John Wells - March 16, 2019 - a podcast by NBC Podium

The Pursuit of Blessedness

The Ministry of
Jesus Christ

The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew Ch 5-7
The Ministry of
Jesus Christ

The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew Ch 5-7
We have already established that the historical Jesus :
Eternal God who became flesh – INCARNATION (John 1)
Sinless in His humanity – TEMPTATION (Matt 4)
The Anointed Messiah – The SAVIOR of the WORLD ( Luke 4)

Matt Ch 5 V1-16
 
He spoke with Authority
His words were “Seasoned with Grace”

Matthew 5: 1-16
Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRT 
opposite of self sufficiency
to have deep humility
recognize one’s utter spiritual bankruptcy without God
to be conscious of their lost condition
Matt 17:17
We see Him at the grave of Lazarus Jesus groaned in spirit ...John 11:33

Blessed are the MEEK 
More than gentleness / meekness is the OPPOSITE of being out of control

Psalm 37:11 “ the meek will inherit the earth”
TO THE MEEK ....GOD WILL GRANT THEM AN INHERITANCE -
Psalm 23:6 “ Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell....
 
Jesus said in John 6:35 “ I AM the bread of life the one who comes to ME will never HUNGER and
the one believes in ME will NEVER THIRST”.  
THEY SHALL BE “FILLED” ... LITERALLY MEANS SATISFIED
Blessed are the MERCIFUL 
This is a characteristic of GOD ... He came to show MERCY ...
I WILL HAVE MERCY....THE GOOD SAMARITAN ...showed mercy (Luke 10)
To show a deep sense of compassion, to exercise pity those less fortunate ...
something foreign to Chief Priests and Pharisees
BUT GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY - Ephesians 2:4
What a promise ....those who are merciful, …will be shown MERCY BY GOD 
Blessed are the PURE IN HEART 
pure in heart is to have UNMIXED MOTIVES ... to have a single eye (Matt 6:22)
to have a single desire to walk with God
to lead a blameless life, to have a tender conscious,
to be without guile, no deceit, nor envy or malice harbored in your heart,
to be fixed on pleasing GOD ...WHAT A BLESSEDNESS... THIS ONE WILL SEE GOD !!! !
Many examples…Enoch, Job, Daniel, Nathaniel, Simeon, Stephen
Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS 
those who ACTIVELY intervene to make peace
Those who create the means for UNITY ....THIS IS GOD LIKE
This is what JESUS CHRIST did at the CROSS ‘He made PEACE for us by His Blood (Col 1:20) ...took our punishment !
He INTERVENED for us .... became the MEDIATOR ...of the new covenant (Heb 9:15)
How can I make peace with GOD ?, ....by SURRENDERING TO HIM in humility and with a contrite heart ....
BY ACCEPTING HIS SACRIFICE AT THE CROSS as the very means of satisfying God for the offence of my sins

WHAT A BLESSEDNESS ...THE PEACE MAKERS WILL BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD 

Blessed are those who are PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ....
Blessed are YOU when PEOPLE INSULT YOU and PERSECUTE YOU FALSELY ...because of ME 
key phase ... for MY sake ... on account of Me
Suffering for the sake of Christ carries a blessing from Heaven
Peter said “ suffering for rightness .. well pleasing to God” I Peter 2:20
Jesus said ...in John 15:18-22 you will suffer persecution for my sake
“if they hate you.... don’t be surprised ...they hated me also ...“ if they persecuted Me they will persecute you
In Luke 6:22 Jesus said if this happens to you “REJOICE in that day... Leap for joy .. great is your reward in heaven”
You are the SALT OF THE EARTH
Speaking of the Power of a Spirit Filled Life in a world of perishing souls
Effectiveness, …salt is used for preservation of perishable goods

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