Today we are beginning a series of studies in the Sermon on the Mount. I expect this series to last all summer, and possibly into the fall, if the Lord wills. And I hope that many of you will be able to be here for the entire series. If not, then I encourage you to follow along by reading the messages on our website. Because I believe that this message Jesus preached is unparalleled in the scriptures. After all, it was delivered by no less than God in the flesh. God, having left the kingdom of heaven to take the form of man, explains to men the nature and scope of His kingdom here on earth, and the nature and character of those who would be citizens of His kingdom.
In the previous chapter, we learn of the activities of Christ at the beginning of His earthly ministry, immediately after coming out of the wilderness following the temptation of the devil. Matthew says in verse 17 that “from that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” What we have here in these three chapters of the Sermon on the Mount is possibly the first sermon that Jesus preached. And I believe that it was the basis of His regular preaching thereafter. You can find another version of it in Luke 6, which was probably given on another occasion. And I suspect that it was repeated in some form or another as Jesus went into various regions of Judea and Galilee.
And that is supported by what Matthew says in chapter 4 vs 23; Jesus was going “throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” He was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom everywhere He went. We call this passage the Sermon on the Mount, but if Jesus had a title for His message, it may well have been the Gospel of the Kingdom. Because that is essentially what He is preaching; the nature and character of those who are or would be members of His kingdom.
Now having said that, however, I believe that this message was preached primarily to those who were His disciples. To use a more contemporary term, it was given to Christians. Notice that in the last part of the fourth chapter Matthew says great crowds were following Him from all of Israel, even from beyond the Jordan, and yet in vs 1 of this chapter, it says “when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them.” So His sermon may have had some of the crowd in attendance, but it was delivered primarily to His disciples, which undoubtedly included more than just the 12, but were not just miracle seekers, but genuine believers.
There are a variety of views of interpretation regarding the Sermon on the Mount. And I do not plan on spending too much time trying to delineate them. But I will say that most of them err on either the side which says that it doesn’t apply to the church age, but was a message intended for the Jews, or they err towards the idea that it is a social gospel that teaches a way to create utopia on earth if people will follow these principles. More often than not, many evangelical Christians seem to hold to a view that these principles are not relevant to us, because they are legalistic, and we are under grace and not the law, and so we need not be too concerned about them.
But I would say to such people that if you disregard one section of the message because of that view, then you have to disregard all of the message. And that view makes this seminal message of Jesus basically irrelevant to Christians. Which is a ridiculous idea in light of subsequent themes which He presents in this message, such as “you are the light of the world,” or “you are the salt of the earth.” It’s highly unlikely that any serious student of the word would want to consign the whole of Jesus’s teaching as irrelevant.
The fact is, that there is really nothing in this message which is not presented elsewhere in the New Testament by the apostles. Those of you who were with us in our studies of 1 and 2 Peter over the last few months should recognize many of the principles that Peter expressed have their origin here in the Sermon on the Mount. And similar themes are carried in Paul’s writings, in John and James’ epistles as well.
So it is clear to me, that the Sermon on the Mount is meant for Christians today. It is nothing less than an elaboration of what Jesus called His “new commandment.” That we should love one another as He has loved us. That we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength. And in this text, He tells us how to live that way.
One of the greatest misconceptions of the hearers of this original message is also a common misconception of hearers today. And that is what Jesus refers to as the kingdom of heaven. To the Jews of His day, they were expecting a military, materialistic return of the kingdom. They were expecting the Messiah to be the conquering general who would deliver them from oppression from the Romans and take his place on the throne of David. So their view of the kingdom of heaven was one that was concerned primarily with the kingdom of God being established through the nation of Israel and the consequent material blessings of living in that realm.
And among Christians today there is a similar misconception of the kingdom; an expectation that becoming a Christian will enact a state of blessedness in a materialistic, physical realm, that produces for the modern disciple health, wealth and happiness.
