Beatitudes --- Blessed and Broken

Today we begin an eight-week, summer series on the Beatitudes. Many people have suggested that this section could be called “Beautiful Attitudes of the Kingdom,” “The Character of the Kingdom,” “The Manifesto of the Kingdom,” (and, Norm, you will love this one) “The Norms of the Kingdom.” I’m calling our series: “The Beatitudes --- Blessed and Broken.” Starting next week, we will look at the eight Beatitudes. Today we will have an overview of the opening of Jesus’ most famous sermon called the “Sermon on the Mount.”

Before we get started with our text, let’s set the stage and take a look at the Book of Matthew for a few minutes. The Gospel of Matthew was viewed as the most important Gospel by the early church, and is the most frequently quoted Gospel by writers of the first three centuries. The main audience for the book of Matthew was the Jewish people. It contains at least 130 direct references to the Old Testament. The book of Matthew shows that Jesus is the messianic King of Old Testament prophecy, hence, all of the references contained within Matthew’s Gospel.

Matthew’s Gospel records 20 of Jesus’ miracles, 3 of which are found only in this Gospel (the story of two blind men healed are recorded in Matt. 9:27–31; in Matthew 9:32–33 we have the record of the healing of a man possessed by a devil; and in chapter17:24–27 teaches us about the miracle of money in the mouth of a fish.)

Perhaps -- the most striking feature of this Gospel, however, is the fact that while it affirms the Old Testament prophecy of Jesus as Israel’s promised King, it also presents Him as -- a Servant. Chapter three of Matthew records the preaching of John the Baptist, who announces the coming of the Messiah, as he shouts in the wilderness, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:1-2) Chapter three also records the story of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist and we are told that the heavens were opened, the spirit of God descended like a dove, and a voice from heaven spoke saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

After the baptism of Christ, we are told that Jesus is driven to the wilderness where He is tempted by the devil after 40 days of fasting. First, the devil tells him to turn the stones into bread and Jesus responds by saying, “It is written: Man does not live by bread alone.” (Matthew 4:4) Next, Jesus is taken to the heights of the temple and is told to throw himself down so that his angels would protect him. Jesus responds again, “It is written: Do not put the Lord you God to the test.” (Matthew 4:7) The last temptation of Christ comes in the way of his worship. The devil tells him if Jesus would worship him, he would give Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.” Jesus tells the devil again, “It is written: Worship the Lord you God and serve Him only.” (Matthew 4:10) We can learn a great lesson right here: when times are tough, when you are being tested—simply say, “IT IS WRITTEN…” and quote your favorite bible verse. Example: “It is written that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

After the wilderness temptations, Jesus began his ministry by calling his disciples to “Come, follow me.” (Matthew 4:19-20) Peter, Andrew, James and John leave their boats, their nets, their families and their careers, their hopes, their dreams and their future in order to follow this teacher.

So What? Will you drop everything when Jesus calls you and follow?

We are told at the end of chapter four of Matthew that “Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23) Teaching, preaching, and healing--WOW! What great news! This is where we are before the great teaching of the Beatitudes called “the Sermon on the Mount!” Let us listen for God’s Word to us today and let’s pray. “Father, May Your word be alive and redemptive in our hearts! May Your living Word bring teaching, preaching, and healing into our lives. May we learn over the next eight weeks what it means to be “Blessed and Broken!” Amen.”

Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes

1. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Look back at Matthew 4:23 for a minute. It is a summary statement of Jesus' earthly ministry: "And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people." One way to restate this verse would be to say that Jesus made it his ministry to preach the coming of the kingdom, teach the way of the kingdom, and demonstrate the purpose and power of the kingdom by healing the sick. Preaching the Kingdom, teaching the Kingdom and healing the Kingdom. (Jac says this is a pretty good mission statement.)

Now turn to Matthew 9:35. Almost verbatim we find the same summary: "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.”

What is sandwiched between these two summary descriptions of Jesus' ministry, between chapters 4 and 9? We see two major sections: chapters 5-7 are a collection of Jesus' teaching called “the Sermon on the Mount”; and chapters 8 and 9 are a collection of stories mainly about his healing ministry.

