Sermon Mount 2

Character: Beatitudes “The Character of the Kingdom”

January 21, 2001

Text: Matthew 5:3-12

Presented by T. Fletcher

Matt 5:3-12

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

NIV

When you hear the Beatitudes, it is easy to like 66% of them. We like the idea of blessing. We like the idea of reward. But the middle part of each of the Beatitudes is not so appealing. It is somewhat offensive, from the perspective of most people that are living in our city today. Even to this church family…I bet not many of you are hoping for persecution this week. Who would?

Paul told the Christians in Philippians…

" Phil 3:17-21

17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. NIV

Our citizenship is in heaven. In heaven! Let that sink in…

We are strangers here. We don’t belong. Our character is different…what matters to us is different.

THE CHARACTER OF CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM

      True citizens will possess all these qualities, not just some.

Some may be "poor in spirit," but do not "hunger and thirst after righteousness"
Some may "mourn," but are not "pure in heart"
Some may be "meek," but are not "peacemakers"

Some may be "persecuted," but not "for righteousness' sake"

These qualities are all inter-related…they are all a work of the Spirit in your life.

They are not attainable naturally…but by God’s power in your life He will bring them out in you.

Blessed = MAKARIOS

Makarios mean "happy" but it means much more than just “happy”.

Greeks used this word to describe the "state of the gods"…it carries the idea of health and well-being in all aspects of life 

The blessedness that Jesus discussed is based on three things:

#1  Blessedness is based on God’s rule in your life.

Four distinctives of  the way Christians under the rule of God will live:

1.  Distinctive Morality:  There are many schools of morality, but they all fall into two categories.

1st School                --Human Speculation: 
“If it feels good, do it”
“Everyone else is doing it, why can’t I?”
“If you believe, that makes it true”

 2^nd School    Divine Revelation

There is truth, and the God of the Bible is the truth, the maker of truth 
the definer of truth, the giver of truth. Jesus says, “I am the way THE TRUTH

and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.”
Not a popular belief…it is distinctive.

Distinctiveness has traps:  THE FIRST TRAP, “conceited heart”.
To know the truth…is not to own the truth.
I don’t know it all…I am still learning.
I trust God to hold all the truth.

Proverbs says, that one of the things the Lord hates is haughty eyes. 
As Christians our morality must come from God…and there is a distinctiveness.

2.  Distinctive Mentality
Mentality of learning at Jesus feet.  This is what the disciples did.
We do not learn from experiencing what the world has to offer, we learn at the feet of the Master Teacher.

Distinctiveness has traps:  THE Second TRAP, a distinctive mentality can lead to “Complacency in your walk of faith”.

I’ve learned what I need to know…there is nothing new.

Right source for truth…but wrong attitude, again, towards the truth.
We must also strive to go deeper.  That is the beauty of this walk…we can not ever reach the depths of God’s love.

No matter how high, or deep or long or far we go…there is still more to learn, more to experience, more to realize, more to be shaped, more to be changed.

It is an adventure!

3.  Distinctive Mastery
Mentality of surrender.  Who is your master?  Who is in control.
No one can serve two masters.  Luke 6:13

Rom 6:16:
16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves,

you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Ask yourself this question…”who is controlling my life”?

The world will say, “I am in control”
Disciple will say, “God is in control”
Distinctiveness has traps:  THE Third TRAP, a distinctive mastery can lead to “hypocrisy”.

“God is in control” but you don’t live like it.  You live like everybody else.

4.  Distinctive Minority
 Jesus called 12.  Only 12.  But his target was the multitude.  
To be a disciple of Jesus in todays world you will be in the minority.
To live this way, you will be outnumbered.
But with God on your side, that is all the minority you need.
 God through Gideon and 300 defeating an entire army.
God raising up a field of bones into a numberless army.

There are minorities in the world today.  But their focus is often on worldly things.

Power, economics, influence.  God’s minority is focused on the things of the kingdom…purity of heart,

spiritual hungering after righteous thing –Godly things, servanthood. 
And with God on your side, that is all the minority you need.
There is power in this minority…and the power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

What a blessing it is to be a disciple.

#2  Blessedness is based on a style of living where your  satisfaction is found in spiritual

means as opposed to physical/worldly means
Our search is naturally inclined to finding “makarios”.  The question is how will one

find satisfaction in that search.  For the Christian, true satisfaction lies completely on a spiritual level.
Its all about your character…what kind of person you are.  Happiness/blessedness is a product of character.

A character that is based on reality:
1.  We have a natural spiritual inability and inadequacy (poor in Spirit).
2.  Repentance is a requirement (mourn).  
3.  A conscious yielding to the will of God (meek).

#3  Blessedness is based on the style of living where your security comes from  a genuine faith in God
1.  A submissive ambition that recognizes God’s power.
2.  A hunger to please God and do what is right.
3.  An attitude of mercy and willingness to forgive in response to what God has done.
4.  A willingness to take dramatic action based on belief in God.

Security…is trusting completely in God.  That is different than the world.
…the world trusts economy…big$$…Christians truth in God to provide
..the world trusts in what it sees and can touch….disciples truth is someone they cannot see and touch
…the world trusts in beauty which fades over time…followers of Christ truth in eternal beauty of life with God
Where is your security?  Where is your blessedness?

Blessedness  is knowing Jesus Christ…and in knowing Him, being changed by him…to become distinctive…different …set apart.  That is what we are!

That is blessedness…to know Him.

To be able to from the bottom of your heart say to Him. “Knowing you, Jesus.  Knowing you… there is no greater thing…You’re my all!”