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Introduction: There is Nothing More Important in the Christian Life than the Way We Approach the Bible.
1. The Bible is our source, our authority, we know nothing about God (Christian life) apart from it. We can
draw deductions from nature and our thoughts …but they are subjective…the Bible is our sole authority.
2. It is not enough just to read the Bible. We can be so mechanical in our reading…it becomes profitless.
3. We can read the Bible and draw false conclusions. That happens when we read it with a theory to prove rather than letting the Holy Spirit guide us as we read. That is how heresy develops. Heretics are never honest men, they approach everything with a purposeful twisted bend…to get what they want…even using the Bible.
If we are going to take the teachings of Christ seriously (we should start here with the Sermon on the Mount).
What does it mean to us? Where does it fit into our lives? For whom was it intended? Is it relevant for today?
4. One school teaches that the “Sermon on the Mount is our “Social Gospel”. They say it is the only thing that counts in the New Testament. They say “Just apply the Sermon on the Mount and we can produce the Kingdom of God on Earth …war will vanish and all our troubles will be ended”. They teach that the salvation of the world depends on us to do our very best…and if we do…all will be saved. The very premise of this theory defeats itself.
5. Another school of thought teaches that the Sermon on the Mount is an Elaboration on the Mosaic Law. It teaches that Jesus saw that Sadducees and Pharisees were misinterpreting the law so He expounded on the Mosaic laws and put them on a higher spiritual plane. This is a better teaching...but it is incomplete.
6. The dispensational view says: the Sermon on the Mount (SOTM) has nothing to do with us today. It was the inauguration of His Kingdom coming to earth, but the Jews rejected Jesus so He couldn’t establish His Kingdom at that time and that later (during millennial reign) the SOTM it will be reintroduced and His kingdom on Earth will begin. Heaven forbid we start saying God’s Word is not relevant!
7. I think there is nothing more dangerous than to say that it has nothing to do with us today. It is meant for every Christian...every day! That is why Jesus preached it at the beginning of His ministry…and why Matthew put it at the front of his gospel. The Jews had a false materialistic view of the kingdom of God. They believed that The Messiah was coming to give political emancipation, to deliver Jews from bondage and yoke of the Roman Empire. They thought in an external, materialistic, military sense. The purpose of the SOTM is to show that the Kingdom is spiritual...it is within you...it is what governs and controls your heart. We are not told in the Sermon on the Mount, “Live like this and you will be a Christian.” ...rather it teaches…“Because you are a Christian …live like this…”
8. We know that it applies to us... why should we study it and live it?
(1) Our Lord told us to…He died to enable us to live it. His death, resurrection, and power make it possible.
(2) The more we live and practice this sermon...the more we will experience blessing (Happiness).
(3) It is the best means of evangelism...nothing attracts people like living like Christ!
...people are looking for something dynamic, alive, real!
I. General Lessons about the Beatitudes
A. All Christians are to be like this
1. It is not meant for the chosen few…and the rest of us should live on the dull plains of spiritual life.
2. It is not the description of an exceptional Christian... it is His description of every Christian.
- we are all meant to conform to its pattern …and rise to its standards.
B. All Christians are meant to manifest all of these characteristics
1. We’re all meant to exemplify everything that is contained here
- you don’t have one gift of a beatitude and someone else another. Every Christian is to be all of them!
(not like the gifts of the Spirit where some are apostles, and some pastors, etc)
2. We are meant to exemplify all of them together...at the same time!
- they each one actually imply and demand the others.
- they are a complete whole!
C. None of these descriptions refers to a natural tendency
1. Each one is a disposition produced by grace alone…they are the operation of the Holy Spirit within us.
2. No man naturally conforms to these descriptions some people appear naturally meek, mournful, etc.
-but these abilities come only by the indwelling grace of God.
3. Some people might naturally be quiet, shy, and cooperative, but that does not mean they are spiritually
humble and obedient to God!
4. That’s the miracle of the gospel: God can take loudest, proudest man (by nature) and make him a man
that is truly humble in spirit.
D. They show the utter difference between Christian and Non-Christians
1. One of greatest needs of the church is a clear understanding of the difference between a true Christian
and the unsaved. The line has become blurred. The world has come into church & church has become worldly.
It has been a huge error to make the church more like the man outside and think that he will want to come in.
The glory of the gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it!
2. The Christian and Non-Christian are different in what they admire.
-Christians admire an humble spirit while the world admires He-Man. The worldly man likes an element of
boastfulness and self sufficiency while the beatitudes condemn them.
3. They are different in what they seek.
- Natural man hungers after money wealth, status, position. The Christian hungers for: being right with God.
- Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.
4. They are different in what they do.
- the Non-Christian is absolutely consistent … He lives for this world …I am gonna get all I can out of it.
- the Christian regards this world as an avenue for the next… he seeks the eternal Kingdom of God.
5. The Christian is truly aware of his own limitations.
-the world says, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” God’s Word says that without Him…you can
do nothing. (John 15:5)
6. The Christian and the Non-Christian belong to two totally separate realms.
Did you notice that the first and last beatitude offer the same reward: the Kingdom of heaven. We are in this
world…but we are not of it. The secular man knows nothing but this world, why wouldn’t he live for what
he/she can get here? The Sermon on the Mount is for believers..... it is not platitudes for world.
II. Beatitude #1: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Happy are the humble minded for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:3 (Modern English Version)
1. Humbleness is the fundamental characteristic of the Christian.
- in a sense…all the others are a result of this one!
2. What it means is an emptying.
- we can’t be filled unless…first empty! (new wine in old vessel)
3. It starts with God’s salvation.
- you must empty yourself of your ways to get there -understand you have no righteousness… only His!
- You could never get to heaven on your own. Our ways contaminate His ways, that’s where heresy comes from!
4. It continues by the daily surrendering of yourself to God.
- realizing He is the only one who can empower you. You have to allow Him to fill you with His strength so
5. The Sermon on the Mount tells us…here is a mountain you must climb and the very first beatitude tells us…you cannot do it on your own! Don’t try to do it on your own. Be humble. Trust God’s ability not your own.
We are absolutely incapable of accomplishing spiritual things without God…and trying proves you don’t understand! We must become utterly dependant upon your Lord and Savior.
That is what it means to be poor in Spirit.
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