1 Peter 1:25 ... the word of the
Lord endureth for ever...
Aurelius Baptist Church 4419 W. Barnes Rd.
(517) 628-2085 Mason, MI 48854
Grace Extended
Bible Study . . . The Blessing of
Spiritual Poverty
God’s love reaches out to you and when God’s love touches your need, we call it Grace.
"For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God ... "
(Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV)
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.~~Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.~~Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.~~Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.~~Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.~~Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.~~Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(Matthew 5:3-9 KJV)
Poor in Spirit: Spiritual Insufficiency
That Mourn: Spiritual Heartbrokenness
The Meek: Spiritual Submissiveness
Hunger & Thirst: Spiritual Fervor
The Merciful: Spiritual Compassion
Pure in Heart: Spiritual Perfection
The Peacemakers: Spiritual Posterity
Of the two words used for "blessed," the one Jesus employed in the Sermon on the Mount might also be rendered "happy." Happy or blessed is the one whose heart relationship with Christ results in peace with God and with others. Homer spoke of being blessed (Greek) as a state of inner happiness which is not altered by poverty, weakness, and death. William Barclay says, "Human happiness is something that is dependent on the chances and changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy. The Christ blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable." (William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. I, p.84)
Psalm 1:1-2; 33:12; 41:l; 106:3; 118:26
The Old Covenant ended with God pronouncing a curse (forthcoming judgment) against those who, professing to know their Lord, refused to walk in obedience to Him. Yet, God promised grace and a way out of spiritual poverty (spiritual insufficiency) through His Son.
Jeremiah 17:5; 48:20; Malachi 2:2; 4:2; Matthew 25:41-45
Grace–Jesus Christ–stepped out of heaven to walk the pathway of man’s existence, and the first word in His first sermon was "Blessed (happy) are the poor in spirit." Oh, the depth of happiness when we follow in His footsteps and become one with Him in spirit. Jesus is the promised King. His kingdom is eternal. It is a present reality. A spiritual blessedness that is unaffected by the sufferings and heartaches experienced in this life.
Isaiah 57:15; Luke 5:8; 18:9-14
The world can win its joys, and the world can equally well lose its joys. A change in fortune, a collapse in health, the failure of a plan . . . even a change in the weather, can take away the fickle joy the world can give. But the Christian has the serene and untouchable joy which comes from walking forever in the company and in the presence of Jesus Christ.
The greatness of the beatitudes is that they are not wistful glimpses of some future beauty . . . they are triumphant shouts of bliss for a permanent joy that nothing in the world can ever take away. (Barclay, pp. 84, 85)
To be "poor in spirit" (spiritually insufficient) is to be positioned to receive grace (God’s blessing). A truly proud person rarely sees himself as he really is. The person with a poor-in-spirit "be-attitude" recognizes the dangers inherent in pride. Pride is a hindrance to spiritual blessings: pride gets between God’s grace and your blessing. Spiritual insufficiency (total reliance on Christ) is just the opposite to self-sufficiency and self-righteousness. To be poor in spirit is to have "a contrite and humble spirit"–to be conscious of one’s own spiritual unworthiness.
2 Cor. 2:4; Isaiah 57:15; Luke 5:1-22; 18:9-14
A young boy in Formosa had a great mountain to climb. Chung was born with a cleft palate and was unable to hear, speak, or smile. One day Mr. Bardfield, a deaf mute, visited Formosa. He saw Chung and felt sorry for him. He took a picture of the boy and returning to his job in the United States, began raising money for medical help. Dr. Vincent Pennisi, a noted plastic surgeon, agreed to perform the series of operations needed. Chung was able to come to America for his miracle: Chung was finally able to smile.
A pastor’s wife patiently endured the daily calls from a wealthy lady who selfishly called her every day for 15 years to complain and talk about herself. Never once did the caller show any real interest in the pastor’s wife or her family. In contrast, another lady in their church who is neither rich nor even well off, gave herself to visiting nursing homes where she played the piano for the patients and encouraged the bedridden. (Cheerful Devotions to Give, Amy Bolding)
The Things that Count
(A Chinese saying, Source Unknown)
Not what we have---but what we use!
Not what we see---but what we choose--
These are the things that mar or bless
The sum of human happiness.
The things nearby, not things afar,
Not what we seem, but what we are.
These are the things that make or break,
That give the heart its joy or ache.
Not what seems fair, but what is true,
Not what we dream, but the good we do.
These are the things that shine like gems,
Like stars, in heaven's diadems.
Not as we take, but as we give,
Not as we pray, but as we live---
These are the things that make for peace
Both now and after time shall cease.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"....Jesus...
Jesus is saying, "Start here; happiness is for the humble." Until we are humble, Christ is never precious to us. We can’t see Him for looking at ourselves.... Until we see our poverty, we cannot understand His riches . . . God gives grace to the humble.
God identifies with people who beg on the inside, not people who are self-sufficient, not people who think they can work out their own salvation. (John MacArthur, Jr, Kingdom Living Here and Now, pp. 43, 45)
Jesus is not our equal. He is our Savior, our Lord and our King. Those who swear allegiance to the Lordship of The King are fully confident of His strength and protection. Have you given Jesus the honor due His Name as Sovereign Lord in His Kingdom? Can you search your soul and find God enthroned on the kingdoms of your heart? Do you know the happiness of resting in His grace in the midst of the storm?
Psalm 10:16; 14:9; 24:7-10; 74:12; I Timothy 1:17; 6:13-16
The only way to truly experience inner peace and contentment with God and with others is through faith in Jesus Christ. He died on the cross, and his death, burial and resurrection is totally sufficient to secure the blessing of God’s forgiveness and eternal life. If you recognize that you are spiritually insufficient, "poor in spirit," and that there is nothing you can do to cleanse your soul and secure eternal life, there is hope for you. Jesus has already paid your sin debt when He died on Calvary. Open your heart to Jesus and you will find that He is all-sufficient for you. Pray this prayer of commitment:
Lord Jesus, I come to you in faith believing that you suffered and died that I might have eternal life. Thank you Jesus for taking the punishment for my sin. I know I have sinned, and I ask You to forgive me. I turn now from my sins and receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.
-End-