A “Leadership as Discipleship” study on the Beatitudes of Matthew

Bruce Hamsher

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” -Lewis Cass

Servant Leadership: The Upside of Down

Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves.”

The word “humility” in this verse is translated from the Greek word (tapeinophrosune)* which means lowliness of mind. It embodies the attitude of placing beneath or putting under. In this state, we are positioned to support others, strengthen them and lift them up. The word picture that comes to mind is to envision the legs of a table. They are the unseen strength which makes the visible table useful. Without the legs, the table becomes nothing more than a slab on the floor. This is our call to those we lead. Our leadership will be the invisible strength of their continued success.

In the Beatitudes of Matthew, Jesus talks of this kind of leadership style. The instructions he gave his disciples were somewhat puzzling and unspectacular. To excel as a leader, to have the most influence and to change the world, His disciples would need to humble themselves and become “poor in spirit, mournful, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, would endure persecution…and they would rejoice and be glad in leading this way.” Not exactly what any of us would have expected or chosen for ourselves.

And yet, in the progression of His life, Jesus changed the world by modeling all of these things Himself, thus providing a lasting blueprint for all leaders after Him to follow.

There are huge upsides of this downward leadership style, with the biggest reward occurring when we’re received as residents of the kingdom of heaven.

*Note: All original Greek “key word” references were found in Practical Word Studies in the New Testament, Volumes 1 & 2 (Alpha Omega Ministries, Inc. 1998)

Note to the facilitator:

To get the most out of this study, you will want to (like Jesus did with the disciples,) gather around you a small group of 8-10 persons in a roundtable format. As the facilitator, you will read through the lesson and encourage the participants to underline and highlight things that stand out to them. After reading through the lesson, go around the table and have each person share what they’re learning. Each lesson should last between 45-60 minutes.

Settings could include – *Leadership groups in the workplace *Sunday school classes *Discipleship study groups *Small groups from church or community

The prayer is that as you lead the sessions, these truths would speak into the participant’s lives so that they each could be equipped to also share and speak into the lives of others.

(Scripture references in this study were taken from the New International Version of the Holy Bible.)

The Beatitudes

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountain side and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:1-12

When It’s Good to be Poor

Matthew 5:3 Lesson #1

(Underline the key concepts in this lesson)

Key Word: Blessed (Makarios) – spiritual joy and satisfaction which lasts regardless of conditions; that carries one through pain, sorrow, loss and grief; to be fully satisfied.

This lesson is the first in a series on the teachings of Jesus known as the “Beatitudes.” One would have a difficult time in history finding such few words spoken with so much meaning.

The word “beatitude” defined means “supreme blessedness.” These beatitudes of Christ tell us of the hope and the rewards that the Christian believer can expect both now and forever in eternity.

They also give to us a model of what a Christian Disciple should look like. They’re sort of like Spiritual Equations: A = B. If you possess “A,” then “B” will follow.

Each beatitude begins by saying the word, “Blessed.” This word means having a spiritual joy and satisfaction which remains regardless of external conditions.

It doesn’t mean you won’t ever become unhappy or disappointed. It means that within your unhappiness or frustration, you can still retain the joy of knowing who’s in control and will trust even more in your Creator.

Illustration – (Share a story how adversity brings out our true colors.)

Key Point: We either control our situation or it controls us.

The first beatitude is found in Matthew 5:3 and says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom in heaven.”

*What does it mean to be “poor in spirit?” Very simply, it means to acknowledge one’s own spiritual poverty.

It doesn’t mean that you must be poverty-stricken and financially poor.

It is a realization of your helplessness without God in your life. It’s to acknowledge your spiritual need of the Lord. To say, “God, I am fully relying on you alone to meet my every need.”

It is coming to the realization that you are unable to face the things of this life and of eternity apart from God. It is emptying yourself of yourself. It is to say, “God, the only thing worth living for is a right relationship with You.”

It means to acknowledge that you are no better, no richer and no more superior than anyone else – no matter what you’ve achieved in this temporary life.

