What’s
the single most important element in your life, your marriage and family, your
faith, and your joy? What’s the one thing that sets the tone for all the
others? It’s your attitude.
Reading: Matt 5:1-12
These are
sermon notes, not written in a polished or finished manuscript form. To see the video of this and other sermons:
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Charles Swindoll: The longer I live, the more I realize the
impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It
is more important than the past, than education, than money, than
circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say
or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make
or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a
choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot
change our past ... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain
way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the
one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10%
what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are
in charge of our attitudes.
You cannot control the direction or the strength of the
wind, but you can change the set of your sail.
Attitude determines altitude and outweighs aptitude.
What you think
determines what you are,
and that determines what you do.
We agree with that,
and yet we can easily let other people and circumstances mess with our
attitude! Stop blaming anyone else or anything else for your attitude. It’s
yours! Own it! Evaluate it! Change it!
So, how would Jesus
begin His message to His disciples on that hillside in Galilee? He begins with
attitude. Before He gives a “to-do” list, He gives a “to-be” list. He notes
eight attitudes that we can and must choose.
And what paradoxes
they are!
The world says, “Happy
are the proud and the pushy, the powerful and the popular, the selfish and the
sinful, the rough and the rude. Jesus ironically promises happiness to the poor
in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the
persecuted. His key works!
Finish the sentence:
Happiness is … Happy
are … wealthy, powerful, pushy, charming, attractive, athletic, accomplished,
elected, healthy, young, comfortable, entertained, amused, cute, employed,
secure …
I’ll be happy when …
if … as long as … I am pleasing to God.
“Blessed are” =
“These are the people that God will bless with true happiness.” Honored,
rewarded, favored by God.
Stott: Jesus’ “teaching on the hill” depicts the
behavior which He expected of each disciple, who is also thereby a citizen of
God’s kingdom. We see the disciple as he is in himself, in his heart, motives
and thoughts, and in the secret place with his Father. We also see him in the
arena of public life, in his relations with his fellow men, showing mercy,
making peace, being persecuted, acting like salt, letting his light shine,
loving and serving others (even his enemies), and devoting himself above all to
the extension of God’s kingdom and righteousness in the world.
We could title
5:1-12 either “character” or “attitude.”
1. The Poor in
Spirit
Inwardly bankrupt,
overdrawn, drained, and spent.
Without the means to
buy God’s favor.
Aware of failure to
achieve God’s perfect standard.
On spiritual
welfare, solely dependent on God.
Dissatisfied with
the things of this world.
Dissatisfied with
how little of God they have.
More eager for God’s
riches than for __________.
Example: Mary’s
Magnificat. Luke 1:46-55.
Because: theirs
is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Luke 1:52 “He has
brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich
empty-handed.”
2. Those Who Mourn
Because they are
first poor in spirit …
Sorrowing over their
poverty and sin. 2 Cor 7:10
Sorrowing and
grieving over the lost. Rom 9:1-2
Shedding tears over
false teaching. Phil 3:18
Distraught over
others’ attacks. Ps 56, esp. 11
Crying over others’
disobedience. Ps 119:136
Example: Peter’s
bitter tears. Matt 26:75
Because: they
shall be comforted.
Matt 26:75 And Peter
remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will
deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
3. The Meek
πραΰς
praüs – tame, saddled,
disciplined, self-controlled, gentle, humble, considerate, courteous.
Calm, quiet,
agreeable, reverent, in control.
Under God’s control,
will, and direction.
Not weak, timid,
afraid, or cowardly.
Not opposite to
strong, but opposite to aggressive, arrogant, forceful, mean, rude,
self-centered.
Example: Jesus. Matt
11:28-30; 21:1-11
They shall inherit
the earth. Ps 37, esp. 11
Ps 37:8 Cease from
anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. 9 For
evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit
the land. 10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you
will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. 11 But the humble
will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
In OT, this meant
Israel through meekness would receive the Promised Land, so we through meekness
will be vindicated on earth wherever God’s rule is realized.
With God as
Sovereign, we never again are at the mercy of anything in the world.
The earth is ours,
because we are His.
4. Those Who Hunger
and Thirst for Righteousness
Craving to be
right with God and do right for God.
As a starving, dying
man longs for food.
Ps 19:10; 119:103
Sweeter also than honey …
Ps 34:8-10; 42:1-2
Taste and see … As the deer …
Ps 63:1 I seek … my
soul thirsts …
1 Pet 2:1-3 As newborn
babes for milk …
Luke 1:51-54 He has
filled the hungry …
Example: Jesus. Matt
4:1-4
Because: They
shall be satisfied.
