WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:02.310 It's good to be in the house of the Lord on this 00:00:02.310 --> 00:00:06.849 fourth Sunday of Epiphany. The season of Epiphany 00:00:06.849 --> 00:00:11.630 is where God reveals who Jesus is to all of us. 00:00:12.550 --> 00:00:15.009 Let us now pray together and ask for his blessings 00:00:15.009 --> 00:00:18.089 of the preaching of his word. Our most good and 00:00:18.089 --> 00:00:20.730 gracious God and Heavenly Father, we thank you 00:00:20.730 --> 00:00:22.789 for the privilege that we have in gathering in 00:00:22.789 --> 00:00:26.149 your name as your children to look at your word 00:00:26.149 --> 00:00:29.039 to us. We pray that your grace would be with 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:32.100 us this morning as it has been in the past. We 00:00:32.100 --> 00:00:35.340 thank you for your so great salvation in Christ 00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:38.700 Jesus and your goodness to us each day. We thank 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:41.079 you that you have given us meaning, purpose, 00:00:41.420 --> 00:00:44.600 and hope. And so now let the words of my mouth 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:48.039 and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:50.780 in your sight. Oh Lord, our strength and nearest 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:55.960 kinsman, Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen. So here 00:00:55.960 --> 00:01:00.759 this morning, I want us as we go through our 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:03.859 scripture passage today to think about three 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:07.859 things so that we can look at this well together. 00:01:08.780 --> 00:01:13.379 Man's chief issue is our own sin. Man's chief 00:01:13.379 --> 00:01:19.719 issue is our own sin. In Jesus corrupt ideas 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:25.319 are purged from us. In Jesus corrupt ideas are 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:30.709 purged from us. Finally God's people are oriented 00:01:30.709 --> 00:01:34.549 to towards the world as he is because we are 00:01:34.549 --> 00:01:40.030 restored to life by Jesus God's people are oriented 00:01:40.030 --> 00:01:44.349 towards the world as he is because we are restored 00:01:44.349 --> 00:01:49.450 to life by Jesus Let us now once again hear our 00:01:49.450 --> 00:01:51.930 gospel reading Matthew chapter 5 beginning in 00:01:51.930 --> 00:01:55.010 verse 1 and seeing the multitudes he went up 00:01:55.010 --> 00:01:57.409 on a mountain And when he was seated with his 00:01:57.409 --> 00:02:01.310 disciples, his disciples came to him, and he 00:02:01.310 --> 00:02:04.189 opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed 00:02:04.189 --> 00:02:07.090 are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 00:02:07.090 --> 00:02:10.349 of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they 00:02:10.349 --> 00:02:13.330 shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for 00:02:13.330 --> 00:02:16.090 they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those 00:02:16.090 --> 00:02:18.289 who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for 00:02:18.289 --> 00:02:21.669 they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, 00:02:21.770 --> 00:02:24.629 for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the 00:02:24.629 --> 00:02:27.780 pure in heart. for they shall see God. Blessed 00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:30.360 are the peacemakers, for they shall be called 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.400 the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:36.139 for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom 00:02:36.139 --> 00:02:39.479 of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:42.400 persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:46.280 you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:49.719 glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For 00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:52.500 so they persecuted the prophets who were before 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:56.210 you. These are the words of Almighty God receive 00:02:56.210 --> 00:03:00.889 them in your hearts Matthew's gospel presents 00:03:00.889 --> 00:03:03.889 Jesus life in parallel to the history of the 00:03:03.889 --> 00:03:07.770 people of Israel in contrast to Israel Jesus 00:03:07.770 --> 00:03:12.270 is the faithful son we see that Jesus is called 00:03:12.270 --> 00:03:18.189 out of Egypt and So was Israel both Israel and 00:03:18.189 --> 00:03:21.449 Jesus fled from kings who were trying to kill 00:03:21.449 --> 00:03:25.689 baby boys Israel was in the wilderness for 40 00:03:25.689 --> 00:03:29.330 years to undergo temptation so that they might 00:03:29.330 --> 00:03:32.030 know what was in their hearts, so that it may 00:03:32.030 --> 00:03:36.590 be revealed to them. In their temptations, Israel 00:03:36.590 --> 00:03:41.030 utterly failed. They murmured, complained, and 00:03:41.030 --> 00:03:45.250 disobeyed at every turn. Jesus was in the wilderness 00:03:45.250 --> 00:03:48.610 for 40 days and he defeated Satan and all of 00:03:48.610 --> 00:03:53.270 his temptations. Then both Israel and Jesus crossed 00:03:53.270 --> 00:03:56.270 the Jordan River to establish the Kingdom of 00:03:56.270 --> 00:03:59.689 God. Just as God called the people of Israel 00:03:59.689 --> 00:04:02.930 to a mountain to receive His law, Jesus sees 00:04:02.930 --> 00:04:06.250 the multitudes and goes up on a mountain. Not 00:04:06.250 --> 00:04:09.750 to replace the law, but to drive out all of the 00:04:09.750 --> 00:04:13.169 false teachings and false explanations that have 00:04:13.169 --> 00:04:16.050 been placed on the people by the leaders of Israel. