Christian Character Building Messages Lessons from the Beatitudes

Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

I.

Introductory Remarks - Matthew 5:3- !

In this lesson we will be focusing on the beatitudes of Christ as an upward Journey towards fulfilling our destiny. e will see these characteristics of Christ!s nature as progressi"e steps in our growth as Christians who are starting fro# the base of the #ountain and $ourneying towards the su##it. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. %or those who are choosing to co#e under the rule of the kingdo# of &od, Jesus is setting up a whole new package of "alues proclai#ing that in these you and I will find fulfill#ent not in pleasure, but in longing, not in satisfaction, but in hunger, not in popularity, but in co##it#ent to an unpopular cause, not in co#petition and 'winning', but in helping others win their way to peace. It see#s only fitting that Jesus is doing this great teaching on the beatitudes up on a #ountain, which helps us to see that if these characteristics are going to be a part of our li"es as we $ourney upwards towards the su##it of the #ountain.

Matthew 5:1-2 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when e was seated is disciples came to im. !hen e opened is mouth and taught them, saying"

II. "he #$wards %estiny &te$s to the &ummit.

. "he Base 'f "he Mountain 'r "he Initial &te$ Is (umility.

Before we can begin this spiritual $ourney to the su##it, we #ust be conscious of our need for &od and (is strength to sustain us. e ha"e to reali)e that in oursel"es we can!t do it. Matthew 5:3 #Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the $ingdom of heaven. The poor in spirit are those who recogni)e in their heart that they are *poor+ in the sense that they can do no good thing without di"ine assistance, and they

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ha"e no power in the#sel"es to help the# do what &od re.uires the# to do. They do not approach life with confidence in the#sel"es or reliance on their gifts and talents with an assurance that they are co#petent to #eet life!s challenges. Blessed instead are those who approach life without such self/ based confidence 'for theirs is the kingdo# of hea"en'. 2 Corininthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to thin$ of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from %od. 0et+s keep in #ind that this is &od!s #ountain that we are cli#bing, which #eans the only way we can reach the su##it is to do it through (is strength and (is way. (e must esta)lish our steps right fro# the beginning, otherwise we!ll $ust $ourney around the #ountain being lost in confusion and tur#oil. Psalms 40:1-3 & waited patiently for the L'(); And e inclined to me, And heard my cry. e also brought me up out of a horrible pit, 'ut of the miry clay, and set my eet upon a ro!"# and esta$lished my steps. e has put a new song in my mouth; *raise to our %od; +any will see it and fear, and will trust in the L'(). !. hen we approach life hu#bly with full reliance in the King, we open up oursel"es to (is direction and enabling grace for the re#ainder of the $ourney. "he &econd &te$ Is Re$entance *nd Mourning +or 'ur &in.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. To #ourn i#plies a sadness and hu#ble reali)ation and regret for one!s sins. ,ourning has to do with the ability to repent and being forgi"en, which enables you to en$oy the freedo# that it brings. 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 ,or godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. ,or observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner" -hat diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what .eal, what vindication/ &n all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. e!ll ne"er #ake it to the su##it with the weight of sin bearing down on us. e #ust shed it through godly sorrow. The further up the #ountain we go the #ore we will ha"e to deal with and get rid of.

He$rews 12:1-2 !herefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
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us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, loo$ing unto 0esus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before im endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of %od. e #ust continually co#e to the place in our li"es where we really do ha"e a godly sorrow for the sins in our li"es. This does not $ust #ean the sin in our li"es when we entered into the kingdo#, but also the sin that is continually being e2posed in our li"es. 3 lack of #ourning and sorrowing o"er our present sinful condition will pre"ent us fro# tra"elling further up the #ountain. 3. "he "hird &te$ Is Meekness, "he Mark of a -ew &$irit.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the mee", for they shall inherit the earth. The #eek are those who hu#ble the#sel"es before &od, because they acknowledge their utter dependence upon (i#. In conse.uence, they are gentle in the dealings with others. Being of a #eek and .uiet spirit #eans you ha"e co#e to the place where you don!t ha"e to appear '#acho' all the ti#e. 4ou can be tender and gentle with people because you ha"e gi"en control of your life to &od and don!t ha"e to 'win' all the ti#e. 2 %imothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not 1uarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient. hen #eekness begins to appear this is a sure sign that you ha"e hu#bled yourself and repented with &odly sorrow, for now &od!s true characteristics are now beginning to take root in your life. 3s a result you are now co#ing into your inheritance. &od will begin to e.uip you #ore thoroughly for the rough $ourney ahead.

2 Peter 1:3-4 ...as is divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the $nowledge of im who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us e2ceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be parta$ers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 3s we endea"or to #ake our way up the #ountain &od continually pro"ides for our needs and refreshes us for the upward $ourney. There are se"eral plateaus on the way up that are full of &od!s nourish#ent and pro"ision. But when we ca#p to long at any one place we eat up all of &od!s pro"ision. hen the pro"ision is gone it!s ti#e to #o"e on.

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..

"he +ourth &te$ Is * &$iritual *$$etite.

