Matthew 5:1-12 (Message)
1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
3"You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4"You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5"You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
6"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.
7"You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ’care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
8"You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9"You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
10"You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
These are commonly known in the Bible as the “beatitudes” – we’ve been talking this month about attitudes, and the first week we talked about the attitudes we have, last week we talked about how to overcome when other people trip us up…but tonight, we’re going to be looking at the attitudes Jesus said to have.
Tonight, we’re going to look at what kind of attitude God will bless.
God will bless you if you are…
1. Needy
Please know the difference between need and whine.
Philippians 4 says that “God will supply all of your needs according to His riches and glory”
Many people are needy and they don’t even know it. They need help, they need peace, they need a way out, they need love, they need a victory, they need , they need , they need.
Don’t ever think that having a need means that God can’t use you and won’t bless you. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions about God.
His Word says it. If you need. He will bless you. Why? Because you have nothing else.
2. Lost & Looking
This may seem very foreign to some of you.
Does it make sense that God will bless someone who is lost? It sure doesn’t. What does Matthew think he’s talking about here?
God will bless you when you are searching for Him. There are a tremendous number of people who believe God exists, but they’ve never felt a goosebump and never seen Him or heard his voice. God will bless that person, when they abandon themselves and wholly focus on Him.
3. Content
Paul said this in Philippians 4:11-13 (Message)
“I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
Jesus said specifically, and I’ll break it down for you like this.
YOU ARE BLESSED WHEN YOU SEE YOURSELF THE WAY I SEE YOU…AS A MASTERPIECE CREATION OF MY HANDS.
4. Hungry
Have you ever thought about this before? God blesses the hungry? How is that possible?
The hungry person seeks after God. And God’s Word says in Deuteronomy 4:29…
But even there, if you seek God, your God, you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won’t bring you to ruin, he won’t forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them.
Jesus is bread for the hungry, and water for the thirsty.
5. Love
This is good. Jesus said you’ll be blessed when you love.
1 Corinthians 13 – Love is patient, kind, etc.
Jesus said that you’ll be blessed when you love like that.
6. Unity
Jesus said, you’ll be blessed when you work together.
Joshua 23:9 (Message)
"God has driven out superpower nations before you. And up to now, no one has been able to stand up to you. Think of it—one of you, single-handedly, putting a thousand on the run! Because God is God, your God. Because he fights for you, just as he promised you.”
7. Stand
Proverbs 31:8-9 (Message)
"Speak up for the people who have no voice,
for the rights of all the down-and-outers.
Speak out for justice!
Stand up for the poor and destitute!"
8. Elevate
Matthew 5:8 (Message)
8"You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
Start seeing other people the way that Jesus sees them.
Everybody say, “elevate”
*VIDEO*
When you can take the focus off of yourself and begin to put it on God, your entire perspective changes.
The attitude that God will bless is an unselfish attitude.
One that is needy, that is lost, that is content, that is hungry, that loves, that is unified that stands, and one who elevates others over themselves.
That is the attitude that God will bless.
