Notes: Matthew 5:1-12, The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes

Notes

• Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Spirit here refers not to the Spirit of God, but to our human spirit… the deepest part of our being; the organ by which we contact God and realize spiritual things. We need to be poor, emptied, unloaded, in this part of our being that we may realize and possess the Kingdom of the Heavens. This implies that the Kingdom of the Heavens is spiritual, not material or physical.
  • Kingdom of the heavens term is only used by Matthew which indicates that the Kingdom of the Heavens differs fromt eh Kingdom of God (which is mentioned in the other 3 Gospels).
  • Kingdom of Heavens is a specific section within the Kingdom of God. It only drew near when John the Baptist came.
  • Poor in Spirit speaks of a spiritual condition of poverty. It describes the person who recognizes his or her need for God. Someone poor in spirit recognizes that they are spiritually bankrupt apart from Jesus.
  • Those who feel a deep sense of spiritual destitution and comprehend their nothingness before God. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs because they seek it, and therefore find and abide in it.
  • There must be emptiness before there fullness, and so poverty of spirit precedes riches and grace in the Kingdom of God.
  • Those who are humble and recognize that all their blessings come from God.
  • When someone is poor, and therefore empty, they allow God to fill them with God’s Spirit and with that comes humility.
  • When people are humble they allow themselves to be vulnerable, forgiving and ultimately at peace.
  • Our “Spirit” is the organ by which we receive Christ, whereas our heart is the ground where Christ as the seed of life grows.
  • Poor in Spirit signifies to be humble. Humility is the understanding that all of your blessings originate from teh love of God. Humility brings openness and innter peace, enabling one to do the will of God. Those who humble themselves are able to admit our fragile nature, repent, and permit the love of God to guide us to reformation.

• Blessed are those who mourn, fore they shall be comforted.
  • With mourning comes humility and the revelation that the earth adn its blessings are finite, while the Kingdom of Heaven is eternal.
  • Speaks of those who express deep sorrow over sin and repent from their sins.
  • The freedom found in forgiveness of sin and teh joy of eternal salvation is the comfort of those who repent.
  • Blessed are those who mourn for their sins for they shall receive forgiveness in life eternal.
    • Mourning in this meaning is declared a blessing because to mourn our sinful nature produces an intention to renew ourselves and follow God’s righteousness.
  • Mourning implies the love for people in our lives who will be comforted by the grace of God.

• Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.
  • A meek person manifests self-control.
  • Similar to the “poor”, the meek are those who submit to God’s authority and make Him LORD.
  • The meek are also imitators of Jesus Christ who exemplified gentleness adn self-control.
  • Blessed are thos who submit to God as LORD, for they will inherit everything he possesses.
  • The meek are the humble. They are obedient and submissive to the will of God.
  • Those that submit to a greater will than their own will ultimately inherit the true riches of the earth.
  • Submission to the will of God will bring peace and tranquility in the world and the next.

• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
  • Hunger and thirst speak of deep need and driving passion.
  • This righteousness refers to Jesus Christ.
  • “To be filled” is the satisfaction of our soul’s desire.
  • Blessed are those who passionately long for Christ for He will satisfy their souls.
  • A person craving for spiritual righteousness.
  • Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness rather than worldly pleasures will ultimately be satisfied.
  • The spiritually hungry are empty and shall be filled by the Holy Spirit.
  • Followers of Christ should consistently strive to better themselves with the Word of God.
  • Blessed are those who passionately long for Christ, for He will satisfy their souls.

• Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.
  • We reap what we sow.
  • Those who demonstrate mercy will receive mercy.
  • Those who have received great mercy will show great mercy.
  • Mercy is shown through forgiveness, kindness and compassion toward others.

• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
  • To be pure in heart is to be single in purpose. Our single goal is to accomplish God’s will for God’s glory.
  • Our spirit is the organ by which we receive Christ, while our heart is the ground where Christ as the seed of life grows.
  • If we are pure in heart in seeking God, we will see God. Seeing God is the reward to the pure in heart.

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God.
  • Satan, the rebellious one, is the instigator of all rebellion.
  • For the Kingdom of Heaven, under its heavenly ruling, we must be those who make peace among men.
  • Our Father is the God of Peace, so we must act in His divine nature.

• Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • The whole world is filled with unrighteousness so if we hunger for righteousness we will be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. We need to pay this price for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and while speaking lies say every evil thing against you because of me.

• Matthew 5:13-16
• “You are the salt of the earth.”
• Meaning… The people of the Kingdom of Heaven are referred to as “salt” which is an element that halts “corruption”. WE (people), the salt of the earth, are to keep the earth from being fully corrupted.
• Becoming “tasteless” means the people are losing their salting function, they’re not halting corruption,  and instead are becoming more like the earthly people and are becoming unbelievers.
• That’s not good.

Matthew 5: Everything else

• “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before oethers, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” – Matthew 5:14-16
  • To the darkened world the people of the Kingdom of Heaven  are such a light.
  • Because people of the the Kingdom of Heaven are such a light, THEY are like a city located upon a mountain. a city that cannot be hidden.
• Doing good works brings us closer to God, so you can see God and be brought to Him.
• The old law was given by Moses, the new law (covenenant) was decreed by Christ personally.
• The new law from Jesus is deeper than the old law from Moses.
• Sacrifice is for sin, gifts are for fellowship with God.
• Although God knows our needs, we still must ask Him because He who asks receives.
• The Lord’s Prayer:
  • Praise to God
  • God’s Kingdom
  • God’s will
  • Our need
  • God doesn’t want us to worry about tomorrow. Pray only for today’s needs.
  • Daily bread is living by faith that God will provide for our needs that day.
  • If we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us.

• Matthew 6:19+
• Concerns the riches of Christians, the people of the Kingdom of Heaven.
• To store up treasures in heaven, give physical material things to the poor and care for the needs.
• If our heart is fixed on treasure on earth, the light that is in us will become darkness.
• You cannot serve both God and riches. People tend to idolize their money and wealth over God.
• Our Heavenly FAther is our source of strength and supply
• People of the Kingdom should always live for today, not tomorrow.
• God has assured His people that their days on earth, for the Kingdom, will be full of trouble and affliction, not of ease and comfort.

• Jesus indicates that there are 2 kinds of history going on simultaneously.
  • The visible world of families, people, nations. etc.
  • The invisible world of the Kingdom of Heaven. A kingdom more valuable and important than anything in the visible world.
• Judge yourself, not others.
  • God will judge you as you’ve judged others.
  • 7:3-5 reminds us that we often pass judgement on others to keep from examing oursleves.
  • It’s ridiculous for us to spend so much time finding all the things with with other people while we ignore our own huge problems, weaknesses, sins and inconsistencies.
• “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
  • Does this mean that the healthy (people who are right with God) don’t need the help, it’s the sick (those who are sinners and don’t know God and are not right with God) who Jesus is looking to heal and bring home through him. ???
•  “I desire mercy, not sacrifice, for I have not come to call the rightoeous, but sinners.”
• Jesus told his disciples “Do not worry about wha tto say or how to say it. At that time y ou will be given what to say, for it will not be your speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
• “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Matthew 12:34
• A test from God is an opportunity, which is why James said, “We should be grateful when we face tests and trials because they offer us a gift; it is an opportunity to surrender to God’s wisdom and to become more like Jesus.”   Holy cow…. this happened to me.

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