To be “poor in spirit” means to approach life with humility and a sincere appreciation – not as though life owes you, but as though you owe your life.

The opposite of being poor in spirit is being full of self. This is seen in Psalm 36:2 which refers to a selfish person and says, “For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.”

Illustration – (Share a story of someone who was self-centered.)

The Difference Between These Two Mentalities

There is the difference of thinking we are righteous versus realizing how much we need the righteousness of Christ. In other words, there is the difference of being self-righteous versus being clothed with His righteousness.

This is an important distinction because self-righteousness goes no farther than one’s self – it goes no farther than one’s physical death. On the other hand, the righteousness of Christ is eternal. It lives on forever and never dies.

In acknowledging our personal spiritual poverty and need, we must turn our attention away from the things of this world, remembering that they die when we die. (Also…) knowing that nothing this world has to offer can make us “rich in spirit.”

*We must consistently focus our attention on God and His Kingdom which will last forever.

In Ephesians 1:3 Paul reminds us… “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

This mentality speaks as if it were a foreign language to our society and culture in which we live. However, let’s keep in mind what Jesus Himself said, “…for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Be reminded that as far as you’ll be concerned, the riches that you manage to accumulate here in this life will die when you die.

Also, remember that it is the selfless, “poor in spirit” who will receive the gift of life that lives on forever. It is the “poor in spirit” who will receive as their inheritance, full acceptance into the kingdom of heaven!

John 5:24 says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

Bottom-Line: So, when and why is it Good to be Poor? It’s only when we are poor in spirit that we can truly be rich in Him and His righteousness. You can’t fill a cup when it’s already full. It is only when we empty ourselves that we can provide the room needed to be filled with Him.

(Discuss the key concepts in this lesson)

Joy in the Mourning

Matthew 5:4 Lesson #2

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Key Word: Mourn (Penthountes) – to have a broken heart. It is the strongest word possible for mourning. It is like the deep mourning and wailing that occurs over the death of a loved one. It is sorrow—a desperate, helpless sorrow. It is a sorrow for sin, a broken heart over evil and suffering. It is a brokenness of self that comes from seeing Christ on the cross and realizing that our sins put Him there.

(This is a mourning which flows from becoming “poor in spirit.”)

To refresh our minds, the word “beatitude” means supreme blessedness, and the word “blessed” means having a spiritual joy and satisfaction which remains regardless of conditions.

With this in mind, we look this lesson at Beatitude number two.

Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Ecclesiastes 7:1-6, “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools. Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools.”

We all like to laugh and have a good time. We hear it’s even healthy for us. Proverbs 17:22 assures us that “a cheerful heart is good medicine.” Yet, Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we mourn. This is difficult to understand because it is contrary to our human experience. We live in a society and a world that is pleasure- hungry. Most of life is spent avoiding sorrow and pain.

What’s so good about mourning? (Think about it this way) – When you are truly sorrowful and when you truly mourn, it shows that you’re serious about whatever it is. It shows that you honestly and truly care in a deep way.

Illustration – (Ballgame - Player gets hurt – Hush falls over the crowd – Outcome not as important)

Does it mean more to you if someone comes to a happy party you’re having or if they show up when you’re grieving and sad?

These are some real-life examples. Now, let’s ask – What kind of blessedness and mourning is Christ talking about in this passage? In this beatitude, He is talking of a deep, Godly sorrow.

To “mourn” means to have a broken heart and a helpless, almost desperate sorrow. It’s not being sorry because you did something and you got caught. In short, it’s having a deep sorrow for your sins.

Illustration – A well-known businessman stayed at a hotel and complained to the management about the high amount of bugs he had in his room. Later, he received a letter from the corporate headquarters which lamented their sorrow and regret that a person of such fame, social standing, honor, respect and brilliance had to endure these conditions. By mistake however, a small piece of paper was accidentally included in the formal letter which read, “Send him the bug letter.” (They weren’t the least bit sorry!)

