Do you sense a poverty in your spirit? That you lack or righteousness that God requires? Does this make you hunger and thirst for God? Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Notes and Outline

***Context*** - Goes up on a mountain... again, in the history of the people of Israel, after the wilderness wanderings they come to Mount Sinai and receive the law of God - the 10 commandments and other commands... Here we see Christ as the Prophet like Moses... x. Deuteronomy 18:15,19 - "The Lord your God will raise up for you prophet like me from among you, from your brothers - it is to him you shall listen....and whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him."

### I. The Beatitudes

- I see a progression in the "Blessings"

- The first 4 seem to show blessings towards the spiritually poor and spiritually humbled and hungry

- the next 5 seem to display the blessings of the one who is made like Christ - merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemaker, the persecuted... the Ones who Christ has filled!

### II. Salt and Light - Commissioning

- Christ's followers/disciples are salt in light in the earth...

### III. Christ's Law v.17-48

1. v.17-20 - Christ came to fulfill God's law in us.

Righteousness from the heart = Right standing with God that flows out into right living with God.

The law required not outward but inward righteousness...

You have heard it was said, but I say to you...

- Anger and Murder v.21-26

- Lust in the heart and adultery v.27-30

- Divorce - break our vows

- Oaths - always being true and genuine in our words

- Not Resisting the Evil person - v.38-42

- Loving your enemies v.43-48

- You must therefore be \*perfect - as your heavenly father is perfect.

in seeking to keep Christ's commands, we are confronted with our own poverty... our sinfulness... we can feel like hypocrites... like tasting salt makes you thirsty, following Jesus and keeping his commands should humble us and help us realize how we need righteousness, we need Christ's help and his righteousness, we need Christ's empowerment and spirit.

**Truth** - Christ's law calls for inward righteousness. It is the fulfillment of and expresses the spirit of the Old Testament Commands.

**Truth** - People will feel their own failure and shortcomings...

Come to Christ in your hunger! Your sorrow! Your poverty! He promises to fill you!!!! we must hunger and thirst for righteousness.

- Jesus says Blessed Are you, yours is the KOH

- Blessed are you, for you shall be filled. Christ can fill you with his righteousness - right-relationship with God that translates into right living before God...

**Truth**: Living as Sons of your Father in heaven - Our righteousness flows out of being loved by our Father God!

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.