The Message of the Teachings on the Mount (6)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on November 18, 2009
Topic: Blessed Are... (3)
(use the audio to study)
Background
Last week, we observed that the blessedness of a man is predicated on the presence of God in the life of that man, and not on his worldly possessions or qualifications. We said that, who you are before God is far more valuable than what you possess, who you profess to be, or your performance in the sphere of men. We said that if God is to be present in a man�s life, thus making him blessed, that man must of necessity possess the nature of character of God. We observed that while the grace of God brings us into the kingdom of God at no charge, the attributes of godliness in us guarantees our remaining in the kingdom of God. We cannot remain the same way we came in, but must yield ourselves to the sanctifying and transforming power of the teachings of Christ and the inner workings of the Spirit of God in our lives.
Thus, we concluded that godly character and Christian conduct is to be preferred to merely engaging in activities and serving in the church! A man who demonstrates godly character and conducts himself as a true disciple of Jesus Christ, will have his activities and service to God accepted by God; and, such a man is blessed!
Tonight, we shall begin to see in more detail who is blessed and why. May the Holy Spirit teach us tonight, in Jesus� name, Amen.
Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 5:3-4
The people who are called blessed in our scripture text will not pass for those we would ordinarily have called blessed. But these are they who are truly blessed! In fact, there is nothing glamorous about these people, and not many would want to be like then; but these people have the guarantees of heaven as to their blessedness.
Matthew 5:3; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; Matthew 19:16-24; Isaiah 66:2; 57:15; John 15:5; Philippians 4:13; Matthew 13:44-46; Luke 16:11; Romans 14:17; Luke 16:19-31; Matthew 5:4; Genesis 37:31-35; Ecclesiastes 7:2-4; 4:1; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; 7:6, 9-11; Psalm 126:5-6; Luke 7:11-15; John 11:1-44; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 14:16-17; James 4:7-10.
Conclusion
We have been given a picture of Christianity that is meant to be pleasurable; yet the Lord Jesus paints a completely different picture of people who are truly blessed. The picture He paints is not of a wealthy, cheerful, and arrogant man, as being blessed. Rather, He speaks of a man who recognizes his ever dependence on God for his very existence and sustenance; a man who is humble in his disposition such that God can have His way in him; and of a man who grieves over the loss of a loved one, the loss of any sort, or over sin and the sinner in the world.
The Lord Jesus said that those who are poor in spirit (not necessarily poor in this world) are blessed, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. This is a kingdom that has treasures that this world cannot begin to comprehend, and so the poor in spirit are indeed rich in the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is also one that comprises of living right, enjoying the peace that no man can give, and experiencing a joy that cannot be experienced humanly. Further, the man who mourns over the loss of a loved one or over sin and the lost will always be comforted by the Spirit of Christ in this present age, even as Christ comforted those who mourned in His days on earth.
May the Lord help us to be truly poor in spirit by depending on Him completely at every point in our sojourn on earth and to mourn when we should and not think that we are "men" when we show no emotion over the loss of a loved one or in sorrowing for sin. If these will happen, we must submit to God, draw near to Him with cleansed and purified hearts, and mourn for our deviations from Him.
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