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:19.540 The false ideas and applications of the law were 00:04:19.540 --> 00:04:23.019 not just a problem for kings and governors and 00:04:23.019 --> 00:04:27.120 the Roman Empire, but also a great judgment to 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.040 the scribes. Those were the protectors of God's 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:31.839 word. They were supposed to be copying it and 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:35.540 making sure that it was held in high regard without 00:04:35.540 --> 00:04:39.040 error. This was also a great judgment for the 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:43.600 pious insurrectionists and to the priests, especially 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:46.189 the high priest. who were corrupt and in many 00:04:46.189 --> 00:04:49.810 cases, laying excessive burdens on the people 00:04:49.810 --> 00:04:53.329 that had very little to do with God's law or 00:04:53.329 --> 00:04:56.589 His work for His people in their daily lives. 00:04:57.730 --> 00:05:00.029 Our Old Testament reading today from the book 00:05:00.029 --> 00:05:02.790 of Micah showed us that even though the priests 00:05:02.790 --> 00:05:06.250 were leading the people in God -given sacrificial 00:05:06.250 --> 00:05:10.509 worship, it was empty, that is, vain or vaporous. 00:05:11.370 --> 00:05:15.699 God pleads His case to the mountains. Which why 00:05:15.699 --> 00:05:18.060 did he do that? It's because the mountains were 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:21.420 witnesses of God's covenant establishment with 00:05:21.420 --> 00:05:25.959 his people God explicitly in Micah rejects all 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:29.759 the religious gestures and acts and sacrifice 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:35.579 unless Their faith is accompanied with works 00:05:35.579 --> 00:05:39.160 And what did it say? What does the Lord require 00:05:39.160 --> 00:05:45.050 of you? But to do justly love mercy Walk humbly 00:05:45.050 --> 00:05:50.670 with your God So our text today Jesus sits down 00:05:50.670 --> 00:05:53.110 and opens his mouth and brings light upon what 00:05:53.110 --> 00:05:57.209 God has truly said Jesus drives the darkness 00:05:57.209 --> 00:06:00.250 of confusion out of the people by giving them 00:06:00.250 --> 00:06:03.509 the Sermon on the Mount in this sermon he takes 00:06:03.509 --> 00:06:08.050 the crooked and corrupt doctrines of Israel and 00:06:08.050 --> 00:06:11.970 purges them and Jesus begins with what we call 00:06:11.970 --> 00:06:15.879 the Beatitudes We call them the Beatitudes not 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:18.240 because they are some type of attitude that we 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:21.180 are to be. How many have ever heard that catchy 00:06:21.180 --> 00:06:26.279 phrase before? But rather because the Latin word 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:30.939 for blessed is Beatus, Beatus. And of course, 00:06:31.220 --> 00:06:34.240 most of the scriptures that we have translations 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.899 from, a good deal of them were in Latin before 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:41.829 they were in English. So Jesus comes preaching 00:06:41.829 --> 00:06:44.089 the kingdom of heaven. We talked about that last 00:06:44.089 --> 00:06:47.990 week Several things though often enter our minds 00:06:47.990 --> 00:06:50.470 when we hear about the kingdom of heaven We tend 00:06:50.470 --> 00:06:53.610 to think that it is some ethereal spiritual thing 00:06:53.610 --> 00:06:57.930 that is way out there a Place I'm trying to get 00:06:57.930 --> 00:07:01.629 to some spiritual thing disconnected from this 00:07:01.629 --> 00:07:06.069 world Of course this type of error comes from 00:07:06.069 --> 00:07:10.459 barring Greek philosophy Where we divide creation 00:07:10.459 --> 00:07:13.560 into two separate worlds one being the spiritual 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:17.160 world and the other one the physical world as 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:21.680 If there are two realities Which have some sort 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.560 of connection, but are lived in different parts 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:28.519 of our life Second we often treat the Word of 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:34.019 God as a self -help book that will guide us somehow 00:07:34.019 --> 00:07:39.810 to our best life If I follow these things that 00:07:39.810 --> 00:07:42.250 are in the Bible, or if I do some of the things 00:07:42.250 --> 00:07:46.189 God's require, I'll make out pretty well in my 00:07:46.189 --> 00:07:50.970 life. Dearly beloved, this way of thinking or 00:07:50.970 --> 00:07:55.189 approaching the scripture is demonic and frankly 00:07:55.189 --> 00:07:57.709 sickening. Makes me want to grab a little sex 00:07:57.709 --> 00:08:04.269 so I can vomit. The eternal God, the creator 00:08:04.269 --> 00:08:10.509 of all things, holy. Good in all things his word 00:08:10.509 --> 00:08:14.110 is true and not something to be trifled with 00:08:14.110 --> 00:08:17.290 as if we can pick and choose which part we want 00:08:17.290 --> 00:08:23.649 to accept follow or even believe The Beatitudes 00:08:23.649 --> 00:08:29.310 are our reality They are foundational to seeing 00:08:29.310 --> 00:08:32.470 life through the right lens. That is the lens 00:08:32.470 --> 00:08:38.960 of God Now Jesus uses the word blessed nine times 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:42.200 You notice that I said when I read it. I didn't 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:45.100 say blessed. I grew up learning blessed, right? 