October 6, 2024

The Beatitudes #2: Being like Jesus

Preacher:
Passage: Matthew 5:6-7, Psalm 27
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Looking at the Beatitudes
  • They begin unusually – with a poem
    • Held up as a great piece of literature
  • It is much more than this
    • It speaks deep challenging truths and wonderful blessings to those described – examples
    • To encourage and challenge our hearts
  • Blessed – an overflowing blessedness, including happiness and joy, all the favour of God, all the blessings of God that come from heaven
  • What you are is so much more important that what you do!
    • About who you are
    • The inner life
    • About serving God rather than serving self
  • These characteristics do not come naturally to human beings
    • God’s holiness reveals our sin
    • It causes us to cry out to God for forgiveness of sin
    • Then these blessings flow to us
  • Are you a child of God?
  • We have looked at the verse 3 beatitudes – brief recap
  • Now – speaking abut our desires
    • Hunger and thirst
      • Hunger – speaks of a lack and a need to be fulfiled
      • Thirst – as above
    • Turning from negative to positive
  • Overview:
    • Our Desires (v6)
    • Our Attitudes (v7)
  • As we think on these things – what do the words of Jesus Christ mean for you?

Our Desires (v6)

  • Our desires are a good indicator of what is happening in our life
    • Desires – examples: money, possessions, sex, friendship, popularity, happiness
    • "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." – Matt 6:21
    • Do you desire righteousness?
  • Righteousness
    • Legal righteousness: provided by God to believers in the Divine court
      • Explanation of the imputed righteousness in Christ
      • Do you know this righteousness covering your sin?
    • Moral righteousness
    • Social righteousness
    • Not talking about legal righteousness – the believer already has this, but moral and social righteousness
  • Moral Righteousness
    • In the Scriptures there are different people hungering and thirsting after the righteousness of God
      • Wanting to be holy, humble, gentle, king, obedient, wise
      • Wanting to be life Jesus Christ – examples
    • A desire placed in their hearts
      • It has replaced the desire for other things – examples
      • One/a principal desire for Christ and God
  • Where is your heart/what does it say about you?
    • "One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord," Ps 27:4
    • The Apostle Paul’s one desire was to be in Christ
      • All else he considered as rubbish
  • Our true satisfaction is found in Christ alone
    • Do you sing praises to God?
    • Are you thankful to Him?
    • Do you know He satisfies you?
      • Like the woman at the well
      • Ps 73:25-26 "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
  • Partially in this life time – but more in heaven
    • Ps 17:15
    • Rev 7:16-17
  • This convicts us – but is there some of this desire within you?
    • True happiness is found in Christ

Our Attitudes (v7)

  • Social righteousness – the merciful
    • A difference between grace and mercy
      • Grace – kindness shown to those who not deserve it
      • Mercy – showing kindness to those in a miserable state suffering the effect of sin
  • Mercy is an attitude of compassion and pity
    • Human beings often look out for themselves – examples
    • Mercy is a rare quality
  • We have been touched with compassion by God
    • How can we look down on others with disdain?
  • Do we display mercy – examples
    • Those in Scripture showed mercy – example of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Stephen
    • Are you merciful?
  • There is a Divine law at work – examples
    • What you are to others – God will be to you
    • Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy

Closing Remarks

  • Recap