Broke
Matthew 5:3 “cBlessed are dthe poor in spirit: for etheirs is the kingdom of heaven.” [1]
I. Blessed Are
A. Poor
B. Spirit
II. Theirs Is
A. Now
B. Kingdom
III. Heaven
A. He
B. Is
Introduction: We say that we want revival but what does that really mean? To be revived back to the place where we think is right for us is not the revival of the Holy Spirit living within us. Those who were ecstatic on that first Palm Sunday didn’t understand revival. Many today do not understand. Unless you have been brought back from having no heartbeat, it is hard to understand what it means to be revived. That is why Solomon was insistent in Proverbs 3:5 when he said, “Lean not on your own understanding.”
Several weeks ago, we had a conversation about the things that this local church has endured. The comment was made that through it all this church never went broke. Merry Oaks has always been able to meet her financial responsibilities. Bills for utilities and maintenance expenses were paid and several missions have been supported.
This is indeed a blessing from God, but financial responsibility is not the mark of what makes a church. We are chosen to be something different apart from the world. Israel has always been God’s chosen. Once they were a world power, but petty jealousy created a divide that led to split kingdoms of Israel and Judah. They were taken into exile and defeated so that even today they are dependent on other nations.
When the Jews realized that Jesus might be the promised Messiah, they decided that He would bring them back into world prominence. That was never God’s intent. For the world to pay attention to the church so that the world might be led into our way of thinking is also not God’s intent. We are to be so dependent on God that the world might see the difference that Jesus makes in our lives.
Yes, we are supposed to satisfy our bills but there is a debt that we will never stop paying. Paul told us in Romans 13:8, “8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for nhe that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” [3] We worship the Risen Lord who overcame death on the cross to pay our debt of sin. He did not come that we might be able to have a comfortable existence here without being subservient to anyone.
Today we will consider what God expects from those who love Him, from those who are called for His purpose. He expects us to be broke. In fact, God demands that we are broke, or broken. Jesus rode into town that Palm Sunday on a donkey colt that was not broken. Yet, the donkey colt carried Jesus. That donkey colt was tamed for the task of carrying Jesus. For those who have never been around an unbroken beast of burden, this breaking might not sound very nice. An unbroken horse is pretty to look at running on a meadow, but that horse is worthless if a person expects to ride or use that horse to work for the purpose the owner has for that horse. That horse must be broken.
It goes to attitude. Today we will consider Jesus’ sermon on the mount. He began with what we have come to recognize as the Beatitudes. The word is derived from a Latin phrase but for me it is easier to think of what Shakespeare said, “To be or not to be.” Your choice of attitude totally depends on your choice of how you are going to be.
Scripture: The scripture for this message is Matthew 5:3. Please Stand Under the reading of God’s word.
Prayer: Please be seated.
Message: Here comes the flying lesson. There are three “As” that a person must consider when becoming an aviator. When you drive your car on the road there are many things to consider as well but not as many as when you leave the ground plane of this planet. A car goes according to the road that it rests upon. A flying thing can go up and down, right, or left, depending on the pilot’s control. The pilot must have aptitude to understand how to control the beast that is strapped to him/her. If you never leave the ground, then altitude is not an issue. If you are flying, you must maintain an altitude above whatever you might run into. Aptitude and altitude are the first two “As.” Attitude is the relationship between the ground plane and the flying machine. To stay at the same altitude means a straight and level attitude, otherwise you will fly into space or crash into the ground.
It is the same with everything really. Our relationship with others and with God depends on our attitude. If you decide to be angry all the time, if that is your attitude, you will never have a straight and level life. If you expect everything to go according to you, if that is your attitude you just might crash and burn. Today we will see what Jesus says He expects of us.
Listen to the words of Jesus.
Matthew 5:3,”cBlessed are dthe poor in spirit: for etheirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are fthey that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are gthe meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: hfor they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: ifor they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are kthe pure in heart: for lthey shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are mthey which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you †falsely, for my sake." [4]
Now let us examine each of these Beatitudes. Notice the difference in verses three and ten from the other verses. They all begin with blessed are, which is to say the present tense. We are blessed now to be in the attitude described by Jesus. We who are poor in spirit are blessed now. We talked about that highly spirited animal that is free to be on its own and cannot be counted on by the master who has need of it. We think of highly spirited people as being good. If you are always on your own mission, your mission will never be God’s mission. You must be poor in your self-sufficiency to be God sufficient. When that happens God can and will bless you.
The first of the Beattitudes is speaking in the present tense as to a person’s attitude. It is also speaking in the present tense about the result of that attitude. Theirs IS the kingdom of God. Now you are in the kingdom. There is no waiting line. God has no time restraint because God gave us time to limit us. He has no limit. It is His kingdom. It is His heaven. He is and always has been. He doesn’t depend on you or me or anything.
