Inward Condition

1. Introduction: 5:1 With the common people on His heart He taught the disciples. This is the sermon on the mount
    1. The common people thought only the Scribes and Pharisees were holy and were going to heaven
    2. Scribes = they were legislators who developed and taught the law to the public and also passed sentence in the courts of law
    3. Pharisees = “Separate” a negative name given to them by the people.  Under the Law of Moses certain things were considered unclean.  They took this to an extreme and labeled almost everyone unclean
    4. Sadducees = a different sect of Jews that believed there is no resurrection
    5. All were religious leaders at the time of Christ
    6. Beatitude = Blessed. This word describes someone who has already gone to heaven
    7. The beatitudes describe true righteousness Christian ATTITUDES and the inward condition of the born again believer
    8. Matthew 5:20 Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven

2. Religion = a system of rituals and good works through which men try to earn salvation and draw attention to themselves

    1. I think I am going to heaven because I am baptized because I made my first communion or because I graduated from Sunday school
    2. