Kingdom Character
Matthew 5:1-6
Character and the way we live is the best tool of evangelism that we all need to have. It has been said, “Preach the Gospel, and speak when necessary.”
It is noted that Jesus opened his mouth and taught often, but he also taught them often with his mouth closed.
Jesus preached to his disciples, but the character traits in The Beatitudes are meant for all Christians. It is not – live like this and you will become a Christian. But rather, because you are a Christian – you live like this.
The first portion of the Sermon on The Mount is known as The Beatitudes, which means “The Blessings,” but can also be understood as giving the believer his “be – attitudes” (the attitudes we should be.)
The Character traits of The Beatitudes are not spiritual gifts where we are given some and do not possess the other. They are all a package deal that proves we are heaven bound and the coming Kingdom-minded.
Matthew 5:1 (NLT)
1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him,
There are two groups of people in the setting of verse 1 that need to be examined. The first group is verse 1 the crowds gathering.
Matthew 4:25 (NLT)
25 Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
What are some reasons people stay in the crowd?
We find comfort in a larger group of people.
We can remain unidentified people or obscure people.
There is less personal accountability.
There is less personal responsibility.
More freedom to act or live as you want without being noticed.
It’s generally easier to go with the crowd, the flow, downstream.
It’s also more comfortable to stay in the crowd, or congregation – we all come from different walks of life and locations, much like this crowd.
We all need to step out of the crowd closer to Jesus’ invitation to let him teach us and show us how to follow him.
Back in verse 1, sat down
This was the common posture for teaching in that culture. It was customary for the teacher to sit and the hearers to stand. Sitting is also an invitation for the crowd to decide if they want to move closer. We have the same decision to make every day to move closer to Jesus and to learn how to live a life pleasing to God.
Bible on the table
Bible on the phone
Bible verses on the walls
God is waiting to talk to us every morning.
Verse 1, His disciples gathered (not just the twelve Disciples).
What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower, student of the teacher, learner, pupil. A disciple voluntarily wants to learn, not just attend lectures or sermons. A disciple must first know Jesus personally then voluntarily make a choice to follow/learn from him with a desire to be more like him.
Being a disciple of Christ and reproducing yourself into another believer’s life is the central theme of the Gospels and the Book of Acts.
Here is a simple example.
John 1:40-42 (NLT)
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.
41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).
42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus…
Discipleship is learning from God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit and spending time with Jesus, then simply assisting and modeling to another person what God is teaching you.
The moment you learn, you become a tool for God!
Being a disciple of Jesus has a cost, which is why we have two groups of people in our text.
Mark 8:34 (NLT)
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
There’s that invitation. Jesus periodically re-introduced that invitation, and we need to do the same for others too. We need to constantly be re-inviting people if they are ready to move into this next area of truly following Christ.
1). Deny yourself and completely surrender your life to Christ
Paul mentioned that twice in two of his epistles. He started out saying, “I, Paul, a prisoner…” Surrender. Prisoner. “I, Paul, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2). Take up your cross deliberately and serve him at whatever the cost
We need to drop what we want to do, and pick-up what Jesus wants us to do – with joy.
3). Follow him as a willful act of obedience
Jesus himself is inviting you today to: step out of the crowd into discipleship being a learner of him.
Again, Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower
1) Deny yourself – you must turn from your selfish ways
2) Take up your cross – drop what you are doing and embrace God’s will for your life – which is not a mystery. What do you know right now that God would want you to do? That is what God’s will for your life is right now! (Regardless of how uncomfortable it is, or how embarrassing it is, or how humiliating it is, or even how painful it is.)
3) Follow him – to follow we need to listen and stay close enough to him to not lose sight of him. We need to be able to hear him, we need to be able to see him. Who – or what – are you following, listening to, or watching that stops you from following Jesus?
Matthew 5:2 (NLT)
2 and he began to teach them.
