True Identities

Matthew 5:1-16

Today we continue our series titled “The Kingdom of Jesus”.

But before we begin let’s pray and ask God for wisdom on how to apply His message from Matthew five verses one through sixteen to our life.

The title of Today’s message is “True Identities”. Today’s passage is commonly known as the eight Beatitudes.  The Beatitudes were named from the initial words in the Latin Vulgate Bible (beati sunt, translated in English as “blessed are”). Now the word Beatitude gets it’s meaning from the root of the Latin word beatus, meaning both “happy” and “blessed”.  This is why you will find some Bible translations of this passage have replaced the word blessed with the word happy instead.  This works well except for the second Beatitude (Blessed are those who mourn) because it is difficult to picture or comprehend being happy and grieving at the same time.  So in that case the word blessed may have been more appropriate. 

Matthew begins our passage today with the following two verses:

Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying: – Matthew 5:1-2

Following these two verses Matthew goes on to list the eight Beatitudes that Jesus taught them as He was seated there on the Mountain.

Each of these eight Beatitudes describes how people who possess a certain character quality will be rewarded. 

Jesus states in the first beatitude:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (NIV) – Matthew 5:3

Now I asked myself “What does it mean to be poor in spirit?”  The following translation of this verse helped me answer that question:

Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (1995 God’s Word translation) – Matthew 5:3

Now the Scribes and the Pharisees did not think that they were spiritually poor, but they were.

However, those of us who have put our trust in Jesus’ death on the cross for their salvation do recognize our spiritual poverty apart from the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us.  Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is our reward.

Jesus states in the second beatitude:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (NIV) – Matthew 5:4

  

Now the apostle Paul instructs us in Romans 12:15 to rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. In John 11:33-35 we read that Jesus wept with Mary over her brother’s Lazarus’ death.

   

As I mentioned earlier it is difficult to be happy and grieving at the same time.  However, we most certainly can be blessed by the comfort that the Holy Spirit (the Great Comforter) brings to each believer that is going through a godly ordained grieving process.  This comfort is our reward.  I have personally experienced this comfort from the Holy Spirit on a many occasions.

Jesus states in the third beatitude:

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.(NIV) – Matthew 5:5

Now this Beatitude was not new information In Psalm 37:10-11 David says the same thing.  That passage reads as follows:

A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. – Psalm 37:10-11

Now before you can tell if a person is meek or not you must know what the word meek means. 

Meek is defined in the dictionary as quiet, gentle, humble, easily imposed on.  So honestly ask yourself “Am I quiet?”, “Am I gentle?”, “Am I humble?”, and finally “Am I easily imposed on?” If you honestly answered “Yes.” to all of these questions then you are already meek and you will inherit the earth and enjoy great peace.  If you answered “No.” to one or more of these questions then God wants you to continue to work on the area of meekness because He wants you to inherit the earth and enjoy great peace with the rest of His adopted children.

Now as for the inheritance of the earth that Jesus was talking about in this verse, it may not seem very valuable based on the earth as we know it today.  That is because, due to the fall, the earth has been corrupted.  Remember that when God first created the earth it was perfect. Remember that He said it was very good on the sixth day of creation in Genesis 1:31.

And we know it will be good again because the apostle John tells us in Revelation 21:5 that: “He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”

Jesus states in the fourth beatitude:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.(NIV) – Matthew 5:6

Another version of the bible translates this verse as:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval. They will be satisfied. (1995 God’s Word translation) – Matthew 5:6

In other words if we seek to find out what God’s will is for our life in order to do it out of obedience to Him then we will have God’s approval.

Jesus states in the fifth beatitude:

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (NIV) – Matthew 5:7

Paul says in Romans 12:8 that mercy is a gift and those who possess it should be cheerful when showing mercy. Reading this verse in context starting in verse 6 Paul states:

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (NIV) – Romans 12:6-8

So showing mercy is a gift that should be exercised cheerfully.

But I wonder how many of you have this gift of mercy and instead of showing mercy cheerfully actually hesitate to use it publicly because you think that you will be made fun of or looked down upon by others.  Don’t think that way because just the opposite is true.  As a matter of fact according to Micah 6:8, we are all required by the Lord to not only be merciful but to love mercy. 

