Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit | Craig Curtis
Who are you becoming?
Matthew 5:1-2 NIV
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
Matthew 5:3-11 NIV
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
The Beatitudes are not a checklist; they are who we are becoming as we follow Jesus.
Matthew 5:3 NIV
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
blessed - flourishing; complete; whole
poor - destitute; desperate
Matthew 5:3
"Flourishing are the desperate in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God."
Matthew 5:3 MSG
"You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule."
Matthew 5:3 NLT
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."
Matthew 5:3 TLB
“Humble men are very fortunate!” he told them, “for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them."
Romans 6:23 NIV
23 For the wages of sin is death...
"Jesus, I need You."
Romans 6:23 NIV
23 For the wages of sin is death...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Promises for the Poor in Spirit:
I. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
Matthew 20:16 NIV
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
If you are...
- a single mom exhausted and overwhelmed by life and the demands that seem impossible to meet...
- recovering from addiction, separated from your kids and desperate to see them again and get back what was lost...
- in depression with an elephant on your chest and the joy that you once had is lost...
- a refugee in a new town with new people, a new school, a new language and new looks...
- powerless, stuck in what seems to be a dead-end world
- grieving, ashamed, defeated...
- feeling unseen, unheard, unknown...
...this is a welcome for you.
Promises for the Poor in Spirit:
II. This IS a promise.
Matthew 5:3 is a future and present promise for the most presently distraught.
Matthew 5:3 NIV
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven."
"It's going to get better when..."
Happiness isn't a what; it's a Who.
Psalm 112:7-8 TLB
7 He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. 8 That is why he is not afraid but can calmly face his foes.
Promises for the Poor in Spirit:
III. We don't "settle" in salvation.
"Jesus, I need You."