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May 14, 2020 4:00 am
Jesus is saying the first thing you gotta say is I can't.
I can't do it. I can the absence of self-assurance. The absence of self-reliance just to get this. Was he calling his followers to a life of social activism to helping the homeless and starving. Was he addressing something entirely different from physical needs. Get ready. Today's lesson may give you a fresh and challenging perspective on what it means to be a Christian as John MacArthur shows you what Jesus meant when he said blessed are the poor in spirit stay here on grace to you as John continues his study titled simply, the Beatitudes follow along. Now, with John MacArthur. Take your Bible with well let's look at Matthew chapter 5 together. Matthew chapter 5.
Let's look at verse three Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven so basic, so necessary, it doesn't mean poor spirited in the sense of lacking enthusiasm.
It doesn't mean lazy or quiet or indifferent or passive. It doesn't mean that all the poor in spirit individual is one with no sense of self-sufficiency. He is bankrupt. We get illustration.
Look at me.
Luke 18 Luke 18 in verse nine we read a story. I spoke this parable under certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised other, there are the opposite of the poor in spirit hear the proud in spirit who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others will do it on her own. Got all the resources, etc. two men went up into the temple to pray the want to Pharisee the other tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you that I'm not as other men extortion. Her son Justin builders and even as this rotten tax collector over here I fast twice in the week.
I give Tom is a bowl that I present in the tax collector, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven like a big stringent you will look he won't even look at me, cringes any pizzas brass nieces God merciful to me when I hear the diagnosis. Jesus gave I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.
For everyone that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. Listen that's clear is a letter here. It's the broken and the contrite, blessed are the baggers says Jesus, blessed are those who spirit is destitute, blessed are the spiritual poppers.
The spiritually empty the spiritually bankrupt to cringe and acquire and cry out to God for mercy and a happy why because they're the only ones who tap the real resource for happiness.
They're the only ones who ever know God they're the only ones who ever know God's blessedness and theirs is the kingdom. James put it this way that sin is not just the sermon on the mount. James said it he said in James 410 humble yourselves in the sight of God and he will what lift you up. The poverty here is not a poverty against which the will rebels but it's a poverty under which the will bows and deep dependence and submission. I'm afraid is a rather unpopular doctrine in the church today emphasize celebrities and experts in superstars and rich famous Christians.
Happiness is for the humble Gideon Judges 615, became aware of his inadequacy and he said old lore, wherewith shall I save Israel all my family is poor and Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. You must have the wrong address and the Lord said, the Lord is with the thou mighty man of valor, you know, the mightiest man of valor is the man who knows that in himself, he is impotent.
That was the spirit of Moses, God said Moses I want to leave my people. He was so desperately unworthy of the task. He was so horribly fearfully conscious of his inadequacy and his insufficiency that God used them was the heart of David when he said Lord my God, since come to me. We see it with Peter aggressive self assertive confident, by nature, and he says the part for me oh Lord, for I am a sinful man, the beginning of the beginning for Peter the apostle Paul recognized in his flesh is no good thing he was the chief of sinners, a blasphemer, a persecutor, everything he had was done refuse all things.
He counted lost no confidence in the flesh.
He was sufficient for nothing. His strength was made perfect then in his week was when you admit your weakness when you admit your nothingness. That's not the end. That's the beginning but that watch. It is the hardest thing you will ever do the hardest thing you will ever do. Jesus is saying the first thing you gotta say is I can't.
I can't do it. I can't. That's probably is.
Were in spirit, the absence of pride.
The absence of self-assurance. The absence of self-reliance. There must be an emptying before there can be a filling happiness is the way to live people, not just to get say, but this is the way to live some of the great truth. The simply state the first principle of the sermon on the Mount is that you can't do it by yourself as a new lifestyle to live and that new lifestyle promises eternal happiness for you, but you can't do it by yourself so that the only standard for living is for those who know they can't do it.