Just a couple of thoughts about teaching. I have heard many fabulous sermons, teachings, and messages in the last thirty years that have truly impacted my life. But, like you here today, listening to someone else speak does not compare with what you can hear by spending time alone in the secret place with just you and God alone.
It will bring life-changing transformation by moving out of the crowd to hear directly from the God-Man, Jesus, himself.
Everything you hear from me this morning is second-hand information.
1). Deliberately open your Bible and read – listen to what Jesus is saying to you personally, daily.
2). Ask God how he wants you to live out what you read today.
3). Admit to God you cannot do it unless he helps you.
4). Pray – ask God to help you live for him today.
So, speaking of living for him, let’s look at the character of “living now” for the coming Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 5:3 (NLT)
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses… Blessed is not the idea that everything is going our way. Blessed is based on our relationship with God, our approval from God in heaven.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT)
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
Blessed in the Greek is “MAKARIOS.” “It is a joy which has its secret within itself, a joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained. A joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.”
The word “blessing” in every case is in the present tense; it’s a happiness to be now enjoyed and delighted in.
Now, let’s look at the foundation for happiness. It could be shocking where we start.
Verse 3, those who are poor
Let’s start with what poor in spirit is not.
1). Prideful attitude
2). Arrogant behavior
3). Self-dependency
4). Going through your day not looking to God for everyday help.
This is the foundation, the first step, much like the sense of the need of salvation.
Poor in spirit is not related to money or wealth. Poor in spirit is not speaking of poverty, natural shyness, showy, or fake. Rather, poor in spirit relates to the inward man, seeing his destitute state of condition before a holy God. It is recognizing our sinfulness – beggars with a broken and contrite heart. The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual assets. They know they are spiritually bankrupt.
We might say that the ancient Greek had a word for the “working poor” and a word for the “truly poor.” Jesus used the word for the truly poor here. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.
Verse 3, those who realize their need for him
I love this part of verse 3 because everyone can start here. Notice, it is not first, blessed are the pure or the holy or the spiritual or the wonderful. Everyone can be poor in spirit.
“Not what I have, but what I have not, is the first point of contact, between my soul and God.” Charles Spurgeon
Let’s look at Isaiah’s cleansing call (paraphrased). Isaiah 6:1-9.
Isaiah’s vision of the Lord.
1). Sitting on his throne
2). The train of his robe filled the Temple
3). Seraphim flying around
4). Calling out “Holy, Holy, Holy”
5). Their voices shook the temple to the very foundations
6). The entire building was filled with smoke
Isaiah 6:5 (NLT)
5 Then I said, "It's all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven's Armies."
Verse 7, one of the seraphim touched his lips with a burning coal from the altar.
Isaiah 6:7-8 (NLT)
7 He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."
8 Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me."
The man who truly sees God for who he is sees himself in truth.
When Peter and the boys were fishing all night and had not caught any fish, Jesus told Peter to get back out in the water. In fact, Jesus told him to go out into the deeper waters, then let his nets down. Peter reluctantly said okay, and you know the story. The nets became so full of fish they began to break.
Luke 5:8 (NLT)
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me--I'm too much of a sinner to be around you.”
This is poor in spirit.
The poor in spirit have nothing to give, nothing to add. We realize that we are sinful and rebellious and utterly without moral virtues adequate to buy favors from heaven. The poor man is unable to help, or save himself. If you think about it, that is how we all have turned to God looking for salvation. Until we are truly poor in spirit, the rest of Jesus’ message is impossible to obtain – just like trying to understand the scriptures without being saved.
Being poor in spirit is the first step that prepares us to have the character of the Kingdom: to mourn over our sin; letting meekness change the way we treat others; acquiring hunger and thirst for righteousness; showing others mercy; fostering a purity of heart; learning the power of peacemaking; responding correctly to persecution.
Matthew 5:4 (NLT)
4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Verse 4, those who mourn
What words come to mind when you hear me say the word “mourn”? Tears, sorrow, pain, sadness. What things have caused you to mourn lately in your life?
