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Eight Steps to Perfection III (The Beautitudes)

Posted on 12 Aug 2020, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

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

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

Quality: Being poor in spirit
Reward: The kingdom of heaven

Step 2: They that Mourn

Quality: To mourn
Reward: You shall be comforted.

Step 3: The Meek

Quality: Meekness
Reward: Inheritance of the earth
Mighty, Emotionally Stable, Educable, Kind

Step 4: The hunger and thirst for righteousness

Quality: Hunger and thirst for righteousness
Reward: They shall be filled

Step 5: The merciful

Quality: Merciful
Reward: Obtain mercy

Step 6: The Pure in heart

[Mat 5:8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Quality: Pure in heart
Reward: They shall see God
The natural heart of man is full of wickedness
- When we think of the heart of man, a few Scriptures came to mind:
  - [Gen 6:5] And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
  - [Jer 17:9] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
  - [Pro 23:7] For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
- The actions that we take, whether good or evil, starts with the thoughts in our hearts.
- Sin originates from the thoughts in our hearts
- Thank God we can’t see the thoughts in our neighbor’s heart, one would not have any friends left.
The heart of man must be constantly renewed
- [Eze 11:19] And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
- [Psa 51:10] Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
- [Rom 10:9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
- [Rom 10:10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
- We are transformed by the renewing of our hearts through the Word and through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
- [Rom 12:2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
After the renewing of the heart, then and only then can the heart be pure
- [Psa 24:3] Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
- [Psa 24:4] He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
- [Php 4:8] Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Only a pure heart would want to see God.
- Think of the time you were dirty and you were invited into a white, clean room.
- Would such a person sit down comfortably?
- A dirty heart would not want to see God.
The reward is, they shall see God
- No man can see God and live. However, some have seen His glory
  - Moses
  - Ezekiel
  - Peter, James, John on the mount of transfiguration
- [Heb 12:14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
- I pray we shall get to see God in Jesus name.

Step 7: The Peacemakers

Quality: Being a peacemaker
Reward: They shall be called children of God
[Mat 5:9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Peacemaker does not mean those that are brokering peace among those fighting.
If you broker peace among two nations, you might receive a Nobel peace prize
An idol worshiper can broker peace, but that does not make the person a child of God
[Joh 16:33] These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
The peace on earth is not a lasting peace
Only the peace from the Prince of Peace is lasting
Peacemakers are those who are bringing people to salvation – reconciling people to God
- [Eph 2:14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
- [Eph 2:15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
- [Eph 2:16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Jesus is the first peacemaker because He reconciled us to God
The reward is, they shall be called children of God
- [Joh 1:12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
- [Joh 1:13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
You become a child of God when you give your life to Jesus
You are called the children of God when you do what Jesus did – reconcile man to God.

Step 8: Persecution for Righteousness’ sake

Quality: Persecuted for righteousness’ sake
Reward: The kingdom of heaven
[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.
Persecution is a hard pill to swallow, even if you did something wrong.
To be persecuted for doing the right thing is even harder.
- How would you feel when people take your good intentions and make it look like evil?
- David was persecuted by Saul
- Daniel was put in a lion’s den
- The three Hebrew men were thrown into the fiery furnace
- Stephen was stoned to death for speaking the truth
How many Christians were beheaded by ISIS?
How many Christians were killed by Boko Haram?
However, the Bible says Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
When you are being persecuted for being a child of God, remember what the Bible calls you, remember what the Bible says is your reward
[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.
- Rejoice
- Be exceeding glad
- For great is your reward in heaven

Conclusion

[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.

Sermon

Eight Steps to Perfection III (The Beautitudes)