DAY TWO: The Lord here gives eight characters of blessings, verses 3-12.
Verse 3. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Lord gives EIGHT characters of blessed people, which represent to us the true character of a Christian.
The “Beatitudes,” set forth the characteristics of the heirs of the Kingdom. There is a heavenly side and an earthly side to the Kingdom, and it is only for those who are “poor in spirit,” those who humble themselves on account of their sin, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who, through the new birth, receive the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let us also consider who they are that are called “blessed” at the beginning of the Sermon. For whom the great High Priest blesses, are blessed indeed! Blessing and laying on of hands, the fathers blessing to the eldest son, the Father’s blessing to His children, the Lord wants to bless His people.
1st Description and Blessing: Verse Three.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The poor in spirit are happy.
They see their want, weep with guilt, and thirst after Jesus their Redeemer. The kingdom of grace and mercy is for such; the kingdom of heaven is for them.
“Blessed.”
Happy, Oh! The blessedness of those; the Psalmist says: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful” Psalm 1:1.
“The Poor.”
Not the poor in purse, the kingdom of heaven cannot be said to belong to them; but such that are poor in a spiritual sense. For all mankind are spiritually poor; and in such a condition, and cannot help themselves.
The greater part of mankind are not aware of their condition; but think themselves rich, and increased with goods: but, there are some who are aware of it, who see their poverty and want, and mourn over it, and acknowledge, that all they have, or hope to have, is own to the free grace of God.
The “humble,” are those who are deeply convinced of their own sinfulness in the Lord’s sight. They are not “rich and increased with goods;” and do not fancy they “need nothing;” The Revelation church thought the same way. But, they regard themselves as “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
“For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The poor in spirit not only shall have - but they already have - the Kingdom. The poor in spirit are rich in the knowledge of God, while others walk in darkness, without light. Men who know their spiritual poverty are the only ones who by faith can lay hold of the true riches of grace.
“The poor have the Gospel preached:” it not only reaches their ears, but it reaches their hearts; it enters into them, and is applied unto them, they receive and embrace it with joy and gladness.
No comments:
Post a Comment