Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Poor is a Prerequisite



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

The fifth chapter of Matthew marks the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.  The greatest sermon ever preached; the greatest sermon on record.  Never has so much been said in such a short amount of time.  God’s own Son, literally speaking the words of life; the gospel that would forever change the world.  Teachings that would call the world away from the natural and over to the spiritual; that would take salvation all the way to intent.  A gospel that would lead men into the character of God. 

The beginnings of the sermon start with what is known as The Beatitudes; meaning supremely blessed.  The first one being, blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  The word poor is not often associated with blessed.  The rich of that day: Romans, Pharisees, even merchants & tradesmen, would have heaped to themselves power, wealth, or both.  The natural man would think that this is a state of supremely blessed, the state to strive after.  The poor, despised, and dejected in society had no reason to consider themselves blessed and no hope for blessings.  Even the lowest of the Jews (Jesus main audience).  Who would have thought to look to the church for hope, would have been met with a bleak outlook.  How peculiar that this “new” teacher would open with blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Who was he that he could even lay claim to who should, or should not have access to the kingdom of heaven?  The poor had little to hope for, and certainly would not have looked as though they were blessed.  The Son of God came to this earth with a message that would echo through the ages.  One of love, of hope, of peace, and life everlasting.  Jesus knew that the kingdom of God was going to be within.  He was the very person who would make it possible.  So when he spoke of the poor in spirit he was blazing the trail, creating a precedent, and laying down a prerequisite that all who would obtain the kingdom of heaven would have to follow.  It was not a natural matter, but a spiritual matter.  It was not about economic or social status, rather the condition of what was within.  Those that are rich in this worlds goods lack for nothing; if they are hungry they can buy food, if they are cold they can buy comfortable shelter, if they are bound they can buy freedom, bored, they can buy pleasure.  It follows that those that are rich in spirit would have the same characters.  They would feel like they lack nothing, that they have all might, power, and strength.  Contrast that with the poor in this world.  They need help, they need guidance, and they need provision; so are they that are poor in spirit.  They have need and Jesus can provide all things.  He is the supreme Shepherd to his sheep.
    

You cannot hope to obtain the kingdom without first acknowledging your poverty.  No matter what your bank account says, you are woefully hopeless when it comes to your soul.  We are born into this world lost and in desperate need of a Savior, but we don’t have to stay that way.  Jesus Christ says blessed are the poor in spirit because when you’re poor in spirit you have acknowledged your lack; your apparent need of Jesus Christ.  The kingdom of heaven only comes by Jesus and through Jesus.  We can only come to Jesus poor in spirit, there is no other way.  So, blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  The blessing of salvation and Jesus living within, is for the lowly, not the haughty.