So what? It appears what we have is a five-chapter SUMMER SERIES unit designed by Matthew to present us with typical teachings of the Lord concerning the way of the kingdom, and to present us with typical healings and miracles in order to demonstrate the power of the kingdom.

Over the next eight weeks, we will walk slowly through the teaching on the Beatitudes. It is my prayer that we will learn to know and live these beautiful beatitudes in our lives. It is my prayer that we will come to know what it means to be “Blessed and Broken.” During the next eight weeks, we will see, hear, listen and understand the true meaning of happiness. “Happy are the Humble! Happy are the Sad! Happy are the Meek! Happy are the Hungry! Happy are the Merciful! Happy are the Holy! Happy are the Peacemakers! Happy are the Harassed!”

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “happiness?” Webster defines “happiness” this way: “favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate; having, showing or causing a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, joy, gladness pleased.”[i] Are you happy? Does happiness radiate from the core of your life? One of the last definitions that Webster gives is “intoxicated.” The word happy and happiness is used 96 times in the Bible.

“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked.” Psalm 1:1

“Happy are all who take refuge in God.” Psalm 2:12

“Happy are those whose transgression are forgiven.” Psalm 32:1

“Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity.” Psalm 32:2

“Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12

“Happy are those who make the Lord their trust.” Psalm 40:4

“Happy are those who consider the poor, live in His house, whose strength is in God, who trust in God, who know the festal shout, who observe justice, whose ways are blameless, and keep His decrees” ---- happy --- happy --- happy are we who know the Lord!

The Greek word for “happiness” is the word “makarios” which is translated “happy or blessed!” The meaning in the Greek means “supremely blest; by extension, fortunate, well off.”[ii] Eight times Jesus uses the word “makarios” to teach us the meaning of having a “blessed, happy fortunate, joyful life.” The Beatitudes are Kingdom teachings on how to be happy!

In this sermon Jesus uses the word “blessed” and means “happy” -- not in the world’s sense, of course, for the happiness of the world is a superficial happiness that depends on circumstance. Jesus is telling His listeners how we can be deeply, spiritually and profoundly happy and how we can maintain this happiness even during life’s disappointments and hard times.

During the 2007-2008 NFL regular season, New England Patriots' quarterback, Tom Brady, set the record for the most touchdown passes in a regular season, paving the way for winning the NFL MVP award. At the age of 30, he has won three Super Bowls—an accomplishment that sets him apart as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Tom Brady sat down for a 2007 television interview with 60 Minutes journalist Steve Kroft. Despite his fame and career accomplishments, Brady told Kroft that it felt like something was still lacking in his life: Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there's something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, 'Hey man, this is what it's all about.”' I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me? I think, 'It's got to be more than this.' I mean this isn't—this can't be—all it's cracked up to be."

Kroft pressed Brady as to what the right answer was, and Brady added: What's the answer? I wish I knew… I love playing football, and I love being quarterback for this team. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of other parts about me that I'm trying to find.[iii] Recently, there’s been several famous people who took their own life. From the outside, it appeared that they had everything they needed but inside they craved to know more.

The world’s standards of success have fooled many people and swallowed them up in an unhappy life. Jesus’ new way of living comes from a new way of thinking and our new way of thinking comes from a new way of living.

SO WHAT

As I have been thinking over these passages the past few weeks, I have come up with this illustration. Who knows more about a product than the manufacturer of that product? How often do you buy something new, rip open the box, throw the instructions off to the side and begin to use your new power tool, light, toy, computer or whatever you just purchased? The manufacturer prints the manuals in order to explain what the item is designed to do and not do, how it is to be cared for, what the limitations are, and so on. God has made every human being, yet few turn to their Maker to find their meaning, purpose and fulfillment in their lives. Many of us don’t look to our Maker to learn how to live, how to take care of ourselves, how we can function properly and how we can be happy, as we were designed to be. Just think about Tom Brady with all his Super Bowl rings--still looking for happiness—and look at the recent deflate scandal! Life has to be more than winning Super Bowls.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit at the bedside of a man who was dying of cancer. He told me that he knew that he would not ever be getting out of his bed. He told me he had lived his life loving the Lord and that he knew where he was going. He said, “I am ready to go home.” He wasn’t afraid to die. He asked me to share communion with him one more time. Because of the advance of the cancer, he was not able to eat much or swallow. So, I dipped the juice from the cup onto one of those sponges that the nurses use to wet his mouth. He took the sponge and whispered, “Praise the Lord --- Praise the Lord --- Praise the Lord.” Three times I dipped the sponge and three times he took the juice and three times he whispered, “Praise the Lord.” This man knew the secret to happiness. He had lived a life of the beatitudes. He was happy—even in his dying moment.

