Mindset is Everything

Mindset is Everything Mindset is Everything Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Attitudes; Mind and Attitude; Blessing and Cursing; Crowd hearing the Beatitudes (Luke) / Luke 6:20-26 When it comes to getting healthy and fit we need to adopt the proper mindset to be prepared for the challenges to come. With the proper mindset we are able to focus on the goal and use that to help us endure what it takes to get to the goal. Luke now brings us to a sermon from Jesus about the mindset necessary for His disciples. As a disciple your mindset will determine your growth in Christ. Introduction 1. Did you know that becoming CrossFit or fit in general requires a specific mindset? a. You have to have the right values in mind and the right expectations i. Most diets fail or yoyo for a couple of reasons 1. The idea that its temporary and then you will go back to eating like before 2. Not deciding to deal with the issue of feeling hungry or deprived ii. Most exercise plans fail for a couple of reasons 1. Not expecting to have to work hard - most people's exercise plans revolve around not sweating too much or at all 2. Not preparing yourself for the soreness and tiredness and needing to continue to work through it day after day b. Without the proper mindset it becomes too hard - or not worth it - or we convince ourselves it doesnt work i. The ones who become crossfit - are those who adopt it and make it their lifestyle - they embrace the soreness, tiredness, the leg days! 1. No pain no gain 2. Pain is weakness leaving the body ii. The ones who lose tons of weight through proper diet and exercise and maintain and keep off the weight will tell you - they never go back to eating the way they used to - they prepared themselves to know this is a permanent change 2. Luke brings us to a sermon from Jesus that is sometimes referred to as the sermon on the plain a. It has some similarities to the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5 but whether these two sermons are different or the same - doesnt matter - the point of Jesus message here is that His disciples need to have the proper mindset b. Jesus challenges our mindset in order to prepare us for the life we will live as His disciples i. We know it is for His disciples because - verse 20 tells us ii. It is this mindset that will go a long way towards them - and us this morning - enduring the circumstances we will face. iii. The mindset we have determines if we ever experience the blessedness of the Christian life - if we are to become CrossFit › SLIDE Luke 6:20-21 CSB 20 Then looking up at his disciples, he said: Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours. 21 Blessed are you who are now hungry, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh. › SLIDE Luke 6:22-23 CSB 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man. 23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. Take note-your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets. › SLIDE Luke 6:24-26 CSB 24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets. › SLIDE Blessed Through Pain › SLIDE Luke 6:20-22 CSB 20 Then looking up at his disciples, he said: Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours. 21 Blessed are you who are now hungry, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man. › SLIDE Luke 6:23 CSB 23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. Take note-your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets. Blessed - makarioi common in the Gospels - 30 times it is used and all but two occurences are in Matthew and Luke. Blessed - makarioi - happy - but this is in the truest, godly sense of the word. Not modern sense merely being directly related to circumstance and what is happening Instead of happy perhaps we may think of "favored" more of a thought for thought translation. Jesus speaks to His disciples about those who are blessed by being the object of God's favor. › SLIDE To be blessed is to be a recipient of God's favor Remember this the next time you tell someone you are blessed - because you and I who know Christ can always declare we are blessed for we have received and continue to receive God's favor through Jesus Christ! 1. Blessed are the Poor a. Poor or needy, destitute, beggar - this is speaking of one who recognizes their situation of dire need › SLIDE Psalm 40:17 CSB 17 I am oppressed and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and my deliverer; my God, do not delay. › SLIDE Psalm 86:1 CSB 1 Listen, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. › SLIDE Psalm 109:22 CSB 22 For I am suffering and needy; my heart is wounded within me. b. Jesus when speaking of the poor is speaking of one who knows they are not self-sufficient, but must look outside themselves to meet their needs. i. In Matthew 5 - Jesus speaks of the poor in spirit › SLIDE Matthew 5:3 CSB 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. ii. Those who have a poverty of spirit is who Jesus is speaking of 1. The ones who would recognize that they have zero spiritual assets and know they are spiritually bankrupt 2. Jesus is not speaking of one's economic status - for you could be rich and poor in spirit iii. No one would read the Psalms and hear the words of David and think he was speaking of his economic status 1. Consider these proverbs › SLIDE Proverbs 3:34 CSB 34 He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble. › SLIDE