Matthew Chapter 5:1-6 "The Sermon On The Mount - The Beatitudes / Lasting Happiness - Part 1&qu

Study Suggestions:

• If presenting as a sermon, do not read each additional reference to your audience (for time sake) - read through study and the written out references, and leave the additional references to your audience to use as a resource in their own studies / review of the message.

• If presenting as a Bible study, split up references throughout the study to easily have read when reached.

• Only use the "PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH" section if you are using this study as a Bible Study.

INTRODUCTION INTO STUDY In Matthew chapter 5, also known as The Sermon on the Mount, Christ explains in the first 12 verses what will lead His disciples (this includes us as His followers) to a lasting and satisfying state of happiness (seeming to be a fuller translation than just “blessed,” which is used throughout this section) in a piece referred to as the Beatitudes. The desire to be happy, and the desire to feel fulfilled is something that we all want - whether we vocalize that need or not. These desires can be overwhelming at times and are currently causing an epidemic of depression and anxiety throughout the world (in both Christians & non-Christians alike). We all want answers on how we can combat these aches and pains in our hearts, souls, and minds. Well in these verses Christ seems to offer us just that - ways to tap into true lasting & satisfying happiness. As we work through the Beatitudes over the next couple of studies let’s pay close attention to the characteristics and practices Jesus says will lead to a lasting happiness - notice they direct us to be more like Him! In other words, if you want to be fulfilled, if you want happiness, if you’re currently struggling with anxieties and want a way out, live like Christ and follow His instruction. No longer will you be a square trying to fit into a circular cutout, but you’ll find your place in this puzzle of life and begin to see you fit better than you ever believed you could. You'll be living within your design.

SCRIPTURE READING & OBSERVATIONS Read Matthew Ch. 5:1-6 >> verse 1-2 This call out may seem like a stretch, but isn’t it interesting that if the disciples hadn’t come to Jesus and sat and listened they would never have been given the wisdom of the Beatitudes or the Sermon On The Mount? How often is God sitting and waiting for us to come join Him? How often is He ready to answer our biggest questions and guide us, but we never sit down beside Him and just listen?

Maybe you aren't use to a relationship like this. Well, guess what? No matter who you had or didn't have in this life, God, the creator of the universe, not only wants to answer these questions and share His wisdom with you, but He’s literally just waiting for you to ask. Pray to God with your questions, and go to the scripture for your answers and you’ll be amazed with what you find.

This is easier now than it has ever been thanks to the internet. Just look up the question you have and verses that answer that question and you’ll see lists of verses, sermons, etc. answering and speaking to each one.

The Beatitudes:

verse 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Meaning: To be poor in something is to be lacking in it, so to be poor in the spirit would be to live as if we never had enough of the Holy Spirit, and as the verse says this way of life will lead us to a lasting happiness. Thoughts: What if we lived a life without complacency in our relationship to God? What if church on Sundays and our once a week volunteering and tithing / giving wasn’t enough for us (how many of us even stick to these)? What if we desired everyday to align ourselves with and gain more of the Spirit of God? Well as the scripture says “seek and you will find,” “knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9) - if you live within a mindset that you can never have enough God, then congratulations, God will give you what you ask for. Live in a constant need of God, desiring and aiming to gain more of Him, and He will literally give you an eternity in heaven right by His side (“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”)!

What could be more fulfilling than being in heaven and having a lasting and loving relationship with the creator of the universe?

Jesus also exemplified being poor in spirit from the time He was just a boy found in the temple questioning the teachers (Luke 2:42-49), to praying God’s will would be done in His life even though it meant He would be killed soon after (Matthew 26:39). What an incredible example He gave for us to model ourselves after - always striving to grow and be in alignment with God the Father. verse 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Meaning: Those who are pained, and saddened over their sin and transgressions against God, and the brokenness of this world, will be comforted and gain a lasting happiness. Thoughts: First let’s look at how mourning our sin could lead to lasting happiness:

As followers of Christ we have the Holy Spirit, so to mourn our sin is in a way a growth pain! We're growing and changing from our old ways - the Spirit is working inside of us to transform us, and to distance us from previous desires (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). What a wonderful thing to know God is working within us to make us a better more complete version of ourself no matter where we are starting from, or what anyone else thinks of us (just look at Paul's conversion story Acts 9:1-19)! Some of us could really use loving-grace and help like this couldn’t we? Come to Jesus - He wants to save you and set you free from the slavery and chains of your sin (Galatians 5:1 & Romans 8:1-2). Also, what could comfort us more than knowing that when we mourn and have a repentant heart, we have a God who not only forgives us, but purifies us (1 John 1:9)?! Can you imagine if all of our relationships worked this way? We’ve wronged someone and go to them with a repentant heart, and not only do they forgive us, but they also wipe that memory away from existence (Psalm 103:12)? Can you imagine if our wrong deeds against others didn’t come back to haunt us, and was never brought up against us again, because we simply asked for forgiveness and looked to change? Surely, we can find comfort and happiness in the grace of our God who offers us such forgiveness.

