Words To Live By
Matthew 5:1-6

"Daddy, how much do you make an hour?" With a timid voice and idolizing eyes, the little boy greeted his father as he returned from work.
Greatly surprised, but giving his boy a glaring look, the father said: "Look, sonny, not even your mother knows that. Don't bother me now, I'm tired."
"But Daddy, just tell me please! How much do you make an hour," the boy insisted.
The father, finally giving up, replied: "Twenty dollars per hour."
"Okay, Daddy. Could you loan me ten dollars?" the boy asked.
Showing his restlessness and positively disturbed, the father yelled: "So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right? Go to sleep and don't bother me anymore!"
It was already dark and the father was meditating on what he said and was feeling guilty. Maybe he thought , his son wanted to buy something.
Finally, trying to ease his mind, the father went to his son's room.
"Are you asleep, son?" asked the father.
"No, Daddy. Why?" replied the boy, partially asleep.
"Here's the money asked for earlier, " the father said.
"Thanks, Daddy!" rejoiced the son, while putting his hand under his pillow and extracting some money. "Now I have enough! Now I have twenty dollars!" the boy said to his father, who was gazing at his son, confused at what his son had just said.
"Daddy, could you spend with me one hour of your time?"
Time is too precious to spend it all on work! Appreciate your loved ones. Don't take them for granted

Several years ago there was a cartoon depicting a preacher standing at the back door of the worship auditorium shaking hands with people at the conclusion of the worship service. One man is shaking the preacher’s hand and looking very intently into the preacher’s eyes. As he does so, he says, “Powerful sermons, sir. Thoughtful, well-researched. I can always see myself in them ... and I want you to STOP using ME as an EXAMPLE!”

Jesus preached those kinds of sermons
His messages always hit home and people either loved Him or hated Him because of it.
This morning, we start a study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which is recorded in Matthew 5-7.
--I’m calling it, “Words of Wisdom for Heavenly Living”

Toward the beginning of His ministry, Jesus took His disciples to a mountain retreat and drilled them in the fundamentals of following Him.
Matthew 4:23-26 gives us a summary of Jesus’ ministry leading up to this point: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.”

Matthew 5:1-2 – “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying...”

Jesus grabs a teachable moment with His disciples
--There’s one theme that runs consistently through this entire teaching segment:
Christ-followers are to think and act differently than the world around them.

We’re not supposed to be thermometers adjusting to the moral climate of our environment.
--We’re to be thermostats setting the standard for the culture.

Jesus is calling those who claim to follow Him to be an authentic counter-culture (one that is the opposite of) the culture of the world He is asking us to live distinctive lives
--showing others the joys of being part of the “royal family”

We are to be a viable alternative to worldly living
--So much so that we make goodness and integrity attractive

The Sermon on the Mount is not a complete theology.
--It is, however, practical theology. The message of the Sermon on the Mount is relevant for everyday living as a follower of Christ.

It is not a system of laws for the Christian.
--It’s about submission and obedience to the will of God.

The Sermon on the Mount is not the requirements to enter the Kingdom.
It’s not the plan of salvation.  But it is the guidelines to follow once you’re in the Kingdom
The Sermon on the Mount is Christianity 101 for every believer

The Bible reminds us that we’re in a battle between kingdoms: the kingdom of the world and the Kingdom of God
--We’re told which kingdom ultimately wins the battle.
The important thing is who you chose to serve.

I want this church here in Chardon to not just grow in number but to grow in integrity and character.
I want us to grow in maturity and become more like Christ.
I want us to be people who, in such a positive way, live differently from the world that people are drawn to Christ like a magnet.

The Sermon on the Mount is actually comprised of several sections.
This first section talks about seeking God’s blessing.
It’s made up of short sayings called The Beatitudes.
It means to be content, to have an inner joy.
The Beatitudes are the right attitudes to have
--They define the right mind set for the believer

The Beatitudes are eight essential virtues to receive God’s blessing.
These virtues should build on each other and become increasingly evident as we mature in the faith.
They are a series of progressive steps

The first four deal with our relationship with God and the last four with our relationship to others.
--We’re going to look at the first four this morning.

Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are the poor.”
Jesus loved the poor such as the widow who only had two mites and Lazarus, the beggar who ate crumbs from the rich man’s table.

