Scripture: Blessed are the
poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3
Study: Jesus said, "Come follow me." Can you
imagine all the behaviors and the language Jesus must have observed of the
crowd that was “following” Him? I taught kindergarten and often took the
children on field trips. You can learn a lot about children and their families
as you listen and observe. Jesus took advantage of this teachable moment.
Jesus taught, saying, "Blessed are the poor in
Spirit for they shall inherit the kingdom of God.” "Poor! You say? I do
not understand.” I was taught that my civic responsibility was to take care of
myself and to lend a hand to others who were not as fortunate. I have spent my
whole life working from nine to five to provide food, clothes, home,
conveniences, and even luxuries for my family. Is Jesus saying I have to become
financially bankrupt to follow Him? The vision in my mind is a bankrupt person
standing on the side of the road who is not only bankrupt financially but whose
spirit is bankrupt. They have lost all the happiness and joy and are hopeless
except for the mercy shown by others. They cannot help themselves or anyone
else. What could Jesus possibly have meant by telling his followers to become
"poor?"
This is not about being financially bankrupt. It is
about spiritual bankruptcy which is our inability to satisfy the deepest needs
in our life. God created us to be in relationship with him because outside that
relationship we will always search to fill that void.
King David understood the concept of being poor in
spirit. He said, "THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes
me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores
my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me," Psalm
23:1-4. David understood that happiness was not in wealth but in an attitude of acceptance that God is the giver and provider of all good things.
Application: How many people do you know that does not experience true joy in their spirit? Do have joy? Many walk, as they though they have no hope.
Without Jesus there is no hope we are spiritually poor.
The first step in any recovery plan is to recognize one's need. As we recognize our need we acknowledge our poverty and in that poverty we simply need to open our clinched fist and
accept Christ offer to bless us. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit”
for they have recognized their spiritual bankruptcy and have come with open
hands to be blessed from the Father who wants to fill us with this finest, joy and happiness from within (Psalms 81:16).
Prayer:
Dear
Father help us to realize our spiritual bankruptcy, to humble ourselves so that
you can bless us with the finest you desire for us.
In Jesus name I pray.
Amen.
Maybe the matter of money came into play because especially in those days a man of money owed noone and could easily control his life ..we donot so much have the ability to understand what life was like in those days owing to charities and churches, disability, social security, 401k, subsidized housing, unemployment, food stamps, free clinics, health insurance and a barage of other luxuries designed to keep us from falling destitute...but in those days either you had money or you might starve to death. Surgery required immediate payment..there was no financing or banking or selling off stocks. Maybe if they had cattle to sell or wool but my point is that in those days a man with money controlled his world and the more money the more controll and he was therefor blinded to salvation or the need there of. It might be a reference to spiritual as you say, I dont doubt it- but financially a rich man in those days was very different than what we think of as rich. For what we have in America (praise God) we are all rich by international standards.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, America is rich compared to many other countries. That is probably why we as a nation have come to depend on our own rather than seeking God and His ways. I believe those with money still control our world. Most people can be bought, that is why we have lobbyist in Washington to make sure things go as certain interest groups want things to go. The money is not the problem it is the love of money. We all know that we can have it (money) one day and situations and circumstances can take it away the next. May I alway remember that what I have is because of God's blessing and not because of what I have done. Who I am is more important that what I own. I am a child of God and because of that my Father will supply my needs.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree. An over looked danger for America is that we are the rich man the Bible warns to turn toward God. We can call anyone anywhere from a tiny handheld wireless phone; we are cyber connected to thousands of others; we have VISA and Ebay and can bake a potato is a few minutes inside a pastic box that never gets hot on the out side. We can soak in hot baths, stretchout on cool leather sofas...etc. We have so very much to entertain us and distract us. We can excuse our neighbor who gets his car repoed because the economy is so bad but we find fault with the same neighbor if we can find one speck of a mistake that makes him less of a Christian because we do worship money and have ever since the golden calf we just somehow today dont see that we have not changed...because we are easily distracted. Lobbist are a particular breed of disgust; pens for hire; believe anything and say anything for a buck and to controll a buck. What if they lobbied for God?
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed
ReplyDeleteThanks Joey. Your thoughts are important to me.
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