This word “mourning” in the context is not for the loss of a loved one; not for an unfulfilled plan or circumstance that has come unraveled; it’s not sorrow from regrets. God blesses those who mourn is specifically related to being in tears over our sin. True, genuine mourning over our sin.
Paul described it like this in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT)
10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
When we realize what a mess we have made of our lives, and come to God to rescue us from any further damage, it’s because we have seen all the repercussions and that leads us to godly sorrow, which leads to salvation (crying out to God to rescue us). Mourning over our sin must come from the realization that our actions have broken God’s heart, so our heart is broken. We made God cry, so we mourn.
When our children were living at home (they’re all in their thirties or better now), many times, I would have to ask all the kids and my wife to sit down and apologize to them for the way I acted, or something I said. Not because someone asked me to, but because, after time, I realized I broke God’s heart acting that way, not to mention the damage caused to my family.
So now, we can move to the latter part of verse 4, which is,
Verse 4, they will be comforted
Not “creature comfort” which means superior accommodations. Not “comfort food” which can mean homemade shepherd’s pie, and chicken wings, and a hot brownie with ice cream.
Comfort means an ease of feelings of grief or distress. It rains on the just and the unjust. But God brings rain for the flowers because they need it as part of their growing and maturing process.
Along with rain, God allows pain to alert us to fix a problem. What motivates you to call the dentist? What helps you make a call to request marriage counseling? But… only those who mourn over their sin will be comforted.
Psalm 30:5 (NLT)
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Here are the three types of real comfort:
1). Forgiveness of sins
1 John 1:9 (NLT)
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
2). The comfort of the Holy Spirit pouring into our lives
Peace. Reassurance. A joy that comes from being refilled and recommissioned by God – reminding us of God’s promises with hope and courage for today, and strength for tomorrow.
3). Then, the ultimate comfort of hope of beyond the grave and hope of his soon and coming return.
Here are some other things that can cause us to mourn:
All those loved ones that are lost – unsaved family members that are drudging through life without hope;
Watching people we love destroy their own lives with bad decisions and choices;
The moral decline and condition of our nation can truly cause us to mourn.
Matthew 5:5 (NLT)
5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
Verse 5, those who are humble
“Meekness” means power under constraint, being able (or even having a right to) but choosing not to. All Christians should put on meekness. It is a proof that we genuinely believe that God is in complete control, and we don’t have to battle and fight, because our confidence is in him and him alone.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT)
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
“Humility” is easily entreated (a true sign God’s wisdom is at work in your life), considerate, and submissive. Being submissive to God in our lives is a powerful witness when we truly learn to live as the Psalmist wrote to… be still and know that I am God. You ask, HOW do I be still and know that he is God? The more you take your hands off that thing and let it go, the more you will know he is God, and you are not. So – take your hands off!
Humility requires submission to God’s Word.
James 1:21 (NLT)
21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
Psalm 119:9 (NKJV)
9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. ...
Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
A wild and unruly horse is of no use to the owner, but a broken, trained, submissive horse is a joy to see and an asset to the owner.
All the broken things around your home or in the garage have little or no value. But, on the other hand, broken things are extremely valuable to God.
Jeremiah 18:1-4
1. God told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house
2. I will speak to you there
3. Jeremiah found the potter working on the wheel
4. But the jar he was working on was marred in the hands of the potter.
5. So he crushed it and he started over.
6. One translation says as seemed good to the potter to make it.
God’s specialty is to put broken people back together, but it’s the way he wants to put you back together.
Matthew 5:6 (NLT)
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
So, how is your appetite? We do a really good job making sure our physical appetite is covered, don’t we? Physically, when our appetite is gone and we do not want to eat or drink, it is a sign that something else is wrong. Appetite also promotes growth (some we like to see, other times, not so much). The body needs nourishment, and most importantly, so does the soul.
Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We need to be aware of our spiritual appetite. “You are what you eat” is more relevant in our spiritual appetite than ever before. Do you have an appetite for the things of righteousness? If not, this is a sign or symptom that something could be wrong.
Do you have a loss of spiritual appetite lately? What are you snacking on that is ruining your appetite? You’re confused right now because your life is stagnant. You have lost your first love and the fire inside to spend time with Jesus alone. Maybe you are eating the wrong foods like self-righteous acts or deeds.
You are getting lots of exercise, going to church, getting baptized, giving to the church, delivering groceries, or serving in some way. But nothing is happening, and it’s because you’re on the wrong diet. Are you living for the Kingdom of God or of this world?
Here are the things that take away your spiritual appetite.
1 John 2:15-16 (NLT)
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world.
What is a hunger for righteousness? Living right before man and God by the power of the Holy Spirit. Hatred for sin. Regular confession of sin to God and others as needed. Asking God for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit.
Covid-19 is a life-threatening breathing disease that physically attacks the lungs. Because every breath counts these days, let me offer some advice on how to spiritually breathe so that you can walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
First, how often do we need to breathe physically? If you Google it, the statistic is twelve to twenty breaths per minute. Spiritual breathing is just as crucial, but the frequency is as soon as you realize it and as often as you need to.
Here is the process.
Exhale: by confessing our sin to God
Inhale: asking God to give you a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit to empower you to walk in obedience to God.
What does it look like to hunger and thirst for righteousness? Have you ever been so hungry that you would eat just about anything? When even a month-old open box of soda crackers looks like a banquet dinner? Have you ever been so thirsty that you’re willing to drink out of a puddle on the ground?
We had a group in this church that used to do what we called “extreme hiking.”
Mt Baldy Summit 8,900 feet
San Jacinto Summit 10,800 feet
San Gorgonio 11,300 feet
Mt Whitney over 14,000 feet
There’s a trail at the bottom of the Palm Springs Tram called Skyline Trail. You only go up, because you get to ride the tram down. It’s twelve miles and there’s 9,000 feet of elevation gain. One of the times I hiked this trail, I went with a group of law enforcement. I noticed one of the guys was falling behind. I lagged back, started to work my way back to go talk with him, and I realized he was dehydrated. He had lost his mental and physical drive from being dehydrated. In fact, when I looked at him, he literally had salt crystals on his face and on his forehead from the sweat.
This wasn’t because he didn’t have any water. He had sixteen pounds of water on him, over two gallons of water, and yet he was dehydrated. For some reason, he didn’t want to drink. He didn’t know that his condition was getting worse by the minute, it crept up on him.
When our spiritual appetites are slowly drying up, we get despondent, lose our mental and physical drive, and when we speak, we sound like we have been marinated in lemon juice. Most of us have been intensely hungry or thirsty at one point or another, but it was because of neglect on our part.
Ironically, it is the same thing spiritually. We neglect the basic, everyday needs of personal Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship. Without it, spiritual malnutrition slowly suppresses the life of the Spirit of God out of us, then we put some other destructive behavior in its place and we drift further and further away from that intimate relationship with Jesus that we all need and once had.
To wrap things up for today, we are going to leave on a good note.
Verse 6, they will be satisfied
People have been looking for satisfaction long before the Rolling Stones sang about it. Even you may have thought, your master’s degree was going to satisfy you. Maybe your killer job or business was going to satisfy you. You might have gotten married thinking that was going to satisfy you. Children are a blessing from the Lord, but they won’t satisfy you either. Now, everything is coming unraveled and you think walking away from your marriage is going to bring you satisfaction.
So – what do I do now? The following verse comes from King Solomon who had it all, had seen it all, had heard it all but looked at life without God during this time.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 (NLT)
8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.
It’s time to get re-acquainted with God, the lover of our soul, this morning – now.
