Matthew 5:1-12 – Four Times Blessed – Bible study

Matthew 5:1-12 Four Times Blessed I want to talk to you about the word that is used 9 times in 9 verses. It is the word blessed. Let me give you a statement and then seek to prove it to you. The statement: "Blessed is not how you feel. Blessed is what you are." I. Blessed, What It Is. A. The definition I have always heard is happy. 1. That is by far the most common definition for the word "blessed," but I have never thought it to be a good definition. Granted, 2. I am no linguist, but I do read, and I do think. B. There are at least three reasons I have never thought happy is the right definition for the word "blessed." 1. The definition has always seemed inadequate to describe a spiritual condition. a. Happiness is an emotion that we feel. That is all it is. b. The emotion itself is largely and often entirely contingent on circumstances and our surroundings and has little to do with ones walk with the Lord. c. Sinners are often very happy, even in the throes of their worst sins. d. How could such a shallow emotion be descriptive of the deep encounter of which Jesus was speaking? e. God must be offering something better than happiness for enduring the kind of life that He is mentioning here. 2. Notice the conditions Jesus described as blessed: a. \#3\ "poor in spirit" b. \#4\ "mourning" c. \#10\ "persecuted" d. \#11\ "reviled persecute say all manner of evil against you falsely" e. Do these even sound like conditions that you should be happy about? (1) Now dont think ahead yet. (2) Jesus will command us to be happy in these conditions but before if you are just naturally happy about being persecuted, you might be a little crazy. f. A person who is happy while he is going through these kinds of experiences is likely to be unbalanced. 3. \#12\ The command is given TO "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." a. Why give the command to be glad if you are already blessed and blessed means happy? b. If you are already happy, you dont need this command. c. The fact that there is a command to be happy means blessed does not mean happy. d. Blessed must mean that you can be blessed and UNhappy. e. The command itself indicates that we are not going to naturally be happy with what we are going through therefore we need to adjust our attitude. C. My definition of blessed is that the person is one that is approved of God. 1. That means God has put His stamp of approval upon the person who is blessed. 2. If we understand better what it is to be blessed, lets see if we can understand how to get it. II. The Four Levels of Blessings A. Let me say upfront that if you are alive, you are a very blessed individual. 1. Some may question that, but I assure you that no matter what shape you find yourself, you are infinitely more blessed than a person in hell. 2. However, there are far greater blessings to be had then merely to be alive. 3. In fact, I believe we can easily see four levels of blessings. B. The Four Levels 1. The Status Quo Level of Blessings a. Status Quo means the way things are. b. As I have said, if all we have is life we are blessed, but every person sitting in this church today has many more blessings than merely life. c. People in our country today live better than most kings lived 100 years ago and better than all kings lived 150 years ago. (1) We have foods and pastries available to us of which they would have never dreamed. Not just the quality of food available to us but the sheer quantity. (2) We have clothing of comfort and luxury that those people never saw. (3) We live in homes better built and more comfortable than any they ever knew. (4) We live lives of peace, plenty, comfort, and ease like no generation has ever known. (5) Driving in our modern, motorized, horseless carriages, living in air conditioned environments, living in a medical age that has added years and quality to our lives. (6) All of this and much more make us a most blessed people. d. And while these things should not be taken for granted, they are very common. (1) Millions if not billions of people enjoy many if not most of these standards of life. (2) I am appreciative, but I say plainly, I want to be an even more blessed person that the status quo. 2. The Saved Level of Blessings a. There are two verses in this text that speak of this level of blessings. (1) Both \#3\ and \#10\ offer "the kingdom of heaven" to some. (2) In this context, I can see no other definition for that phrase than salvation. (a) \#3\ offers the kingdom of heaven for the poor in spirit. (b) \#10\ offers the kingdom of heaven for those who will suffer persecution for righteousness sake. (3) Let me say upfront that I do not believe Jesus was teaching that we can somehow earn salvation by our works. (a) Why am I so certain? (b) Because that would contradict other Bible passages. Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (4) Salvation is a gift freely paid for by Jesus death on the cross and given to any person who will repent of their sins and believe on the payment Jesus made on the cross for their souls. (5) \#3\ However, no one will ever call upon the name of the Lord for salvation who does not first recognize themselves as poor in sprit. (a) A person who does not see himself as broke, busted, and bankrupt before God will never call upon the mercy that saves sinners from hell. (b) So a person who is poor in spirit can most certainly be blessed with the kingdom of heaven. (6) \#10\ And anyone who has the kingdom of heaven to their possession will endure at least some persecution for righteousness sake. (a) I do not say and the Bible does not say that every Christian would die for Jesus Christ. (b) I would hope that we would. I would hope that I would, but I do not know how much this cowering flesh would endure for any one or anything. (c) However, the Bible does say that we would endure at least some persecution for righteousness sake, and I hope that if you have named the name of Jesus for any length of time, you have put yourself far enough out on the limb of service to endure at least some persecution yourself. b. Both of these are speaking of the Saved Level of Blessings. (1) And what a blessing salvation is! (2) It provides forgiveness of sin, a mansion in heaven, adoption into Gods family, filling with Gods Holy Ghost, a purpose, a peace, and a power are just a few of the things that come with this level of blessing. (3) Why just to escape hell itself is worth any price God might require, but all He requires is that we believe and repent. c. Again, I will say it plainly and boldly. I want this level of blessedness, and by the blood of Jesus Christ, I have attained it. 3. The Serving Level of Blessings a. There are many ways to serve the Lord, but in this text, I only see one mentioned. Matt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. b. Anyone who does not appreciate a peacemaker is taking for granted a peace already made. c. An illustration of this can be seen in the contempt so many Americans have for this countrys history. (1) Isnt it amazing how those who are enjoying a lifetime of peace do nothing but sit on the sidelines and criticize those who defeated the enemies who attacked us? (2) They trample our flag, disrespect our heritage, insult our servicemen, and now attack and even murder our police officers. (3) Why? They have no appreciation for the peacemakers because they take for granted the peace that the peacemakers have made. (4) I suppose it will be all right; however for when they get what they wantwhich is to get rid of the peacemakersthey will find out just how valuable the peacemakers were to peace. (5) Of course by that time, they will be cowering in some dark hole some place fearing for their last minutes of life and safety. d. God, on the other hand, holds peacemakers in high esteem. (1) One does not have to be a Christian to be a peacemaker. In fact, one does not even have to know God to be a peacemaker. (2) However, since this text is recorded in the Bible, I am going to suppose that this blessing is for the Christian peacemakers. (3) To those peacemakers, God will share not only His approval but His name. Matt 5:9 they shall be called the children of God. (4) Why would God share His name with an earthly peacemaker? For two reasons: (a) Because God is the greatest Peacemaker of all. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a cross so that sinners might be at peace with the Holy God. (b) That is exactly what God has called commandedevery Christian to do. Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 1 Corinthians 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (5) The beauty about being a peacemaker is it does not matter whether you bring peace to warring nations or to warring individuals, the approval of God will be the same. e. I will plainly say again, I want this blessing. (1) I want to be called "a child of God." (2) I could settle for the Status Quo Level of Blessing or even the Saved Level of Blessings, but I want more of Gods approval, more of Gods favor. 4. The Surrendered Level of Blessing a. Of all the levels of blessings, I believe this is the hardest level to attain. b. I also see that it is the level of blessing that Jesus spoke most about. c. Notice the type of surrender to God that is required to receive it: (1) \#4\ We must mourn. That means that whether we have anything to sorrow over or not, we will see the things that God desires and mourn with Him until those things are a reality. (2) \#5\ We must be meek. That means that even when we have been wronged and hurt, although we have the power and ability to do so, we will not use it to set things back in our favor. (3) \#6\ We will hunger and thirst after righteousness. That means we will desire and crave to be right with God more than the food or drink necessary for life itself. (4) \#7\ We will be merciful. We forgive others of the wrongs done against us. (5) \#8\ We will be pure in heart. That means we will hate and abstain from sin. (6) \#11\ We will endure persecution and insults for Jesus sake. That means no amount of insult or injury will stop us from doing and being what God wants us to do and to be. d. That is some high surrender, but it also earns us some high blessing. (1) \#4\ Along with Gods approval, God Himself will comfort us. The word means to draw close, to console, to relieve grief. (2) \#5\ Along with Gods approval, God will one day give us the earth. (3) \#6\ Along with Gods approval, God is going to fill us with His righteousness. (4) \#7\ Along with Gods approval, God is going to be merciful to us. (5) \#8\ Along with Gods approval, we are going to see God. (6) \#12\ Along with Gods approval, we are going to be rewarded greatly in heaven. Friend, you and I are blessed. That is not a feeling. That is a fact. But we can be even more blessed. I am selfish and want all that God is offering. How about you?