2019-01-12-LIVE OAKS - Blessed are they - Part 1

All right, as long as we were worshiping and I was just having an amazing experience with with Jesus and I was just in awe of what he is doing in the people that he is drawing what he's accomplishing. I'm just going to basking in the glow of everything that he has just done and it's just him and it's not me and my praising God for what he is lord. It's you it's not me. It's you and then immediately I was I was thinking of all the things that I'd forgotten to do this morning that I needed to do like immediately. My first thing was like, cool little beatitude series graphic. Is all cool and I picked the fonts and how well that's all right. We don't need Graphics. Anyway, they give Tom all the scriptures for the sermon notes didn't do that either. Okay didn't even help. We might be a little scrambling on the screens, but it's just the Lord in his awesome sense of humor going over this mean that did you really mean it tell me that it's all me and not you. Yeah, but the traffic was really cool.

Go on Facebook. You can see it there. Let's pray again.

Eternal infinite God you are written revealed word is what stands up here right now. It's your word. You're declared word. I'm asking that it would be declared through me.

please If you will declare your word through me declare it around me if you have to but declare it this morning, just just just let who you are shining. Brightly Jesus. Who are you?

If you're the king of your kingdom, but what's it like to live in your kingdom?

And we're we're listening to you this morning Jesus the red letters.

May we sure you Jesus and we hear you and your name we pray. Amen Matthew 5 starting in verse 1 seen the crowds. He went up on the mountain and when he shot down his disciples came to him and he opened his mouth and taught them saying blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied blessed are the merciful for they shall receive Mercy blessed are the poor in pure in heart for they shall see God blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and other all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account rejoice and be glad Reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you sew in Matthew's gospel account. He starts off with a genealogy of Jesus to establish that Jesus. There's a direct line from Adam and Eve in from the what was the big cool fancy word about the the grandpas in the in the family the Abraham and Isaac Jacob Patriarchs completely, that's me. I'm the Patriarchs in in here is Jesus in in the line of David to be the king of Israel. He has come so then Matthew accounts of his birth and then he saved from the the infanticide that King Herod through down to try to undo his curse that he lived under they return to Nazareth. And then John the Baptist leads the way John the Baptist prepares the way from Matthew 3 verse 11 John the Baptist I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is come After me is mightier than I who sandals. I'm not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire and then Jesus is baptized in Jesus's let out to be tempted by the enemy enemy tried to tempt him with everything that we are tempted by and they'll even tried to to to back up his case by quoting the Bible when Jesus quoted bigger better more in context Bible in the enemy Fleet Lead Sled pleated flutter fried, Florida way. Then Jesus caught left that would also work. Jesus calls his first disciples.

And then here we are at the beginning of his ministry. He preaches a sermon.

It is the most powerful the most taken out of context the most misunderstood sermon of all time, but he begins with a sermon. In Matthew for Serena verse 23 and he went throughout all Galilee teaching in their synagogues in proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every Affliction among the people. So his Fame spread throughout all Syria and they brought him all the sick those Afflicted with various diseases and pains those oppressed by demons those having seizures and paralytics and healed them and great crowds followed him From Galilee and the decopolis and from Jerusalem and Judea and from Beyond the Jordan. He preaches what it says that he's preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. And work gospel just simply means good news. Good news of the Kingdom. Well, what's that would be the good news of the kingdom and we could spend some day about like about the kingdom itself. The Kingdom of Heaven the kingdom of God, but this is what we need to know for this morning Three Kingdoms that exist. There's the kingdom of man. There's the kingdom of good and then there's the kingdom of God the kingdom of man is focused on self and it's for the glory of self and it lasts as long As you're in the room. As soon as you leave the room it's gone. It is the most fleeting Kingdom. It's shelf life is very short. Thank you. Sister know I can always count on Megan itself. Like like shelf life. It's good.