But in fact, the kingdom of heaven refers to a spiritual kingdom. Jesus said, the kingdom of of God is among you, and elsewhere, the kingdom of God is within you. The kingdom of God is in every true believer, and is manifested in the true church. Christ reigns in the hearts of His people and in His congregation. There are three parts to the kingdom; the kingdom has come, the kingdom is come, and the kingdom will come. Christ came at His inauguration when He was manifested in the flesh, He is coming into our hearts by faith where He rules and reigns over our lives, and He will come again at the consummation of the kingdom in the last days when He will judge the world and rule and reign with a rod of iron.
So when Jesus preached the kingdom of heaven had come, it was relevant to the people living in that day, that they might recognize Him and worship Him. And it is relevant to the people of our day in that we might believe in Him that we might be saved and transferred into His kingdom, where He rules over our lives. For us, it is a kingdom which is spiritual, even as it was intended to be at His inauguration. It is a spiritual kingdom which governs our actions and controls our hearts and minds. The Sermon on the Mount is not a prescription for entrance into the kingdom, but rather a description of life in the kingdom. How we are meant to live.
Some might say that is unrealistic. That no one can rise to the standard of living that Christ gives us in this sermon. But the fact is that Christ died to empower us to live according to these principles. Paul said in Titus 2:14 “Christ Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” His death on the cross and the consequent gift of the Holy Spirit enables us to live the life which He prescribes here.
In fact, the impossibility of living out the Sermon on the Mount in my own ability illustrates the absolute necessity of the need to be born again, and to be indwelled by the Spirit of God. It shows me my weakness and my utter dependence upon Him. Without His power working in me, I would be totally hopeless in light of the standards of God.
There is another aspect of the Sermon on the Mount, especially found in the first section of the sermon which is called the Beatitudes, and that is the idea of being blessed. This concept of blessedness is one which we will talk about in greater detail later. But for now, suffice it to say that it is a promise attached to the practice of the principles contained in this sermon. Spiritual blessings are promised for citizens of the kingdom who are characterized by these attitudes and actions. The more we practice them, the greater the blessings that are in store. Many people today are drawn to Christianity in search of a blessing of some sort. But I say to you today, if you really want God’s blessing on your life, then consider the Sermon on the Mount. Don’t look for some sort of mystical blessing through some so called spiritual experience. But practice the precepts set forth by Christ in this message, and you are promised God’s blessing in return.
Another benefit of living out the Sermon on the Mount, is that of evangelism. There is no greater sermon than that which is lived out before others and not just spoken. If more of us were living out the principles contained in this message, then the world would not only be convicted, but it would be drawn to Christianity as something life changing. The problem with our evangelism today is that we proclaim the gospel but we deny it’s power in our lives. And the world can see the disconnect between what the average Christian says and how they actually live. They can see that there is no power to change, there is no power of a new life. But the blessing of God upon those that practice these principles is that they have the power within them to live it out, to live like Christ lived and love like Christ loved us. And the world would be attracted to that. In fact, the greatest times of revival in history have been when people were truly living according to the Sermon on the Mount.
As we begin this study of the Sermon on the Mount, we will by necessity look at it piece by piece, precept by precept. But it’s important that in our introduction today that we emphasize the totality of the Sermon must be always considered as the context. No single part or phrase from this sermon should ever be considered apart from the context of the whole. Unless you understand the point of the whole sermon, then you can’t properly understand the parts. For instance, in the exhortation to turn the other cheek, some proponents of the social gospel have deduced that we should practice pacifism and that all forms of war are not something that a Christian can ever condone. But to make that assumption is evidence that they do not understand the totality of the Sermon. The context is the spiritual reign of God in the hearts of His people and how they are to treat one another and how they are to live in the kingdom of God. Governments have their own peculiar responsibilities which they are to do which may include an act of war in order to protect it’s people.