A person who mourns is a person who is desperately sorry for their sins. They have such a sense of their sin, that their heart is just broken. When was the last time you felt that deep, internal agony and sorrow for your sins? (Some of us may never have.)

And yet, 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.....” Here we see that Godly sorrow over sin is what brings about repentance, (then forgiveness,) which leads to deliverance.

In this beatitude, Jesus is saying in effect, that there can be no true joy or that deep, comforting satisfaction which comes from being blessed… unless there is an honest sorrow for one’s sin.

In essence, He is saying, “Blessed are those who are sorry about their sinfulness.” It is only within this admission, that we can truly be comforted.

It is only those who know the reality of the penalty of sin, who can truly appreciate what it means to be forgiven and to be spared from it.

Illustration – (Highway Worker – Co-worker pulled him out of truck’s way and saved his life. The saved man felt deeply indebted and was forever grateful because he knew he could have easily died.)

When we as Christians spiritually understand the end-result and penalty of sin, we can then fully appreciate, are indebted to and are truly thankful for our deliverance from death made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This brings us comfort not only today, but for eternity as well. This is how we can find “Joy in the Mourning.”

Keep in mind that persons who are always laughing and joking…and are never serious about life…are often the most shallow and the most miserable.

It is only when we truly mourn over our sins, that He comforts us and blesses us with a settled inward peace, a relief, an assurance of forgiveness, protection and deliverance…A full acceptance and an infilling of joy that cannot be moved.

Take some time this week to lament and to mourn over your sins before Almighty God. Truly repent of your sins, truly be forgiven and again experience His true comfort.

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)

Meekness is not Weakness

Matthew 5:5 Lesson #3

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Progression: 1. Empty yourself of yourself; 2. Become truly sorry for your sins; 3. You are now teachable.

Key Word: Meek (Praeis) – to have a strong, but tender and humble life. It is a strong yet teachable spirit. A meek person knows that they have needs and that they don’t have all the answers.

When was the last time you heard someone say, “If you really want to succeed in life, try being meek?” Or, “If you want to rise to the top and get somewhere in life, display a lot of meekness along the way?”

Webster defines Meek as being…too submissive and too spineless.

Meekness is not a characteristic that we really desire. The world’s philosophy of success tells us that we need to be assertive and aggressive. We’re told to go for the throat and to use our power to get what (we think) we deserve.

As a disciple then, imagine your reaction when Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek...” We tend to think of being “meek” as being wimpy, weak, and almost cowardly. What does it truly mean to be meek? What attributes describe a meek person?

Descriptive Attributes of the Meek

A meek person is controlled, gentle and forgiving.

It is a person with a strong, yet very teachable spirit. It’s someone who is seen maybe as the “strong, silent type.” It is someone with the full ability to take over and conquer something, and yet is able to practice discipline and control within that power.

It describes someone who is gentle and who remains under control especially when dealing with people. It’s a person who is even- tempered, who can answer respectfully and who is able to show displeasure without reacting impulsively.

It is someone who can respectfully disagree, is not easily provoked, does not seek revenge and who is generally very willing, eager and ready to forgive others.

Spiritually, this person fully realizes and understands the detrimental effects of sin and therefore remains committed to a consistent pattern of spiritual disciplines.

(Whew! How are we doing so far?)

In I Corinthians 6:12 Paul says, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial; I will not be mastered by anything.” ***A meek person will not be mastered by anything.

More Attributes

A meek person is also humble and quiet.

It is someone who knows their place in God’s plan, who strives to bloom where they’re planted and who realizes and knows for a fact that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. They aren’t jealous but are rather content with what God gives.

They desperately know their need for God and allow Him to guide, direct and to control their life. They are well aware of their shortcomings and will freely admit that they don’t have all the answers.

Romans 12:3 says, “...Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment...” A meek person thinks with a sober judgment. They are truly humble before both God and Man.

Someone who is meek is also quiet. Psalm 4:4 tells us, “In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your heart and be silent.”

(Are we known to be quiet, silent and reflective?)