The best jokes are the ones that need to be explained? There's there's the kingdom of good now the kingdom of God is tricky the kingdom of good pretends to be focused on others. But it's really just a repackaged and rebranded Kingdom of man. It has two shiny facade about being for others in about being for the things that are greater than self but it's still focused and fueled by self. I am a good person. I do good things. I am not what it's about then. Why do I keep saying I so emphatically there's the graphic. Well, I did that.

for you You're welcome.

Might we care about others care about the planet we care about in justices that exist in the world. It's really just for you to look at the marketing of volunteerism and it's always you have no idea how good you would feel if you would just Man after I gave blood I just felt so good little light-headed, but I felt so good. It's still focused on self it last as at as at the most the kingdom of good last at the most about a generation until the next Generation decides that what you called good is actually Wicked and then you're the enemy.

Then there's the kingdom of God. It's focused on him for the glory of him and it lasts as long as he does.

Which is forever.

It's a sub subsequently as a citizen of his kingdom Focus completely on him. You will find yourself in absolute unending Joy.

But it's not what you signed up for you signed up for him.

You followed him. And then in his wake you found joy just came to you like I do.

If you pursue self if you pursue goodness, enjoy it while it lasts if you pursue him enjoy him as long as he laughs.

The real good news of the Kingdom the gospel of the Kingdom. The real good news of the kingdom is its king.

Christian you were so joyful. where that come from Oh, I have joy. I have no idea. I guess you should just meet my king. She only answer I have is you obviously have not met my king I can introduce you.

You know what's greater than knowing Jesus as your personal Lord and savior. Jesus knowing you as his personal subject and citizen.

There's a difference between imagining. This is my fast and Awesome Kingdom and I have to clear Jesus as its king.

And Jesus saying this is my vast Eternal Kingdom. I have to clear you to be a citizen.

First order of business in the kingdom of God is a banquet. In Revelation 19. I keep going back to this forgive me, but it's true.

Revelation 19 starting over 6. Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude like the Roar of many Waters and like the sound of Mighty peals of Thunder crying out Hallelujah. for the Lord Our God the Almighty Reigns Let us rejoice and exalts and give him glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. It was granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen bright and pure. For the fine linen is the righteous Deeds of the Saints and the angel said to me right this blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb?

Maybe we have a few questions to ask magions the supper of the Lamb like who's going to be there?

But what would it be like to be invited to that banquet? Ambiance what's going to be served if it got kind of halfway excited about a dinner date or like an engagement or thing and they go where they serving? Okay, cool. I'm in acai bowls

Bonus points if you know what that is and even more bonus points if you eat them on purpose.

Who's going to be there? What would it be like to be invited and what is going to be served? That's what the Beatitudes are. I don't know. I don't know if you know exactly what the Beatitudes are. If you if you eat it, you know, if you grew up in Sunday school hearing them hearing that word beatitude you might not have ever known what it actually meant. Here's what it is really the bad attitudes as this preamble to this powerful sermon that goes on for chapters and and touches all kinds of subjects the Beatitudes in the guest list. For the banqueting table of the coming Kingdom. And then Matthew goes on with Jesus Matthew record is Jesus going on the table manners or not focus on the table manners right now. We're just focused on the guest list. And what were the first on the invitation who's going to be there? And what's going to be served in what would it be like to be invited ourselves?

Is it the guest list of those invited to the table and check it out? Everyone's invited? It's summer brought. We can avoid it summer but everyone's invited but some are brought look at Jesus's words in a parable in Luke 14 starting a verse 16 a man once gave a great banquet and invited many in at the time for the bank what he sent his servant to say to those who have been invited come for everything is not ready. But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him I bought a field and I got to go out and see about the field. Please have me excused and other said it so here's the thing. I have bought five yoke of oxen. Baby stretch, but you know, I thought I need them going to bless other people with them 550i examine them. Please have me excused. Another said I have married a wife I-5 and therefore I cannot come wink. So the servant came and reported these things to his master, then the Master of the House became angry and said to his servant go out quickly to the streets and Lanes of the city and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame and the service said sir. What you commanded has been done and still there is room and the master said to the servant go out to the highways in the hedges and compel people to come in. It means drag them in. I'm not lying the Bible translators. Just Sissy's it being dragoman.