Now, let’s look at how God comforts those who are mourning over the various tragedies of this world (death, disease, etc.):

This is one of the most amazingly mysterious features of our God and what He does for us as His followers. It’s something that can be explained best through our own personal testimonies, but it’s referenced and shown throughout the scripture. God doesn’t want us to be in pain. We're His children that He loves deeply (2 Peter 3:9, Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 31:3, John 3:16, Psalm 86:15). God loves you. You, He loves you. This world is just a broken version of what He originally created it to be, and due only to the choices we and those before us have made and make (Romans 5:12). In other words sin set all existence out of wack and was the key to the door of the pains we'e grown so accustomed to (Genesis 2:17). However, God desires to rescue us from those pains. All we need to do is come to Him (Romans 6:23).

Now, did Jesus mourn? Of course He did. He mourned over His upcoming death, over the future of those who were chose to crucify Him, and over the death of His friend Lazarus. However, what occurred in the story of Lazarus’s death? Yes “Jesus wept” over the circumstances of His friend losing His life and seeing the anguish others were in over it, but the story doesn't end there. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, the same plan He has for each of us as His followers.

You see, with Christ we can find comfort in even the worst of tragedies, because we know He has power over life and death, and we know His plan is to raise us up once again - into everlasting life. What could provide a deeper comfort and happiness then knowing and living within that promise?

Additional verses explaining God’s relationship to us in our sorrows and pain:

• Psalm 34:18

• Psalm 147:3

• Psalm 56:8

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Additional words & stories directly from God the Father, and His Son Jesus referencing His feelings toward pain and sorrow:

• John 14:18

• Jeremiah 31:13

• Exodus 3:7

• John 11:1-44 (Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead)

verse 5:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Meaning:

Lasting happiness comes to those who are humble, calm, and accepting of what has been given to them in this life (geography, occupation, etc.).

Thoughts:

What causes so much of our anxiety and depression? We don’t have enough. We don’t have the new car we want, our house constantly needs repair, our circumstances aren’t what we thought they would be or should be at this point in our lives, and so on. Well, if we were happy with what we had, and didn’t feel we needed more, or something different than we have, wouldn’t that wipe away a lot of our anxiety and depression?

Of course we can and should look to multiply what God has given us (Luke 19:12-26), but what if no matter the outcome, we accepted what we ended up? What if we remembered that no matter how small or large our gifting - God only cares that we've done our best to honor Him with those gifts, not the measurable size of the outcome? What if we remembered not to live with the same desires the rest of the world has (Romans 12:2), and we remembered our time on this earth is gone quickly (Psalm 144:4), so we decided to live in contentment knowing we have heaven and eternity promised to us and coming soon (James 2:5)? Our anxieties and depression would surely dissipate!:

Jesus gives us an incredible example of meekness. He was and is the sinless Son of God, but still humbly washed His own disciples feet just to set the correct example for them (John 13:5). Also, again using the example of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, what is a better example of meekness than accepting your own tragic and undeserving death, because of a desire to honor God the Father’s will and to give an opportunity of salvation to those who desire to kill you (Matthew 26:39)? As it’s often said, “Jesus was not weak, He was meek” and a perfect example to us.

Additional verses pointing to Jesus’s meekness:

• 2 Corinthians 8:9

• Philippians 2:8

verse 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Meaning: Those who believe and have faith in Jesus as their savior from their sins, and keep His commandments in a true desire to express their love for Him, will find contentment and gain a lasting happiness. Thoughts:

This verse is in a way a sum up of Christianity. It contains layer after layer that needs to be examined based on the scriptures teachings of what righteousness is and how we obtain it:

1. We can only be righteous when in relationship with Christ. To be righteous, as defined by the Bible, is more than just “doing the right thing,” or even following the instructions and commands of the Bible itself (Romans 3:20). To be righteous first and foremost requires a relationship with Jesus. It requires belief and faith in Jesus being our one and only savior from our sins (Romans 3:21-26).

The Bible explains in both the new and old testament that our efforts to be “righteous” through our own action is not possible - they’re even referenced as being nothing more than “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6 & Romans 3:10-20).

