A pastor who was known for his lengthy sermons noticed a man get up and leave during the middle of his message. The man returned just before the conclusion of the service. Afterwards, the pastor asked the man where he had gone.

‘I went to get a haircut,’ the man replied.  

‘Why didn’t you do that before the service?’ the pastor exclaimed.

‘Well,’ the man said, ‘because I didn’t need one THEN.’

Well, I hope to get you out of time, but you DO need to know that you are about to hear “The Greatest Sermon Ever.” And no, I’m NOT talking about MY SERMON.

Let me illustrate how significant this Sermon on the Mount is. We might remember a phrase of a few Presidents, "Four score and seven years ago...Ask not what your country can do for you...Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." But most people are unlikely to remember much more than those tweetable phrases.

But what about these phrases? "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world...Whoever strikes you on the right cheek...Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you...Our Father who art in heaven...where your treasure is, there your heart is...Seek first the kingdom and all these things will be added to you as well...Do not judge - first remove the log out of your own eye...Ask and it will be given to you...Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock."

These and many others are packed into 3 chapters (Matt. 5-7) that are typically referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount”. The speeches of our presidents pale in comparison to words of Jesus that have rung through the ages, across cultures & continents.

Kent Hughes rightly says, “Like it or not, everyone in western civiliz29508972333621: BLESSED (Matthew 5:1-12)The phrases of past presidents might be remembered by a few generations of Americans, but the words of Jesus have been remembered for two centuries, across cultures & continents. Join us for the greatest sermon…ever…The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus.1: BLESSED (Matthew 5:1-12)The phrases of past presidents might be remembered by a few generations of Americans, but the words of Jesus have been remembered for two centuries, across cultures & continents. Join us for the greatest sermon…ever…The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus.1: BLESSED (Matthew 5:1-12)The phrases of past presidents might be remembered by a few generations of Americans, but the words of Jesus have been remembered for two centuries, across cultures & continents. Join us for the greatest sermon…ever…The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus.1: BLESSED (Matthew 5:1-12)The phrases of past presidents might be remembered by a few generations of Americans, but the words of Jesus have been remembered for two centuries, across cultures & continents. Join us for the greatest sermon…ever…The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus.ation has been touched in some way by the Sermon on the Mount. No one can legitimately minimize its influence…No other section of Scripture makes us face ourselves like the Sermon on the Mount.”

1: BLESSED (Matthew 5:1-12)

The phrases of past presidents might be remembered by a few generations of Americans, but the words of Jesus have been remembered for two centuries, across cultures & continents. Join us for the greatest sermon…ever…

The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus.

1: BLESSED (Matthew 5:1-12)

The phrases of past presidents might be remembered by a few generations of Americans, but the words of Jesus have been remembered for two centuries, across cultures & continents. Join us for the greatest sermon…ever…

The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus.

Crowds loved to hear Jesus teach. He was different than others they had heard before. Just look at the response of the people who heard him.

Matthew 7:28–29 (NET) 28 When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, 29 because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.

Jesus was full of grace and truth. Jesus didn’t dilute the truth. He called people to turn from sin. But He also extended grace, offering forgiveness to anyone who would simply trust in Him.

Today we begin to explore these teachings of Jesus. Over the next few weeks we will be encouraged, confronted, corrected, & challenged by Jesus. I encourage you to read His words over and over again from Matt. 5-7 in your own quiet time.

Before we dive in, we need to be aware of a couple of things about the Greatest Sermon Ever.

First, some say this sermon so great, because it is so short. One could read these words and imagine them being spoken in 15-20 minutes, but it’s unlikely that this is ALL Jesus had to say. Remember when people came to hear Jesus teach and he needed to feed them because they had been hanging out with him for 3 days? (Matt.15:32) So for those of you who say, Jesus preached the most powerful sermon ever in 20 minutes, why can’t you? I would say, #1 - I’m not Jesus and #2 this is likely of summary of all that Jesus taught that day.

Second, this sermon is more than just HOW we should live; it’s about WHO we should live for.

With that said, let’s PRAY and get started.

Matthew 5:1 (NET) When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to teach them…

As the norm for Jewish rabbis of His day, Jesus sat down to speak from or about the Scriptures (cf. Luke 4:20-21).

Of the 8 sayings here, the first 4 focus on our relationship with God. The next 4 focus on our relationship with people.

Matthew 5:2–6 (NET) 2 Then he began to teach them by saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

In our American culture we might expect to hear televangelists & celebrities say “Blessed are,

NOT THE POOR IN SPIRIT, but the SELF-CONFIDENT PROUD in Spirit.

Blessed are, NOT THOSE WHO MOURN, but those who LAUGH.

Blessed are, NOT THE MEEK, but the PRESTIGIOUS.

Blessed are, NOT THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, but those who hunger and thirst for RICHES.