Matt 4:1 Then Jesus
was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And
after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And
the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these
stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall
not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of
God.’”
Stott: Looking back, we can see that the first four
beatitudes reveal a spiritual progression of relentless logic. Each step leads
to the next and presupposes the one that has gone before. To begin with, we are
to be ‘poor in spirit’, acknowledging our complete and utter spiritual
bankruptcy before God. Next we are to ‘mourn’ over the cause of it, our sins,
yes, and our sin too—the corruption of our fallen nature, and the reign of sin
and death in the world. Thirdly, we are to be ‘meek’, humble and gentle towards
others, allowing our spiritual poverty (admitted and bewailed) to condition our
behaviour to them as well as to God. And fourthly we are to ‘hunger and thirst
for righteousness’. For what is the use of confessing and lamenting our sin, of
acknowledging the truth about ourselves to both God and men, if we leave it
there? Confession of sin must lead to hunger for righteousness.
5. The Merciful
Compassionate to
people in need, misery, distress.
Aiming to relieve,
soothe, help, and heal.
Distinguishing sheep
from goats. Matt 25:31-46
Matt 9:27-31 Two
blind men
Matt 15:22 A
Canaanite woman
Matt 17:15 A
possessed son’s father
Matt 20:29-34 Two
blind men
Luke 17:11-19 Ten
lepers
Example: the Good
Samaritan. Luke 10:25-37
Because: They
shall receive mercy.
Luke 10:33 “But a
Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt
compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine
on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took
care of him.
Grace forgives sin.
Mercy comforts the sinner, the hurting, etc.
6. The Pure in Heart
Sincere, genuine,
real. Undivided, unmixed.
Without pretense or hypocrisy.
“Purge me, wash me,
create in me …” Ps 51:7-12
So, having these
promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor 7:1
Because: They
shall see God.
2 Cor 7:1 So, having
these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
7. The Peacemakers
Healing division,
friction and alienation. Bridging.
Communicating,
counseling, confronting.
“Son of” suggests
that this word characterizes a person. To be called godly or like God or sons
of God, what quality must be seen in your life? Peacemaking, not strife,
gossip, hatred, division, anger.
Can take an insult
without striking back. Has no arrogance or revenging spirit.
Wholly given over to
God, he has nothing left to lose! No pride! Nothing to defend!
When one lives that
way, others will say, “I see God in him/her.”
MATT 5:44-45 Love
your enemies; don’t get mad or get even; make peace.
S. Truett Cathy: founder of Chick-Fil-A. On a program with
Robert Schuller, he shared the story of how he had launched this successful
business: “In the early stages of Chick-Fil-A, we were anxious to advertise our
product. One day an idea dawned on me. There were competing newspapers in town,
and the editors of these papers wouldn’t walk on the same side of the street
with each other! Since everyone knew about their feud, I invited the two
editors to meet with me. I asked each one individually if he’d come down to discuss
a full-page ad. Neither one knew I had called the other. When they got there
and found themselves face to face with each other, they knew something was up.
“I said, ‘If you’ll do one thing for me, I’ll give both of you a full-page ad.
All I want you to do is sit over there in that booth and eat a chicken sandwich
together. When you get through, shake hands. Then we’ll add the caption, ‘We
disagree on many things, but there’s one thing we both agree on: This is the
best chicken sandwich we’ve ever eaten!’” Robert
Schuller
Example: Jesus via
the cross. Eph 2:14-22
Because: They
shall be called sons of God.
Matt 5:23 “Therefore
if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your
brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the
altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present
your offering.
8. The Persecuted
From 3rd person
“those” to 2nd person “you.”
Hated, insulted,
scorned, ostracized. Luke 6:22-23
Not our
attitude or character, but others’ reaction.
Even a peacemaker
cannot succeed with all.
Example: Stephen.
Acts 6-7
Because: Theirs
is the Kingdom of God. Your reward in heaven is great. So they persecuted the
prophets.
1 Pet 4:13 but to
the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that
also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you
are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of
glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a
murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone
suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this
name.
The Flip Side
Luke 6:24 “But woe to you who
are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. 25 Woe to
you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh
now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak
well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same
way.”
Possible hymns:
Blessed Assurance
As the Deer
Give Thanks with a
Grateful Heart
O to Be Like Thee
More Like Jesus
More About Jesus