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:47.419 Right and the reason I did that is we tend to 00:08:47.419 --> 00:08:51.240 think that blessedness is like this special spiritual 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:55.659 place Right as opposed to blessed because the 00:08:55.659 --> 00:08:59.620 actions of God Right. We're not trying to get 00:08:59.620 --> 00:09:03.759 to some special place No, God has created us 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:06.600 to live in this world that we live in right now. 00:09:06.779 --> 00:09:09.679 And we are blessed in this world right now. And 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:12.500 the things that we do to follow God are blessed 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:18.000 by God. So he uses this word blessed nine times. 00:09:18.460 --> 00:09:20.500 And so we need to understand what blessed is 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:25.139 in biblical terms. Blessed is not simply an internal, 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:30.070 emotional, or spiritual state. As if to say, 00:09:30.289 --> 00:09:32.730 like if I do these things, I'll feel better. 00:09:33.570 --> 00:09:35.809 The Beatitudes, these things, this blessedness 00:09:35.809 --> 00:09:38.350 of God, is not a vending machine where you put 00:09:38.350 --> 00:09:43.529 a quarter in and you push the button. It is rather 00:09:43.529 --> 00:09:47.970 about the state of God's people. When Adam was 00:09:47.970 --> 00:09:50.450 formed and given life, he was given all he needed 00:09:50.450 --> 00:09:53.669 to flourish, to be fruitful and multiply and 00:09:53.669 --> 00:09:56.889 take dominion over the earth. When he sinned 00:09:56.889 --> 00:10:00.649 all of mankind received all mankind and creation 00:10:00.649 --> 00:10:05.509 received the just curse for sin and so creation 00:10:05.509 --> 00:10:09.769 and Man were set against each other and sin was 00:10:09.769 --> 00:10:14.889 bringing death to all men and so since that time 00:10:14.889 --> 00:10:18.789 Men and all the world are crying out to be set 00:10:18.789 --> 00:10:24.740 right to have our status restored In Isaiah chapter 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:53.360 61, we prophetically read this of Jesus. to console 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:57.240 all those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty 00:10:57.240 --> 00:11:01.779 for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment 00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:05.080 of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:08.960 may be called trees of righteousness, the planting 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:12.940 of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And 00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:15.200 they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:18.139 raise up the former desolations, and they shall 00:11:18.139 --> 00:11:22.320 repair the ruined cities, the desolations. of 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:27.480 many generations. You here today, do you think 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:33.600 that this once Christian country is of no good, 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:38.039 of no ability to be restored? God will restore 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.759 His people. Empires fall, but the church remains. 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:47.779 And so we know that the Christian world, the 00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:50.899 Christian life, the kingdom of heaven will continue 00:11:50.899 --> 00:11:56.720 to be built and restored here. Jesus is preaching 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:59.100 the kingdom of heaven is at hand because he has 00:11:59.100 --> 00:12:02.379 come to restore and make all things right. And 00:12:02.379 --> 00:12:04.980 so as we briefly look at the Beatitudes, we must 00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:08.940 see this as a declaration by Jesus that these 00:12:08.940 --> 00:12:12.419 Beatitudes are the current state of God's people 00:12:12.419 --> 00:12:17.980 because of his atoning work. The fulfillment 00:12:17.980 --> 00:12:20.299 of all things in heaven and earth are joined 00:12:20.299 --> 00:12:23.779 together as we see described in revelations 21 00:12:23.779 --> 00:12:28.200 and 22. This is a world where thy will be done 00:12:28.200 --> 00:12:30.980 on earth as it is in heaven is no longer a petition 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:33.620 or something that we work for each day, but it 00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:37.700 