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.
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