Yet He gives you heaven the moment you choose Him over your self-serving interests. You can’t see as He sees. He sees you in heaven with Him when you are not rich in your self-serving spirit. There is no waiting. He is ready to revive with His Holy Spirit when you are ready to give up. In God’s vision you are already there.
Those who mourn will one day be comforted. We who live this life will mourn the loss of loved ones. Jesus knows mourning. God comforts us in ways that no family and no friend can. It will not come instantaneously. Jesus knew that. But comfort will come with the realization that God keeps His promises.
The meek will inherit the earth. To inherit means that someone else had it but left it to you. You didn’t work for it but now it is yours. Don’t fight with your own understanding of right and wrong. Wait in the rest that God gives and in time you will have what you need from this world one day.
We watch and we wonder when this terror and torture will be over. When will babies stop dying for the sake of those who just don’t want to be bothered by them? We hunger and we thirst for righteousness for those who are downtrodden. Jesus promised that we will be filled with righteousness one eternal day.
There is not much mercy for the innocent anymore. We all make mistakes. God shows His mercy as Jesus prayed for on the cross when He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus promised that we will obtain mercy if we give mercy.
The next verse goes along with mercy. We make mistakes because we don’t know any better and then we receive mercy. If we learn what God does not allow and we keep ourselves apart from those things we are pure in heart. If we choose purity over the filth of this world, we will see God. Otherwise, we will only see the filth of this world.
Children see things differently because they have not been defiled by the horror that is this world. When we realize the vileness and violence of this world, we want to lash back. Then we have wars to stop wars. When does it end? If we seek peace, some say that we are acting like children. Some say that we are naive. Jesus said that to seek peace is a good thing and we will be His children. Do you want to be a child of God again?
In the tenth verse we see the present tense of having God’s kingdom again. How do we receive God’s kingdom now? It was said in a book that we can have our best life now. Jesus said that we can have God’s kingdom now. There is nothing better than that.
To be poor in spirit means to have God’s kingdom now. Also, to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness is the other way to have God’s kingdom now. To say the truth of God’s word may mean that persecution is going to happen to the one who speaks righteousness. So be it. Let that be my attitude. If we are not swayed towards unrighteousness by the unrighteousness of man, we will be prosecuted. Some of us are being prosecuted. Never fear! Never give up! When you are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, yours is the kingdom of heaven.
Finally! Don’t you like it what a preacher says that? Finally, Jesus says what will happen to Him later. It will happen to me too. You are blessed when, not if. Humanity will revile you. People who you thought would never turn against you will look down on you. They will want you gone. They will come up with all sorts of things to lie about you. They will say that you said what you didn’t say. If you always speak of Jesus and they tell lies about what you said, you will be blessed even through that.
These are not easy saying from Jesus. This turned the world upside down. You say you want a revival! Are you ready to give up your spirit for His? If you are then you are ready to be revived.
Prayer:
Invitation: Verse twelve, "nRejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for oso persecuted they the prophets which were before you." [5]
Today is like every day. Today you may choose to continue to expect God to bring you to where you understand you should be. That is not revival. We are His church, and we are being purged just now. We are dying each day that we might live eternally with Him. If you are poor in your self-serving spirit, you are there already. If you are being persecuted for His righteousness, you are there already. Are you there?
This altar is still here. This is still the place that changes are seen. The place where changes are made is in your heart. Do you really want to be revived. Come!
c To ver. 12, Luke 6:20–23.
d See Ps. 34:18.
e ch. 11:5. James 2:5.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 5:3). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
n So ver. 10. Col. 3:14. 1 Tim. 1:5. See John 13:34.
[3] Ibid., Ro 13:8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
c To ver. 12, Luke 6:20–23.
d See Ps. 34:18.
e ch. 11:5. James 2:5.
f Isai. 57:18. & 61:2, 3. John 16:20. Rev. 7:17. & 21:4.
g Cited from Ps. 37:11.
h So Isai. 55:1. & 65:13.
i So Ps. 41:1. Prov. 14:21. 2 Tim. 1:16. Heb. 6:10.
k Ps. 24:4.
l Heb. 12:14. 1 John 3:2, 3.
m Rom. 8:17. 2 Cor. 1:7. & 4:17. 2 Tim. 2:12. 1 Pet. 2:19. & 3:14. & 4:13. 14.
† Gr. lying.
[4] Ibid., Mt 5:3–11). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
n Acts 5:41. Rom. 5:3. 2 Cor. 7:4. & 12:10. Col. 1:24. Heb. 10:34. James 1:2.
o 2 Chr. 36:16. ch. 23:34, 37. Luke 13:33, 34. 1 Thess. 2:15. See Neh. 9:26.
[5] Ibid., Mt 5:12). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
