Matthew 5:3 says, 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  The first step to entering the kingdom of heaven is to admit our spiritual bankruptcy.  When we are no longer trying to get into heaven on the basis of our own merit, then God can grant us the free gift of eternal life on the basis of Christ’s merit.  Titus 3:5 says, “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…”

Admitting that we could never be good enough to deserve God’s approval is a process wrought with utter humility (even humiliation).  The “poor in spirit” have taken a spiritual ax to any prideful thought that might lead them to believe they are good enough to earn God’s approval.  The “poor in spirit” know that they need Jesus!

Matthew 5:4 says, 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  This Beatitude deals with our attitude towards our own sin.  ‘Mourning’ in this context can refer to a hatred of our sin.  Instead of criticizing others for their shortcoming, we are more concerned with examining ourselves.

John Owen is known for saying “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

[1]  He also said, “Indwelling sin always abides while we are in this world; therefore it is always to be mortified.” [2]

The apostle John wrote, “8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”[3]  The disciple knows their sin and it grieves their heart and they are continually working to kill it off.

Matthew 5:5 says, 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”  This verse deals with our attitude towards God.

  • Do I approach God with an attitude of submission?
  • Or do I think God is impressed with who I am or with what I’ve done?

The answer is the difference between life and death.  It’s the difference between heaven and hell.

Matthew 5:6 says 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”  When a person realizes that their own efforts to save themselves are completely lacking and they hunger for righteousness outside of themselves, it opens up the opportunity for God to come in and clothe that person in Christ’s righteousness.  Paul encourages believers in Ephesus to “to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”[4]

This new righteousness we attained through the person of Jesus is accompanied by a real-world life change.  Once a person has received citizenship in the Kingdom of God, their new life began to manifest itself in a whole new attitude:

  • Because of Jesus, a disciple becomes merciful instead of condemning.
  • Because of Jesus, a disciple wants to cultivate purity instead of sin.
  • Because of Jesus, a disciple seeks to be a peacemaker instead of a trouble maker.

Then, as the disciple grows to become more and more like Jesus, they may experience the kind of treatment that Jesus endured when he was on earth: reviling, persecution, false accusation and more.

BUT… because of His grace the persecution doesn’t make them bitter.  The persecuted become light in a dark place.  They shine for the Lord all the brighter while the darkness becomes ever darker.  Now that they’ve entered the kingdom, they are excited to use every opportunity – even persecution – to enlarge the kingdom.

 

– Pastor Mark