However, when we repent of the wrong we’ve done and turn from our old ways, are baptized, and have faith and belief in Jesus and His death on the cross for our sins, we are born again and are able to be righteous (Mark 1:15, Mark 16:16, Romans 3:21-26, 10:9-10 & 1 Peter 1:22-25). This is due to us now being cleansed from our sin and made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God even explains that He cleanses His people from their impurities, and give them a new heart and a new spirit - truly making them new beings (Ezekiel 11:10-20 & 36:25-26).

Once we have become this new version of ourselves we can then live righteously, because we will know we are unable to boast in our “good deeds” - looking for selfish gain, but that we are only justified through Christ (Romans 3:27-28). In other words, our hearts change, so our intentions can become pure, and with just intention we must then follow Jesus’s commands and instruction, or the conversion process is meaningless.

To live in a true relationship with Jesus is to also keep His commandments. Jesus states “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love (John 15:10),” and Paul later notes “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified (Romans 2:13).”

2. A true relationship with Christ will lead us to righteous action.

Jesus its not only our path to righteousness, but He is our example of righteous living. 1 John 2:6 states that “whoever says he abides in Him (Jesus) ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.” Here are just some of the righteous characteristics of Jesus not already named in this study that we should emulate:

• a healer (Matthew 12:15, etc.) - we can be a healer through donating our medical expertise (those who have them), funding others medical expenses, etc.

• gracious (Luke 4:18-19)

• loving (Romans 5:8)

• merciful (John 8:1-11)

• forgiving (1 John 1:9)

• selfless (1 Peter 2:24, Philippians 2:50-8, Luke 23:33-34)

• faithful (John 15:9-17)

Notice these righteous characteristics of Jesus are the same ones we find in our most beloved friends, family, and heroes? Notice they're also the same characteristics that even most critics of Jesus and the Bible agree we should all try to emulate. Why then would anyone want to reject Jesus's teachings or example?

3. How does righteousness lead us to contentment & lasting happiness?

Living as Christ and exuding His characteristics will lead to a spiritual and personal contentment like no other. We get to watch our old ways fade away as we become a transformed and purer version of ourselves - pleasing our God and creator along the way.

Also, as John 3:16 states “…whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” If to be righteous is to live within the belief, faith, and justification of Jesus as our savior (as we just studied), then according to Jesus’s own words it will also lead us to everlasting life alongside of Him in the paradise of heaven. What else could give a deeper contentment and lasting happiness than that?

Additional references to the characteristics of Jesus:

• Acts 10:38 (healing)

• Zechariah 9:9 (humble)

Additional verses of Jesus explaining righteousness:

• John 7:18

• John 5:30

TAKEAWAYS

There’s a lot in these verses to take in. However, here are a few points that will hopefully give us some overarching focuses to dwell on:

To hear God we need to commune with God - in other words, if you want answers, then you need to come to Him and just sit and listen - just as the disciples did in this passage.

When we want to understand or learn the reason behind something we do what? We ask others “why?” We ask it of our parents, our teachers, employers, friends, coaches, internet search engines and so on. And why do we ask them? Because we believe they might know more than we do, and we’re hoping they can help us find the answers we’re looking for.

Now, if God is real, which if you’re a christian you should believe, then why would you not go to Him with your questions? If He spoke this entire universe into existence then He surely has better answers for you about it than anyone else!

The people of this world, no matter how educated and powerful, cannot give us the answers that God can give us and the scripture even explain that (1 Corinthians 1:20 & 1 Corinthians 3:19). We literally have the answers to the world's biggest questions right at our fingertips with the Bible (Psalm 19:7). We have the answers that colleges have dedicated schools of study to discovering, and the great philosophers spent their lives pondering all clearly laid out right before us:

• How this world will end - we find prophecies explaining this throughout the scriptures and summed up in Revelations (how real and true these prophecies are when we look at current times and history).

• Why we were made (the beginning of Genesis, Isaiah 43:7, Colossians 1:16, etc.)

• How to obtain true and lasting happiness - The Beatitudes, which this study is based on, and so on

But, how can we or would we know any of these things unless we spent time reading the scriptures God has given to us? How do we ever develop a relationship with someone and learn from them? We spend time with them, and listen to what they have to say. The way we do this with God is the same way we do with anyone;

we talk with Him, and we do this through prayer (2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 145:18, and Jeremiah 29:12), and we go to Him with our questions and listen to His answers, which are given to us through the scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17 & Matthew 4:4) and His Holy Spirit which He shares with us (John 14:15-17).

