Sermon # 9 Series: Matthew
Title: WHO IS BLESSED OF GOD?
Text: Matthew 5:1-12
Subject: The Beatitudes
Date: Tuesday Evening – August 9, 1994
Tape: # Q-34
Introduction:
According
to this Book, there are some people in this world who are truly blessed,
blessed of God, blessed from eternity, blessed now, and blessed forever in
Christ, blessed with all the blessings of grace here and all the blessings of
everlasting glory hereafter – (Eph. 1:3). There are some sons and daughters of
Adam who truly are blessed of God. Who are they? That is the question I want to
answer in this message. Who Is Blessed of God?
There are some in this world who are blessed of God. My
question is this – Are you among these blessed ones? Am I? Let’s look to the
Word of God and see. I am calling for each of us to examine ourselves in the
light of Holy Scripture (I Cor. 13:5). I am going to set before you the
character of those men and women who are blessed of God as the Lord Jesus
Christ himself describes it.
You will
find my text in Matthew 5:1-12. These verses from the first part of our Lord’s
sermon on the mount. The sermon itself continues chapters 6 and 7. For now, we
will just look at verses 1-12. Here the Son of God describes the character of
all truly saved people, the character of those who are blessed of God. Read
verses 1-2.
The
Preacher is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the true Prince of preachers,
the Prophet of his church He of whom the prophets spoke is now the preacher.
The voice we will hear in these verses is the voice of our Master. It is the
voice of him who “spoke as never a man spake.”
The
Place was a mountain in Galilee. It was not Mt. Sinai or Mt. Olivet, or Mt.
Calvary, but a common Galilean hillside. But on that common hillside the Son of
God met with and instructed his disciples. That made the place a holy place!
The
Congregation was his disciples. The sermon was addressed to those who
professed to be his followers. Others were present and heard the message. But
the message was particularly addressed to men and women who had publicly avowed
their faith in Christ by baptism and hoped that they would live with Christ
forever in heaven. In a word, this sermon was addressed to people just like you
and me.
Look at
verse 2 again – When our Savior’s mouth was closed he taught by example.
Yet, he did not refrain from speaking as well as living the truth. And when he
spoke, he spoke earnestly. He “opened his mouth and taught.” He did not mumble,
mutter, or stutter – When he opens his mouth let us open our ears!
Illus:
“I don’t want to miss the Lord’s voice.”
Now, I
want us to look at verses 3-12. Here the Son of God describes his people by
light distinct characteristics, and pronounces eight beatitudes, eight
blessings of grace upon them. If we fit the character of those described in
the blessing, then the blessing is ours and we are blessed. If we do not
fit the character of the ones described. Then we have no right to claim the
blessing.
I.
“Blessed are the Poor in Spirit.”
The text does not say, “Blessed are the poor.” It says, “Blessed are the
poor in spirit.” These are men and women who, in their own judgment and esteem
are spiritually poor. Their souls are barren and empty before God. They have no
righteousness of their own, no good works, no good thoughts, nothing with which
to commend themselves to God.
“Being sensible of their poverty.
They place themselves at the door of mercy and knock there. Their language is,
‘God be merciful…’ They are importunate, will have no denial, yet receive the
least favor with thankfulness.” – John Gill
Illus:
The Canaanite Woman!
Bartimaeus!
Before God lifts you up by his
grace, he will bring you down. Until you are poor in spirit, you will not seek
mercy in Christ. It is painful, but blessed work when God puts a soul into a
bankrupt state!
God knows how to make proud, self-sufficient sinners
poor in spirit. He knows how to bring you down (Ps. 107).
A. These are Poor In Spirit who have been
made to Sense Their Desperate Need.
Rowland Hill once said, “Poverty of spirit is the bag into which Christ puts the
riches of his grace.”
B. “Blessed
are the poor in spirit: For Theirs is The Kingdom of Heaven!”
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Ps. 51:17).
“To this man will I look, even to
him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isa.
66:2).
If you are ever brought to the place
that you have nothing in yourself, you will have everything by grace in Christ.
But as long as you imagine that you have something in yourself, you have
nothing!
Are
you poor in spirit? If you are, you
are blessed. God made you poor.
“It is one of the hardest things
under the sun to become nothing in ourselves.” – Elisha Coles.
II. “Blessed
are they that Mourn.”
A. God’s
elect Mourn because of their Sin (Zech. 12:10). Psalm 51:1-17
B. “They
shall be Comforted!”
1. Those who mourn because of their sin shall be comforted here by the revelation of Christ in their hearts.
2. The shall be comforted hereafter (Jer.
15:20).
(Illus: Lazarus
– Luke 16:25).
III. “Blessed
are The Meek.”
· Meekness is a realization of who I am before God.
“Meekness is the mark of a man who has been mastered
by God.” – Geoffrey Wilson.
Illus:
Moses
The
Lord Jesus
M. Henry wrote, “They are meek who are rarely and hardly
provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive twenty
injuries than avenge one, having the rule of their own spirits.”
“They shall inherit the earth!”
· The Promised Land – Heaven!
IV. “Blessed
are they which do Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness.”
· Imparted Righteousness!
“They shall be filled!” (Isa. 55:1; John 7:37).
“Where
God works such an insatiable desire, we may be quite sure that he will satisfy
it; yea, fill it to the brim.” – C.H. Spurgeon
V. “Blessed
are the Merciful.”
· The Charitable (I Cor. 13:1-8).
“For they shall obtain mercy.”
What we are to others God will be to
us! The blessing is not in merciful acts, but in a merciful disposition.
VI. “Blessed
are the Pure in Heart.”
1.
The pure in heart are those whose hearts have been…
2. The pure in heart are…
3. The Pure in Heart are the Purged in Heart
(Heb. 10:22).
“For
they shall see God.”
VII. “Blessed
are the Peacemakers.”
· They are peaceful.
“For they shall be called the children of God.”
Doing the work which the Son of God came to do, They are called the children of God (I John 3:1).
VIII. “Blessed
are they which are Persecuted for Righteousness Sake.
“For theirs is the kingdom of heaven!”
Verse 11-12
Application:
1. How different Christianity is from worldliness! How different true Christianity is from what men call Christianity – The very characters the world despises and ridicules, Christ honors and calls blessed.
2.
Let us each aim at the
standard set by our Lord’s words and example.
3.
Those who are blessed
of God with his grace are a blessing to others by their goodness.
Illus: Charlie
Payne