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Eight Steps to Perfection II (The Beautitudes)

Posted on 02 Aug 2020, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

Title: Eight Steps to Perfection (The Beautitudes) – II

Text: Matt. 5:48, 1-12

[Mat 5:48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

[Mat 5:1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

[Mat 5:2] And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

[Mat 5:3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[Mat 5:4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

[Mat 5:5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

[Mat 5:6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

[Mat 5:7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

[Mat 5:8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

[Mat 5:9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

[Mat 5:10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[Mat 5:11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

[Mat 5:12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Introduction

At the end of Chapter 5 of the book of Matthew, Jesus Christ reminded us that we are expected to be perfect.
The beautitudes are the first teaching of Jesus Christ on the series titled “Sermon on the mount”.
Sermon on the mount spans three chapters in the book of Matthew, from chapter 5 through 7.
The sermon on the mount are teaching on what we ought to do on our journey of attaining perfection.
We cannot attain it by ourselves, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to get there.
Our Lord Jesus Christ mentioned 8 blessedness (beautitude) statements also known as beautitudes or beautiful qualities of a believer.
These eight qualities build on each other, rather than being independent or standing alone.
Think of them as layers in the foundation system of a believer
Each of the qualities have a reward attached to it, which are the actual blessing of the qualities.
- For example, the blessing of being poor in spirit is the kingdom of heaven
We will go through all eight one by one by the grace of God
I pray that you are blessed as you learn in Jesus name.

Main Topic

Step 1: Poor in spirit

The quality is being poor in spirit
Poor in spirit – poverty of the spirit
Being poor in spirit also implies humility, thinking of ourselves as insignificant
The opposite of being humble is being proud and being proud puts one directly in opposition with the Lord
Being poor in spirit demonstrates our need for Jesus Christ, and a big part of that is being humble.
The reward is the kingdom of heaven

Step 2: They that Mourn

The quality is to mourn
Those who mourn implies those who have godly sorrow
Godly sorrow leads to repentance, salvation, and a change for the better.
Mourning brings about a change for good that a merry heart will never do
There are moments of mourning, godly sorrow, that will lead to a deep prayer and action that will bring a lasting change
However, the reward of mourning is that you shall be comforted.

Step 3: The Meek

[Mat 5:5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
[Mat 5:5] Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous–with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!
Quality: Meekness
Reward: Inheritance of the earth
A proud and arrogant person will never be truly happy. They will find fault with others in order to maintain their perceived superiority.
A meek, gentle, lowly, and humble person tends to be content with what life and circumstances bring.
After step 2 where mourning leads to godly sorrow and repentance comes step 3 meekness.
Meekness is one of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23.
Meekness is perceived to be weakness, but it is actually strength.
One of the most difficult things a believer can do is to show humility, gentleness, and meekness when the situation calls for something else.
Meekness is described as:
- Mighty – Being meek is not for the weak or faint of heart
- Emotionally stable – Meek people control their emotions
- Educable – You cannot teach a proud person
- Kind – Without loving kindness, all else is clanging noise
Ps. 37:10-11
- [Psa 37:10] For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
- [Psa 37:11] But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
If we reject meekness, we need to go back to step 1 and step 2, and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us, and impart the fruit of the Spirit in us.
Mighty
- The giants of faith are meek:
  - Moses – he was called the meekest man alive
  - Apostle Paul – he was not meek when he was Saul, but after his conversion, he became meek.
    - Paul, who was always breathing fire, said in 2 Cor. 10:1 – [2Co 10:1] Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
  - Jesus said in Matt 11:29 – [Mat 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.
- Only the strong and mighty are meek, not the weak.
Emotionally Stable
- The meek are emotionally stable
- Rarely would you see an emotional outburst from those that are meek.
- Think of Ps. Adeboye. I have never seen him get angry and lose his emotions. Even if the situation calls for him to lose his cool. He is always calm and collected.
- Think of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was being accused and insulted of all sorts of false accusations, He did not reply them, because He was meek.
Educable
- Meek people are teachable people.
- When Jethro came to Moses and advised him about delegating his work, he accepted it.
- Moses was not proud to say, who are you to teach me this. I led this people out of Egypt.
Kind
- Meek people are kind hearted people
- They are not quick to pounce and retaliate
- [1Pe 3:15] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: [1Pe 3:16] Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
The meek shall inherit the earth
- The meek will inherit the kingdom that is prepared for them
- The earth will be the new earth, not the current earth.

Step 4: The hunger and thirst for righteousness

[Mat 5:6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
[Mat 5:6] Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
Quality: Hunger and thirst for righteousness
Reward: They shall be filled
Righteousness is uprightness and right standing with God
Righteousness is not doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. That is legalism.
Without meekness in Step 3, desire to be righteous will result in self-righteousness
Righteousness is right standing before God brought about by the righteousness of God
- [Isa 64:6] But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
No matter how hard a man tries, he cannot be righteous by himself
We are to hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness, not our righteousness
- [Rom 1:17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom. 3:21-26
- [Rom 3:21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
- [Rom 3:22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
- [Rom 3:23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
- [Rom 3:24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
- [Rom 3:25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ made us to be righteous
- [2Co 5:21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Those who thirst and hunger for righteousness shall be filled
Filled implies satisfied. So, you shall be satisfied.

Step 5: The merciful

[Mat 5:7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
[Mat 5:7] Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous–with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
Quality: Merciful
Reward: Obtain mercy
Merciful people are blessed because they do not keep grudges or keep a score of debts.
They dispense mercy, and as a result they too shall receive mercy.
The parable of the unmerciful servant – Matt. 18:23-35
- A king was ready to sell his servant, his wife and children to pay a debt.
- The servant begged the king to give him time.
- The king had compassion on the servant and let him go.
- This same servant saw another servant that owed him less than 1% of what he was forgiven
- He was begged similar to how he begged, but he would not listen
- He put his fellow servant in prison
- When the king heard, he was displeased.
- That servant was delivered to tormentors until he paid what he owed.
Forgiveness and compassion come by mercy
God had compassion on us and forgave us by mercy
- [Lam 3:22] It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
As a result, we too must be merciful, forgive easily and have compassion on others.
That way we too can obtain mercy.
I pray we will obtain mercy in Jesus name.

Conclusion

[Mat 5:48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
[Mat 5:3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[Mat 5:4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
[Mat 5:5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
[Mat 5:6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
[Mat 5:7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
[Mat 5:8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
[Mat 5:9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
[Mat 5:10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
We will continue next week by the grace of God.

Sermon

Eight Steps to Perfection II (The Beautitudes)