But God doesn’t automatically favor the homeless or the bankrupt.
--The book of Proverbs teaches that poverty is sometimes the result of laziness, drunkenness, gluttony, or indulgence in pleasure.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
Blessed are those who recognize that they are spiritually impoverished.
--This is an honest evaluation of ourselves realizing we’re not able to do much on our own.

There’s something worse than being broke and that is not knowing you’re broke. People who have no money and keep buying on credit are in deeper trouble than those who have no money and admit it.

The very first step in coming to God is recognizing that you are spiritually broke. You have no resources of value to offer God.
The Bible says our righteousness is as filthy rags before God.

Remember the parable of the Pharisee who worshipped next to a tax collector in the temple? The Pharisee boasted of his spiritual riches: “I fast, I tithe, I keep the law. I’m good! I’m better than that tax collector,” he said.
The tax collector just humbly prayed, ”God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Jesus said the tax collector went away justified; the Pharisee did not.

As long as we’re proud of our goodness and feel self-sufficient we’re out of God’s favor. When we see ourselves as spiritually bankrupt we’re ready to turn to God for His help and receive His riches.

Without a doubt, one of the most popular hymns in America is Amazing Grace. I know that you know the first stanza: Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

One day a minister was addressing a group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw. One person quickly replied, "I see a black mark." "Right," the preacher replied. "What else do you see?" Complete silence prevailed. "Don't you see anything other than the dot?" he asked. A chorus of no’s came from the audience. "I'm really surprised," the speaker commented. "You have completely overlooked the most important thing of all ... the sheet of paper as a whole."
Then he made the application. He said that in life we are often distracted by small, dot-like disappointments or painful experiences, and we are prone to forget the innumerable blessings we receive from the hand of the Lord. But like the sheet of paper, the good things are far more important than the adversities that monopolize our attention.
Someone has written: "As you travel down life's pathway, may this ever be your goal: Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the hole!"

Yes, rather than concentrating on the trials of life, we should fix our attention upon the blessings being offered. Let us say with the psalmist, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits" (Psalm 68:19)

If you fail to understand the poverty of your spirit, you cannot come to Christ for blessing.
But what blessing we receive when we admit our poverty and depend on Christ’s provision.
When you quit relying on your own goodness and turn to God, He forgives, He saves, He puts His righteousness in you.
Then, and only then are you promised the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:4 – “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
What type of mourning and grieving is Jesus referring to?
Is he talking about acceptable mourning over the loss of a loved one?
Grieving over opportunities that we failed to take advantage of?
Agonizing about things that didn’t go our way?

No. Jesus is talking about mourning and grieving over our sin.
One of the problems of our day is that we have failed to comprehend the
seriousness of sin.
Oh, there are people who strongly speak up against certain behaviors but they fail to examine their own lives.
They’re quick to point to the sins of others but they are spiritually blinded to their own wickedness.
They’re full of the deadly sins of pride, arrogance, self-righteousness, and a judgmental spirit.

The word translated as “mourn” is a word that points to the heart-rending, soul-wracking , eyes- overflowing-with tears kind of mourning.
It’s the strongest of all the words in the original language that refer to grief and sorrow.

It recognizes the loss of something important.
--It understands that there is a hole in the heart that needs to be repaired.

We need to despise sin... so it follows that
--We should especially despise our own sins.
We’re told over and over in Scripture to repent of sin—to recognize how much it offends the heart of God and then grieve over it.

James 4:8-10 – “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up”

Does it break your heart when you sin against God?
Or do you superficially and nonchalantly say, “Yeah, I sinned. So what?”

Do you experience a godly sorrow that leads to repentance?
2^nd Corinthians 7:10 – “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Repentance has become a neglected word in the church.
We sit in our pews Sunday after Sunday, thinking that God ought to be glad that we have agreed to bless Him with our presence.

One of the central events in our worship service is the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. The Bible tells us that when we do that, we proclaim the death of Christ.
Why did He have to die?
It’s because we are SINNERS!
We aren’t good. We aren’t nice. There’s nothing about us that is lovely or attractive in the spiritual sense.
Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It has been said: “Repentance precedes the blessing of God. A lack of repentance shuts off the power of God. There will be no revival or renewal without repentance. And there will be no repentance without godly sorrow. Until we come to the place where we truly mourn over our sin, we will never see the hand of God revealed.”

The great thing is that when we show that godly sorrow and repent, God comforts us.
Oh, what joy to know our sins are forgiven.

