Poor In Spirit: losing everything to gain everything

Text: Mt. 5:3 THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE: LOSING
EVERYTHING TO GAIN EVERYTHING

“Blessed Are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

Introduction:

The face of a 3 year old boy, brightens up considerably with the sight of a favorite candy. A mother smiles contentedly at the sight of her daughter rushing to greet her when she arrives home. A successful business deal brings happiness to the heart of a person. A love note. A kiss. A loving phone call. There are many ways by which men and women find happiness.

And yet, we are also quite aware that the happiness the world offers is often too short-lived and too dependent on circumstances. It is, often, costly and painful in the end. When happiness is acquired through methods and procedures that are considered not pleasing to God, we end up with a lot of regrets and how we wish we can find true happiness.

It is like the lovely daughter of a hard-working couple who was told that it was not yet time to marry her boyfriend because his personality is a bit difficult to understand. But, she would have none of that. The sight of her boyfriend brings smiles to her lips and an expectant sensation in her heart. She was happy with him. Aren’t we supposed to be happy in life? Against her parents’ advise, she had sex with him and ended up marrying him. Two years and two kids later, she woke up one morning with her husband nowhere to be found. She was later told that he was living in with someone else who looked prettier, with much more desirable physical attributes and a slightly bigger bank account.

The world’s happiness is at best, temporary and often, by chance. The word happiness, in fact, reveals its true nature in its root HAP, in the true English English, means chance. Perhaps means, per chance. Happiness is really a product of the accidental twists and turns of life. This is the true essence of happiness.

In the part of the teaching of Jesus called the Beatitudes, He shows us the true nature of happiness and how is it that only some can acquire this. He also instructs us what comes with true happiness and what pre-conditions are there, if any.
Let’s have a short review of the work of Jesus up to the time he preached sermon we are now considering.

Just before Jesus presented the teaching we now call the Sermon on the mount, which begins from Mat. 5 to 7, He was already becoming a known figure. People were already looking for Him. The crowd was building up around him. They have heard about his powerful teaching and powerful works of miracles.

In Mt. 4:17, we see Jesus preaching his first sermon – and his message was “REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.” He was talking about a kingdom that was about to come or about to burst into the picture, a kingdom that was very, very near. Later, in Mt. 12, he would speak of this kingdom as having arrived in the midst of the people.

The Kingdom of God is the Rule of God in the hearts and minds of His people. It is not first of all a territorial kingdom although it can be because God’s people do occupy some kind of a territory. It is primarily God’s rule in our hearts and minds.

So Jesus says, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In John 3, he would say that it is necessary for people to be born again otherwise they would not be allowed to see nor enter the Kingdom of God. The Sermon on the Mount is a most important part of the teachings of Jesus concerning the kingdom of God. In fact, true happiness is found only for those who have gained access into the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven.

Since He has already asked the people to repent because the kingdom of heaven is near, He would now talk about what kind of people are there in the kingdom, thereby inviting the listeners to consider what we might call as the Kingdom Lifestyle. In chapter 5:2-16, He would describe the character and blessedness of the people in the kingdom. He would describe their relation to the world (salt and light).

Secondly, Jesus would talk about the so-called Righteousness of the Kingdom which means the way of life demanded for those who are in the kingdom (5:17 to 7:12). He would conclude His sermon on the mount with a series of teachings to impress upon the people the need to enter the kingdom or to go under the rule of God.
Beatus – is a part of the Sermon on the mount. Here is Jesus’ invitation to a particular form of a lifestyle, a kind of life that is so different from that which was and which is still being practiced in the world today. A Lifestyle where happiness is true and unfading. Where love is constant and care is ever present. Let’s consider three things to understand why Jesus says, ‘BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.’

