|
|
|
The Beatitudes: Introduction |
|
|
|
|
Introduction to the Beatitudes
Matthew 5 v 1 - 12
The section of the Bible in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7 is known as ‘The Sermon on the Mount’. It doesn’t take rocket science to work out why it’s called that – but in case you’re struggling the answer is found in chapter 5 verse 1. It may be that Jesus spent several days preaching, and this may or may not be a summary of what he said. It may be that Jesus went up a mountain so that He could be heard more easily. It may be that He wanted to imitate Moses who brought to Israel and the world the Ten Commandments and the Law. The only difference is that Jesus came to write the law on our hearts. The teaching of Jesus Christ is very much centred on His Kingdom, and those who do, and those who do not, belong to it. We shall see over the weeks that it is not always the so-called RELIGIOUS people who are members! Indeed, the Sermon on the Mount ought to put the fear of God into those of us who ARE in the church today even more than those who AREN’T!
- It is one thing to know and accept that I am NOT a Christian, and NOT in the Kingdom of God.
- But it is quite another thing to THINK that I am a Christian and in the Kingdom of God – when, quite frankly, as this sermon teaches us, I AM OBVIOUSLY NOT! That is a far worse position to be in!
Such people, like the Scribes and the Pharisees whom Jesus constantly challenged throughout this sermon and His earthly ministry, were the really blind ones!
- They THOUGHT they belonged to God.
- They THOUGHT they were the ones in whom God was well pleased.
- They THOUGHT they were the real followers of God.
But for all their scriptural knowledge and intellect, all their high position and authority, all their observance of religious ritual and rules, and all their outward signs of prayer and fasting – they were a million miles from understanding WHO God is, what He is all about, and what He requires of those who belong to His Kingdom. What matters to God is what’s going on inside life – in my heart, in my inmost desires, my secret places, and in my motivations. In Matthew 23 Jesus told the Pharisees that they were like whitewashed tombs which looked beautiful on the outside but they were totally dead on the inside. I would like to challenge you to read the Sermon on the Mount this week. You will see it is a radical challenge - not only to worldly values and ways, but to the church – to become imitators of Christ, to come alive with God’s presence in our lives, and not to be cold, judgmental, legalistic, hypocritical and spiritually dead like so many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were. The Sermon on the Mount presents the heart and soul of the teaching of Jesus. Rev John Stott says that ‘it makes goodness attractive. It shames our shabby performance. It engenders dreams of a better world.’ Rev John Stott also wrote: ‘The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed. It is the nearest thing to a manifesto that He ever uttered, for it is His own description of what He wanted His followers to be and to do. To my mind no two words sum up its intention better, or indicate more clearly its challenge to the modern world, than the expression ‘Christian counter-culture’. In the Sermon on the Mount we see something of the real heart of Jesus, His motives and thoughts, His relationship with His Heavenly Father. We see Him also in the arena of public life, in His relations with His fellow men, how He treats them, showing them mercy, making peace, being persecuted, acting like salt, letting His light shine, loving and serving even his enemies. Here we see a way of life so totally different to the self-centred, destructive, shallow and short term attitudes and behaviour of life without God. It is a call to be like a Sheffield Wednesday supporter in his full kit walking down Bramall Lane – to be so radically different to much of the world around us! The Sermon on the Mount begins with THE BEATITUDES, and it is these we shall be looking at over the next few weeks. [We may look at doing a section or a chapter of the Sermon on the Mount over the next 3 years] but this year we are starting with the Beatitudes – Matthew chapter 5 v 1 – 12. The Collins National Dictionary defines the word ‘beatitude’ as 'the highest form of heavenly happiness.’ It has been said that the word 'beatitude’ is a shortened version of the phrase 'BEAUTIFUL ATTITUDE.' Somebody else said that we should note that they are not the DO attitudes - they are the BE attitudes! What exactly are The Beatitudes? 1. They are a description of those who know Christ They are not rules dictating what we must DO in order to BECOME a Christian but a description of WHO WE ARE if we really are Christians, if we really have discovered Jesus Christ. I’ve been on a course this week assessing people who could be church planters. I discovered that all the candidates would have to meet a psychologist who would do some sort of psychological testing and profiling on them. We would meet this guy on the last day. All week I was picturing some slim young bloke with long hair, beard, John Lennon glasses, and dressed as if he’d just got back from the Glastonbury Music Festival. The man who turned up was the exact opposite of every single one of these characteristics. I couldn’t have been so wrong! You know, we never discover our real self until we discover Jesus Christ. So many people have so many misconceptions about Jesus. When I discovered Jesus Christ I became ashamed of myself. I became aware of my sins and shortcomings. I didn’t like myself. But when I realised that Jesus knows me and accepts me just as I am, and He died an awful death on the cross to forgive me. Not only did my perception of Jesus change – but my whole perception of myself changed. I didn’t have to try and look good to others. My life was no longer just about ME. In Jesus Christ I felt loved; I felt forgiven; I felt clean. I felt I wanted to start all over again. I now wanted to be more and more like Jesus, and less and less like the old me.
- Arrogance was slowly being replaced by a longing for meekness
- Hate and revenge were being replaced by an attitude of mercy and forgiveness
- Lust and greed were being replaced by a desire for righteousness and purity
1. They are a description of those who know Christ 2. They are a description of true happiness So much of the world’s happiness is sought in beauty or possessions. We will do all we can to look beautiful or buy the latest, biggest or most fashionable things. But physical beauty fades, and all the possessions of the richest person in the world will one day be left behind to others. These things are temporary. We can’t hold back ageing. We can’t escape death. [Aren’t you glad you came this morning!] But to be truly happy we’ve got to find something which isn’t temporary, something which doesn’t fade, something which one day won’t die. Even if we are rich and beautiful, it doesn’t mean that life will not present its problems. Nobody was more rich and beautiful and talented than Michael Jackson. But sadly, all his riches, and beauty, and talent weren’t enough. There was obviously something missing deep down in his soul. The word ‘Beatitude’ comes from the Latin word ‘Beatus’ meaning HAPPY or BLESSED. Jesus describes here those who are truly happy or blessed. He describes an experience of hope and joy which is independent of physical appearance, worldly possessions, or outward circumstances. We’ll be looking at each of these Beatitudes in much more detail over the next few weeks. 1. They are a description of those who know Christ2. They are a description of true happiness 3. They describe a foretaste of heaven Have you ever been looking forward to something and then be totally disappointed? A few years ago I went to the Championship Play-off Final at Cardiff. There were so many from the church wanting to go that I booked a coach – and we filled it. It ended up being the worst day of my life: the journey there and back was long and tedious, we played badly and lost 3 – 0 to Wolves. So last year we got to the Final again – this time at the new Wembley Stadium. We went with high expectations. We played badly and lost last time, so surely this time it would be different. But no – we played badly and lost again! At the Breakthru Holiday Rev Albert Garrick from Morley shared how he really didn’t want to come to a church holiday (and he’s a minister!) His wife Mary had booked it. His friend John Paton had badgered him to come. He was not looking forward to it. But he shared how it had greatly exceeded anything he could ever have expected.
Conclusion
|
|
|
Sermons