Jump Start # 151 

Matthew 5:2-3 “He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

  This is the beginning of the sermon on the mount—without doubt the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest preacher who ever walked this world, Jesus Christ. This sermon is recorded in three chapters (Matthew 5-7). It is not long. It covers many subjects. Jesus doesn’t spend much time on each point but rather unveils this grand picture of what citizenship in the kingdom of God looks like. This sermon is directed specifically to each individual. It is nota national sermon like the prophets of old would give. It is not a scathing rebuke of the upper class as some would like to have seen. Rather, it fits within every heart that hears it and reads it.

  The sermon begins with what we call the “beatitudes.” These are nine pithy statements that all begin with the word “blessed.” Some commentators will causally tell you that the word “blessed” simply means to be happy. The word is much deeper than that. It is a state of being, blessedness. The “blessing” comes not so much from us, as it does from God. We are blessed because we are this way.

  The first two beatitudes are opposites in our way of seeing things. We would not consider anyone who is poor blessed. At Thanksgiving, when we give the “blessing” it is for our abundance, not the lack of things. Poverty as used by the Lord is not physical but spiritual. These characteristics of the kingdom are spiritual, first and foremost, because the kingdom is spiritual. Jesus is not saying, God honors the poor man over the rich man. Rather, blessed is the man who is poor spiritually. He is bankrupt spiritually. He has nothing inside. He is empty. He has no hope. This is where our relationship begins with God. Jesus would later say, if anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. Denying self, emptying self, being poor. You’ll notice Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor IN SPIRIT.” The Lord tells us what state of poverty he is talking about.

  The proud man, the person full of himself, will not make it in God’s kingdom. The nature of the kingdom is spiritual submission to Christ and service. It is not working your way up but working your way DOWN. The greatest Jesus would say is the one who serves. The kingdom is not about LOOK AT ME, but rather, LOOK AT CHRIST. We are nothing. We have nothing. We are poor in spirit.

  God blesses such a person, because in that state they will take hold of Christ. They will cling to the unchanging message of Christ. They will follow Christ. They become citizens. Hope builds, not because of them, but because of Christ.

  Pride kills our relationship with God and one another. The proud looks for excuses, justifies self and refuses to serve. The humble, those poor in spirit, are thankful that God hasn’t given up on them. Their heart is set on pleasing God. They don’t argue, complain or fight with God. Pride kills the church. Pride is what drove Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. She wasn’t satisfied in the relationship she had with God, she wanted to become like God—that’s pride! Pride refuses to apologize. Pride won’t forgive. Pride won’t change. Stubborn, unbending, know-it-alls is the spirit of pride. Some are married to Mr. or Mrs. Pride. Life is hard. Some congregations are served by preachers who are proud. Don’t ever question such men, you’ll get in a dog fight because they are “never wrong.” Pride leads to division. Pride kills.

  Jesus said, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” The kingdom belongs to broken in spirit. God told David that it is the broken and contrite heart that moves God. God doesn’t want to hear, “Look what I did,” but rather, “I need Thee every hour.” You’ll never impress God. You won’t impress NASA with a paper airplane you make, and you won’t impress the Lord of Heaven and Earth with anything you do, other than having that humble faith that trusts Him and calls our, ’I need you.’

  It’s ok to be poor, if it is in spirit. Our times has it all wrong, folks have no money, and too much of self. 

Roger