But the point today is not to debate pacifism, but to point out the importance of maintaining the context of the sermon and also the fact that the order and sequence of the sermon has a divine pattern. In every one of the Epistles, there is a pattern, which is always doctrine first, and then the application. The same pattern is found here in the Sermon on the Mount, first the major doctrines, or characteristics of kingdom life, and then the particulars as to how you are to live in various circumstances.
As we begin our study of this sermon, the first part makes up what is known as the Beatitudes. Today we will only be looking at the first Beatitude. But before we begin that exposition, we need to understand a few things about this section in particular. The Beatitudes are a description of the citizen of the kingdom’s essential nature and characteristics. Jesus is saying in essence; that all Christians are supposed to be like this. It’s not a description of just a few super saints. It’s a description of every one who is truly saved, who truly belongs to the kingdom of heaven.
Another important point to make is that all Christians are to have all these characteristics of the Beatitudes. It’s not like the spiritual gifts, which one person may have the gift of teaching and another the gift of administrations. But all Christians are to exhibit all the characteristics. That is the standard that Christ sets forth. In fact, they are given in a particular order which is dependent upon having the one before it. So they all are meant to be characterized together in one person at one time.
Another important principle is that none of these characteristics are from a natural tendency on our part. Each of the Beatitudes is a quality which is produced by the grace of God working in a new creation by the operation of the Holy Spirit. In other words, these characteristics are not natural. They are not normal or even really achievable in the natural man. For instance, we might think that some people may seem to be naturally humble, or meek, but when the Lord talks about the meek, I think you will see that the meekness he speaks of is not a natural tendency. In fact, these characteristics differentiate between the Christian and the unregenerate person. Paul says in 1Cor. 2:14 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” So these characteristics delineate the difference between the citizen of the kingdom and the citizen of the kingdom of darkness.
And that emphasizes the salient point which is this; the Christian and the unregenerate man are from two separate realms. Colossians 1:13 says, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” There is a difference in their citizenship, and consequently there is a difference in their allegiance, and in their actions. If you are of the world, then Jesus said you will do the works of the prince of this world, that is the devil. But if you are of the Lord, then you will do the works of your Father in heaven.
We that are spiritually born again belong to the kingdom of heaven. We belong to God. Notice that at the beginning and at the end of the Beatitudes we have the promise, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus bookends the Beatitudes with the kingdom of heaven. We are of a different realm, responsible to a different sovereign, marching to the beat of a different drum. It is the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. It is a spiritual kingdom to which our heart beats allegiance. It is the realm of Christ ruling in our hearts and minds and reigning in our lives.
So let’s now consider the first of the Beatitudes. My introduction may seem longwinded, but in reality I have barely scratched the surface, however I’m sure we will revisit the greater context again and again. But I want to leave you today with the first of the Beatitudes, as I believe it is the key to all that follows. As I indicated earlier, there is a definite pattern to these principles, and they build upon one another. So the first is by definition the foundation on which others will be placed. In vs 3 Jesus begins His sermon by saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Without the first one as a foundation, there can be no entry into the kingdom of heaven. There is no one in the kingdom of God who is not first poor in spirit. A wineskin cannot be filled unless it is first empty. It’s essential to the gospel that there must be first a conviction and a repentance before there is conversion. One must understand his poverty before he can be made rich. For those who contend that the Beatitudes is legalistic, I would point out that there is no more complete statement of the doctrine of justification by faith than here in this statement.
It also prevents someone from looking at these principles as a means of earning their salvation by works. It’s not something that you can achieve, or attain to. It starts with a realization that you are spiritually bankrupt and need to receive by grace that which is beyond your apprehension. That’s the idea behind the word translated as poor. It literally has to do with being a beggar. Having no means, no inherent value, nothing that you can claim, but devoid of righteousness, bankrupt, in abject poverty in terms of our standing before God.
