The Beatitudes Series

The Beatitudes | Matthew 5:1-11

Introduction:

1) Matthew is very good at making a comparison between Jesus and Moses throughout the Gospel.

2) Both Moses + Matthew were…

o Born during a time when the nation of Israel were being oppressed.

o Both had to escape being killed when they were babies.

o Both ended up in Egypt during their escape.

o Both would ultimately deliver the people of Israel from bondage (Egypt/Sin).

o Moses went up a mountain (alone) and retrieved the 2 tablet (10 commandments)

? 10 is symbolic completion.

o Jesus brought his followers up the mountain.

? 8 is symbolic of ending/new beginning (days of the week and the flood on the 8th day).

3) “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights – that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (Declaration on Independence) … This is our founding document, what our nation is built upon. It was the hope of who we would become.

4) The beatitudes are NOT IMPERATIVES – NOT COMMANDS – they are a present reality – this is a DESCRIPTION of a Follower of Jesus – it is a description of a CITIZEN of God’s kingdom.

5) What Jesus is saying is “because of the kingdom of God, you are blessed…” (Blessed means, happy/fortunate/to be envied/prosperous)

6) Blessed is also empowerment. Following God creating mankind, his 1st act was “he blessed them.” He did so they could multiply, create, rule and influence the world.

7) There is a contrast Jesus uses in the beatitudes that says, “In the kingdom of God, you have to emptied of yourself, so you might be Filled with God.”

8) The beatitudes should cause us to reevaluate what we value in this life because in them, Jesus is revealing what God values in this world according to his perspective.

The Poor in Spirit

1. If I just had _____, I would be happy. Jesus says this: you’ll be happy when you’re (spiritually) bankrupt.

2. Blessed are those who have a sense that they need God and they don’t boast in themselves and they don’t boast in their position in life. The truth is we are all poor in spirit before God BUT we are not all blessed. We cannot do it on our own. So why are some blessed and others not? This is where our sense and acknowledgement comes in – those who are blessed realize their need for God and depend on God.

3. “Being filled with the Spirit is simply this – having my whole nature yielded to his power.” Andrew Murray

4. The Greek term for poor is, ptochoi, which means ‘a humble devout person, to crouch or cower like a beggar; bent over.”

5. Babies come out of the womb crying / screaming – because they are in survival mode – they are breathing on their own for the 1st time. They are desperate (for their mother) – that is what it means to be poor in spirit.

6. If we are not poor in spirit, then it is due to a pride issue in us.

Proverbs 15:33

Thor: banished by his father, King Odin, from Asgard because of his pride (starting a war) and he had to learn humility while on earth and then he became worthy of the throne.

James 2:5

God has chosen to share his kingdom with those who are poor. Why? Because they are rich in faith! They are poor not because they lack finances but because they lack pride! They live dependent upon Jesus.

Those Who Mourn

1. Often, we associate mourning with grief over a tragedy (like losing a loved one).

2. Time heals all wounds simply isn’t true. We would do anything to alleviate the grief that caused or is causing us to mourn.

3. John Gill “Blessed are they that mourn for sin, for their own sins: the sin of their nature…which is always working in them and is a continual grief of mind to them.”

2nd Corinthians 7:10

The mourning here is godly sorrow.

Psalm 30:5

Blessed are those who are broken over their sin and not excusing sin. The Psalmist reminds us of this though: the sorrow we are dealing with is coming to an end!

Those Who Are Meek

1. Meek means to have and shower power under control (God’s) control. Those who do not use power for personal gain.

2. In this world, in our culture, meekness is seen as weakness. Power, control, influence is what is important and the way we gain those is by ‘any means necessary.’

3. How to we gain land? By conquering others – that’s how we become known (famous). Land is a prized possession – it was back then and it is today. Jesus’ promise to those who are meek is they will inherit what they are denied in this life – they will be seen as great. Inherit the earth vs inheriting the promised land – it is no longer about a specific location but includes the whole earth.