A meek person quietly surrenders each day to God without a big fuss or show. It’s a person whom you could observe and could know a lot about them without ever hearing them speak a word. It doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say, it’s just that their actions do the talking.

I Peter 3:4 describes how there is an “...unfading beauty of this quiet spirit and that it is of great worth in God’s sight.”

(Do we shout and pout when we don’t get our way?)

This beatitude says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The reward of the meek is that they will inherit the earth.

To “inherit the earth” means that they will have a great influence on others in their world and that they will be able to enjoy and experience the things of this earthly life to the fullest. Their days won’t be filled with griping and complaining – they’ll simply be a joy to be around.

The reason for this joy is that they possess an inward peace. They know who they are, where they’re going, they know whose they are and that there is nothing else to prove.

(Do you still think that meekness is weakness?) It’s quite the opposite. This is a description of a very strong person.

It actually sounds a lot like the life, testimony and ministry of Jesus.

May we eagerly learn to set aside our agendas, our opinions and our rights…and may we also like Christ Himself, be controlled, gentle, forgiving, humble, quiet and meek.

Within our meekness, may our actions also speak louder than our words.

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)

What’s On The Menu?

Matthew 5:6 Lesson #4

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Progression: 1. Empty yourself of yourself; 2. Become truly sorry for your sins; 3. You are now teachable; 4. You are now ready to apply what you’re being taught.

Key Words: Hunger (Peinōntes) and Thirst (Dipsaō) – to have a starving spirit. It is a starving spirit and a parched soul that craves after righteousness. A person must starve and thirst for all righteousness if they wish to be filled with the fullness of life.

Here’s a scene many of us know very well. It’s around noon on Thanksgiving day and we’re eating our turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie. We get to that point where we decline any more food because now instead of the turkey, we’re the ones who are stuffed. We put up our hand to our host and say, “I’m so full I probably won’t eat again until tomorrow.” Some of the leftovers often remain on the table during the afternoon and before you know it, you begin grazing again. A few hours later you devour a turkey sandwich and this time, just one more “small piece” of pie with whipped topping. We’re reminded that when we eat physically, we’re only temporarily full. Jesus shares with us how we can permanently be filled in a spiritual sense with Him.

Our verse tells us, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

In this context, to “hunger and thirst” means to have a starving spirit. It is having a desperate hunger and a parched, dying thirst for the things of God. It means a deep hunger and thirst for all of righteousness, for all of what Christ has to offer, not just little morsels.

What is Righteousness?

It’s not what most persons may think initially. When we think of it, we often think of doing good things and of helping others around us. As we go through life, we are faced with appeal after appeal for help. Many times we do help which brings a sense of satisfaction to us. We feel our good deeds somehow make us more acceptable and righteous before God. While it’s good to help others…this is not true righteousness.

In our scripture, “righteousness” simply means to be right and to do right…to be good and to do good. From this, however, a problem arises. Scripture reminds us that, “There is no one righteous, not even one...” (Romans 3:10) Also, we read, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) How can we figure this out?

What is being said here is that God alone is righteous and is perfectly good. We are not righteous and all of our efforts will fall short. How then can we become righteous? This answer is found in our beatitude today, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

What happens here is this…God takes a person’s hunger and thirst for righteousness and He counts it as righteousness. In essence, He credits our account with it. This is a picture of God’s great love for us. We are not righteous, but God intercedes and counts us as such.

Illustration – When a father’s in the backyard pitching a ball to his children, he knows it’s impossible for them to hit it every time. Many times their efforts fall short and are not successful. If he sees them wanting to give up too soon, he will encourage them by assuring them that “no one hits the ball every time” – and to keep trying. In the end, if he knows that they’ve really tried, even though they’ve missed more balls than they’ve hit, he will still credit them with a ruffle of the hair and a “job well done.”

Much like this story, God intercedes for us and counts us as righteous because of our hunger, thirst and desire for Him. All we must do is have the faith and trust that He is willing and able to do this for us.

