Sermon Tone Analysis

5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

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

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

A Different World

Truman Show

Jesus announcing a new world - His new covenant

Like in Deuteronomy when Israel is about to enter the promised land - listing blessings and curses

In Matthew, the book of the King, Jesus has:

Come out of Egypt (2:15)

Come through the water and the wilderness (3 & 4)

Into the land of promise (4:12-25)

Now, in chapter 5 he goes up on the mountain and declares the conditions of the New Covenant.

“Blessed” = happy, satisfied, content, privileged, joyful

Blessed are...

Jesus:

Jn 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.

For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

Jn 8:28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me

Phil 2:5-7 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Us:

Posture of humility

Not worm theology

Most comforting verse in the Bible.

Our only qualification for entering the Kingdom of Heaven is to acknowledge that we are not qualified.

Happy are the unhappy?

Mourn = strongest Greek word for lamenting the dead - the one whom you loved

Recognition that things are not right

Jesus:

Mt 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!

How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Gesthemene?

Us:

Our sin, Ja 4:8-10 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Be wretched and mourn and weep.

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Others sin, 2 Cor 12:21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

For they shall be comforted

Is 61 - The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

One of the descriptions of heaven, is that it’s the place/time where God wipes away every tear.

Rev 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Meek = bridled strength

Example: Aslan in the movie of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Jesus:

Mt 26:53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

(Being taken at Gesthemene)

Us:

Manifests during conflict.

Do we:

Hold our strength (often in our tongues)

Exercise our power to destroy

We need to realise that we have nothing to prove

Jesus:

Jesus driving out the money changers in the temple

Us:

We hunger for many things: money, sex, power, fame, comfort, happiness

But they don’t ultimately satisfy

This is what Solomon discovered (Ecclesiastes)

Whilst Jesus can righteously see the behaviour in the temple and do something radical about it, with us it really needs to begin at home.

Do we seek righteousness in our own temples (bodies & minds)

Are we behaving rightly in our homes and churches

His promise is that if we seek after it, we will be satisfied

Jesus:

Simple example: Woman caught in adultery, “neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more”

More than this though.

In Mt 9:36, it says that “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Mercy is compassion in action

When Jesus saw the people the word for compassion means that he was “moved deep inside”.

His heart felt for them, and he was stirred into action to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom, healing their sick and casting out their demons.

Us:

See a need.

Help.

Acts?

No so much moral purity as an undivided heart.

(From Ps 24)

Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,