Here's a side note, the ministry is really all about getting us ready for death. The ministry is about preaching Jesus, teaching Jesus and letting the miracles of Jesus heal us. I’ve been to more bedsides than I can count. Looking back, I want you to know that I find the same kind of blessedness at the bedsides of those who die knowing where they are going, who die having served the Lord. Those who live without Jesus seem to struggle when it’s time to go but those who know the Lord, who’ve lived for the Lord—I know it sounds crazy—but there’s a peace, a joy, a blessedness that permeates them and the room as they pass from this life into the next. The bible tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I want us to know about this kind of happiness so over the next eight weeks we will journey through the eight beatitudes.

We are going to look at the owner’s manual (the Bible) of how to live a blessed, fully happy, fortunate, joyful life. I think we will all be surprised to learn that to be blessed is synonymous with being broken! I pray we will come to understand the true meaning of happiness, as my friend shared with me, “Praise the Lord.” May our Summer Season be a Season of Jesus’ teaching, preaching and healing.

Questions to ask myself:

1. Where do I need Jesus preaching, teaching and healing in my life?

2. What are the 8 beatitudes?

3. Where are these 8 beatitudes found?

4. Am I ready to read the manual? Am I ready to live what I learn?

5. Is winning all there is? Is winning everything to me or do I want to be happy?

6. Am I basically happy with my life? Am I chasing fame or fortune? Am I living my life for God?

7. For the disciples, Jesus stopped by their place of work and said, “Follow Me.” Am I ready to follow?

Let us pray:

Lord God, creator, sustainer and giver of life, blessed are the poor, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are those who are meek, blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, and blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Amen

The Seed Christian Fellowship

Rancho Cucamonga, California 91739

www.theseedchristianfellowship.com

June 24, 2018

Pastor Dave Peters

[i] David Guralnik, Ed; Webster’s New World Dictionary, Simon & Schuster, 1984

[ii] W. E. Vine, Merril F. Unger, William White, Jr, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985

[iii] www.cbsnews.com & 60 Minutes, CBS, 2007

Questions to ask myself:

1. Where do I need Jesus preaching, teaching and healing in my life?

2. What are the 8 beatitudes?

3. Where are these 8 beatitudes found?

4. Am I ready to read the manual? Am I ready to live what I learn?

5. Is winning all there is? Is winning everything to me or do I want to be happy?

6. Am I basically happy with my life? Am I chasing fame or fortune? Am I living my life for God?

7. For the disciples, Jesus stopped by their place of work and said, “Follow Me.” Am I ready to follow?

Questions to ask myself:

1. Where do I need Jesus preaching, teaching and healing in my life?

2. What are the 8 beatitudes?

3. Where are these 8 beatitudes found?

4. Am I ready to read the manual? Am I ready to live what I learn?

5. Is winning all there is? Is winning everything to me or do I want to be happy?

6. Am I basically happy with my life? Am I chasing fame or fortune? Am I living my life for God?

7. For the disciples, Jesus stopped by their place of work and said, “Follow Me.” Am I ready to follow?

Questions to ask myself:

1. Where do I need Jesus preaching, teaching and healing in my life?

2. What are the 8 beatitudes?

3. Where are these 8 beatitudes found?

4. Am I ready to read the manual? Am I ready to live what I learn?

5. Is winning all there is? Is winning everything to me or do I want to be happy?

6. Am I basically happy with my life? Am I chasing fame or fortune? Am I living my life for God?

7. For the disciples, Jesus stopped by their place of work and said, “Follow Me.” Am I ready to follow?

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