to a cheap, watered down, skim-milk Gospel of Cheap grace.
Grace is free… but it certainly is not cheap!
In fact Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote once...
Cheap Grace is the deadly enemy of our church.
It is grace without price: grace without cost!…
Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine … is an intellectual assent …
Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner …
Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves.
Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession …
Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Bonhoeffer’s concept of 'cheap grace' is thriving in our churches, communities, and in our homes, often without us recognizing it.
Salvation is marketed as mere fire insurance,
Jesus is reduced to a lifestyle to be adored rather than imitated...
Worship focuses on our preferences, music style, and experience… despite singing ‘it’s all about you, Jesus.
Cheap grace offers us a comfortable, non-demanding Jesus to whom we sing affectionate valentines.
It replaces the fear of the Lord… with fear of the world,
hides our light under pious lampshades, and renders the salt of the earth as tasteless and ineffective.
Here is the point…without Jesus… I pay for my own sins....without Jesus… You pay for your own sins!
The danger of this world of distractions is… we fail to see how wretched we were before Jesus!
Many would do more to oppose evil and sinful behavior if they truly dealt with the unbelief in their hearts regarding it…
Too many people are willfully and knowingly choosing to allow sin to dominate them…
because they have allowed themselves to become satisfied with an insurance policy salvation!
It is a hardness of their hearts… they are calloused towards the idea that we were spiritually bankrupt
we must be dependent upon God and live out our daily lives with the understanding that....without Jesus… I have to pay for my own sins!
That revelation will change your life… if you let it.
Without Jesus… you are on a one way trip to hell… Hell is where you pay for your sins...
God provided a payment for your salvation...
We don’t deserve it… we cannot earn it… and we will not stumble into it… but we can deliberately choose to have it.
When we are “poor in spirit”… we do not live with a sense of entitlement… instead we are humble and grateful… and obedient!
In order to understand this… we have to come to the place where we understand…we are completely helpless…without Jesus.
Do any of you truly know what it feels like to be completely helpless?
Being completely helpless means relying entirely on others or external forces for assistance.
a deep awareness of being unable to change or improve one's circumstances.
It includes experiencing emotional distress such as fear, anxiety, or despair due to the inability to resolve challenges or address needs independently.
Imagine yourself stranded in the middle of a vast, stormy ocean with no life jacket or flotation device.
There you are completely at the mercy of the turbulent waves, unable to swim to safety or call for help.
Your physical strength is insufficient against the powerful currents and relentless waves.
Your separation from God due to sin, much like being adrift in the vastness of the ocean without hope of rescue.
Then…just at the moment all hope was lost… you begin to see something off in the middle of the waves and the storm…and it is Jesus…
and he comes in… picks you up out of the vast sea…and says…
I knew you were lost…and I was searching for you…and I have found you…and NOW you are safe with me!
You were as good as dead… but I heard you call out… I saw you drifting away… and I am here… just take my hand and let me help you!
Without Jesus… we were completely destitute, utterly helpless, and absolutely destined for hell.
The powerful truth that Jesus is teaching is… you are blessed when you realize it… how lost you were without him…
because only then are you able to fully appreciate what has been done for you and then and only then… it will never be taken for granted!
See without Jesus we can only cope with pain in this life…
but because of Jesus…
I have the power to be healed…
I have the power to be transformed…
I have the power to become a child of the most High God!
Without Jesus I am stuck trying to find meaning for my life…
but because of Jesus I have the ability to know who I am and what my life is all about!
Without Jesus my joy fades away…
but Because I am poor in spirit… I have an unending and everlasting joy that is constant and stable… that will never fade away.
One of the fears I have… is for Christians to drift into a lukewarm condition… where they are just satisfied.
Revelation talks of this… it talks about that state in which things are in the End times....
In the first three chapters of revelation… there are 7 messages given to 7 churches… and I believe that all of these 7 messages can be applied to us today...
But in the last church… to the church of Laodicea… He says...
He says I know your deeds… I see the wonderful things you HAVE done… and I also have seen… you aren’t on fire like you once were…you are neither hot nor cold...
In essence what he was saying is… you are no longer hot enough to recognize or respond to the Holy Spirit’s guidance… but you are not cold enough to realize your need to repent and to return to God for dependence.
Look at what he says...
The Lord sees not only our actions but also our hearts, and He knows why we do what we do.
The Lord hates lukewarm service.
See a lukewarm individual is an individual who is apathetic and negligent about their devotion to Christ,
They don’t no longer recognize their need of Him… they have become satisfied...
It is expressed through half-hearted laziness labeled as service unto God.
They have compromised with wordly standards and compromised with worldly behaviors… and now more closely resembles the world and the surrounding society more than the kingdom of God.
They are a people who claim to be committed Christians, yet in reality they are in a wretched spiritual state…and do not see it!
See we need to realize… that we are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked…without Jesus...
In order to prevent us from becoming spiritual lukewarm… you need to be poor in spirit!
Conclusion:
Today, we’ve explored what it means to be "poor in spirit" and why it’s so crucial in our journey with Christ.
It’s about humbly acknowledging our spiritual need and dependence on God, recognizing that without Him, we are lost.
As we reflect on these truths, ask yourself: Have I truly recognized my need for God’s grace in my life?
Have I surrendered my pride and self-sufficiency to embrace His salvation?
Jesus invites us to come to Him, just as we are—broken, needy, and searching.
He offers forgiveness, hope, and a new life filled with His joy and purpose.
If you sense today that God is speaking to your heart, drawing you closer to Him, I encourage you to respond.
Whether you need to commit your life to Christ for the first time, recommit yourself to following Him faithfully, or simply pray for a deeper understanding of what it means to be "poor in spirit,"
I invite you to come forward during this time of altar call.
Let’s take this opportunity to respond to God’s invitation and experience the transformative power of His love in our lives.
Don’t let this moment pass by. Come, and let’s pray together.
