he Richness in Poverty

GRACE THROUGH FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH

TEXT: Matthew 5:3-4
THEME: The Citizens of the Kingdom of God – Those Who Mourn Over Their Poor Spiritual Condition Are Blessed
TITLE: The Richness in Poverty
PROPOSTIONAL STATEMENT: The 3 Divine Activities Wrought by God to the Blessed

I. INTRODUCTION
A. Begin with the Following Questions

• What will be your reaction if the doctor diagnosed you that you have a cancer or an HIV or any deseases that will lead to death?
• What will you feel if your doctor told you, “You are in the fourth stage of your cancer”? Despite the fact that you know you are healthy. That you do things necessary for you to maintain good health.
• Will you be happy? Will you celebrate because you know that your days are already numbered?
• Or will you mourn over your hopeless severe condition that will lead to death?

B. Compare This to Spiritual Condition

• How much more if you find your soul infected by deadly sins?
• That if you will not be aware of this you will die – be separated from God – experiencing the suffering in hell forever.


II. BODY

A. The Definition of “Blessed”

• It came from the Greek Word. “MAKARIOS”
• It means a happy condition
• It is happy condition because of Divine favor

B. The Intention of Teaching

• To oppose or to refute the teaching of the Pharisees about those who were blessed
o They believe that those who observe the law of God are the blessed
o They believe that they are the blessed one because they gain righteousness by observing the law
o They believe that the blessed are those who have righteousness that they can offer to God (cf: Luke 18:11-12)

C. The Contradiction of the Jesus and Pharisees’ Teachings about Blessedness

• The Pharasees believe that the Kingdom of God is for those who can show their own righteousness before God
• Because of that they claim that they have the Divine Favor and will be accepted to the Kingdom of Heaven because they are righteous

• But Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God is for those who doesn’t have righteousness
• They are spiritually poor – Nothing in man that God can find anything good in them
o Zero Spirituality
o Spiritually bankrupt
o Is there any righteousness or good inside of them?, nothing but sin
o This is the doctrine of TOTAL INABILITY
• Because of this condition –they will mourn over their dead souls

Note : But Jesus said they are blessed, Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven – Mourn over your soul because youwill be
comforted


D. The 3 Divine Favors from God Given to the Blessed

• In the First Reading (Romans 1: 18 – 32) it gives us idea that the those people did not receive Divine Favor (Grace)
• The Lord let them live in their sinfulness
• Three times, Paul mentioned “God gave them over”
o In the sinfuil desires (v.24)
o To shameful lusts (v.26)
o To a depraved mind (v.28)
• But there are certain people who received Divine favor and they are called the Blessed
• Illustration :
o Judas was given over sin contrary to what happened to Peter. He was restored
o One of the thieves was given over sin and the other one was restored
• Take Note : Those who received Divine Favor see themselves poor in spirituality and they mourn over it. But they were the one who were blessed

Those Who Mourn because of the Poor Condition of their Spirit are Blessed because of Divine Favor

1) Their eyes were opened – Regeneration (v.3)

• Look at what the response of the following Bible characters. They acknowledge their spiritual poverty before the presence of the Holy God.
o Peter said to Jesus “Go away from me, Lord I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8)
o The thief on the Crucifixion said “We are punished justly, for getting what our deeds deserve…” (Luke 23:41)
o The tax collectors response “God have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13)
• They see themselves sinner in the presence of the Holy, Just and Righteous God
• They acknowledged their true identity
• The Lord has taken away the blindfold made by Satan in order to see the true identity of one’s self and who God is
• And because of these they understand now the poverty of his spirit that they are not righteous and cannot posses righteousness that will deliver him from the divine punishment of God
• Pharisees were not blessed because they consider themselves righteous on their own
• YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE GOD OPENED YOUR EYES TO THE REALITY OF YOUR BEING AND HIS BEING


2) Their hearts were broken – Repentance (v.4)

• Other people also know that they are sinner but there is no brokenness over their sin
• They do not mourn over their dead souls
• That they offended the God who is infinitely holy, a God who hates sin
• They mourn because they find themselves helpless and hopeless
• They mourn because they cannot remove the sin that made them spiritually dead before God
• They mourn because of the coming of the full measure of justice and wrath of God if sin will not be removed
• YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE GOD BROKE YOUR HEART INTO MILLIONS OF PIECES


3) Their souls were comforted – Revelation (v.4)

• This is the cry of the one who mourn over his hopeless and helpless condition “IS THERE HOPE FOR ME”
• And this is the answer of the GOSPEL “YES THERE’S A HOPE FOR YOU”
• The truth that made you mourn over your dead soul is the same truth that will comfort you
• God will tell you “I provided the Lamb for your sins“
• God will tell you “I provided the Righteous One for your righteousness“
• God will tell you “I provided the Ranson for your punishment“
• God will tell you “I provided you My Son to bear My wrath that supposed to be poured out for you”
• Yes! God provided you a Savior
• YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE GOD HAVE COMFORTED YOUR SOUL BY THE GREATNESS OF THE GOSPEL

III. CONCLUSION

• Most of the time I heard this: “Man has something good in him even the most wicked person ever lived”
• That there is an island of righteousness in him that qualifies him to receive grace
• If we have a such belief like that, we will never see ourselves poor in spirit that will lead us to mourning over our soul and we will never be comforted
• The one will comfort you is your self-righteousness. You will convince yourself that you have enough righteousness
• The Kingdom of God is not to those who said they are righteous but to those who acknowledge the sinfulness of their sin
• If you don’t acknowledge the poor spiritual condition of your soul, what Jesus had done on the cross will never have any value at all for you. REPENT AND BELIEVE AND BE SAVED

For God’s Glory
05/1/11