Psalm 107:9 (NLT)
9 For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
2 Peter 2:1-2 (NLT)
1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,
Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Take the opportunity, and turn back to God – right now – this morning.
It is noted that Jesus opened his mouth and taught often, but he also taught them often with his mouth closed.
Jesus preached to his disciples, but the character traits in The Beatitudes are meant for all Christians. It is not – live like this and you will become a Christian. But rather, because you are a Christian – you live like this.
The first portion of the Sermon on The Mount is known as The Beatitudes, which means “The Blessings,” but can also be understood as giving the believer his “be – attitudes” (the attitudes we should be.)
The Character traits of The Beatitudes are not spiritual gifts where we are given some and do not possess the other. They are all a package deal that proves we are heaven bound and the coming Kingdom-minded.
Matthew 5:1 (NLT)
1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him,
There are two groups of people in the setting of verse 1 that need to be examined. The first group is verse 1 the crowds gathering.
Matthew 4:25 (NLT)
25 Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
What are some reasons people stay in the crowd?
We find comfort in a larger group of people.
We can remain unidentified people or obscure people.
There is less personal accountability.
There is less personal responsibility.
More freedom to act or live as you want without being noticed.
It’s generally easier to go with the crowd, the flow, downstream.
It’s also more comfortable to stay in the crowd, or congregation – we all come from different walks of life and locations, much like this crowd.
We all need to step out of the crowd closer to Jesus’ invitation to let him teach us and show us how to follow him.
Back in verse 1, sat down
This was the common posture for teaching in that culture. It was customary for the teacher to sit and the hearers to stand. Sitting is also an invitation for the crowd to decide if they want to move closer. We have the same decision to make every day to move closer to Jesus and to learn how to live a life pleasing to God.
Bible on the table
Bible on the phone
Bible verses on the walls
God is waiting to talk to us every morning.
Verse 1, His disciples gathered (not just the twelve Disciples).
What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower, student of the teacher, learner, pupil. A disciple voluntarily wants to learn, not just attend lectures or sermons. A disciple must first know Jesus personally then voluntarily make a choice to follow/learn from him with a desire to be more like him.
Being a disciple of Christ and reproducing yourself into another believer’s life is the central theme of the Gospels and the Book of Acts.
Here is a simple example.
John 1:40-42 (NLT)
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.
41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).
42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus…
Discipleship is learning from God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit and spending time with Jesus, then simply assisting and modeling to another person what God is teaching you.
The moment you learn, you become a tool for God!
Being a disciple of Jesus has a cost, which is why we have two groups of people in our text.
Mark 8:34 (NLT)
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
There’s that invitation. Jesus periodically re-introduced that invitation, and we need to do the same for others too. We need to constantly be re-inviting people if they are ready to move into this next area of truly following Christ.
1). Deny yourself and completely surrender your life to Christ
Paul mentioned that twice in two of his epistles. He started out saying, “I, Paul, a prisoner…” Surrender. Prisoner. “I, Paul, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2). Take up your cross deliberately and serve him at whatever the cost
We need to drop what we want to do, and pick-up what Jesus wants us to do – with joy.
3). Follow him as a willful act of obedience
Jesus himself is inviting you today to: step out of the crowd into discipleship being a learner of him.
Again, Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower
1) Deny yourself – you must turn from your selfish ways
2) Take up your cross – drop what you are doing and embrace God’s will for your life – which is not a mystery. What do you know right now that God would want you to do? That is what God’s will for your life is right now! (Regardless of how uncomfortable it is, or how embarrassing it is, or how humiliating it is, or even how painful it is.)
3) Follow him – to follow we need to listen and stay close enough to him to not lose sight of him. We need to be able to hear him, we need to be able to see him. Who – or what – are you following, listening to, or watching that stops you from following Jesus?
Matthew 5:2 (NLT)
2 and he began to teach them.
Just a couple of thoughts about teaching. I have heard many fabulous sermons, teachings, and messages in the last thirty years that have truly impacted my life. But, like you here today, listening to someone else speak does not compare with what you can hear by spending time alone in the secret place with just you and God alone.