is the eternal reality of all nations. These 00:12:37.700 --> 00:12:41.120 things are not accomplished in the ways of men, 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:46.000 for the ways of men are corrupt. For the cross 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.039 is foolishness to the Greek and an offense to 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:53.820 the Jew So the ideas of the mighty Greek philosopher 00:12:53.820 --> 00:12:56.659 and the self -righteousness of the Jews are not 00:12:56.659 --> 00:13:00.019 able to truly bring truth beauty and goodness 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:06.679 to the world as one commentator put it The problem 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:11.059 as Greek philosophers saw it was not sin against 00:13:11.059 --> 00:13:14.639 God, but ignorance of ideas Hence, happiness 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:19.179 was a consequence of knowledge. And for the Jews 00:13:19.179 --> 00:13:24.100 of Jesus' day, their own teachings and self -righteousness 00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:26.620 put them in a place where they could not accept 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:30.700 Jesus, the very Son of God, as their Messiah. 00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:35.879 Consequently, both are lost and cannot restore 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:39.759 anything but for a short time, and then failure 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.580 is sure. So let us briefly see the reality of 00:13:43.580 --> 00:13:47.460 God's people now. These are not what -ifs, but 00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:51.480 are true of God's people in the present. So blessed 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:54.039 are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:58.440 of heaven. The first one speaks of the blessed 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:05.720 restored true humanity, our poor in spirit. For 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:09.679 God's people, We recognize that we are destitute 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:12.960 as God's people we are we have to recognize that 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:16.100 we are destitute in our sin our standing before 00:14:16.100 --> 00:14:20.500 God is in a negative balance that we cannot remedy 00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:25.580 the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who Admit 00:14:25.580 --> 00:14:29.580 their utter poverty of their sin and stand before 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:34.519 God crying out for mercy Blessed are those who 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:38.600 mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:41.899 those who mourn for their sins and for the sins 00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:46.779 of the world The first beatitude orients us as 00:14:46.779 --> 00:14:51.820 sinners. And so we humbly relate to others The 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:54.600 second state of God of the people of God is to 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:58.340 mourn our sin and the sin of the world Salvation 00:14:58.340 --> 00:15:02.379 is not just for you as an individual But it is 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:05.799 for you to imitate Jesus and to priestly mourn 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:12.220 for the sins of others around you. Do you understand 00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:16.700 this? Your confession of sin. Your understanding 00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:19.639 your place before God and His mercy that's been 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:24.100 poured out upon you because of Christ. Right 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:27.659 here it is. That is the same way we should mourn 00:15:27.659 --> 00:15:30.360 for them and we should mourn for the sins of 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:33.360 others. Now those of you with small children 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.659 Right now, when your children sin, it's more 00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:37.940 of an aggravation. But as your children get older 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:39.840 and they start to work through the things of 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:43.500 life, you, as a parent, actually mourn for your 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:45.679 children's sin. And I pray that you do it not 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:48.379 just as a, oh no, what am I going to do, but 00:15:48.379 --> 00:15:52.399 rather mourn before God. What did Job do? He 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.879 says that he made daily sacrifices for his children. 00:15:55.820 --> 00:15:59.399 He appealed to God in case they did anything 00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:02.100 to offend God. I don't know about you, but I 00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:03.899 know my children well enough to know that they're 00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:06.399 just like me, and they are sinning all the time. 