Micah tells us:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”(NIV) – Micah 6:8

Jesus states in the sixth beatitude:

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (NIV) – Matthew 5:8

Now we know our brain is where our thoughts originate.  Because of this one translation of this verse reads:

Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure. They will see God. (1995 God’s Word translation) – Matthew 5:8

Now we also know both from God’s Word and from science that there is an actual correlation between our thoughts and our heart.

Hebrews 4:12-13 states:

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:12-13

So our thoughts originate in our brain and our thoughts affect our attitudes and our attitudes actually affect our heart.  That is why when we are angry toward someone or have sinful thoughts toward someone our heart beats faster and our blood pressure rises and our face often gets red.  Now we cannot enter the presence of God or see Him or talk to Him with impure thoughts or when we are angry at someone or something.  Although, He can and does see us when we are in this condition, we can’t see Him or talk to Him because our minds are fixed on our own sinful thoughts and sinful desires.

Jesus states in the seventh beatitude:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (NIV) – Matthew 5:9

I don’t think that God meant for this verse to be exclusive of women because women are also peacemakers.  The King James translation of this verse reads: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.(KJV)

Thus both men and women peacemakers will be called children of God.

But what is a peacemaker?

Now Solomon tells us in Proverb 15:18 that: “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.”

Solomon also tells us in Proverbs 20:3 that: “It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”

And the apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:22-26:

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” – 2 Timothy 2:22-26

So we learn from these passages that peacemakers don’t just avoid quarrels but they also use their gift of gentle persuasion to free the souls of others from the devils trap.

Jesus state in the eighth and final beatitude:

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (NIV) – Matthew 5:10

Another version of the Bible translates this verse as follows:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (1995 God’s Word translation) – Matthew 5:10

You may have heard of the Police or the FBI or the CIA Witness Protection Program where these organizations hide their witness so that no one can harm him or her before they testify and then after they testify they give them a new identity.  Well God has a different version of the Witness Protection Program.  In His version He gives the witness a new identity first as one of His adopted children.  And in His version He does not hide him or her before they testify.  Instead He instructs them to testify in public and as often as possible.  Also in His version He actually encourages the witness to remain where he or she is before during and after they testify.  In His version the witness does not have to fear retaliation or death because Jesus who conquered death both for Himself and for all His witnesses said in Matthew 28:20: “Lo I am with you always” and in John 10:28 He Said: “No one can snatch you out of my hand” Now this last Beatitude must be extremely important because Jesus expounded on it by saying:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.(NIV) – Matthew 5:11-16

Doing what God approves is not being self-righteous; it’s only doing what God’s adopted child is expected to do as part of His Royal Family.

Now here recently there has been a lot of media coverage of a member of the Royal Family of Great Britain acting inappropriately.  This behavior has brought disgrace toward the reputation of the British Crown.  So too when we act inappropriately our actions bring disgrace toward the reputation of our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus and they grieve the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us.  But if we do good deeds that can be seen by the world, then this will result in praise of our Heavenly Father.  You cannot be a light to the world by living alone in the wilderness or in a cabin on Walden’s Pond.  Good deeds must be done in public for the world to see.

Now Jesus was the perfect demonstration of all eight of these eight Beatitudes.  He said in Luke 6:40: “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” So as we grow in spiritual maturity others will begin to recognize our True Identity as children of God and members of His Royal family and they will also know in the end that we fall under His Witness Protection Program.

Hopefully, unpacking these eight Beatitudes in a different format will help you remember them in regards to your True Identity.

Each Beatitude has a Be part associated with it that describes what the character quality our True Identity should be and each of these be parts has a corresponding Attitude part that describes the attitude that we are to display in our True Identity.

Let’s Pray.

Now it is a time to reflect not only on our True Identities but on what Christ has done on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be adopted as one of God’s Children and be part of His Royal Family.  So let us each examine our hearts in order that we may take the bread and the cup in communion in a worthy manner as His Word instructs us.  Then when you are ready come and take the bread and the cup and join us in the communion celebration of the victory that Jesus gained for us by allowing His body to be broken for us and His blood to shed for us as payment for our sin.