"The Puzzle Of The Be Attitudes”

In Jesus Holy Name February 13, 2022

Luke 6:17

“The Puzzle of the Be Attitudes”

Philip Yancy in his book “The Jesus I Never Knew” wrote the following when he read the 1st Beatitude in Luke 6.

“I became so convicted about my addiction to material things that I gave away to a friend my prized collection of 1,100 baseball cards, including an original 1947 Jackie Robison and a Mickey Mantle rookie card.” Now that I am an adult the challenges of the Sermon on the Mount for my life still have not gone away.”

Dallas Willard in his book “The Divine Conspiracy” writes: “The Beatitudes are not teachings on ‘how’ to be blessed. They are not instructions to do anything. Jesus is not telling anyone they would be better off being ‘financially’ poor, nor are they to always mourn, nor it would be better to receive a blessing by being persecuted.” (p.106) If these Beatitudes were to be a set of “how tos” for achieving blessedness they would only amount to a new set of commandments resulting in legalism. They would impose a new brand of Phariseesim.

That is why Luke later tells us the story in chapter 18 about the Tax Collector and Pharisee who both went to the “temple” to pray. We dare not forget that both were “financially rich”, but the prayers of one was accepted the other not. Therefore the 1st Beatitude in Luke has nothing to do with “financial poverty”. So what is it about?

So the sermon today might look a little more like a bible study. On the back of your bulletin, I have placed both the beatitudes from Luke and Matthew as well as the mission statement of Jesus.

The first thing one notices is that Luke has only 4 beatitudes followed by 4 woes as a means of contrast. Matthew has 7 Beatitudes and gives a little more depth regarding the meaning of “Blessed are the poor (He adds) in spirit. Both Luke and Matthew conclude, “for yours is the kingdom of heaven of kingdom of God.”

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and the Sermon on the Plain in Luke are not a series of do’s and don’ts. The word “blessed” does not mean “happy”. Being “poor” or “spiritually poor” both describe a person who is utterly helpless and completely dependent on the grace of God in Jesus. This is our true condition, we can not earn forgiveness nor heaven on by our own efforts. We are poor before a Holy and righteous God.

Jesus tells the story of the Tax Collector and Pharisee offering a vivid illustration of what it means to be poor in spirit. Jesus said that one day two men came to the temple to pray. One man, a self-righteous Pharisee, feeling good about himself, prayed like this: “Lord, I’m so glad I’m not like the other people who pray to you. I don’t commit adultery, I don’t murder people, and I don’t break the law. I fast twice a week and I give a tithe of all I have. Lord, you’re really lucky to have me on your side.” But the other man felt so bad about himself that he wouldn’t even come near or look up to heaven. Feeling the heavy weight of his sin, he cried out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Two men in the temple, both men prayed. Whose prayer did God hear? The religious Pharisee? Oh no, because he wasn’t praying, he was giving God his resume. Jesus said that God heard the other man’s prayer because his words came from a broken heart. Then Jesus gave the moral of the story: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (See Luke 18:9-14).

“One man was rich with pride, the other poor in spirit. One man thought highly of himself, the other felt his shortcomings. One man impressed with his own accomplishments, the other depressed by his sin. One man boasted, the other man begged. One man recommended himself to God, the other man pleaded for God’s mercy.” (from “The Jesus I Never Knew” Philip Yancy)

One man was saved, the other lost. Augustus Toplady expressed the truth the first beatitude when he wrote this verse in the hymn called Rock of Ages:

Nothing in my hand I bring

Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress,

Helpless, fly to Thee for grace. Foul, I to the fountain fly.

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

When looking at the 1st Beatitude in Luke 6. “Blessed are you who are poor” is juxtaposed to the 1st “Woe” in v 24. “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”

In Chapter 12 Luke verifies this 1st Woe with the parable of the “Rich Fool”.