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@ The Bitcoin Church
2024-04-24 03:19:03Hey everyone and welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
The Inward Attitudes of a True Disciple is our theme for the next few weeks.
This series is based on the Beatitudes, found in the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.
Today we are discussing, Questions about the Beatitudes.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for adopting us as your children.
With eyes wide open to Your mercies, we come to dedicate ourselves to you afresh.
Help us to use our talents and testimony that others may know Christ.
As be bring our tithes and offerings, we pray Your blessings upon them.
Help us meet the expenses of the ministry of this church and engage in ministries to the outer most ends of the earth.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Text
Matthew 5:2 NKJV
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
Scripture Reading
Matthew 5:1-12 NKJV
The Beatitudes
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Introduction.
Perhaps no sayings of Jesus are more familiar but less understood by the average Christian than the Beatitudes.
Most congregations could be classified as belonging to on for three groups on the basis of their attitudes toward the Beatitudes.
In one group there are those whose attitude is, Come to think of it, I don’t know what they mean. I’ve never tried to learn, and I don’t care.
Not many of this group come to church.
In a second group there are those whose attitude is, I have thought about the Beatitudes. I have wished I could have these qualities in my life, but this quest is not for me.
These ideals are too high. I cannot attain them.
A large percentage of the average congregation would fall into this group.
In a third group are those whose attitude is, The Beatitudes are idealistic.
Only Jesus ever exhibited them perfectly. Being meek and merciful and pure in heart are qualities we’ll have in heaven, but they aren’t for now.
Not so!
The Beatitudes are for the here and now.
If Jesus had not wanted these qualities to be exhibited in our lives until we get to heaven, He would have waited until then to tell us.
- ** What about the Beatitudes?**
What is the correct attitude toward these sayings of Jesus?
Consider three questions about them taken as a unity.
What are the Beatitudes?
The beatitudes are plain, simple statements of fact or truth, not promises of reward.
Jesus did not say that if a person is “poor in Spirit,” He will give him the kingdom in order to make him happy.
The poor in Spirit are happy “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus did not give gifts to make us happy.
He creates conditions within us that enable us to find happiness everywhere.
Jesus gives people a character that radiates happiness regardless of outward circumstances.
The Beatitudes describe not seven different classes of people, but seven different character traits, or elements of Christian excellence, in one individual.
Who is a Christian?
A subject of the kingdom.
Jesus is here describing what He came to create in the subjects of His kingdom.
The whole Sermon on the Mount treats the character and conduct of the kingdom, those who become Christians.
Here at the very outset we have the character Christ desires and requires of His followers stated in these seven characteristics.
These traits do not exclude one another but are mutually dependant.
Those who are meek also need to be merciful, those who are merciful also need to be pure in heart.
2. What do the Beatitudes teach?
The beatitudes teach Christ’s doctrine of the kingdom.
The multitudes in Jesus’ day, for lack of knowledge, degraded and materialised the teachings of the coming kingdom.
They believed the kingdom of God to be a perpetual banquet where they would eat rich food and make merry.
The more privileged classes were not more spiritual than the masses.
They thought of the coming kingdom as a political revolution when the hated Romans would be overthrown.
The Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount as a whole were a flat contradiction of both of these misconceptions.
They ought, rather, that the kingdom is a spiritual realm that is not of this world, though in it.
The kingdom of heaven is wherever the laws of heaven rule in the hearts of people.
When Jesus spoke of His kingdom, He was speaking from a level of spiritual elevation into the blessedness of which He would lead mankind.
The Beatitudes teach Christ’s doctrine of happiness.
In this the Beatitudes cut straight across the ideas of the world.
Who are the happy people?
If carnal man were to draw up a list of Beatitudes, they would go something like this: “Blessed are the rich, the famous, the well born, the cultured, those who live in ease and luxury.”
But not so Christ!
People look to outward circumstances for happiness, Christ looks to character.
Happiness is decided not by what we have but by what we are.
Happiness is never dependant on outward conditions but always on an inward spirit.
Therefore, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, they that mourn, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart.”
All of these are inward qualities of heart and not outward circumstances.
3. How may we profit from a series of studies on the beatitudes?
Studying this perfect picture of Christian Character, we will be able to see ourselves as we are.
By this standard, we will be able to take stock, to see how far short we fall.
Are we poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure in heart, peace makers?
We are not, but why not?
Studying this perfect picture of Christian character, we may see ourselves as we could be, as Christ intended us to be.
Seeing this, let us “press toward the goal, and move onto perfection!”
Studying this perfect picture Christian character, we may be challenged to make some progress toward bridging the gap between what we are and what we ought to become.
Conclusion.
For the next eight Sunday’s, we will look at the Beatitudes.
Seven of these are found in Matthew 5:3-9.
The eighth, an often forgotten but authentic beatitude of Jesus is found in Acts 20:35.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer. Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at The Refinery.
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us at www.refinerylife.org
2024 IS A YEAR OF DECISIONS AND OPEN DOORS
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