School of the Bible - Sermon on the Mount 2.2

  • Gordon Simmonds
  • Feb 3, 2009
  • Series: School of the Bible - Sermon on the Mount

6. Blessed are the merciful

Matthew 5:7         Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

6.1 Mercy is the sensitivity that a person has to the feelings of another.

6.2 Vine describes mercy as "the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it."

6.3 Mercy does not mean a condoning of sin, but it does mean an examining of the heart of the wrongdoer.

James 2:13  Matthew 18:21-35

6.4 What happens when we are merciful? We are shown mercy in return!!!

Challenge: Believers should always look to show compassion and mercy to those around them.

7. Blessed are the pure in heart

Matthew 5:8         Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

7.1 The word used in Matthew (as well as in Paul's pastoral epistles) is: KATHAROS:- pure, as being cleansed,

1 Timothy 5:22;  2 Timothy 1:3;  2 Timothy 2:22 ; Titus 1:15 

7.2 Paul uses another word: HAGNOS:- pure from defilement, not contaminated (Vines)

Philippians 4:8 

7.3 The first question we need to ask is what is the heart? Is the heart the spirit? If the heart was the spirit then how could a person not be pure in heart?

7.4 The following verses help us understand the meaning of the word heart:

  • 7.4.1 1 Peter 3:4 - It refers to the inward person.
  • 7.4.2 James 5:5 - It refers to a person's lifestyle.
  • 7.4.3 Matthew 5:28 - It refers to the inner desires of a person.
  • 7.4.4 Hebrews 4:12 - The heart has thoughts and intents.
  • 7.4.5 Acts 11:23 - One can have purposes of the heart.
  • 7.4.6 Romans 6:17 - The will is in the heart
  • 7.4.7 Acts 2:37 - Conscience is closely connected to the heart
  • 7.4.8 Luke 1:51 - Imagination is of the heart.
  • 7.4.9 Matthew 13:15 - Understanding is of the heart.

 7.5 The benefit for being pure in heart is that we will see or experience God.

Challenge: We as believers should lives that go beyond an outward acting purely but become free from contamination as our thought, intents and motives are pure before Him.

8. Blessed are the peacemakers

Matthew 5:9   Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the sons of God.

8.1 Biblical peace is not worldly peace, which could have a connotation of an absence of war. Biblical peace refers to a harmonious relationship:

John 14:27; John 16:33; Ephesians 2:14 

8.2 Jesus is our peace i.e. He is the Mediator making peace between God and us. He has made the relationship possible.

Colossians 1:19-20    

  • 8.2.1 Notice again that the making of peace is past tense! And it is Jesus that makes this peace or relationship possible.

8.3 So therefore the peacemaker is one who shares the gospel with unbelievers so that peace can be made with God, but also someone who restores harmony between men.

8.4 Notice that the peacemaker is called a son of God. A believer does not need to share the gospel in order to be a son of God but when he does he shows the world that he is.

8.5 A peacemaker is one who brings unity! He is one who resolves conflict!

Matthew 12:25 

8.6 Can one resolve conflict without humility, mercy, meekness or a revelation of God's righteousness?

  •  8.6.1 This beatitude is clearly built upon or follows on from the previous ones.

Challenge: Believers should be the ones who cause peace, quietness and rest, those who strive to live peaceably with all people.

9. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake

Matthew 5:10-11

10  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11  Blessed are you, when they revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake.

12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

9.1 Tough times are normal in the life of believers!

Colossians 1:24

9.2 When we talk about suffering in the will of God, we are not talking about the areas of sickness, poverty and sin as we have been redeemed from these (though character can still be built in a person's life from these trials) because Jesus became our substitute. However in the above areas He became our example.

2 Corinthians 4:17

9.3 There are three areas where a believer will suffer, in the will of God:

  •  9.3.1 Going through tribulation to fulfil the call of God
  •  9.3.2 Enduring to become Christ-like and
  •  9.3.3 Suffering persecution for righteousness' sake.

9.4 Going Through Tribulation To Fulfil The Call Of God.

  •  9.4.1 Paul's endured tremendous hardship in order to fulfil his destiny.

2 Corinthians 11:22-28; 2 Corinthians 4:8-12; Acts 21:10-14

  • 9.4.2 Being able to endure tribulation is not something we wake up into - it is progressive as we "grow up into real life"
  • 9.4.2.1 How is this achieved? By faith!
  • 9.4.3 If we are to be effective in the Christian life we must have an attitude to endure!

 Psalm 34:19

  • 9.4.3.1 If we do not have the right attitude - endurance in tough times - them we will only serve God as far as our self-interest goes - or only within our comfort zones.

Psalm 139:23-24; Revelation 12:11

9.5 Enduring To Become Christ-Like

  • 9.5.1 Character development does not come without an element of sacrifice ("Present your bodies a living sacrifice.")
  • 9.5.2 This sacrifice produces Christ-likeness

 1 Peter 4:1-3

 9.6 Persecution For Righteousness' Sake

  • 9.6.1 We live in a world system, where Satan will do anything possible to hinder us, to prevent us from doing the will of God.
  • 9.6.2 So when we choose to live righteously, there will be opposition. The moment we choose to make a stand for integrity, we will be persecuted.
  • 9.6.3 Once a person becomes a Christian he immediately changes from being the enemy of God to being the enemy of Satan and so in the ensuing war the devil will try and use any form of persecution to destroy the believer.

 John 16:33

  • 9.6.3.1 Notice that Jesus says we WILL have tribulation (or trouble - NIV) in the world - not maybe!

 1Thessalonians 3:1-5

  • 9.6.4 So the believer must be prepared to have trials in his life but our attitude is of utmost importance as this will cause the character building.

James 1:2-4

  • 9.6.5 Many Christians jump back into their comfort zones NOT allowing the process to go on and thereby allowing the exercising of faith to produce the necessary qualities in them.
  • 9.6.5.1 God is infinitely more concerned with our character than with our comfort!!

  • 9.6.6 The believer must rejoice in this type of tribulation or affliction knowing that maintaining the right attitude will mean two things:
  • 9.6.6.1 He will make it through the trial and
  •  9.6.6.2 He will develop character

 

  • 9.6.7 If we push suffering aside without properly examining it we will be frustrated into thinking that it is the devil when in fact it may be God.
  •  9.6.7.1 What is of utmost importance in the trial is our attitude!

Mark 10:28-31; Matthew 5:11-12

  • 9.6.8 Most growth takes place outside of our comfort zones and we by definition want out because we are uncomfortable but this is the time to develop character and attain to the eternal purpose.

1 Peter 4:12-16

  • 9.6.8.1 Peter wrote this in the early 60's a time when the church was about to go through the tribulation, warning them of how to react in the midst of a trial.

 

  • 9.6.9 Tests and trials are to prove and purify your faith - don't be surprised when they come!!

Challenge: Believers should change their mindsets to become God-pleasers at all costs, regardless of the attitude of the world.