Blessed are the Poor in Spirit based on Matthew 5:3

I. Declaration of Independence and pursuit of happiness.“We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

II. Survey about what would make Americans happy. Psychology Today recently asked 52,000 Americans, “What would make you happy?” Here are people’s answers—beginning with the top need: 1) more friends, 2) a better job, 3) being in love, 4) more success, 5) more money, 6) being attractive, 7) being healthier.

III. Happiness with “when and then” thinking.

IV. Beatitudes and pursuit of happiness and Matthew 7:28-29 “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

V. Truth of sermon series: Happiness does not come by what is going on around me. Happiness comes by what is going on in me!

VI. Right attitude and meaning of “poor in spirit.”

VII. Read Matthew 9:12-13 and comment. Matthew 9:12-13 “But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

VIII. Humility reduces stress and Isaiah 66:2 “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

IX. Humility restores relationships and Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

X. Humility releases God’s grace and 1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

XI. Think about humble Abraham in Genesis 18:27 “Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.”

and Moses in Exodus 3:11 “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?””

and David in Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

and Isaiah in Isaiah 6:5 “And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!””

and Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

XII. We are not perfect, but blessed as the poor in spirit.