This concept is seen. I think in the first, giving the law signer. When God gave his law. I think with me. God gave his law on Mount Sinai. There were no to be no idols, no adultery, no stealing, no murder, you know, and so forth very false with but even while God was giving it the people were down below breaking right God is giving it to Moses and Aaron was leading them in an orgy surrendered to start yet the fact that God's standards are not within the realm of man's possibility some of the people of Israel recognize that they recognize they weren't keeping God's standards.
So they gave sacrifices and they can faster they came late and God in his sweet grace for gave them, but there were other ones who thought they could do it so they boast in their self-righteousness and they began to try to keep the law. Well, I couldn't do either, so they whittled the lot down and that's why the rabbi started adding traditions. They piled traditions up because the traditions were easier to keep than the law of God. Listen, the law that is grown up around the tour of the Talmudic law the Jewish law that is grown up around the tort of the true love of God is nothing more than a little down standard so that men could at least have some sense of satisfaction now. The rabbi said they were trying to protect the law of God, but the fact was, they were lowering the requirements so that when Jesus arrived on the scene they were doing great with the permit. And they were living in daily violation of the true love God.
You see, there were some people who thought they could do it but they couldn't and the ones who knew God were the ones who said we can't, God, and humbly and tentatively they offered sacrifices of confession God forgive. Same with the sermon on this is the law. This is the way to live but you can't do. You gotta recognize by the power the Holy Spirit dependence on Jesus Christ. You got desire, and then you got a deal with your failures in humble contrition, confession, Jesus put the standard up there.
We should be perfect as my father in heaven is perfect is unless your righteousness exceeds that peripheral whittled down righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees are not to be my kingdom you substituted Matthew 59 says the traditions of men for the commandments of God, to make the whole purpose of loss. He watch the purpose of the sermon on the Mount is the same as the purpose of Sinai is to show you can't make the sermon on the mount was to show them they couldn't make it and they had to come to poverty of spirit and total dependence on God.
You can't just present the standards to an unregenerate man expecting the little you can't preach the sermon on the mount doing unregenerate person and expect them. The 11th Ave. nature Dell begins with poverty of spirit. So we asked two questions why does Christ begin with this because it's the beginning.
What is it mean it means humility, poverty of spirit.
What is the result will look and see theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Pronunciation is fantastic. There is the kingdom of heaven.
This is an announcement folks not wish this is that the errors and by the way Verizon hello Ms. the thrust just there is a kingdom of heaven belong to just the poor in spirit that's exciting. And by the way, it's a present tense verb. There is mine.
Ours is the kingdom not just talking about the millennial. Someday it's going to be.
It's yours now there is a future millennium in which the kingdom promises become full-blown fully realized. But the kingdom is now the reign of Christ is now happiness is now blessed. This is now the kingdom of heaven is the reading of Christ. It has a future messianic aspect has a right now aspect.
We are now kingdom of priests, we are now subjects of Jesus Christ. We are now over comers. We have already it says in Ephesians 2 been seated together in heavenly places. The recipient of all of his grace in kindness from now throughout forever.
We have the grace now watch it. We have the grace now.
The grace of the kingdom we have the glory, later the kingdom as I see it is grace and glory.
Grace now.
Lori later.
What a tremendous you know what it is people to possess the kingdom. That's what the word means to possess you possess the kingdom is yours.
The rule of Christ. The reign of Christ and what that means your his subject. He takes care of he gives you what you need. He fulfills every need of your heart.
Someone is written, he keeps us abundantly full, full of grace, mercy, and strength. Whatever is ahead in the kingdom.
He now in the present provides for us a vast abundance of riches. He is ever faithful to us and makes us unutterably glad that we are his in spirit we are rich we have all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, it's here now and someday even more will to more questions faces if this is basic and so bored, and if it means humility spiritual bankruptcy sense of total inability you and I might add. There is nothing there is nothing as sickening. There is nothing as nauseating to the heart of God as spiritual pride. It violates this whole thing is the worst when you think you have arrived at spirituality based on your own function in any two final questions. How do we become poor in spirit, say, Jon, I see the message here before for how to become worse. Well don't begin by trying to do it by yourself. That was the folly of monasticism.