If we hunger and thirst after His righteousness, we will be “blessed.” This means we will maintain a deep joy and satisfaction that is not affected by the external conditions around us. Unlike our Thanksgiving dinner, we will experience the reality of being filled permanently with His attributes.

Scripture assures us that the true believer will filled.

“...full of goodness and complete in knowledge.” (Romans 15:14)

“...filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)

“...filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18)

“...filled with the fruit of righteousness.” (Philippians 1:11)

“...filled with the knowledge of God’s will.” (Colossians 1:9)

Illustration – A friend of mine is a retired truck driver who has eaten in his share of restaurants and diners over the years out on the road. He made a good analogy when he said that for years, he would go into the diner and not even look at a menu. Every time it was the same order…cheeseburger and fries. He was so comfortable with his cheeseburger and fries that he never bothered to even consider anything else. He feared that maybe he had become this way in his spiritual life as well. Same old, same old, predictable and bland. How about you?

Right now in life, “What’s On The Menu?” What do you ask for? What do you hunger and thirst for? Are you even hungry? The “special” today is a plate of Righteousness – All-You-Can-Eat. It will fill and satisfy your innermost hunger. It’s free today…paid in full. All we must do is believe and receive His payment made for us.

At Thanksgiving time, we eat a meal and place the leftovers out on the table. We make them readily accessible to satisfy our hunger and to fill us at any time throughout the day.

We must also do the same with the things of Christ. We must always be ready to partake and be filled.

Have we allowed ourselves to be so filled with the righteousness of Christ that others can’t help but experience its overflow in their life?

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)

Compassion into Action

Matthew 5:7 Lesson #5

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Progression: Now we’re ready to “share” what we’ve been taught.

Key Word: Merciful (Eleēmones) – to have a forgiving spirit and a compassionate heart. It is empathy…getting to really know a person and feeling right alongside them.

Illustration – (Share a time when you didn’t get what you deserved.)

We’re looking at beatitude #5 which states, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

(As we begin our discussion, let’s look first at what mercy is not.)

Mercy is not…

1. Pretending to have a heart of care and compassion…primarily when others are watching.

2. Self-seeking…acting nice so that others are nice to you.

3. Becoming self-righteous…like the Pharisees who thought they were gaining favor with God by giving to the poor.

4. Showing kindness only when you think something’s in it for you.

5. Merely a feeling of pity or sorrow for others.

True mercy is…compassion that goes into action. It is doing something with the feelings we have toward someone else.

Scripture poses these questions…“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (I John 3:17)

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16)

Suppose someone we know is living with legitimate needs and maybe without spiritual food?

Will we continue to be content by feeling sorry for them? (or) Will we show true mercy and do something about it?

Jesus is the greatest example of this kind of mercy. He saw those in need and showed compassion by doing something about it.

He healed the sick, made the lame to walk, gave sight to the blind, caused deaf ears to hear and gave life to the dead. He did these things to people both physically and spiritually.

He loved and forgave everyone from prostitutes to dishonest tax collectors to self-centered disciples.

Illustration – A story is told of a prize-winning horse that had a disease in its hoof. Because of the severity of the situation, amputation was the diagnosis. As we know, this is not good news for a horse. It would now need to be put down and would lose its life. However, shortly before this happened a new invention was discovered – a steel hoof prosthesis, which could be drilled into the bone of the horse’s leg. At the sound of this news, everything changed. This prosthesis literally saved this horse’s life. It went from no hope to a living hope. This is precisely what mercy does for you and me.

I Peter 1:3-4 says, “Praise be to God! In his great mercy he has given us new birth, into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you…”

As believers in Christ, death has no hold on us. Our future is one of eternal life.

As we progress through these beatitudes, let’s again keep in mind what “blessed” means. It is that deep, internal joy which cannot be moved by external conditions. This joy can be ours if we are merciful.

However, you can only be merciful as you are filled with His righteousness which you have hungered and thirsted for.

(And…) you won’t have an appetite for these things unless you have become meek and selfless enough to understand that indeed joy and comfort does come in the mourning, only after you’ve begun the entire process by emptying yourself of yourself as you’ve become poor in spirit.