Because we ha"e co#e to the place where we are dependent upon &od!s sufficiency, we need #ore than natural food to keep us going. e begin to de"elop a real hunger for &od!s word and (is righteousness. This is a sign of significant growth and #aturity. Matthew 5:& Blessed are those who hun'er and thirst or ri'hteousness, for they shall be filled. 6e#e#ber, this is &od!s #ountain that we are cli#bing, which #eans the only way we can reach the su##it is to partake of (is righteousness. 6ighteousness is the character or .uality of being right or $ust in &od!s sight. (i"aisume, the &reek word or righteousness, #eans whate"er confor#s to the re"ealed will of &od. eg. Ba$tism of /esus. hat Jesus is saying here is that we #ust hunger and thirst for &od+s re"ealed will in our li"es, otherwise we will stray off course and get lost on the #ountain doing our own thing. This is why we find in ,atthew 7855 seeking &od!s kingdo# and seeking righteousness linked together. Because in order to recei"e the benefits and the fullness of the kingdo# into our li"es we #ust be seeking &od!s re"ealed will for our li"es as well. (ungering and thirsting in"ol"es hungering and thirsting for a deeper walk in faith, as righteousness is re"ealed fro# faith to faith. It takes going fro# one le"el of faith to another to #o"e up the #ountain. )omans 1:17 ,or in it the righteousness of %od is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, #!he just shall live by faith.# 5. "he +ifth &te$ Is Mercifulness Indicating +urther *d0ance.

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the mer!i ul# for they shall obtain mercy. Mercifulness is an attri)ute that indicates further ad0ancement.

e are no longer consu#ed with our own $ourney, but now we ha"e been gi"en #ore of a deposit of &od!s di"ine nature and we are concerned about helping those who are $ourneying with us. 3s a result you continue to recei"e &od+s #ercy, which gi"es you further enable#ent for your own continued $ourney.

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This #eans that we co#e to the place where we can enter into the feelings of so#eone who is hurting, lonely or distressed and feel alongside the# in their pain. Being #erciful also in"ol"es a co##it#ent to help alle"iate the proble# or hurt in so#eone!s life. eg. 1ood &amaritan. e can!t be in such a hurry to get to the su##it that we ignore those who are stranded and in trouble. *u"e &:3& #!herefore be merciful, just as your ,ather also is merciful. 2. "he &i3th &te$ Is (eart 4urity, "he *ttainment 'f (igher *ltitudes.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart# for they shall see %od. (eart purity #arks the attain#ent of higher altitudes. e are able to percei"e the "ision of &od. e are able to see #ore clearly where we are going and where we ha"e been.

He$rews 12:14 Pursue peace with all #en, and holiness, without which no one will see the 0ord8 This does not necessarily ha"e to do with a heart without sin, though there will be a turning fro# all known sin. The deeper #eaning is one 'without guile'. &uile is deceit and $retence. !hayer3s %ree$ Le2icon defines pure as free fro# e"ery ad#i2ture of what is false. :incere. Being pure and without guile #eans co#ing to the place where you can be co#pletely open and honest with &od and others. It #eans that you are able to be transparent, you don!t ha"e to put on an 'air' or pretend to be what you are not or trying to hide your faults. 5. "he &e0enth &te$ Is 4eacemaking - Calming "he &torms 'f Life.

Matthew 5:+ Blessed are the pea!ema"ers, for they shall be called sons of %od. ,ore of the ;i"ine nature of Christ has been i#parted into your spirit and you now ha"e a Christ/like influence that is able to cal# the stor#s of life. Peace #akers are people who are at peace with &od *the author of peace+< and who show that they are truly children of &od by stri"ing to use e"ery opportunity open to the# to effect reconciliation between others who are at "ariance. 4ou ha"e learned how to reconcile others to Christ and are learning what it really #eans to be an a#bassador for Christ.

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2 Corinthians 5:18#20 Now all things are of %od, who has reconciled us to imself through 0esus 4hrist, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation....!herefore we are ambassadors for 4hrist, as though %od were pleading through us" we implore you on 4hrist5s behalf, be reconciled to %od. 6. "he 7ighth &te$ Is "he &ummit.

The :u##it represents suffering for Christ. 4ou are now standing beside the prophets and #artyrs. 4ou had to endure a lot to get here. Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness5 sa$e, for theirs is the $ingdom of heaven. #Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all $inds of evil against you falsely for +y sa$e. #(ejoice and be e2ceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Those who are persecuted for righteousness+ sake suffer because they uphold &od!s standards of truth, $ustice and purity, and refuse to co#pro#ise with the world or bow to the idols that #en tend to erect as substitutes for &od. 3s Paul re#inded Ti#othy, 6all that will live godly in 4hrist 0esus shall suffer persecution3; but to such Jesus gi"es the assurance that they are citi)ens of the only kingdo# that abides, the kingdo# of hea"en. 2 %imothy 3:12 7es, and all who desire to live godly in 4hrist 0esus will suffer persecution.

III. Concluding Remarks.

>ow that you ha"e reached the su##it, what!s ne2t? 'Is the $ourney o"er?' >ot really, you ha"e $ust reached that point to where you can be released to #ount up on the wings of an eagle and to go and #inister all o"er &od+s #ountain with the authority of a son of &od. 8&saiah 9:";<=. 4ou are a #ature son of &od who is able to be led by the :pirit to do &od!s work. 8(omans >"<9=.

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