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:11.519 They need Jesus. And so you need to act as a 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.379 priestly person and mourn for the sins of others 00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:18.840 around you, even at your job. And why? Because 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:22.460 you will be comforted. This is a promise of God. 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:25.360 So you may have difficulties in these relationships 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:29.019 all around you, but you can look to God. Mourn 00:16:29.019 --> 00:16:32.200 for your sins mourn for the sins of those around 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:35.679 you and you will be comforted Blessed are the 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:39.720 meek for they shall inherit the earth Our transformed 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:43.200 state in Jesus means that we're meek that is 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:46.759 great power restrained for the benefit of others 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:50.600 Jesus could have called down 12 legions of angels 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:54.720 at his trial to deliver himself But Jesus was 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:58.610 meek and he restrained his great power so that 00:16:58.610 --> 00:17:02.529 we might be delivered from our sin and redeemed, 00:17:02.570 --> 00:17:06.509 made new. He trusted the Father to vindicate 00:17:06.509 --> 00:17:10.509 him and so as it says in Psalm 2, God gave him 00:17:10.509 --> 00:17:13.609 the nations as his inheritance and the ends of 00:17:13.609 --> 00:17:17.150 the earth for his possession. Meekness towards 00:17:17.150 --> 00:17:21.490 God is that disposition of spirit in which we 00:17:21.490 --> 00:17:25.369 accept his dealings with us as good. Therefore 00:17:25.369 --> 00:17:29.210 without disputing and resisting God we trust 00:17:29.210 --> 00:17:33.349 God's goodness and control in every situation 00:17:33.349 --> 00:17:41.130 Now here we sit this morning In the circumstances 00:17:41.130 --> 00:17:48.349 in your life snow the ice In difficulties in 00:17:48.349 --> 00:17:51.470 relationships and the problems of the people 00:17:51.470 --> 00:17:56.150 around you Do you accept His dealings with you 00:17:56.150 --> 00:18:00.789 as good? And do you dispute with Him? Do you 00:18:00.789 --> 00:18:04.410 resist God and who He's placed in your life and 00:18:04.410 --> 00:18:07.730 what they may be doing, as you might think, to 00:18:07.730 --> 00:18:10.430 you? But rather, you need to think of them of 00:18:10.430 --> 00:18:16.150 what God is doing for you. We must trust God's 00:18:16.150 --> 00:18:22.589 goodness and control in every situation. Next 00:18:22.589 --> 00:18:24.730 we see blessed are those who hunger and thirst 00:18:24.730 --> 00:18:28.690 for righteousness for they shall be filled God's 00:18:28.690 --> 00:18:31.269 people are hungry and thirsty for righteousness 00:18:31.269 --> 00:18:36.369 and We will be filled Jesus is the bread of life 00:18:36.369 --> 00:18:40.569 Which is multi which is multiplied not just to 00:18:40.569 --> 00:18:46.829 fill you but to fill the multitudes Why are you 00:18:46.829 --> 00:18:51.750 filled that you may fill the multitudes? He is 00:18:51.750 --> 00:18:54.450 a well that never ends Jesus said whoever drinks 00:18:54.450 --> 00:18:56.950 of the water that I shall give him will never 00:18:56.950 --> 00:19:00.430 thirst But the water that I shall give him will 00:19:00.430 --> 00:19:02.930 become in him a fountain of water springing up 00:19:02.930 --> 00:19:07.269 into everlasting life This spring is not something 00:19:07.269 --> 00:19:09.869 that is simply to be admired by you look at this 00:19:09.869 --> 00:19:13.049 big fountain I have how wonderful No, it is so 00:19:13.049 --> 00:19:16.890 that you can take the waters given by Jesus and 00:19:16.890 --> 00:19:19.869 give them to the world Point them to this wonderful 00:19:19.869 --> 00:19:27.329 fountain bring them to it. Let them drink You 00:19:27.329 --> 00:19:32.289 may feel overwhelmed in your circumstances Jesus 00:19:32.289 --> 00:19:36.430 said seek the kingdom of God First the kingdom 00:19:36.430 --> 00:19:39.289 of God in his righteousness and all these things 00:19:39.289 --> 00:19:41.690 will be added unto you The problem is we don't 00:19:41.690 --> 00:19:44.710 seek it in that way. We don't seek first the 00:19:44.710 --> 00:19:46.690 kingdom of God in his righteousness We're thinking, 00:19:47.329 --> 00:19:50.609 I gotta figure out how to do this myself. Largely 00:19:50.609 --> 00:19:55.750 on things we can't control. You are hungering 00:19:55.750 --> 00:20:00.690 and thirsting for righteousness, but you cannot 00:20:00.690 --> 00:20:04.269 be filled with anything else. This is why so 00:20:04.269 --> 00:20:08.589 many seek to be filled with alcohol, or drugs, 00:20:09.029 --> 00:20:13.789 or illicit sex, or entertainment. Anything else 00:20:13.789 --> 00:20:20.309 but the righteous. thoughts and actions. People 00:20:20.309 --> 00:20:24.470 of God, you're already hungering, hunger and 00:20:24.470 --> 00:20:26.849 thirst after God's righteousness, and you will 00:20:26.849 --> 00:20:30.789 be filled. He will bring contentment to you. 00:20:31.410 --> 00:20:33.829 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain 00:20:33.829 --> 00:20:39.410 mercy. God's people are