11. Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit

Introduction

Great Speeches Trivia

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” —FDR

“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” —Lincoln

“Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” —John Newton

“With great power comes great responsibility.” —Uncle Ben

The greatest public speech ever delivered: the Sermon on the Mount

One biblical commentary said, “The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed.”

“If you were to take the sum total of all the authoritative articles ever written by the most qualified of psychologists and psychiatrists on the subject of mental health — if you were to combine them, refine them, and cleave out the excess verbiage — and if you were to have these unadulterated bits of pure scientific knowledge concisely expressed by the most capable of living poets, you would have an awkward and incomplete summary of the Sermon on the Mount.” —Psychologist, Dr. James T. Fisher

“The Sermon on the Mount is God’s design for human flourishing.” —Dr. Jonathan Pennington

“The first time you read through the Sermon on the Mount, you think Jesus is turning everything upside down. The second time you read through it, you realize no, it’s the world that’s upside down. Jesus is turning things right-side up.” —Beau Martin

The Sermon on the Mount begins with the beatitudes… Tony’s introduction… Matthew 5:1-3…

What does it mean?

“Blessed…” μακάριος… happy… having God’s favor… flourishing…

Not just a subjective feeling but a state of flourishing because God’s favor is upon you.

Blessed = happy and flourishing in God’s favor

Blessed is the opposite of the tortured, cheated, and diseased soul. “Tortured souls observe happiness, but cannot gain it. Cheated souls believe they have happiness, but are deceived. Diseased souls have something that should lead to happiness, but they do not know it.” —Augstine of Hippo

“are the poor in spirit…”

“To be poor in spirit is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty, indeed our spiritual bankruptcy. For we are sinners, under the holy wrath of God, and deserving nothing but the judgment of God. We have nothing to offer, nothing to plead, nothing with which to buy the favour of heaven.” —John Stott

Illustration: Warren Buffet… $150 billion inheritance

“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“kingdom of heaven” = abundant, free, and eternal life in Christ as citizens of heaven

John 10:10 (abundant); Gal 5:1 (free); John 3:16 (eternal); Phil 3:20 (citizenship)

Eternal life begins the moment you turn from sin to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.

“The kingdom is given to the poor, not the rich; the feeble, not the mighty; to little children humble enough to accept it, not to soldiers who boast that they can obtain by their own prowess.” —The Message of the Sermon on the Mount // The kingdom is given to those who are willing to admit they don’t deserve it, not to those who strut around in their self-righteousness, look down on people they disagree with, or parade their good deeds all over Instagram.

Those who acknowledge their spiritual bankruptcy are happy and flourishing in God’s favor because in Christ they have abundant, free, and eternal life as citizens of heaven. // Happy are the people who understand that because of Jesus they don’t have to be good enough for God to love them.

Is it true?

Are we happier when we admit that we’re spiritually poor?

Celebrate Recovery has helped millions of people experience freedom… First Principle: “Realize I’m not God. I admit I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.”

Wives, how many times have you silently prayed that your husband would just admit that he needs to ask someone for directions? Or for help fixing the plumbing in the shower?

When I had bronchitis… Blessed is the man who admits he’s sick and goes to the doctor.

Here’s why it’s true: If our acceptance is tied to our obedience, there is no happiness. If I have to be good enough for God to love me… how good is good enough?

What do I do with it?

Admit you’re not good enough. Acknowledge your spiritual poverty.

Stop trying to make yourself good enough, and instead receive God’s grace.

Remind yourself that God’s love does not come from your obedience. Rather, your obedience comes from God’s love. God loved you first.