1. With Eternity’s Values
in View
Part 2
by Samuel E. Ward
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3-12
1
To view the text version of this sermon, go to

2. Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV2011) 1 Now when
Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a
mountainside and sat down. His disciples
came to him, 2 and he began to teach
them.
He said: 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.
2

3. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will
be shown 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 because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
3

4. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult
you, persecute you and falsely say all
kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is
your reward in heaven, for in the same
way they persecuted the prophets who
were before you.
4

5. Introduction
The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’
answers to the questions, “what is the
kingdom of heaven like?” and “How do I
please God?” and much more. Our
concern is first with the Beatitudes, as
they have been popularly designated in
Matthew 5:3-12.
5

6. Dr. Thomas Constable has noted five
basic interpretations that have been
presented by scholars over the centuries:
1. The purpose of the Sermon was to
enable people to know what God
required, so that by obeying they
might obtain salvation. One writer
articulated this soteriological
interpretation this way.
6

7. 2. [The purpose of the Sermon is to
provide] a guide to the salvation of
society.
3. The purpose of the Sermon was . . . to
make [His audience] realize that their
only hope of salvation and participation
in His kingdom was God's grace.
4. The purpose of the Sermon was to
present Jesus' ethical teaching for the
church.
7

8. 5. The purpose of the Sermon was meant
to describe the conditions that will
exist only in the Millennial Kingdom of
Christ only.
6. The purpose of the Sermon was to give
ethical instructions for Jesus'
disciples that apply from the time
Jesus gave them until the beginning of
the kingdom.
http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/Matthew/
Matthew.htm
8

9. I. Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit.
A. Material Poverty Is Caused by Many
Factors.
1. Lack of opportunity (jobs not available)
2. Lack of initiative (lazy)
3. Lack of wisdom (inability to properly
manage resources)
4. Lack of patience (overspending leading
to debt)
5. Lack of ability (disability, skills) 9

10. B. There Are Two Levels of Material Poverty.
1. Some are poor in the sense of finding
themselves living from day to day, pay
check to pay check.
Matthew 20:1-2 (NIV2011) 1 “For the
kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who
went out early in the morning to hire
workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to
pay them a denarius for the day and sent
them into his vineyard.
10

11. 2. Some are poor in the sense of being
completely destitute and needing to
rely on the charity of others often
because of some disability or status.
Luke 16:19-21 (NIV2011) 19 “There was
a rich man who was dressed in purple and
fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
20 At his gate was laid a beggar named
Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and
longing to eat what fell from the rich
man’s table. Even the dogs came and
licked his sores.
11

12. Mark 10:46-49 (NIV2011) 46 Then they
came to Jericho. As Jesus and his
disciples, together with a large crowd,
were leaving the city, a blind man,
Bartimaeus (which means “son of
Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside
begging. 47 When he heard that it was
Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout,
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me!”
12

13. 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be
quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son
of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus
stopped and said, “Call him.” So they
called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On
your feet! He’s calling you.”
13

14. C. Spiritual Poverty Is What We Possess
Because of Our Sinful Nature.
1. Even those in scripture who were
highly regarded as spiritual role
models recognized they were
spiritually poor.
a. King David
14

15. Psalm 51:1-5 (NIV2011) 1 Have mercy on
me, O God, according to your unfailing
love; according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away
all my iniquity and cleanse me from my
sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and
my sin is always before me. 4 Against
you, you only, have I sinned and done
what is evil in your sight; so you are right
in your verdict and justified when you
judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.
15

16. b. The Apostle Paul
1 Timothy 1:12-16 (NIV2011) 12 I thank
Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me
strength, that he considered me
trustworthy, appointing me to his service.
13 Even though I was once a blasphemer
and a persecutor and a violent man, I was
shown mercy because I acted in ignorance
and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord
was poured out on me abundantly, along
with the faith and love that are in Christ
Jesus.
16

17. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that
deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners—of
whom I am the worst. 16 But for that
very reason I was shown mercy so that in
me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus
might display his immense patience as an
example for those who would believe in
him and receive eternal life.
17

18. 2. Any of us who would be citizens of the
kingdom of heaven must recognize our
spiritual poverty.
a. The only thing we can bring to God
is the realization that we can bring
nothing to Him. All that we have
He has first given to us.
18

19. Isaiah 66:1-2 (NIV2011) 1 This is what
the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool. Where is
the house you will build for me? Where
will my resting place be? 2 Has not my
hand made all these things, and so they
came into being?” declares the LORD.
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in
spirit, and who tremble at my word.
19

20. b. The thing many try to bring to God is
their own self-righteousness. God is
NOT impressed.
Luke 18:9-12 (NIV2011) 9 To some who
were confident of their own
righteousness and looked down on
everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
10 “Two men went up to the temple to
pray, one a Pharisee and the other a
tax collector.
20

21. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and
prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not
like other people—robbers, evildoers,
adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of
all I get.’
21

22. c. More appropriately is the attitude
that recognizes that all we have to
bring to God is our own spiritual
bankruptness.
Luke 18:13-14 (NIV2011) 13 “But the
tax collector stood at a distance. He
would not even look up to heaven, but
beat his breast and said, ‘God, have
mercy on me, a sinner.’
22

23. 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than
the other, went home justified before
God. For all those who exalt themselves
will be humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted.”
23

24. Conclusion
If we would live with eternity’s values
in view, enduring the discomfort of this
world as Christ’s servants, then we would
bring him our empty selves to fill us and
use us to His eternal ends. For that our
poverty will gain for us the riches of the
kingdom o heaven.
24

25. What characterizes a person who is poor
in spirit?
1. They know that they are not so
righteous that we do not need of God’s
salvation. Indeed, we are all sinners.
2. They know that they are not so wise
that they do not need to seek God’s
wisdom.
3. They know that they are not so
powerful that they can overcome
every trial, challenge, and problem
that life brings.
25

26. 4. They know that they are not so
perfectly altruistic that they can be
counted upon to always seek the
welfare of others above our own. All
have a selfish streak.
5. They know that they are not so rich
that they feel no need to trust God for
their needs.
26