January 26, 2025
SERMON SERIES: MOVE INTO BLESSED LIVING
(A STUDY OF THE THE BEATITUDES) Tommy C. Higle
Matthew 5:1-12
SERMON # 2: WE NEED TO BECOME A BLESSED BEGGAR
Matthew 5:3
In Matthew 3:2 and Matthew 4:17, John the Baptist and Jesus preached a simple message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This verse is a reminder of this key message. Who can enter the kingdom of heaven? The one who is poor in spirit. A person who is poor in spirit is someone who is humble. It is someone who recognizes that he or she doesn’t have anything spiritually worthwhile to offer the Lord in exchange to enter into His kingdom. It is someone who recognizes that he or she is spiritually bankrupt. In fact, everyone is spiritually bankrupt. People are totally depraved, which means we have nothing good to offer God, nothing good of ourselves. But most people do not realize it. The first step on a “move into blessed living” is to understand the statement of Jesus in Matthew 5:3, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The word translated poor (ptoe-kos) refers to someone who is destitute to the point of begging. Those who admit their spiritual inadequacy and cast themselves on the mercy of God (5:3). Being poor in spirit means acknowledging we are spiritual beggars.
We have three requirements for being poor in spirit and we need to become a blessed beggar.
I. STOP COMPARING
A. The poor in spirit are the opposite of the proud, the arrogant, the self-righteous who boast of their goodness. Jesus, parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14) illustrates that contrast. The Pharisee compares himself to the publican.
1. The Pharisee, I fasted twice a week
2. The Pharisee, I pay my tithe
3. The Publican, a scoundrel, a sinner, said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
B. It is very easy to become self-righteous when we compare ourselves to other people. As someone has said, “The worst of all sins is to be conscious of none.
We need to become a blessed beggar, so stop comparing and:
II. STOP COUNTING ON PERFORMANCE
The “poor in spirit” is a prerequisite to receiving the rest of the Beatitudes or blessings.
A. Our righteousness is like “filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6b).
B. When we are poor in spirit, we don’t “toot our own horns” because we can’t impress God with our righteous deeds.
C. We have to realize our unworthiness in order to receive the kingdom of heaven.
We need to become a blessed beggar, so stop comparing, stop counting on performance and:
III. START CONSIDERING THE BENEFITS OF BEING POOR IN SPIRIT
A. It Improves All Our Relationships. When we are poor in spirit, we stop trying to act like we are better, more successful, and more important than others.
B. It Creates An Attitude Of Gratitude. Why? Because we realize we don’t deserve anything. Jesus paid it all. We can’t remember all of God’s benefits towards us, but you better not forget them all either. When we are grateful to God for all His benefits toward us, we will have “divine delight,” or blessed living.
C. It Opens The Door To God’s Power. Pride and arrogance block the door to God’s power in our lives, while being poor in spirit, or humility, opens it. In James 4:6b, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
That God gives “more grace” shows that His grace is greater than the power of sin, the flesh, the world and Satan.
WE NEED TO BECOME A BLESSED BEGGAR
THREE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Stop Comparing
2. Stop Counting On Performance
3. Start Considering The Benefits Of Being Poor In Spirit
Responsive Reading: Matthew 5:13-20
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