Notice also, that Jesus attaches the idea of poverty that of spirit. There is no merit to be gained from poverty for poverty’s sake. But poor in spirit indicates that Jesus is speaking of the spiritual realm, that of being in spiritual poverty. There are people in various other church denominations that have deliberately claimed a life of poverty in order to hopefully ascribe to themselves a measure of spirituality due to a misinterpretation of this verse. But Jesus does not teach physical poverty, but rather that a recognition of their spiritual poverty is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
You cannot enter the kingdom of heaven unless you first recognize you are a sinner and the immensity of the chasm between you and God cannot be breached by human effort. Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags.” And Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” None of us are able to bridge the gap between us and God because our sins have caused a chasm between us and God, and our best efforts fall far short of His righteousness. That kind of conviction precipitates a call upon God for forgiveness and conversion to a new life in which our righteousness is imputed by faith in Christ.
The natural man does not aspire to be poor in spirit. The natural man is defensive at best about his spiritual condition, and more than likely is prideful about it. Being destitute is not something that the world admires. The world admires self confidence, self reliance, and self achievement. The world says you need to love yourself. The world says whatever feels good to you is good. The world says that you are fine just the way you are and God has to accept the way you are.
But the teaching of scripture is that when men came face to face with the glory of God, they found themselves face down on the ground, unable to even lift their eyes to see God, and like Isaiah, the prophet of old when brought before the Lord said, “Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” To be poor in spirit is to rightfully appraise a Holy God, and to see yourself correctly in your sinfulness.
To be poor is spirit then is not only a precondition for conversion, but it’s also a prerequisite for kingdom living. It’s an attitude of humility. It’s not a confidence born out of ability, or social standing, or an arrogance as if to say you have arrived, but a humility born out of the fact that God has chosen you, the least of these, not many noble, not many wise, not of your own righteousness, not by works which you have done, but according to His mercy He saved you. And that sort of humility is the mark of one who is poor in spirit. It’s not a false humility either that parades about a facade of being humble only to hope that everyone sees how humble you are. But it’s a heart that submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all things - a servant’s heart for the things of the Lord.
Moses was a man who was called the most humble man in the world. David was a humble man, asking “who am I?” when he was called by God. Isaiah as we have already noted was humble before the Lord, “I’m a man of unclean lips.” Humbleness, of course, was a characteristic of Jesus, who took on the form of man, and humbled Himself in the office of a servant, and offered Himself as a substitute for sinners.
To be poor in spirit then means an absence of pride, an absence of self assurance and self reliance. It’s utter dependence upon God, in all things, and for all things. It’s recognizing that there is nothing that we can do in our own strength, but only in the strength which God supplies. It’s not relying on our natural talents, or our natural heritage, or our natural birth. Paul said that all such things he counted as dung for the surpassing value of knowing Jesus.
The question that should be asked by us all is whether or not that is a characteristic that we have. Am I poor in spirit? How do I really see myself in light of my relationship to God, and in the way that I see myself in the world? What does the way that I live my life say about my spiritual poverty or lack thereof? Would the people in my church, or my coworkers, or my neighbors, characterize my life as being poor in spirit? Or would they see illustrations of a life that is prideful.
And the other question that should be asked is how do you become poor in spirit? The way to become poor in spirit is to do as Isaiah did; look at God. When you see God for who He really is, and not who you have made Him out to be, when you see God as He is displayed in scripture, holy, perfect, awesome, fearful, All Mighty, loving his enemies, hating sin, judge of the earth, ruler of the heavens, Creator of the universe, when you see God as He is, then you will gain a better appreciation of how destitute you are.
How do you become poor in spirit? Read God’s word. Read the Sermon on the Mount. Read it not as a list of hyperbolic statements that was never meant to be accomplished, but read it in light of the fact that Jesus said this is the way you must live if you are truly a member of His kingdom. And when you do that, it should raise the bar so high that you cannot help but recognize just how low you are. That’s a good beginning. And with the Lord’s help, and your submission to and dependence upon Him, by His grace you will find that in your poverty He will make you rich. Paul said in 2Cor. 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” Blessedness is the riches that God disposes upon those that recognize their poverty in spirit. May you live in total submission and dependence upon the Holy Spirit as you serve in the kingdom of God.
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