Proverbs 16:19 CSB 19 Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud. a. Both of these proverbs use the term poor as humble - the poor inspirit are the humble c. There are disciples who are blessed - it is possible to be a blessed disciple and be not economically poor but spiritually poor i. Everyone can be poor in spirit › SLIDE Spurgeon "Not what I have, but what I have not, is the first point of contact, between my soul and God." ii. The poor are those who know they cannot rely on themselves and that they must rely on God - completely and totally - they must beg of God d. Those who come to God spiritually poor - receive the kingdom of God i. The reward of begging spiritually is receiving the kingdom of God ii. Only by a beggar's reliance on God and what He has done through Jesus Christ 2. Blessed are the Hungry a. hungry - famished without food starved - metaphorically it means to hunger after something other than literal food - a longing for i. A person who is hungry - is seeking and looking for food to satisfy their appetite ii. Their emptiness drives them and gives them focus - they will not be satisifed with less than b. Jesus is not speaking of the physically hungry - although hunger is used to remind us of the need to nourish our souls - i.e. fasting i. Real devoted passion - like pangs of hunger - it is so strong 1. It is a natural, intense, driving force - and a sign of health - we look to one's appetite as a symptom of illness 2. We may never experience what true hunger is - for we live in today's western society - but the pangs of hunger were a daily thing in ancient times and in much of the 3rd world today ii. In Matthew again we find a closer idea to what Jesus is pointing His disciples to › SLIDE Matthew 5:6 CSB 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 1. Hunger and thirst for righteousness - this is a hunger and thirst for justice, for goodness - for the things of God and for God Himself! › SLIDE Psalm 42:1-2 CSB 1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? › SLIDE Psalm 63:1 CSB 1 God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. › SLIDE Deuteronomy 8:3 CSB 3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. › SLIDE 1 Peter 2:2 CSB 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation, › SLIDE John 6:27 CSB 27 Don't work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him." c. Do you long for righteousness? i. Longing to be made righteous? ii. Wanting to be sanctified and holy before God? iii. Longing to continue in God's righteousness? iv. Longing to see righteousness restored in the world? d. Jesus says if you hunger and thirst for these things you will be filled i. Jesus promises that He will satisfy your cravings › SLIDE John 6:35 CSB 35 "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again. ii. Something strangely unique in this promise of Jesus to fulfill us › SLIDE In Christ we are both satisfied and still kept longing for more 3. Blessed are the Mourning a. Jesus says that those who weep now are blessed i. Jesus is not asking His disciples to be crying over everything or to be forever sad ii. This is a godly sorrow - that is broken over sin and corruption and leads us to repentance › SLIDE 2 Corinthians 7:10 CSB 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death. › SLIDE James 4:9-10 CSB 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. b. Those who weep now in this world - those who are crushed in spirit can know something special of God - fellowship of His sufferings › SLIDE Isaiah 53:3 CSB 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn't value him. › SLIDE Philippians 3:8 CSB 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ › SLIDE Philippians 3:10 CSB 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, i. Our faith is not a tear less faith - there is much for our soul to mourn and weep over 1. Our sin - our helpless state 2. The grace and mercy of God 3. The suffering of Christ on our behalf 4. The lost state of the world › SLIDE - Spurgeon "I do not believe in that faith which has not a tear in its eye when it looks to Jesus. Dry-eyed faith seems to me to be bastard faith, not born of the Spirit of God" c. Jesus says those who mourn shall laugh i. The one who does grieve their spiritual condition can genuinely laugh when God makes things right › SLIDE Psalm 30:5 CSB 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning. › SLIDE Revelation 7:17 CSB 17 For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. › SLIDE Revelation 21:4 CSB 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. 