That my house may be filled for I tell you none of these men who were invited shall taste my banquet.

Turn back to Matthew 5. First one seeing the crowds he went up on the mountain when he sat down his disciples came to him. So here's a here's a really quick. But but a really important distinction here says he saw the crowd said the crowds had amassed there, you know, they've been hurt your in the Legends but the killings in the in the crazy awesome teaching and everything and so there's a big crowd so he sat down to to Proclaim to everyone but his disciples came near to him. They moved their way up to the front to be with Jesus.

disciples draw near to Jesus think about all the examples in the gospels Those whom he healed and spent time with the hemorrhaging woman fought through the crowds just to touch the edge of his robe that the Faithful Friends who dug through a roof in the ceiling the wise men who traveled for months just to see the toddler King. the beggar Who Cried Out son of David have mercy on me. The faithful Centurion that that sought out Jesus and said you don't even have to go you could just declare it right now for healing and it would be done and it was they got Zacchaeus who climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord. He wanted to see

disciples draw near and are drawn near to Jesus.

in his kingdom There are no distant subjects.

You're either near the king or you're not in the Kingdom.

Are we proud? Are we disciples that are drawing near to him? Then you can a massive crowd. It's not hard.

You are either near the king or out of the Kingdom. Here's the deal. Jesus doesn't hinder anyone. If you desire to draw near to him nothing will stand in your way. Nothing, that won't be bulldozed. Am I right by him so that you can get to him? We talked about that this morning completely unplanned.

Number for Matthew 19:14, let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for two such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven. We're just children that want to draw an ear.

That's why all the beautiful paintings. I mean, yes, he looks like the whitest. Most Caucasian not exist. If Jesus did not look like that. But if you do all the paintings if you see his expression and the children that he's brought on his lap man, I learned so much about the heart and character of Jesus from really inaccurate paintings on my church wall when I was a kid.

Matthew 5 back in one seeing the crowds he went up on a mountain and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth. And taught them saying blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom for theirs is the kingdom.

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied blessed are the merciful for they shall receive Mercy blessed are the sniffling for they shall receive Kleenex. I sing in our gathering gave me some handkerchiefs and I knew all morning that I was forgetting something at the handkerchief somebody quit now preacher needs a nose-wiping nobody's moving. All right. Thank you Mickey.

Call Lee.

Getting back to where I was before I decided to be funny blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied blessed are the merciful for they shall receive Mercy blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness snake for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and that are all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. So we're wondering all right. Who's going to be there or to be like to be invited? What's going to be served? Who's going to be there as a recap here, the spiritually poor the morning the meek the hungry for righteousness the merciful the pure of heart the peacemakers and the persecuted for the cause of Christ.

doze Are the ones gathered around the banqueting table of the king? What would it be like to be invited? What would it be like to be to be on that list to be found around that table? The Greek word here is blessed and blessed. It is not just a fancy way of saying blessed. I thought that for a long time like I'm not highfalutin enough to say blessed. How many on the personal Quest To End prepositions at the end of sentences is one thing that sang blessed? It's like I can't know. I don't wear a frock. I can't do that but it's a different word blessed is a different word than blessed. What does blessed mean?

happy

But actually the literal translation it's like to try to try to grasp the do you know that the real meaning of it? It's oh so happy. Oh, so happy for someone who's characterized by a deep and abiding happiness. The word Beatitudes actually comes from the Latin word for happiness, which is fetus, which I'm if I'm Mister Latin, I'm going to rewrite that just sound.

The Latin word means beat us Beatitudes is for me anyway.

And what are they going to be served the the spiritually poor the morning to meet the hungry for the righteousness the merciful to Pure the peacemakers persecuted for Christ's. What are they going to be served in the midst of their happiness? They're going to be giving Comfort they're going to give him the Earth itself.