merciful, not sometimes, 00:20:40.230 --> 00:20:44.890 but always. We remember the frame of those around 00:20:44.890 --> 00:20:48.130 us and stooped down with compassion grounded 00:20:48.130 --> 00:20:52.609 in the scriptures To be merciful to others so 00:20:52.609 --> 00:20:57.609 that we may do what? Lift them up Let me say 00:20:57.609 --> 00:21:01.029 that again We remember the frame of all those 00:21:01.029 --> 00:21:05.269 around us that we may stoop down with compassion 00:21:05.269 --> 00:21:09.789 grounded in the scriptures To be merciful that 00:21:09.789 --> 00:21:18.549 we may lift Others up. As one commentator says, 00:21:18.650 --> 00:21:22.369 for God to bless man means that God bends down 00:21:22.369 --> 00:21:27.390 in his grace and mercy to aid man. It is a sovereign 00:21:27.390 --> 00:21:31.210 condescension on God's part. And so we are to 00:21:31.210 --> 00:21:34.549 be as well. Blessed are the pure in heart, for 00:21:34.549 --> 00:21:37.970 they shall see God. The only way that we see 00:21:37.970 --> 00:21:41.190 God is in Christ. For he was the only one that 00:21:41.190 --> 00:21:47.029 was pure. For every Christian, we must be cleansed. 00:21:47.910 --> 00:21:51.809 Hypocrisy presents a clean exterior as a cover 00:21:51.809 --> 00:21:57.890 for a dirty interior. So go back to the first 00:21:57.890 --> 00:22:02.950 two Beatitudes. Know you are a sinner and mourn 00:22:02.950 --> 00:22:06.470 for your sins. And know that your mind must be 00:22:06.470 --> 00:22:11.180 renewed. Romans 12. That your thoughts Desires 00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:15.559 and motives must be purified and purged by submission 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:20.799 to the Word of God And we will see God Blessed 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:23.579 are the peacemakers for they shall be called 00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:31.740 the sons of God God's sons are blessed and peacemakers 00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:36.000 God's peace that's Shalom. What is this? It means 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:39.519 God's peace means salvation and well -being in 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:43.460 the fullest sense. Bodily health, prosperity, 00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:49.640 salvation, redemption, mental health, and contentedness. 00:22:51.099 --> 00:22:53.880 The people of God are to be peacemakers. Are 00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:58.059 you doing this for others? Are you bringing a 00:22:58.059 --> 00:23:01.079 means of salvation and well -being? What are 00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:03.640 you doing to bring bodily health to someone else? 00:23:05.019 --> 00:23:08.039 To bring prosperity to someone else to bring 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:12.880 salvation to someone else to bring redemption 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:16.640 and mental health and contentedness to others 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:24.319 The people of God are peacemakers and all these 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:27.380 things are done for others to the glory of God 00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:31.160 You see how this is it isn't just something for 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:33.759 you. This is something that is given to you that 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:41.500 you may pour out on others If you're not in alignment 00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:48.619 see one and two and Then this is your state you've 00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:50.640 been set free from the bondage of sin and death 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:53.660 through Christ He's giving you a new heart. He's 00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:56.500 giving you a new mind He's giving you a new chance 00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:59.299 in life. Just go and do it. This is your status. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:05.619 And when we are called the sons of God, the next 00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:09.480 blessings are realized just as it was for our 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:14.099 Lord Jesus. Blessed are those who are persecuted 00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:17.640 for righteousness sake. For theirs is the kingdom 00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:21.019 of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:23.920 Persecute you and then when they say all kinds 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:28.019 of evil against you falsely for my sake Rejoice 00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:31.160 and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward 00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:34.220 in heaven And so they persecuted the prophets 00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:38.259 who were before you now. Here's the thing Have 00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:42.720 you in your Christian life? Lived a certain way 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.960 following these Beatitudes following the things 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:48.640 of God and people people at your