In other words, you don’t just wake up one morning and discover that out-of-the-blue, you are incredibly merciful. There seems to be a deliberate progression here in these beatitudes.

Point of Action

Where do we see needs? Where specifically can we put our compassion into action? May each one of us see the uselessness of having only sorrow or pity on someone else and their situation.

-Who do you know that’s guilt-heavy? -Who instead of more judgment could use some genuine mercy? -What will you do about it?

A Picture of Jesus

If you’re a believer, you know how Jesus…in His mercy…has saved and kept you from facing an eternity apart from Him. He saw your great need to be saved from evil and knew you were incapable of saving yourself.

In seeing your desperate need, He put His own compassion into action. He did something about it! He has given to us something that we clearly didn’t deserve. By our sin, we deserve hell. By His mercy, we embrace heaven.

Jesus had mercy on people because He saw their great need and because He loved them. One of the most dramatic examples is in John 8:1-11.

In this powerful story from scripture, we see how Jesus turned the rock throwers into rock droppers. In the same way, He has also done this for all of mankind. The adulterous woman didn’t get what she deserved and neither do we.

Be filled and refreshed with this truth. Like Christ, let’s be eager to put our compassion into action, to become the hands and feet of Jesus and to become truly merciful.

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)

Beneath The Surface

Matthew 5:8 Lesson #6

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Key Word: Pure in Heart (Katharoi) – to have a clean heart; to be unsoiled, unmixed, unpolluted; to be cleansed, purged, forgiven; to be holy; to have a single purpose…that of God's glory.

If Jesus came to your home today to spend a day or two, if He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do?

I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored guest, and all the food you’d serve to him would be the very best.

You would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have him there, that serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him standing there, could you go to the door, with opened arms to welcome Him, would your heart begin to soar?

Or would you have to change some things before you let Him in, or hide some sinful things and place the Bible where they’d been?

Would family conversation be continued at its current pace, I wonder what would have to change if you saw Him face to face?

Would you be glad to introduce Him to your closest friends, or would you wish they’d stay away until His visit ends?

Would it cause embarrassment, these crazy things we do, If Jesus came to your own house, to spend some time with you?

(author unknown)

When we’re all alone and the mirror is our closest friend, “Who are we, truly…in our inner depths…in our heart?” In scripture, the “heart” symbolizes the center of the human soul. It is where we have our emotions, our thoughts, our schemes and our motivations.

It represents “who we are.” When someone shares or speaks from the heart, they expose who they truly are as a person.

In Matthew 5:8, Jesus tells us that we will be blessed and that we will see God, if we are pure in heart.

This literally means to be unmixed and clean. It means we are to live out our lives with the right motives. It is to be real, genuine and authentic before both God and man. It means you are to act the same, regardless of who you’re with.

Illustration – A story is told of a traffic accident between a single man and single woman. At first they got out and argued, then decided to call the police. The woman was returning home from grocery shopping and invited the man to sit in her car to stay out of the cold. She started to flirt with him and he responded by telling her how pretty she was. She said they should celebrate this soon-to-be romantic occasion, so she popped open a bottle of wine and offered it to him. He guzzled down quite a bit of the wine and was confused when all of a sudden, she wasn’t thirsty and told him that she’d just wait until after the police arrive.  (Beneath the surface, she clearly had a hidden agenda.)

Again, in order to become “pure in heart,” we must have followed the progression of the beatitudes up to this point. Namely, we must become poor in spirit, mourn over our sin and find strength in becoming meek. We must also possess a desire to be filled with His righteousness and we must become truly merciful.

All of this previous behavior leads us into a condition in which we can be made “pure in heart.” It’s at this point then that we must live on the outside, what He’s made us on the inside.

If we fail to live out these teachings of Christ, we face the same danger the Pharisees did. In Matthew 23:27, He calls them, “...hypocrites and whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones.”

Personally, what do you look like beneath the surface? Do you bring the same person to church that lives in your house?

