The Beatitudes Matt 5 1 -13 The Inner

The Beatitudes Matt 5: 1 -13 The Inner BEing of Discipleship BE ATTITUDES of the Kingdom Viv Grigg, May, 2006

The Context of the Be Happy’s n Birthing a community ¨ Defining values (e. g. Lifestyle) ¨ Defining universals ¨ Drawing on the wisdom of the sages of Israel, each beatitude from the Old Testament

The Disciplines of Jesus n Like facets of a diamond ¨ These are used as a basis for ethics ¨ Impossible except for the indwelling Spirit ¨ Do you know the overwhelming presence or are you blocked up?

n Each beatitude includes: ¨A blessing or a curse ¨ A description of the character of God’s “godly poor” ¨ A promise

Matthew 5: 3 -12 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 land. 6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure of 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 and persecute you and 12 falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

Luke 6: 20 -26 Blessings… n n "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.

…and Woes n n But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way. " Auckland Professionals • High Salary • Dining Out Sumptuously • A Partying Lifestyle • Honoured Professions How would Jesus view them?

The Poor in Spirit At home in Tatalon n Luke says, “Blessed are you poor” ¨ This was an economic class, the labouring poor ¨ Out of their poverty they responded to God ¨ The term had developed during the prophetic period as Israel had urbanised, and the society polarised between the oppressive rich and the oppressed poor. ¨ It has nothing to do with rich people who have a poverty of spirit.

n The opposite of poverty of spirit is the spirit of the rich. ¨ The rich are always right. ¨ They are independent of others and of God. ¨ They have a sense of power and control. n The poor in spirit have an internal poverty, ¨ They are people who depend on ¨ recognising their spiritual need, ¨ their lack of spirituality, ¨ their frailty. God,

Is poverty blessed? No, the poor are blessed – those poor who respond to God n The Conundrum (Luke 6) n Poverty is a curse n The poor are blessed n Riches are a blessing n But the rich are cursed n

n The beatitudes are an expansion of the blessings on the godly poor.

Blessed are those who mourn… n n God weeps, God sits where men and women sit, where people hurt. He dwelt (e. g. Tumbakan). The dying disciple wears sackcloth in their heart for the sins of his/her people. They cry over the slave trade in Manila, ¨ over the putrid stench of the alcoholic in their arms ¨ over the pain of the childless orphans of Rwanda. ¨ n They pour out their soul for the hungry (Isa 58: 10). Wailing- Bernard Hinds

Blessed are the meek… n Meekness dies to power and chooses powerlessness. ¨ n You cannot put the meek down for they have chosen the bottom. The steel of the inner is tempered by the compassion of a gentle and quiet spirit in outward relationships. Like sponge rubber on the outside and steel in the backbone ¨ Women like this are beautiful before God (1 Pet 3: 4). ¨ § (e. g. fetching water) Humility - M (Feuerteufel) by Karin Kuhlmann (Germany)

…they shall inherit the earth n The meek person does not have to fight for his own rights. They have chosen not to have rights. ¨ Such powerless people are the ones who are truly powerful. ¨ n This is the central character of a successful missionary. The meek can cross any barrier. ¨ These are those who inherit the earth. ¨ n From one small obedience stepping into a slum, come the hundreds of works – this is our inheritance, 1000’s – if we would choose the downwards path.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness n Meekness is weakness without the burning desire for truth and God. ¨ This hunger is not a hunger for knowledge but for knowledge in action – a commitment to action for justice ¨ Righteousness is not just vertical n It is both dying to self-righteousness and trusting in the righteousness of God. ¨ It is also a hunger for holiness e. g. land rights consultation

Blessed are the merciful n Mercy balances the drive for righteousness ¨ It is death to cruelty, the harsh word, the rigid hardness that blames others, demands from others n A tenderness ¨ that easily forgets and forbears, daily choosing to forgive (Eph 4: 32) ¨ It walks softly among the bruised souls of mankind (Prov 15: 1; Isa 42: 3).

Blessed are the pure in heart n n The heart is the inner shrine, the temple of God The pure heart is fixed on God alone, undivided ¨ ¨ ¨ n By desires to please self By courting the approval of others By the cares of owning and buying and selling By the delight in a wife, husband, family By pride of position These do not steal away that pure devotion to him (1 John 2: 15, 16)

Blessed are the peacemakers n n The cross is a cross of pro-active reconciliation Peacemakers are able to speak the truth in love They are not peaceful people watching television They enter into conflict when it solves the sins that destroy people and communities. (e. g. Raineer) or

Blessed are the persecuted n n We are hated Friends are irritated by our goodness Families hate those who choose poverty and powerlessness, it goes against their goals for success Communities hate us: A pure love for Jesus is deeply offensive to those who love self and darkness (e. g. CIA or Marxist) n n Politicians seek to destroy those who would destroy their oppressions Yet we always rejoice and overcome the hatred of our closest friends and families with love (II Cor 6: 10)

And the promises From righteous poverty to …. n n n n The Kingdom of heaven From pain to comfort From meek response to opression to inheriting the earth From oppression and injustice, they will be filled with righteousness, see the transformation of the nations From cruel slavery, they will find mercy, forgiveness They will see God, the centre of the Kingdom They will be adopted as sons and daughters Persecuted but theirs is the Kingdom of heaven

Rich man, poor man… n n Can we be rich externally and poor in spirit? Jesus chose poverty in birth, life and death, laying aside his wealth. ¨ He asks us to follow. ¨ Flee earthly riches Internal Poverty External Poverty ? External Internal Humility

Kingdom Economics Advice for the Middle Class Earn much n Consume little n Hoard nothing n Give generously n Celebrate life n ¨ Grigg, 1984, Companion to the Poor, Authentic • Production • Consumption • Simplicity • Redistribution • Focus on Deity