It will bring life-changing transformation by moving out of the crowd to hear directly from the God-Man, Jesus, himself.
Everything you hear from me this morning is second-hand information.
1). Deliberately open your Bible and read – listen to what Jesus is saying to you personally, daily.
2). Ask God how he wants you to live out what you read today.
3). Admit to God you cannot do it unless he helps you.
4). Pray – ask God to help you live for him today.
So, speaking of living for him, let’s look at the character of “living now” for the coming Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 5:3 (NLT)
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses… Blessed is not the idea that everything is going our way. Blessed is based on our relationship with God, our approval from God in heaven.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT)
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
Blessed in the Greek is “MAKARIOS.” “It is a joy which has its secret within itself, a joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained. A joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.”
The word “blessing” in every case is in the present tense; it’s a happiness to be now enjoyed and delighted in.
Now, let’s look at the foundation for happiness. It could be shocking where we start.
Verse 3, those who are poor
Let’s start with what poor in spirit is not.
1). Prideful attitude
2). Arrogant behavior
3). Self-dependency
4). Going through your day not looking to God for everyday help.
This is the foundation, the first step, much like the sense of the need of salvation.
Poor in spirit is not related to money or wealth. Poor in spirit is not speaking of poverty, natural shyness, showy, or fake. Rather, poor in spirit relates to the inward man, seeing his destitute state of condition before a holy God. It is recognizing our sinfulness – beggars with a broken and contrite heart. The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual assets. They know they are spiritually bankrupt.
We might say that the ancient Greek had a word for the “working poor” and a word for the “truly poor.” Jesus used the word for the truly poor here. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.
Verse 3, those who realize their need for him
I love this part of verse 3 because everyone can start here. Notice, it is not first, blessed are the pure or the holy or the spiritual or the wonderful. Everyone can be poor in spirit.
“Not what I have, but what I have not, is the first point of contact, between my soul and God.” Charles Spurgeon
Let’s look at Isaiah’s cleansing call (paraphrased). Isaiah 6:1-9.
Isaiah’s vision of the Lord.
1). Sitting on his throne
2). The train of his robe filled the Temple
3). Seraphim flying around
4). Calling out “Holy, Holy, Holy”
5). Their voices shook the temple to the very foundations
6). The entire building was filled with smoke
Isaiah 6:5 (NLT)
5 Then I said, "It's all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven's Armies."
Verse 7, one of the seraphim touched his lips with a burning coal from the altar.
Isaiah 6:7-8 (NLT)
7 He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."
8 Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me."
The man who truly sees God for who he is sees himself in truth.
When Peter and the boys were fishing all night and had not caught any fish, Jesus told Peter to get back out in the water. In fact, Jesus told him to go out into the deeper waters, then let his nets down. Peter reluctantly said okay, and you know the story. The nets became so full of fish they began to break.
Luke 5:8 (NLT)
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me--I'm too much of a sinner to be around you.”
This is poor in spirit.
The poor in spirit have nothing to give, nothing to add. We realize that we are sinful and rebellious and utterly without moral virtues adequate to buy favors from heaven. The poor man is unable to help, or save himself. If you think about it, that is how we all have turned to God looking for salvation. Until we are truly poor in spirit, the rest of Jesus’ message is impossible to obtain – just like trying to understand the scriptures without being saved.
Being poor in spirit is the first step that prepares us to have the character of the Kingdom: to mourn over our sin; letting meekness change the way we treat others; acquiring hunger and thirst for righteousness; showing others mercy; fostering a purity of heart; learning the power of peacemaking; responding correctly to persecution.
Matthew 5:4 (NLT)
4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Verse 4, those who mourn
What words come to mind when you hear me say the word “mourn”? Tears, sorrow, pain, sadness. What things have caused you to mourn lately in your life?
