Weekly Sermon
Matthew 5:3 reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Herein our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced a blessing upon a particular group of people. This group is defined as those who are poor in spirit. Yet what does it mean to be poor in spirit? To begin let us consider some of the things that is does not mean.
First, to be poor in spirit does not mean to have a bad spirit. Sometimes when people are faced with a difficult situation or with troubling information, they may not respond in a good and godly fashion. To such a response, we might say, “Well, that is a pretty poor attitude to have about the whole thing.” What are we saying? We are saying that they have a bad spirit about the matter. Yet this is not what it means to be poor in spirit.
Second, to be poor in spirit does not mean to have a lack of spirit. When a person, especially a child, is forward in manner or feisty in attitude, we might describe him, saying, “Well, he sure has spirit, doesn’t he?” Such a phrase is often used of a wild horse that is full of fight. On the other hand, we might describe a person who is lethargic and apathetic as one who has no spirit, or as one who has very little spirit about him. Yet this is not what our Lord means when he refers to “the poor in spirit.”
Third, to be poor in spirit does not mean to be low in spirit. When a person is very energetic, enthusiastic, and excited, we might say of him, “He is in high spirits.” On the other hand, when a person is down, discouraged, and depressed, we might say of him, “He is in low spirits.” Yet this also is not what our Lord means when he refers to “the poor in spirit.”
What then does our Lord Jesus Christ mean by this reference? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? In the closing phrase of Isaiah 66:2, we find the answer. Therein our Lord declares, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” So then, to be poor in spirit is to be of a contrite spirit. In addition, our Lord declares in Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” So then, to be poor in spirit is to be of a contrite and humble spirit.
Even so, to these individuals, to those who are poor in spirit, to those who are of a contrite and humble spirit, our Lord pronounced a blessing in Matthew 5:3. Yea, He proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” In fact, all throughout His Holy Word, the Lord our God pronounces blessings upon those who are poor in spirit, upon those who are of a contrite and humble spirit. Let us then consider the storehouse of these blessings.
Matthew 5:3 reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Herein our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced a blessing upon a particular group of people. This group is defined as those who are poor in spirit. Yet what does it mean to be poor in spirit? To begin let us consider some of the things that is does not mean.
First, to be poor in spirit does not mean to have a bad spirit. Sometimes when people are faced with a difficult situation or with troubling information, they may not respond in a good and godly fashion. To such a response, we might say, “Well, that is a pretty poor attitude to have about the whole thing.” What are we saying? We are saying that they have a bad spirit about the matter. Yet this is not what it means to be poor in spirit.
Second, to be poor in spirit does not mean to have a lack of spirit. When a person, especially a child, is forward in manner or feisty in attitude, we might describe him, saying, “Well, he sure has spirit, doesn’t he?” Such a phrase is often used of a wild horse that is full of fight. On the other hand, we might describe a person who is lethargic and apathetic as one who has no spirit, or as one who has very little spirit about him. Yet this is not what our Lord means when he refers to “the poor in spirit.”
Third, to be poor in spirit does not mean to be low in spirit. When a person is very energetic, enthusiastic, and excited, we might say of him, “He is in high spirits.” On the other hand, when a person is down, discouraged, and depressed, we might say of him, “He is in low spirits.” Yet this also is not what our Lord means when he refers to “the poor in spirit.”
What then does our Lord Jesus Christ mean by this reference? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? In the closing phrase of Isaiah 66:2, we find the answer. Therein our Lord declares, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” So then, to be poor in spirit is to be of a contrite spirit. In addition, our Lord declares in Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” So then, to be poor in spirit is to be of a contrite and humble spirit.
Even so, to these individuals, to those who are poor in spirit, to those who are of a contrite and humble spirit, our Lord pronounced a blessing in Matthew 5:3. Yea, He proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” In fact, all throughout His Holy Word, the Lord our God pronounces blessings upon those who are poor in spirit, upon those who are of a contrite and humble spirit. Let us then consider the storehouse of these blessings.
1. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with the out-pouring of God’s grace.
Even so, James 4:6 declares, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Again 1 Peter 5:5 gives the instruction and the promise, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Yet again Proverbs 3:34 proclaims, “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.” Oh, what a wondrous blessing is the out-pouring of our Lord God’s grace! Oh, how desperately we need the out-pouring of our Lord God’s grace! So then, let us consider that the Lord our God promises to bless the humble with His grace.
2. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with the open-ear of God’s help.
Even so, Psalm 9:10-12 declares, “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.” The Lord our God has promised not to forget, not to ignore, the cry of the humble. Yea, Psalm 10:17 declares, “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.” This is our Lord God’s promise – He will hear the cry and the prayer of the humble. He will not ignore their cry. He will cause His ear to hear. Yea, when He hears the cry of the humble, the Lord our God helps them and delivers them out of their troubles and afflictions. Even so, Psalm 34:17-19 proclaims, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
3. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with the favor of God’s respect.
Even so, Psalm 138:6 exclaims, “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” The Lord our God is higher even than the heavens. As such, He is worthy of all honor, praise, and reverence in heaven and in earth. Yet He, the high and lofty One, has respect unto the lowly, unto those who are poor in spirit, unto those who are of a contrite and humble spirit. Oh, what a wonder this is! Yea, in Isaiah 66:1-2 the Lord our God Himself proclaims, “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”
4. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with a lifting-up and exalting by God’s hand.
Even so, James 4:10 commands, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” In addition, Psalm 147:6 declares, “The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.” Again 1 Peter 5:6 commands, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” Yet again Matthew 23:12 declares, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
5. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with forgiveness of sin and reviving unto God’s fellowship.
Even so, in 2 Chronicles 7:14 our Lord promises, “If my people, which are called by me name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” In addition, in Isaiah 57:15 our Lord proclaims, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
6. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with honor in the God’s presence.
Even so, Proverbs 22:4 states, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Again Proverbs 15:33 states, “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” Yet again Proverbs 18:12 states, “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” Finally, Proverbs 29:23 states, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”
7. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with wisdom and guidance from the Lord.
Even so, Psalm 25:9 declares, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” Again Proverbs 11:2 states, “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.”
8. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with the abundant life from the Lord.
Even so, Proverbs 22:4 declares, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Again Psalm 22:26 declares, “The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.”
9. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with joy, peace, rest, and beauty in the Lord.
Concerning the blessing of joy, Isaiah 29:19 proclaims, “The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” Concerning the blessing of peace, Psalm 37:11 proclaims, “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Concerning the blessing of rest, our Lord gave instruction in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Finally, concerning the blessing of beauty, Psalm 149:4 proclaims, “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.”
10. The poor in spirit, those of a contrite and humble spirit, will be blessed with a great future reward from the Lord.
Even so, the first half of Psalm 37:11 promises, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Again Proverbs 22:4 declares, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Yet again Matthew 5:5 proclaims, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Finally, Matthew 5:3 (our opening text) proclaims, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
This all is the blessing of humility. These all are the blessings that the Lord our God pronounces upon those who are poor in spirit, yea upon those who are of a contrite and humble spirit. Oh, how I pray that these things will move and motivate your heart to seek the place of a truly contrite and humble spirit before the Lord our God! Oh, how I pray that these things will move and motivate your heart to pray every day that the Lord our God will create in you a clean heart and renew in you a right spirit!
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