4. Blessed are you when Rejected a. It doesnt say rejected here but thats what you are left with when you take the sum of what Jesus is saying here. i. Blessed are you when people hate you, exclude you, insult you, slander your name as evil 1. the last part is the key to this - because of the Son of Man a. If they do any of this for any other reason - its on you - but if its because you follow Jesus and proclaim Jesus than Jesus says you are blessed 2. Its a hard thought to think that we will be hated because of Jesus › SLIDE You can be righteous and good and the world will still hate you a. It is not a fair hatred but Jesus says dont consider your self cursed and hated by God but that we must see ourselves as blessed by God i. The world hating you is only confirming that you have Jesus › SLIDE Mark 13:13 CSB 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. › SLIDE John 15:18 CSB 18 "If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. › SLIDE John 15:19 CSB 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. ii. Early church and Christians suffered greatly by false accusations and slander 1. They were accused of heinous things a. Cannibalism b. Immorality c. Revolutionary Fanaticism or Extremism d. Splitting families e. Treason f. Arson › SLIDE - William MacDonald These things that in themselves would be a curse become a blessing when willingly endured for Him. But the motive must be love for Christ; otherwise the most heroic sacrifices are worthless b. Not only does Jesus say you are blessed but He also says that in that day we can rejoice and leap for joy i. Our reward is great in heaven 1. This world is not meant to be our reward - our best life is not now 2. Our reward is in heaven - rejoice and leap for joy › SLIDE Cursed In Comfort › SLIDE Luke 6:24-26 CSB 24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets. Just as Jesus declared BLESSED - now He declares WOE - and He is not slowing down horses - but He is saying wait a minute now you must also understand WOE - horror and disaster - an expression of regret and compassion - not a threat The woes of Jesus are just as upside down as His blessings. What Jesus says is a woe we dont usually see as a woe - but spiritually speaking these things are a horror and disaster. 1. Woe to the Rich a. What is rich? These woes appear to be antithetical to Jesus' blessings i. The rich then are those who have no sense of want - they are arrogant, haughty and prideful ii. Self sufficient and continue to look to themselves to fulfill and accomplish - before God they have the attitude of I dont need you or your mercy and grace 1. The rich are those who say I can do it on my own - the proud › SLIDE Psalm 138:6 CSB 6 Though the LORD is exalted, he takes note of the humble; but he knows the haughty from a distance. › SLIDE Proverbs 29:23 CSB 23 A person's pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor. › SLIDE Matthew 23:12 CSB 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. › SLIDE James 4:6 CSB 6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. b. It is a woe because Jesus says - you have received your comfort and there is no comfort coming from God - because the proud dont need Him - there will be no comfort from the riches either 2. Woe to those who are Full a. Full - filled or satisifed i. Jesus is speaking to those who are satisfied by the world and the things the world has to offer. ii. Those who are full have no sense of need or longing › SLIDE What the world offers is like candy and it is possible to gorge ourselves on the pleasures of life we have no appetite for God. b. You will be hungry i. Just as candy has empty calories - so also the pleasures of this world ii. This world cannot satisfy - and if we eat of it we will hunger again › SLIDE - Jim Carey "I hope that everybody could get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of so that they will know its not the answer." › SLIDE - DeMar DeRozan People say, "What are you depressed about? You can buy anything you want." I wish everyone in the world was rich so they would realize money isn't everything. 3. The Amused a. Laughing now means life is full and exciting i. This person has no sense of lacking or sense of needing to weep ii. Their joy is all they see - the problems of the world are not their own and they have nothing to be broken over 1. No brokenness and no desire for repentance › SLIDE - Billy Joel I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints Definitely not a theologian - woe to those who laugh with sinners and enjoy sin while they can b. Woe because this one will mourn and weep i. This is one who is identified with sin and sinners 4. The Accepted by Men a. We have a desire to be liked and we want to be beloved b. But the love of men comes at the exclusion of God i. Beware when all people speak well of you ii. This was how their ancestors treated the false prophets as well Conclusion Jesus spoke to His disciples and delivered to them truth they need to hear and heed and not something that their ears wanted to hear, that which they - and WE - NEED to hear › SLIDE What you seek and pursue now - determines what you will have in the future What is your mindset? To escape discomfort now or to endure discomfort now? › SLIDE 2 Corinthians 4:17 CSB 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. The challenge here is what is your mindset - ease and comfort or holiness and enduring? Notice the descriptive words with each of these beatitudes and woes - it is speaking of those who have these things now - that the reward or danger is the future • NOW and WILL BE We must change our mindset - it is a paradox to consider ourselves favored by God in such terrible circumstances but if we stop looking for our reward in this life we are able to live for God as His disciples and our reward in heaven will be great. We must change our mindset from the world's values - to be independent, self-made and self sufficient to fill ourselves, to seek pleasure now and desire the praise of men God's blessing is for those who are God-dependent, hungry, mourning and are reviled by men and favored by God Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 10:55 AM December 14, 2019.