They all thought they could be poor in spirit by going somewhere selling other possessions, but not crummy old rope and sit in a monastery somewhere and owning no that was the folly of asceticism, monasticism, they thought they could deny themselves in that way and attain this and by the way, you can do by looking yourself. Also, you can't do it by looking at other people.
I don't try to find somebody else will set the standard for it is only one place to look if you want to become poor in spirit. That's a concentrate on God. That's the first look at God's word faces person in its pages look at Christ look at Christ constant education. Jesus Christ, you lose yourself, you lose yourself second, not only look at God of three little principal if you're going to know what it is to be poor in spirit look at God, not you, not anybody else. We got to starve the flesh starve the flesh, nor even the ministries even the ministries of this generation feed on pride in so many cases we have to seek the things that struck the flesh naked.
I'd say is third. These are things I see my own life.
I got a look at God all the time. Secondly, I got a starve. My flesh, but there's 1/3 thing that I think is simple ask will be poor in spirit asked there's one thing about a bigger she's always what asking your nose and only ask the Lord said the center, be merciful to me sooner. Jesus said that man will just happy is the bigger in the spirit.
He's the one who possesses the kingdom.
Why did Jesus begin with this because the bottom line.
What is it mean it means to be spiritually bankrupt and know it.
What is a result you become a possessor of the kingdom here now and forever. How do you become poor in spirit look at God starve your flesh and ask they didn't mind a bit final question, how will I know if I am putting off records. And you know you need to take into her.
How do you really know to give you seven principles that determine quick how do I know if I'm poor in spirit number one you will be weaned from yourself, you will be weaned from yourself. Psalm 131 two puts it this way. My soul is even as a weaned child. What a great thought, one who is poor in spirit loses a sense of self. Self is gone, it's gone. All you think about is God's glory and others underneath self is going your weaned from self.
Number two, you will be lost in the wonder of Christ.
You will be lost in the wonder of Christ. You will be in second Corinthians 318 gazing at his glory, you will be saying show me the Lord and it suffices you will be saying I will be satisfied when I awakened I like this lost in the wonder of Christ. Third, if you are poor in spirit. You will never complain about your situation. Never you know why you don't deserve anything anyway, right. What if you got off. In fact, the deeper you go the sweeter the grace the more you need.
The more abundantly.
He provides when you lack everything you're in a position to receive all grace.
There are no distractions, you will suffer without murmur because you deserve nothing, and yet at the same time, he will seek his grace. How do you know if you're poor in spirit, your be wean from yourself lost in the wonder of Christ and you'll never complain about your situation because the deeper you get sweeter, the grace fourth, you will see only the excellencies of others and only your own weakness, you will see only the excellencies of others and only your own weakness, poor in spirit.
The truly humble is the only one who has to look up to everybody else fifth you will spend much time in prayer. Why, because a bigger is always begging. He knocks very often at Heaven's Gate and he doesn't let go until he is blessed one know if you're poor in spirit are you weaned from yourself. Are you lost in the wonder of Christ are you never complaining no matter what the situation you see only the excellencies of others and only your own weakness do you spend much time begging for grace six. If you're poor in spirit take Christ on his terms not yours.
You will take Christ on his terms not yours.
The proud center will have Christ at his pleasure, Christ and his covetousness Christ and his immorality. The poor in spirit is so desperate, he will give up anything just to get price.
See Thomas Watson says a castle that has long been besieged and is ready to be taken will deliver upon any terms to save its life. He was heart has been a garrison for the devil and has held out long and opposition against Christ when once God has brought into poverty of spirit, and he sees himself down without Christ.
Let God prosper. Let God offer and he will simply say Lord what will now have we to do he's right, someone who is poor in spirit takes Christ on Christ turn.
Finally, when you're poor in spirit.