We’ve come humbly before God in a godly sorrow that produces repentance.
We want to change our life and God blesses our efforts.
Not because of who we are, but because of what He has done!
Not because of what we’ve done, but because of Who He is!

God is a perfect, compassionate Father.
He is sympathetic toward those who mourn for their sin.
Charles Swindoll: “God loves the broken heart, the bent knee, and the wet eye.”

AN ATTITUDE OF MEEKNESS
Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
The world encourages aggressiveness

They want to see someone fight for what they get
They teach a culture of “Go for all the gusto you can” and worship the self-made person

Atheist Friedrich Nietzsche said, "Assert yourself. Care for nothing except for yourself. The only vice is weakness, and the only virtue is strength. Be strong, be a superman. The world is yours if you can get it."
What do you think of when you think of a meek person?
You probably wouldn’t consider it a compliment if someone said, “You are the meekest person I know.”
You probably think of someone who is insecure, unassertive, or timid

That’s not what the Bible means by meekness.
Meekness is not timidity or indecisiveness.
The Biblical word ‘meekness’ means “strength under control.”
It was a word used to describe a horse that had been taught how to respond well to the bridle and bit.
When a powerful horse is under control of its rider, it’s a meek horse.
It’s under the authority of the one who guides it.

The meek animal surrenders himself and allows the rider to control him.
Meekness is an inner attitude that results in controlled reactions.
Consider these people whom the Bible describes as being meek:
Abraham
Moses
David
Jesus
They all did brave and courageous things

When Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek,” He was commending those who had surrendered their strong, self-will to the authority of God in their daily lives.
The meek surrender to God’s will.
They respond to the slightest tug of His rein, no matter how strong or powerful they may be.

Someone: “Meekness is allowing the One who is meek and lowly at heart to rule our lives, our emotions, our behavior.”
Jesus promised the meek would “inherit the earth.”
Jesus was saying that the meek will share with Him as heirs of the Kingdom of God.

We think the assertive – the self-promoting – are the ones who will get ahead.
But Jesus promised that in His kingdom, those who are submissive to Him will inherit the leadership of the earth.

A HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Most of us in the United States have no real concept of real hunger or real thirst.
God has blessed us with an ample supply of food and abundant water supplies.

Isaiah 55:2 – “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what is does not satisfy?”
What are you hungry for?
What do you crave every day?
If I could read your mind what thoughts would you be most focused on?

Are you hungry for wealth, popularity, status, sex, pleasure, golf, fishing, shopping?
What are you passionate about?
Jesus said that we’re blessed when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. We receive God’s favor if we hunger and thirst to be close to Him and live like Him

When you’re a spiritual child you don’t have much of an appetite for spiritually healthy food.
You want junk food.
You pig out on emotion and excitement.
But when you mature spiritually, you hunger for the worship of God, the fellowship with Christian people, and the study of God’s Word.

1^st Peter 2:2-3 says that we ought to “crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Psalm 42:1-2 – “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
The Christian is hungry and thirsty to be close to the heart of God.

John 6:35 – “Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.’”
When Prodigal Son was hungry he turned to the husks that he was feeding the pigs. When he was starving he turned to his father.
Even though Moses had a close relationship to God, he asks God in Exodus. 33:13 – “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”

David in Psalm 63:1 – “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Moses, David and Paul already knew God in a very deep sense
But what they meant was that they wanted to know Him more intimately, personally, and powerfully.
They had a hunger and thirst for God.
They had a passion for Him.

CONCLUSION:  Do you see how different the Christian is in attitude and spirit?
The world says, “Blessed are the rich, the proud, the self confident, they will get ahead.”
Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The world says, “Blessed are the funny, the light-hearted, the positive thinkers, they will be popular.”
Jesus says, “Blessed are those who are genuinely sorry for their sins; I will comfort them with grace and forgiveness.”

The world says, “Blessed are the independent thinkers, the assertive. They will gain respect from people and be powerful.”
Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek who humbly submit their strengths to my authority; they will inherit the earth.”

The world says, “Blessed are those who are hungry for success, the ‘Type A’
personalities who are ambitious enough to make their mark in the world.”
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are hungry for a relationship with me; they will be filled.”

Everything the world has to offer you will leave you empty, guilty, but only Jesus forgives, saves, and satisfies.
Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”