This word “mourning” in the context is not for the loss of a loved one; not for an unfulfilled plan or circumstance that has come unraveled; it’s not sorrow from regrets. God blesses those who mourn is specifically related to being in tears over our sin. True, genuine mourning over our sin.
Paul described it like this in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT)
10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
When we realize what a mess we have made of our lives, and come to God to rescue us from any further damage, it’s because we have seen all the repercussions and that leads us to godly sorrow, which leads to salvation (crying out to God to rescue us). Mourning over our sin must come from the realization that our actions have broken God’s heart, so our heart is broken. We made God cry, so we mourn.
When our children were living at home (they’re all in their thirties or better now), many times, I would have to ask all the kids and my wife to sit down and apologize to them for the way I acted, or something I said. Not because someone asked me to, but because, after time, I realized I broke God’s heart acting that way, not to mention the damage caused to my family.
So now, we can move to the latter part of verse 4, which is,
Verse 4, they will be comforted
Not “creature comfort” which means superior accommodations. Not “comfort food” which can mean homemade shepherd’s pie, and chicken wings, and a hot brownie with ice cream.
Comfort means an ease of feelings of grief or distress. It rains on the just and the unjust. But God brings rain for the flowers because they need it as part of their growing and maturing process.
Along with rain, God allows pain to alert us to fix a problem. What motivates you to call the dentist? What helps you make a call to request marriage counseling? But… only those who mourn over their sin will be comforted.
Psalm 30:5 (NLT)
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Here are the three types of real comfort:
1). Forgiveness of sins
1 John 1:9 (NLT)
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
2). The comfort of the Holy Spirit pouring into our lives
Peace. Reassurance. A joy that comes from being refilled and recommissioned by God – reminding us of God’s promises with hope and courage for today, and strength for tomorrow.
3). Then, the ultimate comfort of hope of beyond the grave and hope of his soon and coming return.
Here are some other things that can cause us to mourn:
All those loved ones that are lost – unsaved family members that are drudging through life without hope;
Watching people we love destroy their own lives with bad decisions and choices;
The moral decline and condition of our nation can truly cause us to mourn.
Matthew 5:5 (NLT)
5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
Verse 5, those who are humble
“Meekness” means power under constraint, being able (or even having a right to) but choosing not to. All Christians should put on meekness. It is a proof that we genuinely believe that God is in complete control, and we don’t have to battle and fight, because our confidence is in him and him alone.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT)
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
“Humility” is easily entreated (a true sign God’s wisdom is at work in your life), considerate, and submissive. Being submissive to God in our lives is a powerful witness when we truly learn to live as the Psalmist wrote to… be still and know that I am God. You ask, HOW do I be still and know that he is God? The more you take your hands off that thing and let it go, the more you will know he is God, and you are not. So – take your hands off!
Humility requires submission to God’s Word.
James 1:21 (NLT)
21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
Psalm 119:9 (NKJV)
9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. ...
Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
A wild and unruly horse is of no use to the owner, but a broken, trained, submissive horse is a joy to see and an asset to the owner.
All the broken things around your home or in the garage have little or no value. But, on the other hand, broken things are extremely valuable to God.
Jeremiah 18:1-4
1. God told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house
2. I will speak to you there
3. Jeremiah found the potter working on the wheel
4. But the jar he was working on was marred in the hands of the potter.
5. So he crushed it and he started over.
6. One translation says as seemed good to the potter to make it.
God’s specialty is to put broken people back together, but it’s the way he wants to put you back together.
Matthew 5:6 (NLT)
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
So, how is your appetite? We do a really good job making sure our physical appetite is covered, don’t we? Physically, when our appetite is gone and we do not want to eat or drink, it is a sign that something else is wrong. Appetite also promotes growth (some we like to see, other times, not so much). The body needs nourishment, and most importantly, so does the soul.
Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We need to be aware of our spiritual appetite. “You are what you eat” is more relevant in our spiritual appetite than ever before. Do you have an appetite for the things of righteousness? If not, this is a sign or symptom that something could be wrong.
Do you have a loss of spiritual appetite lately? What are you snacking on that is ruining your appetite? You’re confused right now because your life is stagnant. You have lost your first love and the fire inside to spend time with Jesus alone. Maybe you are eating the wrong foods like self-righteous acts or deeds.
You are getting lots of exercise, going to church, getting baptized, giving to the church, delivering groceries, or serving in some way. But nothing is happening, and it’s because you’re on the wrong diet. Are you living for the Kingdom of God or of this world?
Here are the things that take away your spiritual appetite.
1 John 2:15-16 (NLT)
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world.
What is a hunger for righteousness? Living right before man and God by the power of the Holy Spirit. Hatred for sin. Regular confession of sin to God and others as needed. Asking God for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit.
Covid-19 is a life-threatening breathing disease that physically attacks the lungs. Because every breath counts these days, let me offer some advice on how to spiritually breathe so that you can walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
First, how often do we need to breathe physically? If you Google it, the statistic is twelve to twenty breaths per minute. Spiritual breathing is just as crucial, but the frequency is as soon as you realize it and as often as you need to.
Here is the process.
Exhale: by confessing our sin to God
Inhale: asking God to give you a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit to empower you to walk in obedience to God.
What does it look like to hunger and thirst for righteousness? Have you ever been so hungry that you would eat just about anything? When even a month-old open box of soda crackers looks like a banquet dinner? Have you ever been so thirsty that you’re willing to drink out of a puddle on the ground?
We had a group in this church that used to do what we called “extreme hiking.”
Mt Baldy Summit 8,900 feet
San Jacinto Summit 10,800 feet
San Gorgonio 11,300 feet
Mt Whitney over 14,000 feet
There’s a trail at the bottom of the Palm Springs Tram called Skyline Trail. You only go up, because you get to ride the tram down. It’s twelve miles and there’s 9,000 feet of elevation gain. One of the times I hiked this trail, I went with a group of law enforcement. I noticed one of the guys was falling behind. I lagged back, started to work my way back to go talk with him, and I realized he was dehydrated. He had lost his mental and physical drive from being dehydrated. In fact, when I looked at him, he literally had salt crystals on his face and on his forehead from the sweat.
This wasn’t because he didn’t have any water. He had sixteen pounds of water on him, over two gallons of water, and yet he was dehydrated. For some reason, he didn’t want to drink. He didn’t know that his condition was getting worse by the minute, it crept up on him.
When our spiritual appetites are slowly drying up, we get despondent, lose our mental and physical drive, and when we speak, we sound like we have been marinated in lemon juice. Most of us have been intensely hungry or thirsty at one point or another, but it was because of neglect on our part.
Ironically, it is the same thing spiritually. We neglect the basic, everyday needs of personal Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship. Without it, spiritual malnutrition slowly suppresses the life of the Spirit of God out of us, then we put some other destructive behavior in its place and we drift further and further away from that intimate relationship with Jesus that we all need and once had.
To wrap things up for today, we are going to leave on a good note.
Verse 6, they will be satisfied
People have been looking for satisfaction long before the Rolling Stones sang about it. Even you may have thought, your master’s degree was going to satisfy you. Maybe your killer job or business was going to satisfy you. You might have gotten married thinking that was going to satisfy you. Children are a blessing from the Lord, but they won’t satisfy you either. Now, everything is coming unraveled and you think walking away from your marriage is going to bring you satisfaction.
So – what do I do now? The following verse comes from King Solomon who had it all, had seen it all, had heard it all but looked at life without God during this time.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 (NLT)
8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.
It’s time to get re-acquainted with God, the lover of our soul, this morning – now.
Psalm 107:9 (NLT)
9 For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
2 Peter 2:1-2 (NLT)
1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,
Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Take the opportunity, and turn back to God – right now – this morning.