"THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT"

The Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12)

INTRODUCTION
  1. As we begin to take a closer look at "The Sermon On The Mount," we notice first that section referred to as "The Beatitudes"
    1. In verses 3-12, we find Jesus discussing the blessedness of those who possess certain qualities
    2. It is almost as though Jesus was answering two questions the people might have been asking:
      1. Who are the citizens of this "kingdom of heaven"?
      2. What benefits do they receive?
  2. My treatment of this passage will be somewhat different than normal
    1. Most approach this passage by examining each beatitude in detail before moving on to the next
    2. But we will look at the entire section in an overall fashion twice, from two different perspectives

[First, let's look at "The Beatitudes" from the viewpoint of the question: "WHO ARE THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM?"

In other words...]

  1. THE CHARACTER REQUIRED OF THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM
    1. ONE WHICH INVOLVES SEVERAL INTER-RELATED QUALITIES...
      1. Only those who possess ALL of these qualities are truly citizens of the kingdom of heaven
      2. For it should be evident that some...
        1. May be "poor in spirit," but do not "hunger and thirst after righteousness"
        2. May "mourn," but are not "pure in heart"
        3. May be "meek," but are not "peacemakers"
        4. May be "persecuted," but not "for righteousness' sake"
      3. It takes ALL of these qualities, and in this sense the passage is similar to 2Pe 1:5-11
        1. Where various qualities are also listed
        2. Where each of them are needed IN CONJUNCTION to assure that "an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom"
    2. THEREFORE, CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ARE THOSE WHO...
      1. ARE "POOR IN SPIRIT"
        1. "To be poor in spirit is to have a humble opinion of ourselves; to be sensible that we are sinners, and have no righteousness of our own; to be willing to be saved only by the rich grace and mercy of God" (BARNES)
        2. I.e., convicted of one's own spiritual poverty
          1. Exemplified by the tax collector in Lk 18:13
          2. Such people God will accept into His good favor - Is 57:15; 66:1-2
        3. The opposite of "poor in spirit" would be "proud of heart," and those who are such are more like:
          1. The Pharisee in Lk 18:9-14
          2. The Laodiceans in Re 3:17-19
      2. "MOURN"
        1. But to do so in a specific sense: over one's own spiritual poverty, one' sinfulness
        2. Like David did after his adultery with Bathsheba - Ps 51:3-4
        3. Note the relationship between these first two character- istics
          1. Unless one is first "poor in spirit"
          2. They will not "mourn" over their spiritual poverty
      3. ARE "MEEK"
        1. I.e., gentle, easy to be entreated
          1. Would rather suffer injury than inflict it
          2. Not out of weakness, but out of humility, realizing one's own poverty of spirit, one's own sinfulness
        2. A good example of meekness is Moses
          1. He was certainly not a weak or timid man - Ex 32:19-20; 30-34
          2. But when personally attacked, he was very humble - Nu 12:1-3
      4. "HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS"
        1. I.e., looking for the righteousness which will meet:
          1. Their spiritual poverty
          2. Their mourning over the same
        2. To "hunger and thirst" suggests not a half-hearted search, but one exemplified by:
          1. David in Ps 42:1-2; 19:12-14
          2. Paul in Php 3:7-15a
      5. ARE "MERCIFUL"
        1. Loving towards those in misery (e.g., the "Good Samaritan")
        2. Possessing a forgiving spirit toward those who sin against them (HENDRICKSEN)
          1. E.g., Jesus in Lk 23:34
          2. E.g., Stephen in Ac 7:60
        3. Jesus stressed this characteristic on several occasions...
          1. Later in His sermon, in teaching on prayer - Mt 6:14-15
          2. In His parable of "The Unforgiving Servant" - Mt 18:21-35
        4. This virtue grows "out of our personal experience of the mercy of God." (LENSKI)
      6. ARE "PURE IN HEART"
        1. "singleness of heart, the honesty which has no hidden motive, no selfish interest, and is true and open in all things." (LENSKI)
        2. Refers to one who is sincere, honest, without hypocrisy
        3. That such a quality is necessary to see God - cf. Ps 24:3-4
      7. ARE "PEACEMAKERS"
        1. These are those who devote their lives to making peace by following the Prince of Peace
          1. Involves effort to be at peace with all men - Ro 12:18-21
          2. Involves helping others to be at peace with God by proclaiming the gospel of peace - cf. Ro 5:1 and Ep 6:15
        2. "At peace with God and thus themselves filled with sweet peace, they live in peace, if possible, with all men and work to keep and to make peace where peace is threatened or lost. Theirs is the work of true Christians who follow in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace." (LENSKI)
      8. ARE "PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE"
        1. "The tense and voice of the verb (passive perfect) may be regarded as permissive:
          1. "Who have allowed themselves to be persecuted, or have endured persecution"
          2. "The idea is that they did not flee from it but willingly submitted to when it came to them." (LENSKI)
        2. In what way, is explained in verse 11, and includes being:
          1. Reviled or reproached
          2. Persecuted
          3. Slandered falsely
          -- All for Jesus' sake
        3. That such persecution would often afflict those who are citizens of the kingdom, see Ac 14:21-22; Php 1:29-30; 2Ti 3:12

