The Downward Path

Blessings come to those who live as kingdom citizens

Add transition.

This series of blessings describes peoples’ current status rather than exhorting people to become like this.

bracketed by the phrase “for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven” in 3 and 10

The first four describe a downward path. (Poor, Mourn, Meek, Hunger and Thirst)

Realistic rather than Idealistic

Isaiah 61:1–3 NIV

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

isa 61 1-3

1. blessed are the poor in spirit

Matthew 5:3 NLT

3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Matthew 5:4 NIV

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

Matthew 5:10 NIV

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

Jesus is talking to those who are physically and spiritually poor.

The kingdom life is surprisingly led by those who recognize their need for Christ.

They are not self sufficient.

Theirs is the kingdom of Heaven (Matt didn’t use “God”)

Q: How is this possible? Do we ever get to a place of spiritual fulness? The people I most admire spiritually get this. They recognize their own sinfulness perhaps more than most.

IL: John Piper - accolades by many people on his retirement....“you don’t know me”

APP: we need not fear or hide spiritual gaps in our development.

2. blessed are those who mourn

Matthew 5:4 NIV

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

mourning for what? Life.

Our God favors the underdog.

An immediate application follows the first beatitude.

Those who are spiritually poor mourn their condition.

3. blessed are the meek

Matthew 5:5 NIV

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

meekness is not weakness.

Meekness is strength under control. It waits for God.

Here Jesus cites Scripture from .

Psalm 37:3–11 NIV

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

David - anointed and crowned with a huge gap of time between them.

psa 37:3-9

the people on the mountainside were those who had been defeated by an adversary. They were those who had their lands taken - or they had sold their lands in order to pay taxes to the oppressors.

In Israel, those without lands were considered “the poor”.

And so Christ indicates that there is a new Kingdom that operates radically different from physical kingdoms.

Land is attached to the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.

blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

mat 5

Matthew 5:6 NIV

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context The Fourth Beatitude

In the Old Testament, “righteousness” means preserving the peace and wholeness of the community, and is sometimes parallel with “shalom” (peace) and, more often, “justice.” Its meaning is very close to social justice that delivers from alienation and oppression into a community with shalom

Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context The Fourth Beatitude

blessed are those who hunger and thirst for a justice that delivers and restores to covenant community, for God is a God who brings such justice.

This is the justice of God to restore his people to the covenant community.

Conclusion: Grace

Luke 4:22 NIV

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

We don’t live under the heavy weight of law. These words of Jesus are words of Grace!

Q: Do you see yourself in these beatitudes? Yes? God is on your side and is leading you in a kingdom of Grace and blessing.

Kingdom citizens live under grace and as we’ll learn in a few weeks, we extend grace to others.

we extend grace to those without Christ and are spiritually poor.

We extend grace to those who mourn and become the kind of comfort Jesus spoke about

We extend grace to the meek - those who are oppressed and weighed down

We extend grace by seeking the justice and righteousness of the new kingdom.