Seems to me like you want to keep that for the last that's kind of a big thing, right? satisfaction Mercy seeing God being declared Sons and Daughters of God great reward. the kingdom

in other words everything that's what's going to be served. That's what's going to be laid out on the table everything. 1st Corinthians 321 Paul says let no one boast in men for all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo's receive is blah blah blah who cares or the world or life or just for the present or the future all are yours? And you are Christ's and Christ is God.

Everything is laid out for those who are brought to the banqueting table of Christ everything. excluding nothing where does our fear and anxiety come from fear and anxiety comes from? There's more. Mr. E Moore. I'm missing something something something else has two. I'm eating it. So they got. I need something else is being kept from me. Why are you familiar with the whole social media thing? It's called if there's even a diagnosable name for it. Now where it's scrolling through social media gives people anxiety and depression because of all the things that they are missing out on all the things that they're not participating in all the things that they weren't invited to all the lifestyles that they don't get to enjoy. I'm missing a missing a missing at the banqueting table. Everything. Nothing will be kept from you.

So we let go of fear and anxiety and we hold on to our invitation.

I was going to preach on everything. You never know who won the division so I got to I get through this.

Have a blessed are the Redskins fans. Are they never have to worry about anything on Sundays ever?

Smione Sports show for the year cuz that's the only thing I know is I root for the Redskins. is my dad did blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven poor in spirit. The poor in spirit. What does it mean to be poor in spirit? What's go to the Greek means power? to crouch low in bag

to cower and crouched low and beg.

Blessed are the spiritual beggars? Blessed are the spiritually bankrupt?

Blessed are you when you know how bankrupt you truly are this has nothing to do with money.

Such a perversion when we allow the church to quote this as blessed are the poor.

Material poverty is immaterial when it comes to who you are in him.

Finances, they're just symptoms of symptoms of of wisdom or folly.

symptoms sometimes if a great favor But they're not.

Instant Saint if you're poor, I've met a lot of poor people that really need Jesus and a lot of rich people didn't really need Jesus. Jesus is not talkin about material poverty. He's talking about poverty of spirit blessed are the poor in spirit.

The Greek word for Spirits Numa just it means breath.

Jesus again speaking with Nicodemus. He says you have to be born of the spirit. God's breath has to breathe in you. You look back to the Old Testament. You know how Abraham's name was Abram? And then it was changed to Abraham. What was changed was the Hebrew sound for breath? When God Covenant with Abram, his name was changed to Abraham because God breathed through him. The Greek the words Numa with God's pneumotaxic breast in US. Blessed are they who know they are suffocating?

That without his breath they would die. They need him. I need him. I need him. I am pork. I have nothing I need I need I need.

Jesus sets Oh, so happy are you? When you know that you need me.

The poor in spirit are those that know they bring nothing to the table? To which they were invited.

Beaver like come to a party and it's usually the wife has to apologize. I'm sorry. I didn't bring anything. I got talked about this before it just a bit just astounds me like when we opened our house for Christmas. We were ridiculously just amazing things and everything. We bring nothing. We bring nothing.

Figure of speech something to turn a phrase. It's it's reality. We have nothing to give him.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous. No, not one. We are all beggars.

Here's a disturbing exchange that Jesus had we wouldn't like to quote it. We don't like to preach it. We don't like to read it. Matthew 15 starting 21 and Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and sidon and behold a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying have mercy on me O Lord, son of David. My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. But he Jesus he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him saying send her away. She was crying out after us. He answered when we were waiting for some beautiful words here. Are we all we need some always going to put the disciples in their place. He's going to turn this thing around. He answered I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Cantera Creek, not you

see Jesus knew what her response was going to be and we need to hear it. But she came and she knelt before him sing Lord. Help me.

And he answered.

Not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.

She said yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.

