Week 02

Sermon Conversations with Alex and Aaron

There’s only so much we can cover in a Sunday morning gathering!
Each week, you’re invited to tune into our podcast at 11 am on Thursdays – recorded (and sometimes prerecorded) for later, online viewing.

What can you expect? Pastors Alex, Aaron, and the occasional guest having a casual conversation, diving deeper into ideas related to last Sunday’s teaching.

Ask questions about the sermon series, Sermon on the Mount,
“What Should Your Attitude Be (Part 1)”
at https://redcouchtheology.com/ or
by texting 720-316-3893 prior to, or during the “LIVE” podcast.

Blog sites:

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Darrell W. Johnson in his book, The Beatitudes-Living in Sync with the Reign of God, points out that each of the character qualities Jesus calls “blessed” are not natural human qualities. It is as people follow Jesus and grow into his good news of the Kingdom of God that they will grow in the qualities that are characteristic of the kingdom.

I try to imagine what the response might have been for various people on that mountainside when they heard Jesus say,

“Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth” NIV

How about Matthew who had been a tax collector working for the Roman government and likely making a living by overcharging his own countrymen?

Or Simon the Zealot, who was committed to the violent overthrow of the Romans controlling the country?

Peter, Andrew, James and John who, having worked hard as businessmen catching fish for a living, were a pretty rough group of men.

Might some in the crowd who had come from Jerusalem, remembered what the scriptures said about Moses in Numbers 12:3 ASV? “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Or What David wrote in Psalm 37:11 ASV? “But the meek shall inherit the land, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

According to the W. E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, the word “prautes” *, which was translated as “meek”, really is hard to express in English, because It definitely does not denote weakness, timidity, or lack of courage. To quote: “It must be clearly understood that the meekness manifested by the Lord and commended to the believer is the fruit of power.”

*Note. Look up Strong’s number 4239 and 4240.

It seems to me that the beatitudes are really a preview of the whole sermon on the mount. What Jesus goes on to say in the rest of Matthew 5-7 circles back to what we will become as we grow in Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom of God.

Please continue to join with us in praying and pondering the Lord’s Prayer,

“ ‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 4:17 NIV

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: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:1-4 NIV

The Greek word used for “to mourn” in Matthew 5:4 is “penthein”. It expresses strong, visible, audible lamenting, sobbing or passionate grief*. We need to understand that grieving and mourning is healthy, normal, and even a necessary process when we suffer the loss of a loved one or friend. Jesus mourned and cried with Mary and Martha after Lazarus died (John 11:1-37). He also wept over Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Luke 19:41-44) because most people in Jerusalem did not recognize Jesus as God, as their Savior, so His heart was broken with that knowledge.

* Note. See Strong’s number 3996.

Darrell W. Johnson in his book The Beatitudes makes the point that Jesus wasn’t telling people they had to mourn in order to be blessed, but rather that people who mourn are comforted and blessed. The beatitudes describe people who are welcome in God’s kingdom and who – as a result of hearing Jesus’ message to repent, they turn around, embrace Jesus and His teaching – are transformed by the blessedness of these beatitudes.

The word “comfort” in Matthew 5:4 in Greek is “parakaleo” which means “to be strengthened by being with”. It is related to the Greek noun (Paraklete) which is the word Jesus used for the “Holy Spirit”, the comforter”.**  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” Matthew 5:4. One can’t be comforted if one does not grieve; just as we do not grieve if we do not first love.

** Note. See Strong’s numbers 3870 and 3875.

We live in a sinful world with poverty, injustice, oppression, wars, earthquakes, illness, violence and death – every day:

• Creation groans and it all breaks our Lord’s heart. Does it break yours?
• Do you mourn for those who have not experienced God’s kingdom in their lives because they haven’t accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for them?
• Are you mourning the loss of someone? Do you allow others to comfort you?
• Does the injustice in this world grieve your heart?
• Do you have people whom you love deeply who act in ways that hurt themselves and others? Do you grieve as a result?

If so, then you are blessed because you will be comforted by the Holy Spirit now, and in the end times when all will be made right. Also, we can be comforted now when we are conduits of comfort for each other. That is when we allow the Holy Spirit to direct our steps to accept comfort from others or to give comfort to another when they are grieving – being strengthened by our mutual companionship.

It’s important to remind ourselves that Jesus was, is, and will remain the most intelligent human being and the most effective leader of people who will ever exist. He knows what we are made of and our vulnerabilities. Therefore, as we study his Sermon on the Mount, let’s assume he’s designed it to be grasped by the simplest soul as well as providing stimulation for the most gifted intellect.

Please notice three things about the Beatitudes (perfect happiness) which form the sermon’s introduction (Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:12-22):

First, a fair portion of the conditions/qualities Jesus describes in the Beatitudes are negative results of the “Fall” described in Genesis 3.

Second, all but the first and last of these Beatitudes promise future rather than immediate benefits of following Jesus.

Third, in using the term “Blessed are…” Jesus characterizes members of the Kingdom of Heaven (his followers) in terms of a core identity rather than describing goals to be achieved.

For today, let’s consider the first Beatitude:

“Blessed are the poor *in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 ESV

*Note: the shorter version of the Beatitudes found in Luke doesn’t include “in spirit”.

Some readers of this Beatitude have furthered two unlikely interpretations. One view insists that “poor” refers strictly to physical poverty and therefore true disciples must divest themselves of as many earthly possessions as possible. Another speculates that all poor, needy people are Jesus in disguise.

Popular teachers sometimes minimize this Beatitude, promoting the idea that Jesus’ main aim is to make his disciples materially prosperous. Others map out weighty plans to eliminate material poverty for all humanity.

I advocate that we understand this Beatitude in the context of many scriptures. Take a look at such things as Jesus’ interactions with the poor, how the early church handled the poor in their midst, and the value of spiritual riches in Jesus. In short, resist making this and the rest of the Beatitudes a tidy “to do” list.

Here are just a few among many passages to contemplate:

Jesus’ interactions with widows (often the poorest of the poor): Luke 4:24-26, Mark 12:41–44, Luke 7:11-17.

How the early church handled (satisfactorily or not) the poor in their midst: Acts 4:32-37, Acts 5:1-11, Acts 6:1, I Corinthians 11:17-22

The value of our riches in Christ: Ephesians 1:3-14. (Every blessing bestowed, implemented and guaranteed.)

Again, end with The Lord’s Prayer:

…“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:9-15 ESV