The Beatitudes

INTRODUCTION

Last week in our introductory studies, we learned that Jesus had just choose the twelve to be His Apostles from the group of all of His disciples.

Shortly after Jesus chose the apostles, He laid the ground work for the transformation of their characters by preaching the Sermon on the Mount. He clearly taught them what was expected of them if they were to continue to be his disciples.

He stressed the personal characteristics they would have to develop, their relationship to God, and their relationships to their fellow man.

The beatitudes give us a glimpse into the character Jesus expected in His followers, His true disciples, members of His family, citizens of the Kingdom of God!

The Beatitudes are for all Christians in all ages.

The fundamental idea all through the Beatitudes is God’s approval is upon such a man who exhibits these traits.

What is the worlds formula for happiness?

It is usually opposite of what Jesus teaches, and if a person can know the true secret to happiness, it is Jesus.

The beatitudes are contrary to the way that the world thinks things should be. The Christian who has put them to the test realize their unquestionable truth.

SERMON

CHARACTERISTICS OF MESSIAH’S SUBJECTS.

Are the beatitudes giving entrance requirements for the kingdom, or are they describing attitudes and characteristics of one who is already a citizen?

a. The word blessed can mean happy or fortunate, it is translated 47 times blessed, 1 time fortunate and 2 times happy.

b. All of these catch the meaning of the original, but blessed has a deeper meaning than the others.

c. There are many ways that the beatitudes can be outlined, but we will go with a simple 2 point outline:

1. Personal Qualities

2. Social Qualities.

A. PERSONAL QUALITIES

1. The Poor in Spirit.

a. Not Physically poor, not proof text for poverty.

b. I need God desperately! Realize condition without God’s grace.

1. There condition is the opposite of the self-righteous person, or the self-righteous Jew of the time.

c. Kingdom of Heaven

1. Jesus is saying that the person that is poor in spirit has an opportunity to enter into the church. He also has the opportunity to enter the eternal heavenly home.

2. We say opportunity because elsewhere in the New Testament would show that a man is not in the kingdom simply because he is poor in spirit.

2. Those who morn

a. Not over some event, but over our spiritual poverty.

TALK ABOUT THINGS IT IS NOT

b. Blessed are those who grieve over their sins; who sorrow that they have committed it, and are wounded that they have offended Almighty God. Their grief is so great that there is no possible way for the person to hide it.

1. In Mark 16:10 the word is tied with weeping, as it is in James 4:9.

a. MARK16:10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.

c. Blessed is the one who morns over the sin that is running rampant in the world.

d. BE COMFORTED. There can be no comfort where there is no morning!

Use traveler lost in a storm.

1. We are not in the kingdom just because we are sorry for our sins, but it is a prerequisite t obeying comforted.

2. Sin makes us uncomfortable. We are comforted by the fact that our sins are forgiven.

3. Blessed are the gentle (meek). 5:5

One of the meekest men in history was John the Baptist. He was such a powerful figure that Josephus, the great Jewish historian, reports many years later when John’s name was mentioned people still trembled at the thought of him. Jesus’ eulogy of John was that he was "greater than any man born of woman." Yet when he saw the Christ, instead of giving a speech about his own great accomplishments, he sent his disciples to Jesus telling them, "He must increase but I must decrease." When asked who he was, he simply said, "I am nobody. I am to be heard, not to be seen. I am just a voice." Did you ever notice that David never describes his victory of Goliath in all of the psalms? We live in a time of superlatives -- the greatest evangelist, the greatest preacher, the greatest theologian, the greatest actor -- we desire dignity, position. We want some title and to be addressed properly. No wonder Christ cannot be seen. Paul called himself "the least of all the apostles." Where is our pride? Where is our meekness?

a. Meekness or gentleness is not weakness, it is power under control.

1. Use the illustration of a wild horse.

b. A man recognizes his spiritual poverty, then morns over his condition, then meekness comes in, we are not as big as we thought. We recognize the fact that we need help with our sin problem, we have the power to do what we want, but the meek person will turn themselves selves over to God.