Then Jesus answered her old woman. Great is your faith? Be it done for you as you desire, and her daughter was healed instantly.

What about that passage bothers us the most? outride

dog

I'm no dog. I'm not a dog.

And that was mean Jesus.

only those willing to see themselves as they truly are beggarly poor bankrupt corrupt utterly unworthy to be seated at the king's table will be

No, one who imagines themselves at that table? Cuz that's where they know they belong will be there. No, they're not there.

Only those that come being dragged crying out go away from me Lord. I am a sinful man. I do not belong your table.

My read U of A song called Beggars by Band Thrice. All you Great Men of power you who boast of your feets politicians and entrepreneurs. Can you Safeguard your breath in the night while you sleep? Keep your heart beating steady. And sure as you lying your bed does the thought punch your head that you're really rather small? if there's one thing I know in this life, we are Beggars all OU Champions science and rulers of men. Can you summon the Sun from its sleep? Does the Earth seek your Counsel on how fast to spin? Can you shut up the gates of the D? Don't you know that all things hang as if by a string over the darkness poised to fall if there's one thing I know in this life. We are Beggars all all you big shots at Swagger and stride with conceit. Did you devise how your frame would be formed? If you'd be raised in a palace or live out in the streets, did you choose the place or the hour? You'd be born? Tell me what you can claim not a stain. Not your name. Tell me if you can recall just one thing not a gift in this life. Can you hear what's been said? Can you see now that everything's Grace after all if there's one thing I know in this life. We are Beggars all

Jesus does not invite us to his table for what we bring to him.

with nothing to bring

have you ever been used by a person?

For what you brought to the table? And then immediately dismissed when you stop being useful.

Oh. I thought you wanted. You wanted me.

How's mistaken?

Jesus wants you for what he can give to you. Not the other way around.

For what he gives to us.

pigeons to snow the place to go feed ins to starting a verse 1

you were dead.

You were dead. In the trespasses and sins in which you once walked following the course of this world following the prince of the power of the air the spirit that is now at work in the sons of Disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh carrying out the desires of the body in the mind and we're by Nature children of Wrath like the rest of mankind. but God being rich in Mercy because of the great love with which he loved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ by Grace you have been saved. And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the Heavenly places with Christ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the Heavenly places in Christ.

Show that in the coming ages. He might show the immeasurable Riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by Grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing not even your faith is your own doing it is the gift of God not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand. That we should walk in them.

We're mentioning what it would be like to just be maybe just be in the room.

In the dining room to amazing. Would it be just to be in the room?

Just bring it into the room. You bring to the table just bring us the table. He brings us to the head of the table with him.

This is far greater than we can possibly fathom.

And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the Heavenly places. Your receipt is here. That can't be that seat is yours I'll scoop.

Jesus couch for us

by his grace for his glory. He's going to hit us with him at the banqueting table. And and what do what do we do in response to that? What do we do Glory Hallelujah Glory Hallelujah?

It's just not me. This is not my own. This is you praise you.

and in our glorifying of him Define Joy.

surprised by Joy

surprised by our blessed mess oh how happy

Are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven spray?

You know how I've struggled with this Jesus. You know how I struggled I was reluctantly okay with you dying for me.

barely

I've never been okay with you. Father adopting me I've never been okay with Jesus you being my brother and I don't know how I'm going to be okay with with you bringing me. To yourselves to be with you.

I don't even I don't even think I understand Grace yet. It's going to take an eternity.

I don't get it. I don't get how this this is possible.

All all I'm left with is to praise you. All I'm left with is to is to glorify your name. Your Great Name that's all I'm left with This man, I'm straight up that you just you killed me. I'm just ruined. I'm ruined by I'm ruined by you, and I'm so happy because of it. Thank you.

Thank you that I don't have to find my happiness in me my joy and me my victory and me I am bankrupt. as are we all We are Beggars all. Just reveling in your goodness in your grace. By your grace, may we? Praise your name one last time this morning before we depart from this amazing place.