You will praise and thank God for his grace. If ever there is a characteristic of someone poor in spirit. It is an overwhelming gratitude to God. Why because every single thing you have is a gift from him and so in first Timothy 114 says the beloved apostle Paul, the grace of our Lord was acceding to us. Those who are poor in spirit are filled with thanks, well, how do you measure why did the Beatitudes begin with this one because it's the foundation. What is it mean or deep sense of spiritual helplessness.
What is its result, the present possession of the kingdom of heaven. How do I become like this look to God starve the flesh, pray. How will I know if I'm there just shared it with you.
You be weaned from yourself lost in the wonder of Christ, never complaining of your situation, seeing only the excellency of others in your own weakness you will spend much time in prayer.
You will take Christ on his terms, and you will thank God for everything hymn writer sums it up for us. Nothing in my hand I bring us the rest simply to thy cross I cling but spring full father we pray that there would be no artificiality to our lives that we would not seek some self induced poverty, but that we would no real poverty of spirit or help us to know that, as Paul said, whatever we are.
We are by your grace and nothing more. We were blasphemers we were godless we were undeserving and still are, God help us to know only by your grace to exist in your kingdom. Wean us from ourselves, lose us in the wonder of Christ, we may be truly possessors of your blessedness to happiness such a way be so different from that it's obvious Christ. This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us today. John continued his in-depth look at the Beatitudes.
You know John as I listened to this study for Matthew.
It brings back great memories of when I first came to Grace Church you were preaching in the book of Matthew then you spent several years taking us through this rich book and even on your first Sunday as pastor of Grace Church you taught from Matthew seven in your message called how to play church as I think about it.
Matthew holds a significant place in the history of your pulpit ministry seven ongoing influence in your ministries at a fair statement. That's a very fair statement. I really think that when I went through Matthew for those in nine years that framed up my theology. I really whatever new bolts were low but loose got tightened up in Matthew i.e. I had been taught a certain thing about Matthew and about the sermon on the mount that it didn't apply to today and things like that.
I found that to be easy to reject based upon the obvious truth that was coming from the book of Matthew. So I really think my entire theology and my emphasis on false conversion and compared to true conversion really got tightened down in Matthew a and a whole lot of other things as well is a reason I think that Providence has put Matthew at the front of the of the skin of the New Testament because it does define theology and powerful and firm ways so that is absolutely true and I and I would suggest to look we live in a culture now were you can go to church for a lot of months and maybe a lot of years and not really have a good theology you can hear sentimental messages and motivational talks and sort of spiritual messages lots of illustrations and but you may not really have a sound foundation of theology. There's not a better place to start than Matthew let me suggest this.
I've written commentaries on the entire New Testament. 34 volumes of them and Matthews in four volumes four volumes on Matthew. If you haven't read commentaries. This is a great new beginning in your life. This will reshape your spiritual life. High impact when you dig down deep into the life of our Lord as contained in the book of Matthew the life of Jesus, the power of Christ comes through in so many ways and that book and your theology will come together.
Great for studying the Bible. Read the commentary instead of a daily devotional book because of its continuity good for Sunday school teachers, pastor, Bible students 04 Volumes Great Way to start. You can order the four volumes from Grace to you and begin to collect all 34 or if you want to really go over the whole thing you can get all 34 volumes New Testament commentary series is available. Contact us today. Yes. Don't settle for a surface understanding of Scripture, especially when it comes to the life of Christ. Get one or all four volumes of John's Matthew commentary when you place your order today. Each volume of the Matthew commentary is reasonably priced and shipping is free to order, call 855 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org again Jide TY.org and friend if something John said today about the blessings of following Christ is encouraged you. Would you let us know. It's always a joy to hear that friends like you are benefiting from these broadcasts it is helpful for us as we plan a radio schedule with it. Let us know that what were doing is hitting the mark. So, when you have a free moment. John a note and send it our way. You can send email to letters@jidety.org or write to Grace to you.
Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 and to order John's commentary on the book of Matthew for volume the entire New Testament commentary series, call us at 855 or go to our website Jide TY.org now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to tune in tomorrow when John looks at the sadness that leads to true happiness is continuing his study of the Beatitudes be here for another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time wasting