Kingdom Sermon

Matthew 5:1-4 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he 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 will be comforted.”
 
MATTHEW’S account of Jesus’ ministry points to the Sermon on the Mount as the Master’s masterful beginning to his teaching. With his first words Jesus indicated he had much for his listeners to learn. And to truly learn, they must be poor in spirit.
   To be poor in spirit is a heart prepared for knowledge. There is no room for pride, criticism, doubt and self-centered focus. You know, don't you, that you learn more competely when you understand you must gain certain knowledge to accomplish a task.
   A poor spirit in the Kingdom of God is as an empty cupboard. You take action to learn how to fill it, right? In a like manner, when we recognize our spiritual account is low on the knowledge of God's Word, faith, forgiveness, truth, love, joy, etc., we eagerly finds ways to eat of God's truth. Kingdom citizenship requires that we know we need to know more of the King. Our “poor spirit” leads to the blessing of being well-fed with God’s Word.
   And how are we blessed when we mourn? Doesn’t mourning mean loss and regret?
   Jesus’ first answer comes with the promise of comfort. A blessing occurs amid loss when friends comfort you with their loving care. In their comfort, you experience a closer, loving relationship with people in a way that does not ordinarily occur. Through a heightened focus on God's Word, prayers and compassion, mournful hearts are made more secure with the comfort of people bearing the good news of Jesus' eternal love and his promise of eternal life.
   Blessing also comes to those who mourn their sinful habits. As the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, we must grieve the sin and turn from them. If we deeply mourn our sins, we may feel we are unworthy to follow Jesus. But the Lord wants you to know that mourning sin will lead to a repentant heart. Repentance opens the way for God's blessings to fill your life with his forgiveness.
   Third, those who mourn experience blessing as we weep over others' sin. Do you weep in  your heart for the people around you who flagrantly reject God? Does the Spirit move your heart to pray for, teach and demonstrate God's salvation truths to them? Mourning sin stirs us to act against sin and for the sinners’ hearts.
   Yes, even when we mourn, God's blessings come our way through comfort, repentance, teaching and salvation based on God's care over us now and forever.