https://youtu.be/ey1UrHR0WMc

Why you be attitude? Matt 5:1-12 - attitudeThis is the beginning of the sermon on the mount. Some people elevate this sermon above other teachings of Jesus, but that’s not what Jesus did. While this was his longest most expansive treatise, its our elevation of it, not Him who gives it so much importance. Its all important, but its not exhaustive. People want to focus on a small part instead of being responsible for the whole parts. In this sermon, Jesus is speaking to his disciples, and those who are following him. In the beatitudes- he’s showing his disciples the character of those who are in his kingdom and those who are going to inherit his kingdomIt’s a line of delineation for the disciples- if you’re going to be my disciples, if you’re going to be in my kingdom- this is who you must be. This must be your character.These are people who have been rejected or excluded from the power of Roman life, and the corrupt life of the Sadducees and PhariseesThese attributes, and why they are so timeless, is because they were the antithesis of the world’s ethos back then- and the antithesis of the worlds ethos nowTrue Christianity is not like the world, love the world or imitate the world. What is meant by blessed? Blessed in the simplest of terms means prosperous. Doing well. Fortunate. Well off. Doing better than most. Blessed. The kingdom of Heaven- who will receive it? Next week we talk about salt and light. This character precedes the ability to be salt and light to a loss and dying world. These characteristics display what we should be, who we are not, who we could be and who we can be

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Those who feel an overwhelming sense of spiritual emptiness and insignificance in their life apart From GodA poor in spirit person feels empty. They are not self sufficient and strong- They admit weakIsaiah 66:2  “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My wordThis is in contrast to the pharisaicial spirit of self righteousness, support, and pleasureThe Pharisee has no emptiness because they are their own God- They are actually filled to the point they don’t need God and don’t desire after them. I admit I need people. I need their help, support, encouragement, affirmation. I do. I also admit I need God- Nothing the world gives satisfies- James 4:6 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”Are you poor in spirit, or do you depend on yourself? Do you long for God and his touch?We, as a society pride ourselves on self-sufficiency- but that’s not Godly. Never arrivingNo amount of personal righteousness can satisfy- only the Lord. Luke 18:13 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’Hebrew for poor- meek- abase self, afflict (-ion, self), answer [by mistake for H6030], chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble

 Blessed are those who mourn,For they shall be comforted. attitude

This isn’t upon all who mourn- its for those who mourn over their sin. They will be blessed, because when they mourn over what they have done, they find comfort with God’s pardon. I get no pleasure from listening to people talk about their past sins in a joking, positive lightIf you had killed someone, and got out of Jail and then laughed about it- is that Good/Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as [a]have a contrite spirit.Yes, you’re forgiven, you’re set free- but that doesn’t mean you can’t hate your pastIsaiah 57:15 b“I dwell in the high and holy place,