Jesus Chooses Who?—Disciple Makers Series #3Sample

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit 

Matthew 5–7 is called the “Sermon on the Mountain” and gives Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of God.  We call it the rules of the kingdom.  If you want to know how to live as God wants—then know the rules and these chapters give the rules.  I will take time going through them because they are often short and need a little discussion.

They start with in chapter 5 with a description of who God blesses.  It is different than what most of us expect—it is VERY different from the world considered blessed.  At times, we adopt the world’s perspective and reject God’s view.  Be careful!

Today is the first one—Blessed are the poor in spirit.  The best way to look at this is to see it as those who are humble.  Poor means the lowest (like the poor are the lowest in the economic world) and that is the humble and those who put others ahead of themselves.  God loves those people.

In Luke 5 where this is repeated, Jesus actually says—“Blessed are the poor” (those with the least money).  God places higher honor on the poor than the rich.  Remember that when we see the wealthy and everything they have.

Time to Pray

Father, today we start reading the greatest teaching in the whole bible.  Give me ears to hear everything written in this passage.  Starting with this—having a humble heart.  Today, let me put everyone else and their needs over me and my needs.  It is not a nice place to live.  I would much rather have people take care of me and my needs.  Still, this is the person that You release great honor to.  I want Your favor more than anything else so give me this heart.  God, if I live like this, I know that You will take care of me.  In Jesus’ name Amen.