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With Eternity’s Values in View

by Samuel E. Ward

The BeatitudesMatthew 5:3-12

View the text version of this sermon: http://www.cbckck.blogspot.com

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Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV2011) 1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

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7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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Introduction to the Beatitudes

A. The Temporal Blessings of Common Grace Which Are Ours by the Kindness and Mercy of God.Psalm 145:9; Mat 5:44; Luke 6:35; Acts 14:17

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B. The Eternal Blessings of Grace Which Are Ours by Faith in Christ, Eph 1:3-10

Ephesians 1:3-10 (NIV2011) 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

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In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us.

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With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

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1. We ought to praise God for these eternal blessings:

a. We will obtain holiness. The necessity of holiness is expressed in Hebrews 12:14.

b. We are adopted as God’s sons and daughters.

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c. We have redemption by Christ’s blood.

d. We have the forgiveness of sins.

e. We have the knowledge that one day all of heaven and earth will be completely under the rule of Christ.

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2. We ought to endure suffering in joyful thanks because of the promise of these eternal blessings.

a. The promise of the joy to come.

Hebrews 12:1-4 (NIV2011) 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

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And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

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b. The promise of sharing in the glory of Christ because we were willing to share in His sufferingsRomans 8:14-18 (NIV2011) 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

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16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

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If only Israel could have comprehended and the kingdom He was describing to them that day on the Mount, they would have yearned for the kingdom of heaven rather than a kingdom on earth. Yes, Rome had made them poor, brought them grief, took away their dignity, refused them justice, hardened their hearts, made them cynical of the value of doing right, unwilling to make peace, and they had become victims of persecution.

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But Jesus said that this was only a temporary situation. God had something much better for them if they would take on the values of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus expressed these in terms of characteristics which describe those who pledge their allegiance to Him. These are people who live their lives . . .

With Eternity’s Values in View

These are the truly blessed ones! These are the ones of whom Christ

speaks in the Beatitudes