Yet Jesus says it is the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek & those seeking righteousness who are blessed.

How are these people blessed? BLESSED in this case obviously doesn’t refer to immediate health, wealth, & happiness, but those who have received God’s favor. In other words, being BLESSED isn’t about how you feel, but about how God feels about you!

Tonya & our family are a part of those who aren’t happy ABOUT the circumstance of cancer. We have wept hot tears and asked the question of WHY, but through it all we KNOW that we are BLESSED. Despite the difficulties, we have the favor of God. You see, Blessed, according to Jesus is….

BLESSED: Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Regardless of your bank account, the poor in spirit are those who recognize they are spiritually bankrupt before God. The PROUD in spirit come looking to make a deal. Those who are POOR in spirit approach God in humility, pounding on the door, begging Him to let them in.

In the same way, blessed are those who mourn, they mourn over sin & they mourn during tough times, yet they find their comfort in God himself.

I am reminded of the story Jesus tells to confront the PRIDEFUL, self-righteous people he was running into.

Luke 18:10–14 (NET) 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

To the poor in spirit & those who mourn, Jesus gives these encouraging words, “the kingdom of heaven belongs to them” and “ they will be comforted.”

Have you ever seen that happen before? A follower of Jesus is going through a difficult situation, and although the situation hasn’t changed, they sense the Presence of God…comfort in the midst of hurt. Now just imagine the ultimate day when God himself will embrace those who mourn!

BLESSED: Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever

Jesus continues

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the meek. Meek does not mean weak. Meekness has been defined as: strength under control. JESUS is the greatest example of meekness that I know of.

In our community I think of Steve McHargue & Clyde Alexander - 2 gentle giants. They COULD pummel anyone in this room, but they rather hug your neck.

The meek are those who are humbled before God & also choose to be humble before man. Is your life marked by HUMILITY or PRIDE? The humble look forward to the day that they inherit the earth. They are livin’ forgiven & looking forward to forever.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. What vivid imagery! Wanting to be RIGHT with God so badly it’s like longing for the basic needs of life - food & water! When a person is really hungry; when a person is really thirsty, nothing else matters! It is the ONE FOCUS of their attention.

I remember longing for water as a 10 year old at football practice. I was determined to get there first - water is cold then. I ran as fast I as could a suddenly was looking at the sky and the tip of my shoes. I hit the monkey bars at full speed. Thankful for my helmet! I so longed for that water!

Oh to LONG for righteousness like that! This is a righteousness we CAN’T find in ourselves.

Does that look like how you approach your relationship with God? Poor in Spirit, Mourning, Meek, Hungering & Thirsting for righteousness?

Are you livin’ forgiven & looking forward to forever?

The next 4 characteristics focus on our relationship with people because of our right relationship with God. Again, these characteristics are all true of Jesus.

Matthew 5:7-8 (NET) 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God

The merciful person remembers his/her own sin and how God showed mercy and extends that same mercy to others. That mercy is seen in compassion, forgiveness, and kindness.

Question: If your life were to end today, would you be considered someone who having been shown much mercy, extended mercy to others when they didn’t deserve it?

The pure in heart are only that way for 2 reasons: 1) God has GIVEN that person purity 2) That person lives in purity. Jesus & his audience would have likely recalled Psalm 24 which asks and answers a most important question:

Psalm 24:3–5 (CSB) 3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not appealed to what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

These people are BLESSED: Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever

The ultimate payoff? Those who are pure in heart will see God!!!

Then Jesus pulls it all together - those who are BLESSED, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, the merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers.

These are the people who want people to KNOW God, to be at PEACE with God and with each other.

Matthew 5:9 (NET) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

God is the ultimate peacemaker, the one who brings His enemies back to himself. Those who follow God’s example will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:10-12 (NET) 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

Following Jesus is not easy. If we do it well, it doesn’t guarantee us that everyone will like us. In fact, while we can expect to see some lives radically transformed forever, but we can also expect to be persecuted, not for something we have done right, but for righteousness. Living in purity is a slap in the face to those who say they can’t help themselves. We defend the lives of the unborn while others call us anti-choice. We stand up for sexual purity in marriage between one man and one woman and are labeled as bigots, homophobes, people on the “wrong side of history”. This is nothing new. They persecuted the prophets before you in same way. But why would WE be willing to face persecution? Here’s why: because we are…

BLESSED: Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever

The Scripture also declares a future day is coming when the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the who hunger & thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, & the peacemakers who are persecuted for their righteousness and faith in Jesus, will fully know what it means that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

Revelation 21:1–4 (CSB) 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

Until then, BLESSED are those who are…Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever

BLESSED: Livin’ Forgiven & Looking Forward to Forever

Are you BLESSED? Would you like to talk more about what it means to truly follow Jesus? Please contact ME (673-1582) or another follower of Jesus who will make some time to answer your questions!

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