Be - Poor in Spirit

We are jumping right to the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the mount. We are doing this as we aim to build foundations for our lives that are grounded in Christ.

This means what?

We HEAR the Word.

We LIVE the Word.

The Sermon on the Mount begins with these amazing characteristics known as beattitudes, laid out by Jesus, highlighting what the life and attitudes of believers ought to look like.

Why begin with attitudes? Because in many circumstances and situations, attitude is everything! How we view and respond to life makes all the difference in the world!

Good and bad situations are a part of life. What makes the difference is HOW WE RESPOND. Will we shine for Jesus, or fall to the impulses of the flesh? Jesus hits the ground running in His sermon listing out these amazing attributes.

Before the sermon is delivered, Matthew 4 gives an account of what has been taking place up to this point.

Matthew 4:23–25 NIV

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

People clearly needed hope.

They weren’t interested in gimmicks. They were looking for deliverance.

All kinds of sickness is listed. Spiritual bondage including demon possession was being broken. People were coming from all over Syria as the news of His ministry spread.

They were attracted to His message and were able to experience His healing.

They followed Him out of response to what had taken place.

This crowd continued to grow. As it did so, Jesus goes on the mountainside and begins to teach.

The Sermon on the Mount begins with an area of our lives that might surprise us: Attitude.

Jesus knows the importance of attitude and chooses to address this topic with the crowd that had gathered.

Some may disagree with this next statement, but here we go. Attitude is a choice.

Circumstances in life may effect how people choose to behave, but when it all comes down, it is still a choice.

Are you what your environment has made you or do you choose to rise above this line of thinking?

A buddy of mine use to tell his kids in youth ministry that fun is not an event, its an attitude. You can choose to have fun or simply be a bump on the log.

Some of the most inspirational people in this world displayed incredible attitudes while experiencing some of the greatest hardships ever known.

Martin Luther King Jr. had an attitude and a dream of peace when facing harsh prejudice.

Imagine what can be accomplished for the Kingdom if all believers had the right attitude!

The word attitude defined is manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind.

Your mind is a powerful thing! What you choose to harbor up there will affect all that you say and do.

Your attitude is communicated with your body language as well as your words.

Have you ever encountered someone who says one thing but their body language is saying something totally different? Your attitude will surface, and people will pick up on it.

So what is the FIRST attitude that Jesus says His followers should display? Anyone want to take a guess at it?

The answer is - Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:3 NIV

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

At the surface, one might think this as an odd place to start. First we need to define what Jesus is talking about when He says “Poor in Spirit” When we hear the word poor we automatically think of a state of not having or a position of poverty.

This is very true when dealing with economics. When one is described as being poor, they tend to have insufficient resources to keep up with the demands of life.

Whatever the reasoning is, it is a state or position of need… a place in which the person may need to rely on outside assistance to get by.

Side thought: A person may be “poor” resource wise, but can still have a great attitude. I firmly believe that poverty is a mindset more than a financial status.

In this case, Jesus is not speaking of an economic situation but a spiritual one.

Jesus is talking about our need… for a Savior

HEAR The Word

Jesus wants us to recognize that on our own, we are spiritually insufficient to make it to Heaven.

Those who are poor in spirit are teachable and humble. They seek more of God daily because they realize that without God there is no hope.

Jesus is not asking that we mope around and hang our head down spiritually. He wants us to remain in a position in which we allow the holy Spirit to teach, guide and direct our lives so that we may someday inherit the Kingdom of heaven.

The reverse attitude is not a pretty picture.

People who are no longer teachable are in a very dangerous place.

They have closed their minds to receive direction from anyone basically making the statement that they are okay with where they are and want control of where they are going.

Those who are not poor in spirit might say things like:

I don’t need God. The emphasis is placed on a lack of need instead of a lack of belief.

When we are “poor in spirit” we draw our strength from the Lord. But if we become conceited, we have a tendency to close off that lifeline by choosing to operate on our own strength and power.

And here is something that is important to remember: a person must come to the realization that they need a Savior before they will seek out that Savior.

As the ending of Matthew 4 made clear, people needed help. People were very aware of their needs but they didn’t know who to call on in their moment of need. That answer, was Jesus.

Once we realize our needs for God’s grace, we will be drawn to the grace that He offers. Once we take on the attitude of understanding our need for a Savior, an amazing blessing follows.

The result is amazing. “theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Those who seek the Savior are… SAVED! What is it that we are “saved” from?

The eternal consequence of sin. God made clear that sin ends in death. ALWAYS. And newsflash for everyone: no one is without sin. No one except Jesus that is.

I want to experience heaven. I want to spend eternity in the presence of the Almighty God who gave His Son for me.

I often say that I will do all I can to ensure I make heaven when I die. Truthfully, there’s nothing I can do to work or earn my way their. It’s only by the grace of God that I will get to enter into this wonderful place.

This is exactly why Jesus states that it is so important that we have the attitude that acknowledges our need of a Savior and His grace.

But heaven will remain a distant thought, an unreachable reality to those unwilling to submit their lives to the Lord.

The kingdom of heaven is reserved for those who choose to believe in the One sent from heaven to earth to save that which was lost.

Living a “good” life isn’t good enough. This is what must be overcome in our thought process; the idea that we can do tings our way and make heaven. His way is the ONLY way.

I can have all things, great wealth, big family, and a great job, but have NOTHING if I don’t have Jesus. It’s the realization that I have nothing without Jesus, I am poor in spirit, thus, I need the Lord.

Live the Word

I am blessed to be able to call Jesus my Savior and my friend.

That blessing came from the realization that I cannot make it spiritually without Christ in my life.

He made this relationship possible when He laid down His life on the cross destroying the separation that once existed due to sin.

I am humbled at the idea that God would do all this for me.

He gave it all so that we could live. He made forgiveness possible through the atoning blood of the Lamb.

My desire is to always have an attitude of humbleness, to remain poor in spirit.

I pray I never get to a place where I do not feel the need for a Savior. I lean on the Holy Spirit daily and desire to do so until I take my last breath.

It’s only by the grace of God that I have made it this far! Why would I choose to turn my back on Him now?

What will you choose to do?

Will you choose to accept that you have sinned in your life?

Will you choose to accept that sin always leads to death?

Will you choose to accept that Jesus died for your sins?

Will you choose to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

Prayer

Salvation. The need for a Savior.

Prayer 2 – pray to remain humble and teachable. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you every single day.