How do we become pure in heart?

*Salvation through Jesus Christ – We can go to church, tithe, be an honest citizen, be faithful, respectable and still not get it. We must all strive to live the type of pure life that is only available and attainable to us after we accept Jesus into our hearts. Our heart can only become pure if Jesus has been invited to live there.

*Reliance on His Power – How often have we prayed and “given something to God” only to take it back through worry, doubt or impatience? Remember that we are powerless to do anything good or righteous apart from our Creator. God knows every little detail about every little aspect of our lives. He created and formed us…we are His “work of art.”

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” It’s His plan, not ours!

*The Strength of His Word – It’s impossible to live a “pure life” without the knowledge of the Bible. Hebrews 4:12 says that His Word alone is living and powerful. Where do you get your strength? From your job, spouse, maybe yourself? If we desire the strength to remain pure, we’ll remember that this strength comes from His Word.

Jesus states that if we’re pure in heart, “...we will see God.” A little girl once asked her Grandma, “Why do you close your eyes when you sing?” She replied with a smile, “So I can see God.” When we have His purity in our hearts, we will see Him everywhere. We can see Him as we look through our “spiritual eyes.”

The person who is “pure in heart” will not be demanding of God. They may ask, “Where is God in trials, tragedy, heartache and grief?” (And…) They will know that He is right in the middle of every situation…teaching, molding, strengthening and moving them along into His likeness.

Today, Jesus has come to your house. What did He see? Who are you beneath the surface – in your heart of hearts? When you take off your mask, who do you see?

If you need to be washed clean, you’re not alone. Have the courage to allow Christ to come in and do a thorough, spiritual housecleaning.

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)

The Peacemaker

Matthew 5:9 Lesson #7

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Progression: Without following the progression of the beatitudes we will have no desire to be a true peacemaker. It won’t be worth our trouble and will feel like way too much work.

Key Word: Peacemakers (Eirenopoios) – to bring persons together; to make peace between people and God; to solve disputes and erase divisions; to reconcile differences and eliminate strife; to help build right relationships.

Illustration – (Share a time/story in which responding to violence with violence didn’t work.)

Those of us who live and work closely with other persons have come to realize that many people do not live in peace with each other. Several examples include: children - children; children - parents; husbands - wives; teammates; players - coaches; bosses - employees; relatives/in-laws and church members.

Wherever people closely interact with each other, there seems to be plenty of disagreements and warring going on. There appears to be plenty of warriors among us, but very few intentional peacemakers.

However, in Matthew 5:9, Jesus tells us it is a blessed thing to be a peacemaker. Who then is the peacemaker? What do they look like? How do we become one?

A Peacemaker Strives to Make Peace with God.

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

It’s only after we have made true peace with God that we can rightly deal with our problems. We all have a battle raging within us. Our enemy is actively fighting for our souls. It’s an internal war that not everyone can see, but certainly one which we’ve all experienced.

When we’ve made peace with God, it is here where we can know that His promises are true, that He is faithful and that He is our everything.

A Peacemaker Strives to Make Peace Within Others.

Romans 14:19 – “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

We can encourage others and can lift them up by helping them to see the big picture of God’s plan…that He is sovereign, He is in control and that we have victory through our faith in Him.

Peacemaking is not a mere concept, it’s an activity. It’s not passive, but rather, quite active. It’s not so much something you are as it is something you do. In essence, we are to receive His peace and then pass it on to others as we live out our faith.

A Peacemaker Strives to Make Peace Between Others.

Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” As peacemakers, we will work hard at conflict mediation. We will want to work at solving disputes, reconciling our differences and at forming and building relationships. As crazy as it sounds, we will reach out and actually love our enemies enough so as to attempt to make peace with them.

There is a myth about peacemakers that needs to be set straight. Peacemakers love peace, but they do not passively accept trouble. They are persons who do not remove themselves from conflict and troubles. They will stand strong in the face of adversity and will not run away from the problem. They will face it and address it in a bold and righteous way.