        [Such are the CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. But is it worth it?

        To answer that, let's now look at the "The Beatitudes" from the viewpoint of another question: "WHAT BENEFITS DO CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM RECEIVE?" In other words...]

  2. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM
    1. THEIR CONDITION CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE WORD: "BLESSED"
      1. This word stands at the beginning of the sermon, and is used nine times in nine verses
      2. It can literally mean, "how very happy" is the one described
      3. We can infer from verse twelve that "blessed" involves great joy and gladness ("rejoice and be exceedingly glad")
    2. THEIR BLESSEDNESS IS UNDERSTANDABLE IN LIGHT OF THE BENEFITS RECEIVED
      1. "THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"
        1. As defined in the previous lesson...
          1. They are under the kingly rule of God
          2. They are in a spiritual kingdom
            1. Which today involves being in the "church," the PRESENT manifestation of the "kingdom of heaven"
            2. Which will involve the "new heavens and new earth" in the kingdom's FUTURE and eternal manifestation
        2. Note that the first (5:3) and last (5:10) beatitude include this expression, which I take to imply that the blessings in between likewise apply to those in the kingdom
        3. Just as the kingdom is both present and future, we shall observe that the blessings described involve both the present and future
      2. "THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED"
        1. This is in reference to those who mourn over their sins and spiritual poverty
        2. They are comforted even NOW - 2Co 1:3-5
        3. They shall be comforted in the FUTURE - Re 21:1-4
      3. "THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH"
        1. In one sense, they inherit it now
          1. As a result of putting the kingdom of God first - Mt 6:33; Mk 10:29-30
          2. Though they may have less than some who are wicked, God enables them to enjoy it more! - Ec 5:19-6:2
          3. This explanation seems to be consistent with the context of Psalms 37, from which the phrase was taken - Ps 37:1-11, 16-29
        2. But in another sense, there yet remains a promise concerning a "new earth" for those in the kingdom now - 2Pe 3:10-13
      4. "THEY SHALL BE FILLED"
        1. That is, with the righteousness which we so desperately need, found only in Christ - Php 3:8-9
        2. Received presently, through the precious blood of Christ - Ro 5:9
        3. Received in fulness when adorned in the white linen of righteousness in preparation for the marriage of the Lamb - Re 19:5-9
      5. "THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY"
        1. Those in the kingdom enjoy the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus - Re 1:5-6
        2. They shall also be shown mercy in escaping the righteous wrath of God in the Day of Judgment - Ro 5:9
      6. "THEY SHALL SEE GOD"
        1. Presently, citizens of the kingdom can see God through their Lord Jesus Christ - Jn 14:6-7
        2. But in the future, we shall see him face to face - Re 21:3; 22:3-4
      7. "THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD"
        1. Even now we are called the sons of God - 1Jn 3:1-2
        2. How much more so, in the future! - Re 21:5-7
CONCLUSION
  1. Perhaps we can better understand why those in the "kingdom of heaven" are truly called "BLESSED."
  2. Certainly the benefits of the kingdom outweigh anything this world has to offer, or any persecution it might inflict!
  3. But the "blessedness" of the citizens is only for those who have the "characteristics" of the citizens in ever-increasing measure. DO WE?
  4. Our next study will look at the citizens of the kingdom in their relation to the world (Mt 5:13-16)