Blessed are the poor in spirit

Matthew 5:3

It should be noted that Christ is here speaking to saved and lost alike.  The disciples and the vast multitude are present.

Poor means having an insufficiency to purchase that which is necessary.  Lacking in value, lacking in quantity, being bankrupt.

Blessed means happy.

Not poor in money.  There is nothing wrong with being wealthy or having enough money to supply daily necessities and desires.

1.      Abraham was rich.

Not the poor in self confidence, in abilities, talents, skills, knowledge, power, prestige, or worldly attainments.

There is a real sense in which spiritual things are opposite of material things.  Isaiah 55:8 - God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.

1.      Christ as a king was born into a world of material poverty, not to grand palaces.

2.      He was laid in a manger, not a babies crib.

3.      The marriage of his mother to Joseph would be questionable to some.

4.      Christ as a king came into the world and washed the disciples feet.

5.      Christ as a king never had a throne to rule from.

6.      While men had places to live, Christ had no place to lay his head.

7.      Christ as a king was Himself subjected to His Father, never taking any authority upon Himself to rule.

8.      Christ, even though a king and a citizen of the country, paid taxes when He wasn’t supposed to.

9.      Christ as a king allowed himself to be killed by his subjects, and still remained king over them.

10.  The way up is down, and the way down is up.

11.  Matthew 19:30 - The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

There is an ignorance of this poverty.  All mankind is spiritually poor.

The lost person doesn’t know he is poor in spirit.

The saved person doesn’t know he is poor in spirit.

A person will never gain real spiritual wealth until he realizes he is poor in spirit.

God will often take away that which we have in order to show us how poor in spirit we are.  This is why tragedies often come into our lives.  Without these “natural” tragedies, we will continue to believe we have things in control.

To the lost:

1.      Psalms 14:2 - When the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, He saw nobody seeking God or longing for Him.  This included you and me.  Repeated in Psalms 53:2.

2.      Romans 3:10 - There is none good, no, not one.

3.      There is no denial of these facts.

4.      Luke 17:21 - The kingdom of God is within you.

To the saved:

1.      II Cor. 12:10 - When I am weak, then am I strong.

2.      There is no denial of these facts.

3.      Rev. 3:17 - The church at Laodiceans thought they were rich and increased with goods, but didn’t know they were wretched, miserable, and poor and blind and naked.

Not only is the gospel message intended for the poor in spirit, but the entire kingdom of God.  That is the reign of Christ in their hearts now, in eternity; the reign of God over them, and they will also reign with them over various parts of God’s kingdom.