The Beatitudes

Always a matter of the Heart

Well hey good evening Nccf Youth.

I want to start tonight off a bit different. Before we jumpThe Beatitudes into scripture here and go over the Beatitudes i want to ask a question.

Jesus Say its easier for a camel to thread himself though the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven. This is found in 3 of the gospels Matthew 19:24 Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25.

My question is.… Why? What does it mean to be rich? I wanna give 5 min here for you guys to think about it. You can talk with your neighbor real quick to collaborate on the question.

(Follow up with their answers)

Certainly a Camel could never thread itself through the eye of a needle. Jesus also isn't saying that a wealthy person could never go to heaven.

If that was the case everyone who is sitting in this room with clothes and a phone and a home to go back to would be doomed. Based on a worlds standard of wealth.

If a Person was to think of himself rich what would that mean? What does he Lack?

If he needs a new car he can buy it. Food isn't hard to come by. Always has clothes. Always can afford the best doctors and workout equipment.

The truth is a rich man doesn't find the need for God in most things. He can do it himself.

If a someone considers themself rich they may not look to Jesus for anything. Its a mindset or an attitude.

A person who considers themselves rich may also consider themselves more valuable than others. keeping their eyes above others.

with this as background information lets open our bibles to Luke 6:20-26

Luke 6:20–26 ESV

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Could you imagine going to heaven to talk to Jesus and saying you should let me in look at how self sufficient i was. I almost didn't need you while i was on earth. I was like 78% there. If you would have given me a few more months i probably could have been 80%.

I Held the right people accountable. Eye for an eye tooth for a tooth right. Nothing got past me.

I should be let in because of how charming the world was to me. There was no strife in my life. To everyone who looked at me my witness was perfect. No one could fault me for anything. The couple things i did in private well.… they were my business am i right or am i right.

Look how people looked at me. People worshiped me. I should be let in for that reason.

All of these things making money, having things to make life more comfortable, having a friend group or support group isn't a bad thing.

The woe statements made here are a reflection of what Jewish people at the time accounted Gods blessing with.

They felt like they could earn Gods favor, earn their right to heaven, and gods blessing would manifest through material blessing.

To the people the Pharisees were the people to be. They were the example of a Godly person.

Health, Wealth, Beauty, and a group to influence was how people looked at Gods blessing.

But they missed it somewhere along the way. At some point people believed that they could work their way to righteousness.

We today, just like Rome, run the same risk. We tend to have an inflated sense of what righteousness and holiness look like.

I think we are all tempted to go there.

This sinful and broken world is constantly calling us today.

You have to look a certain way. You have to make such and such a wage. You have to sound a certain way. You have to Date a certain way. The world has its set of standards for right and wrong.

We try to achieve these things and find contentment in them and live through them. Jesus Says woe to you. Warning to you.

If the God of the universe is giving you a heads up. He is saying look at what i think!! Woe to you… We should listen.

But Jesus says WOE TO YOU. Do you not know the state of your heart?

How can you rejoice when sin has corrupted you so badly. The burdens you have brought to your neighbor. This should make you sorrowful.

He says how can you be full when there is so much unrighteousness or social injustice that runs ramped. But you are full.. He says woe to the person who ignores all these things.

Who cares about the sin that I’m Living in. I Just went viral on my social media page. Look how people look at me. Almost like I'm worshiped.

You see, the outside appearance only matters to the world.

It really is like a mask that we wear. We go out and do look a certain way. Act a certain way because the world or i should say friends/ peer groups, we try to impress say we should.

and once we achieve this gratification we count it as righteousness. We have earned the favor of the world and favor of God....

(pause) listen take note of this. Not one person is righteous not one. All have sinned and fallen short of Gods mark. (Pause)

But Blessed are...

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. When you come to the thrown of grace with nothing to offer other than your prayer.

Blessed are you when you pray over our communities because of what sin is doing. When you go out of your way to make things right because your heart is broken over the matter.

Blessed are you when you your heart moves you to compassion on someone who society has established them as an outcast. Blessed are you when you show love.

Blessed are you when you look inward at your heart and find it broken. When you look up and say Jesus i need you. I need your grace i cant do this alone. Blessed are you.

Blessed are you when you share you faith reconciling people back to Jesus. When you share the only true thing in this world and that is Jesus.

Blessed are you when the world is telling you that your weak or stupid for trusting in Jesus. And your faith tells you to stand bold in the truth and love. Jesus said the world hated him first and will hate you too.

Here is the deal our faith in Jesus Christ is what counts our righteousness and standing.

We can not earn favor with God by earninThe Beatitudesg favor with the world. We cannot exalt ourselves in the kingdom of heaven.

This isn't a message that is ment to bring you down. More of a message to look inward. To ask myself what is the condition of my heart.

Pray. Jesus reveal to me the matters of my heart.

Where am i trying to earn favor of the world. Where am i trying to exalt myself.

If your sitting here counting all of your blessing and achievements and wondering if that is sinful. I want to say no they are not. Working hard and acquiring things in and of itself is not sinful.

God has ordained work since the garden. He agrees paying wages to the worker.

what i am saying is if these things are what gives you a since of value. You place these things as a sense of value or you find your Identity in your things. If these things place you above other people. If these things dictate your worship… Jesus has already said Woe to you.

One of the Last things Jesus said on the Cross that he was nailed to. The cross where he took the penalty for sin. The cross where he said forgive them lord for they know not what they do. One of the last things he said was, “it is finished”. The penalty for sin was finished. Jesus came to take the penalty of sin on the cross.

Jesus came and lived a sinless life loving people and being our example.

He died saving us from the wrath of God that should been ours to take.

He was buried carrying our sins as far as the east is from the west.

then he resurrects on the third day. Justifying us forever.

His resurrection has given us a right standing before our God as a free gift to us. To the one who would call Jesus there Lord and Savior.

When we call on the name of the Lord we become a new creation. The old will die and a new one reborn. Your heart will change.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

I would say as you have reflected on your heart. Ask yourself where have a placed my heart in the world. Where have i maybe placed myself above others?

Where am I trying to earn Gods love?

Where am I giving the best parts of me to the world?

Then today can be the day. Right now you can say Lord Jesus Thank you for what you have done for me. Forgive me. Create in me a new heart. Be the Lord of my life. (pause)

If that is you please come tell me go tell one of the Youth leaders that is here. I would love to pray over you. To walk with you. Be in connection with you as you grow in your walk with christ.

Luke would you come up and pray for us as we close out our service.