Matthew 5:9 goes on to say how peacemakers will be called Sons of God. This will be the reward of the true peacemaker. They will be spiritually adopted as a child of God.

Galatians 4:4-7 – “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.”

As peacemakers, we become heirs and obtain the full rights of an adopted son.

This means that we’re adopted permanently. Under Roman law, a person could not be adopted one day and disinherited the next.

It means we that immediately have all the rights and privileges which other family members have. (Even though a person was not a “blood relative,” the righteousness of Christ’s blood intercedes here and provides the full rights.)

The adopted son was looked upon as a new person. The old debts and obligations with his former family and life were canceled out and were treated as if they had never existed.

What’s the most important reason to become a peacemaker? Simply because Jesus was a peacemaker. Not only was He a peacemaker, He was The Peacemaker.

As we look into the purpose of His ministry, we see that Jesus Christ sought to bring peace to a hurting and needy world. He saw us and how we struggle with sin. He saw how we would have no way out. He saw us in our war and in His compassion, He longed to bring us His peace.

Isaiah 53:5 – “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

What are we warring with? Who are we warring with? Our Creator longs for all of us to experience the blessing of becoming a peacemaker.

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” As He has given His peace to us, may we also disperse it generously to everyone we meet.

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)

Persecution’s Promise

Matthew 5:10-12 Lesson #8

(Underline the key concepts in the lesson)

Key Word: Persecuted (Diōkomenoi) – to endure suffering for Christ; to be mocked, ridiculed, criticized, ostracized; to be treated with hostility; to be martyred.

The disciples would need to know this as they were eventually persecuted. It’s safe to say that if you follow and are obedient to the progression of the beatitudes, you will experience some sort of persecution.

If you are “poor in spirit” people will think you are being self- righteous.

“Mourn and repent over sin” and they’ll be offended because they’ll feel convicted.

Become “meek and humble” and they’ll try to push you around and run you over.

“Hunger after righteousness” and you’ll be labeled a narrow- minded, religious fanatic.

Be “merciful” and watch them and shake their heads in disbelief.

Be “pure in heart” and feel the tension of a world which seeks to satisfy its natural lusts.

Strive to be a “peacemaker” and be ready for all kinds of ammunition pointed your direction.

Read Matthew 5:10-12 and watch as they think you’ve lost your mind. The world responds in this way and yet Jesus himself tells us that we will uncover a “supreme blessedness” in our lives if we live out these truths.

If we properly follow and are obedient to these truths, we will be persecuted. In reality, it is only when we rightly obey and live out these previous blessings that one could possibly face persecution and actually recognize it as a blessing.

Matthew 5:10-12 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...”

The word persecuted here means to “endure suffering for Christ.”

Key Truth: Any person who boldly lives and speaks out for the cause of Christ will be reacted against.

Persecution happens because we appear to be different.

John 15:19 says, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

We will appear to be different and will be following a different set of rules. We are actually likened to strangers and aliens (and…) whether at the playground or the workplace, no one likes the oddball.

Persecution happens because of ignorance.

John 16:3 says, “They will do such things because they have not known my Father or Me.”

Sometimes the persons who make the loudest noise and commotion do so because they have no idea what they’re talking about. This is often the case with the ungodly people of the world who desire no other God besides themselves. They are ignorant and unteachable and thus they blindly persecute believers.

I Peter 4:12-14 says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Persecution’s Promise

If we are able to endure this persecution and see it for what it truly is, we are then promised the “kingdom of Heaven” both now and forever. We are reminded that “…our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

We are promised a special comfort and consolation, a place of special honor and a special closeness of the Lord’s presence.

We all can attest to the fact that at times it’s difficult to boldly live out the Christian life and how it’s much easier it is to blend in with everyone else.

However, in knowing this, here’s a final challenge…

Would we rather blend in, become complacent and face an eternity apart from God? (or) Will we allow our light and momentary troubles to achieve for us the splendor and riches of the eternal kingdom of Heaven?

(Discuss the key concepts in the lesson)