The "be" Attitudes 05

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 05

THE BEATITUDES

MATTHEW 5:3–6 “BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 4BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, FOR THEY WILL BE COMFORTED. 5 BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY WILL INHERIT THE EARTH. 6BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED.

INTRODUCTION: WE CONTINUE THIS MORNING IN OUR STUDY OF THE BEATITUDES AS PART OF THE SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. WE WILL, WITH THE COMING OF EASTER NEED TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK FROM THIS SERIES IN ORDER TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THE RESURRECTION, AND THEN RETURN HERE.

SO, HERE WE ARE AT THE 4TH BEATITUDE. SOME HAVE PROPOSED THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOURTH BEATITUDE, WE NNED TO ACCOMPLISH THE OTHER THREE

REALIZE THAT WE CAN BRING NOTHING TO GOD – IWE ARE SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT.

HAVE GENUINE SORROW FOR OUR SIN AND ITS RESULTS – OUR OWN SIN NATURE, OUR DAILY ACTIVITY OF SIN, AND THE DEATH OF CHRIST TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SIN

A COFIDENT BELIEF IN THE CONTROL OF GOD SO THAT I HAVE A CONTENTMENT OF MY POSITION THAT ALLOWS GOD TO BLESS ME AND ME IN TURN TO BLESS OTHERS.

THE BEATITUDES CAN BE UNDERSTOOD IN AT LEAST FOUR WAYS:

(1) THEY ARE A CODE OF ETHICS FOR THE DISCIPLES AND A STANDARD OF CONDUCT FOR ALL BELIEVERS.

(2) THEY CONTRAST KINGDOM VALUES (WHAT IS ETERNAL) WITH WORLDLY VALUES (WHAT IS TEMPORARY).

(3) THEY CONTRAST THE SUPERFICIAL “FAITH” OF THE PHARISEES WITH THE REAL FAITH THAT CHRIST DEMANDS.

(4) THEY SHOW HOW THE OLD TESTAMENT EXPECTATIONS WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE NEW KINGDOM.

THESE BEATITUDES ARE NOT MULTIPLE CHOICE—PICK WHAT YOU LIKE AND LEAVE THE REST. THEY MUST BE TAKEN AS A WHOLE. THEY DESCRIBE WHAT WE SHOULD BE LIKE AS CHRIST’S FOLLOWERS, AND BRING US TO THE REALIZATION THAT WE CAN NEVER HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS APART FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

I. BLESSING REVIEW

a. REMEMBERING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLESSED

b. A BLESSED PERSON IS ONE WHO IS ESPECIALLY FAVORED BY GOD

c. SO IN A REAL SENSE, THE BLESSING OR FAVOR OF GOD COMES FROM OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS DESIRES FOR US.

d. REMEMBERING THAT WE CAN ONLY FULFILL HIS DESIRES WHEN WE ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS -- BE HOLY EVEN AS I AM HOLY

e. A BLESSED PERSON IN THIS CONTEXT IS ONE WHO LIVES

II. HUNGER AND THIRST

a. THE MEANING OF HUNGER AND THIRST

i. CRAVING OR SEEKING WITH DESIRE

ii. INTENSE LONGING

b. THE ENVIRONMENT OF HUNGER AND THIRST

i. WE CANNOT CREATE HUNGER AND THIRST

1. WE CAN EAT AND/OR DRINK ANYTIME WE WANT

2. CANNOT MAKE OURSELVES HUNGER OR THIRSTY

ii. WE CAN CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ARE HUNGRY AND/OR THIRSTY

1. SPEND A FEW DAYS IN THE DESERT WITH NO WATER AND YOU WILL HAVE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU BECOME THIRSTY

2. GO ON AND EXTENDED FAST WHERE YOU DO NOT EAT, AND YOU WILL CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU ARE HUNGRY

iii. WE CAN AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT WE CREATE

1. WE CAN ALLOW EMOTIONS – HANGRY

2. WE CAN CHOSE THE WRONG THINGS

WE CAN FILL OURSELVES UP WITH SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD

OUT OF CONTEXT

PROOF TEXT

WORLDLY STUFF

WORLD HUNGERS OFR PLEASURE AND HAPPINESS

PROVIDES NO SATISFACTION BECAUSE THE ORDER IS NOT BIBLICAL

SEEKING FOR HAPPINESS IS FUTILE

DOES NOT LAST

BIGGER AND BETTER

FILLING UP WITH OTHER STUFF SO THERE IS NO LONGER ANY HUNGER OR THIRST

CHARLES PRICE IN HIS FOCUS ON THE BIBLE COMMENTARY SAYS, “JESUS DID NOT SAY, ‘BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS …’, BUT THOSE WHO ‘HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’. TO HUNGER AND THIRST IS TO LONG FOR SOMETHING THAT AS YET I DON’T HAVE. AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON I MAY BE HUNGRY. AT SEVEN I AM NOT. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? AT FIVE MY APPETITE IS AWAKE AND I WANT TO EAT. BY SEVEN I HAVE FINISHED A MEAL AND AM NO LONGER HUNGRY. THE EVIDENCE OF JESUS CHRIST IN A PERSON’S LIFE IS NOT THAT THEY ARE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THAT THEY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR IT.”

a. GOD’S WAY PUTS HIM FIRST – RICE AND TENNIS BALL

III. WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS

a. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT A “POSITION” – WE ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY RIGHTEOUS

PHILIPPIANS 2:12 THEREFORE, MY DEAR FRIENDS, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED—NOT ONLY IN MY PRESENCE, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE—CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING,

b. THE THOUGHT HERE IS TO WORK IT OUT TO FULL COMPLETION

c. SALVATION IS NOT THE END OF THE JOURNEY FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, IT IS THE BEGINNING

i. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS DOING WHAT IS RIGHT