This week at GFchurch we looked at part2 of a new series over The Beatitudes. Gina Cooper and her worship team did a great job leading us in worship and our "Yard Team" were on top of their game~ as always. I love our people and their willingness to serve. We will be walking through the Beatitudes over the next few weeks/months. We are reading through the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. Here are my notes from Sunday's sermon.
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What does the words "poor" or "poverty" mean?
* In verse 3 the word that is used in the original New Testament Greek is a word that means 'poverty, to cower, to cringe like a beggar'. In classical Greek usage it was used the same way, of someone who crouches, who bends, who is ashamed, who wretchedly begs for money or for worth.
* It means to live beggarly, it simply describes someone who cannot survive of themselves, someone who cannot be self-sufficient - but someone who does not simply ask, does not work, but begs outside of himself for worth, for money, for wealth. That is what the New Testament word means - it could be literally translated 'beggarly poor',
You could translate it like this: 'Blessed are those who are so desperately poor in their spiritual resources that they realize that they must have help from outside sources, theirs is the kingdom of heaven'.
What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"
* bankruptcy within your soul. Cleaned out
* those who are blessed, those who are approved in the eyes and the sight of God, are those who are bankrupt in their very spirit
* it is a recognition of personal, moral and spiritual unworthiness. Spiritually, morally, personally, socially, in every single realm that you can think of of the human life, that you're showing that you are in need of God.
Being "poor" in spirit means brokenness
Charles G. Finney said this::
“It means people who have come to realize their spiritual state. In this it is implied that we understand our own guilt and helplessness, and realize as a practical fact our own utter emptiness by nature of every thing good, and of any tendency to that which is good. It is one thing to hold this in theory, and another thing to be heartily sensible of the humbling fact. Most professing Christians admit in words that they are in themselves wholly helpless and destitute, but to know and feel as an abiding practical conviction that this is their true spiritual condition how few are able!
Being poor in spirit implies that we see in its true light the tendency in us to every thing evil–that we understand that the habits of our minds, that our appetites and propensities, that nearly the whole power of the sensibility continually tends to selfishness.
A deep and abiding sense of the absolute need we are in of a Savior from our utter wickedness, helpless and just condemnation. Not only a sense of this dependence upon Christ, and helplessness out of him is implied, but a willingness to have it so–a willingness to cleave to Christ in all his offices and relations, a setting aside self, a self-loathing, a self renunciation in all respects, a casting away all hope in ourselves, all dependence upon ourselves, all trust in our own wisdom or righteousness, or our efforts at sanctification, and every thing else which is our own. It is a correct view of our utterly helpless state, a realizing sense of that fact, and a disposition of soul corresponding to such views.”
John Wesley describes it like this: ‘He’, or she,
‘who has a deep sense of the loathsome leprosy of sin, which he brought from his mothers womb, which overspreads his whole soul and totally corrupts every power and faculty thereof’
Someone who realizes, in the sight of God and biblically speaking, what they are, and what they are more importantly in the sight of God. It is simply this: it is a recognition of personal, moral and spiritual unworthiness. Spiritually, morally, personally, socially, in every single realm that you can think of of the human life, that you’re showing that you are in need of God. An excellent rendering of this verse is this: ‘Blessed are those who realize that they have nothing within themselves to commend them to God, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven‘.
In 2 Corinthians 1:8 Paul talks about hardships and troubles he was going through that were so severe that he says:
* We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Paul, the great hero of the faith got so discouraged and depressed that he was feeling like giving up on life? But then he says:
We saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:9 (Living Bible)
* “We saw how powerless we were to help ourselves”
* “but that was good”
* “for then we put everything into the hands of God”
* “who alone can save us, for he can raise the dead.”
The Message paraphrases the first Beatitude::
You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul says, "When I am weak, then I am strong". What does this mean?
A Thorn in the Flesh
7Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!
8Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
* When broken people, miserably failing people, continue to belong to, believe in and worship Jesus, God is happy.
If you missed the service yesterday, you can watch it here on GatewayTV
Mark Your Calendars::
~June 29 - July 2, 2010 Student Camp @Pineywoods
~July 16-17, 2010 Father/Son Retreat
~July 25-28, 2010 Pre-Teen Camp @ Pineywoods
ConnectGroup Schedule::
TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
SunMorn @ 915am @ GFchurch
Places To Sign Up::
Youth Camp June 28-July 2, 2010 @ Pineywoods Baptist Encampment
Father/ Son Weekend July 16-17, 2010 @ Mathews Retreat Center in Lone Oak, TX. (All guys welcome to attend)
Pre-Teen Camp July 25-28, 2010 @ Pineywoods Baptist Encampment
I love our church
I love our people
I love what He is doing in us
I love what He is doing to us
I love what He is doing through us
I love that He is not done with us
No comments:
Post a Comment