Happiness that lasts comes only from Jesus- what is the common denominator we’ve seen in each of these beatitudes? The character and instruction of Jesus and the scripture.

If you want to see your attitude, and emotions change then strive to emulate the character of Christ.

Make a list of Christ's commands and instructions (like these beatitudes), and live your life within them. How could you not see change when you're finally living within your design.

Righteousness starts and ends with Jesus - as we dug into this a bit earlier, and you’ll always see as you dig into the scriptures, we on our own can never do enough good to earn our way into heaven or happiness (no matter what the rest of the world believes). It's in our nature to be hypocrites, selfish, and general sinners. Even the very best of us make mistakes, because no one is perfect. There's not a nation or people group known to man that has not been guilty of wrong doing. That's why we can only attain righteousness through belief and acceptance of Jesus's and His death on the cross for our sins. His death was a sacrifice of His perfect life, so we could be cleansed and justified from all the wrong we've done and do in our lives.

Some of us could really use some cleansing and justification couldn't we? Call on Jesus and follow Him. He will restore you, cleanse you, and justify you before the ultimate judge.

Now, if you don't believe in Jesus and His death for you, then go ahead, work away on your own to be a great person and to really love others. Yes, you’ll get periodic highs of satisfaction, because you’re getting part of it right. However, if you want satisfaction, joy, and happiness to last, then you need Jesus to transform you. You don’t have the parts inside of you that you need to do the job right without Him! Only God can give you the new heart and spirit you need.

DAILY APPLICATION + INTO THE WORLD

Now, let’s put this passage into action. Let’s go forward and:

• Thank God each day for everything we have (current geography, job, family, place to live - past and potential blessings to come) - even if it’s hard, no matter what you have going on, if you're breathing you have the gift of life. If you have thought then you have the opportunity to choose God and spend eternity in heaven by His side. Those are some amazing gifts to be thankful for.

• Call on Him in our sadness and pain, and medicate by reading His word

• Always aim to do more for the kingdom of God than we have before - give more, read more, pray more, and so on - we can take baby steps if we need to, but we should strive for this

• Act as Christ would, only with the intention to honor Him - look for ways to do what He has instructed us too throughout the Gospels (beatitudes, fruits of the spirit, etc.) and strive to do them, maybe even in secret, in a desire to honor Him alone

• Spend time with God - Go to God though prayer and reading the scripture and truly sit and listen to what He has to say to you

CALL TO SALVATION

Now before, we end this study we want to acknowledge the same thing we always do - nothing we have read or learned today matters without belief and faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the savior of our sins, repentance from our sins, and baptism.

And what does these entail?

Before anything we need to believe and have faith in the Lord. Now some may struggle to believe in something they can't see. Others may struggle to trust and have faith in anything or anyone. Well, the scripture explains exactly what to do to build your faith and belief in the Lord:

• Matthew 7:7-8 says “seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” In Jeremiah 29:13 it says “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” In Proverbs 8:17 it says “I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.”

• In Romans 10:17 it says “so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

In other words, how do you grow your faith and belief in Jesus? Just seek Him!

• Read, listen, and study the Gospels and the scripture - it's God's voice and the mysterious way it will increase your belief and faith is nothing less than incredible

• Call on the Lord, build community that directs you toward Him, and so on

Look to know more about Him and He will be waiting for you. He wants you!

Now how do you repent? Repentance is going to God and asking for forgiveness for the wrong you've done, and then striving in your relationship to Him to no longer live in or do those wrongs (Romans 6:1-4). It’s easy to say you’re sorry, but it's another thing to show it.

Finally there is baptism. Baptism is more than a dip in the water, but it's an outward profession that you need God and you need Him to wash you clean (1 peter 3:21). Baptism is not to be taken lightly either, we are called to be baptized (Acts 2:38), Jesus states it's importance in salvation (John 3:5), and He was also baptized to set us the proper example (Matthew 3:13-17)

Believe, repent and redirect your life, and be baptized and made new. Don't wait, the gift of everlasting life is before you!

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH

This week take the instructions of the Beatitudes and apply them when you're feeling down, and when they would be applicable (at work, with your family, friends, etc.)!

Jot down your successes and thank God for each one, but also record your failures and pray to the Lord to help you succeed in those situations the next time you face them!

If you are in a home church or group, possibly share some of your successes and failures with your group to help build up others, for additional prayer where needed, and to help keep you accountable going forward! Remember, as Christ's followers, we're all a part of the same body, so let's work together and strive to be more like Christ.

#Beatitudes #LivingChristian #whoamIcalledtobe #Matthew #FightingDepression #FindingHappiness