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Introduction

1. Beatitudes (Latin – “beatus”) means blessed or happy.

2. There’s a interesting paradox here. The Beatitudes are the great contrast to the worldly motion of ‘blessedness’ and ‘happiness’. It is no wonder that it does not make sense and almost seems contradiction to the carnal mind.  “For the message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.” (1st Corinthians 1:18)

3. The beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount also defied the great expectations of an earthly kingdom, which Jews thought Messiah would establish! For how can you establish a worldly kingdom by the Weak and the Meek? How can you be merciful to your enemies? How can you be peacemakers, if you are to overturn a kingdom (Roman Empire)? How can you let others persecute and insult you? It is obvious that Jesus was not talking about earthly kingdom. But he was promising ‘Kingdom of Heaven’. So let us look at the characteristics to inherit this ‘Kingdom of Heaven’.

1. Intentionally admit your need for God, (Matthew 5:3)

A. To be poor in spirit doesn’t mean financial poverty. One can be poor but arrogant and prideful.

B. Example 1: Some people teach that God exists but he does not care for his creation. Therefore each person is his own god and free to live as he pleases.

C. The Pharisee and the tax collector, (Luke 18:19-14). Which one felt his spiritual poverty? Which one will possess the Kingdom of heaven.

D. Therefore the most basic step to becoming poor in spirit is to remember that I am a sinner saved by grace and in need of God’s help in every day of life (not to have a law self esteem though). Example 2: David was a king and had all the riches. But always remembered that he is poor in spirit and constantly in need of God’s grace in order to live a life that pleases God (Psalms 51:10).

2. Be a person of brokenness before God, (Matthew 5:4)

A. Mourn about your own spiritual poverty and sinfulness. In this verse Jesus refers to the Godly remnant of His day who wept because of humiliation descended upon Israel as a result of personal and corporate sin.

B. Example: King David mourned after his adultery with Bathsheba and begged God to for forgiveness – Psalm 51:3-4

D. The Prophets became full of sorrow upon seeing the sin of Israel.

E. We always tend to judge the world for it’s sinfulness. But we must look at them with compassion and love. Our hearts should cry out to God for those lost souls.

3. Give up your quest for personal rights, (Matthew 5:5)

A. Meek means gentle spirit and self controlled. This is an essential quality in Christian leadership – (2 Timothy 2:25) and a fruit of the Spirit also – (Galatians 5:22)

B. They lay down their rights to serve others

C. Secondly, What would be my response if someone confronts me of my personal sin. A meek person is not concerned about protecting his title or identity.

D. Example: What was King David’s response when Prophet Nathan confronted him? (2 Samuel 12:1-12)

E. In summary a meek person is a servant and a humble one in the order of Jesus Christ.

4. Maintain a hunger and thirst for God, (Matthew 5:6)

A. ‘Hunger and thirst’: An ardent, eager, a craving, desire and passion towards something or someone. This should be our attitude towards righteousness. (Read and explain Matthew 5:20)

B. Righteousness: Being right with God, in agreement with God’s standards. Example: David a man after God’s heart, (Acts 13:22)

C. What must I do: Don’t seek after self righteousness. Only your faith on Christ makes you righteous before God, (Romans 3:21-22). Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to say no to compromising situations. Not to give into temptations but to do what is precisely in alignment with God’s word.

5. Conclusion

Lets consider the blessings allocated for each beatitude?

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit (intentionally admit your need for God). For the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. The blessing promised for the poor in spirit is they will possess God’s Kingdom which is already here but not yet. (Explain this concept. Click here for more details). Right now we are only seeing the Kingdom of heaven from a distance. However each Christian must possess these beatitudes in order to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Let me show you how?

2. Blessed are those who mourn (Be a person of brokenness before God). For they will be comforted. God comforts those who mourn over their own sin, (Isaiah 40:1). Here comfort doesn’t mean mere soothing, but God coming to our rescue. He has done it by dying on the cross.

3. Blessed are the meek (Give up your quest for personal rights). What an amazing promise and reward, God gives to those who are meek! – “They will inherit the earth.” There are more than 200 instances of the word ‘inherit’ or its derivatives in old testament. The patriarchs and the prophets looked forward to the ‘Promise land’ as a fulfillment of great blessings. Inheritance comes as a legacy and gift. The meek will be the heirs and partakers of the Kingdom of God.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Maintain a hunger and thirst for God), for they will be satisfied. Hunger and thirst are not one time need, they are our daily needs. Our body need constant nourishment from food and water to function properly. In the same way, our spirit needs daily food too. Many Christians suffer from ’spiritual undernourishment’ due to lack of hunger and thirst or lack of feeding to their spiritual needs. Only God can quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger for righteousness.

What do you desire most? Do you long for more of God in you life or have you lost that hunger and thirst?

Adopted as a sermon from BibleSEO