I POVERTY OF SPIRIT: ITS MEANING

There are, according to scholars, two words in the Greek that are both translated Poor in the English language. One of the two words is what is used here. The first word, which is not the word used here, refers to poverty but the poor man is able to work, somehow, to provide for his basic needs. It is the word for Poor where the person is not rich but is able to provide for his daily needs. He may be devoid of anything extravagant but he has something. He may not be able to afford Dads or any of the restaurants within Shangri-La Makati, but he is capable of bringing his family to any roadside turo-turo. Angus beef for a steak may be out of reach for him but he can always have his pocket produce some small bills for the chicken feet or Adidas sold almost everywhere.

The Greek word for poor, which is the one used in our verse today, refers to the poor who has nothing. This word refers, both to the absence of wealth, and also to the absence of any ability. He is poor in that he is completely helpless to provide for his own needs. He is completely without any ability or power to make both ends meet. He is helpless, powerless.

POOR IN SPIRIT – Completely helpless and powerless in spirit.

The word spirit here refers, not so much to the actual human spirit but the person’s attitude and conviction concerning his ability to govern his own life. The world believes that the person who has all the ability, all the resources, all the trimmings of power, that is the person who will enjoy life. That is the kind of person who will have happiness.

Whatever happiness the world offers is temporally and soon will pass away, often leaving with it a pain that medicine can’t cure. The way to be happy is not through ability but the absence of it; not the possession of power but the absence of it. When one is completely helpless and without any ability before God, then he becomes qualified for eternal happiness.

II PROMISED EXPERIENCE: BLESSEDNESS

The word blesses is from the Greek Word Makarios and it means happy. However, Makarios is more than just the typical understanding of happiness. It is much more than the seemingly happy sound of a thunderous laughter. It is more than just a scream of pleasure. In fact, the word happiness is quite different from the word Makarios.

The root word of happiness is hap which in True English English means chance. Happiness is based mostly on the chances and accidental twists of events in a person’s life. An unexpected wealth. An unexpected inheritance. A valued gift. This is what most people think happiness is. It is not.

Makarios means more than that. It means joy and satisfaction knowing that all is well and that you are completely protected by the love of someone you can really trust.

Someone who does not have the time for God cannot acquire this kind of joy and satisfaction. Someone whose time is used mostly for his own purpose cannot acquire this. As long as you appear to be the one running your life, providing for your needs. As long as there is any semblance of proud independence from the mercy and provisions of God, then you are not helpless before God and you cannot be referred to as poor in spirit and therefore, can not share in this blessedness or true joy and satisfaction.

Look, you may be earning enough now. You may be of the belief that you are quite able to govern your life and you don’t need to submit your life completely to God’s rule and control. Don’t be deceived, that kind of a spiritual independence will bring you trouble and more troubles in the years ahead of us.

If you say, Lord, I am completely helpless without you. There is nothing I can really do to guarantee my happiness without your direct and personal control. I don’t want spiritual independence. I want to be spiritually dependent upon you, to say to you everyday “Lord, I need thee every hour.”

Is there something in your life that is causing to be spiritual independent from God? That will become Satan’s hold on your life and it will bring you disaster. To lose everything for God is to gain everything from God. To have, not only the things of this world but to have God himself.

To be Poor in spirit is to be rewarded with blessedness and to be granted membership status into the most wonderful kingdom in the whole universe.

III PROMISED REWARD: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

When one is poor in spirit and therefore, not spiritually independent from God, then he becomes blessed or happy, joyful and satisfied. But more than that, he is ushered into a privileged membership status. He becomes a favored member, not only of any gold club, or other social and sports organization. He becomes a privileged member of the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What does it mean to be in the Kingdom of God?

Salvation from our sins and no longer considered guilty – Rom. 5:1
Freedom from all and any condemnation. Rom. 8:1
Rescued from the dominion of darkness. Col. 1:13
Granted redemption and forgiveness of sins – Col. 1:14
Never to be left alone or be forsaken. Heb. 13:5
To be allowed to call God as Father. Mt. 6:9
To be allowed to understand and obey God’s will.
To be supplied with daily bread.
To be given power over all the power of the enemy.
To be given eternal life.

You do have to say: I trust nothing. I do not depend on anything else. I will not be independent from God. I will not trust my resources. I will give up anything contrary to God’s will and glory.