job. Hey hold 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:52.240 on You got to quit it. You got to stop being 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:54.779 so diligent and working so hard You're making 00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:57.980 the rest of us look bad you ever had that happen 00:24:57.980 --> 00:25:04.400 What about when you behave rightly According 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:07.180 to God's Word to people when you love them by 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:09.740 telling them the truth not to tear them down 00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:14.279 but to set them free And they say don't do that 00:25:17.110 --> 00:25:19.009 There's all kinds of ways. What about in your 00:25:19.009 --> 00:25:24.609 own household? Sometimes in our own families, 00:25:24.609 --> 00:25:29.789 we find places where people push back against 00:25:29.789 --> 00:25:33.150 us when we stand up and say, I'm doing what God 00:25:33.150 --> 00:25:38.450 says. What are we to do? We are to rejoice and 00:25:38.450 --> 00:25:41.150 be exceedingly glad. For great is your reward 00:25:41.150 --> 00:25:45.250 in heaven. And we're going to be persecuted. 00:25:46.279 --> 00:25:50.240 As the sons of God will be persecuted for living 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:53.940 in the ways of the Beatitudes. When God's will 00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:56.900 is done here on earth as it is in heaven, we 00:25:56.900 --> 00:25:59.200 realize that the kingdom of heaven is all around 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:03.180 us for every square inch is our Lord's. And we 00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:05.779 count it all joy and rejoice when we receive 00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:08.799 persecution and hatred for the world for the 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:13.380 sake of Jesus. Jesus came to restore all things 00:26:13.380 --> 00:26:17.240 including his church. which is the ever -expanding 00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:21.819 Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we are blessed. 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:26.059 In Deuteronomy, we find in surrender and obedience 00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:30.579 to His commands, which we can do because we're 00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:34.440 empowered to obey by the work of the Spirit in 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:38.140 our life, this encouragement. Hear now the words 00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:43.500 of God from Deuteronomy 28. And all these blessings 00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:46.440 shall come upon you. and overtake you because 00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:49.799 you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed 00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:53.019 shall you be in the city. Blessed shall you be 00:26:53.019 --> 00:26:56.980 in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of 00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:59.900 your body, the produce of the ground, and the 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:03.660 increase of your herds, and the increase of your 00:27:03.660 --> 00:27:07.079 cattle, and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed 00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:09.599 shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:12.839 Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed. 00:27:13.049 --> 00:27:15.650 shall you be when you go out. And of course, 00:27:15.670 --> 00:27:19.170 this is a call about being in church. You're 00:27:19.170 --> 00:27:21.809 blessed when you come in, even though you're 00:27:21.809 --> 00:27:25.269 a dirty sinner. And God forgives you. And He 00:27:25.269 --> 00:27:28.109 restores you. And He transforms you by His Word. 00:27:29.049 --> 00:27:31.970 And then what does He do? He brings you to His 00:27:31.970 --> 00:27:34.710 table of peace. And then He gives you a blessing 00:27:34.710 --> 00:27:37.609 on the way out the door. And you're blessed coming 00:27:37.609 --> 00:27:40.210 in, because you weren't worthy. And you're blessed 00:27:40.210 --> 00:27:43.319 going out. Because he has received you for Christ 00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:49.299 Jesus sake Let us now pray Heavenly father we 00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:52.740 thank you for your word Help us we pray to live 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:55.500 act and think and speak as your sons and daughters 00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:59.299 We ask that you conform us more and more to Jesus 00:27:59.299 --> 00:28:02.180 Grant to us the blessedness that pours out to 00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:04.759 the world and that your will be done here on 00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:07.740 earth as it is in heaven and to rejoice When 00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:10.789 the world sees the light of Jesus shining and 00:28:10.789 --> 00:28:13.930 they hate us and persecute us. Turn them to you 00:28:13.930 --> 00:28:19.190 for your glory and praise. We ask all this in 00:28:19.190 --> 00:28:21.809 the name of Jesus, holy name. Amen.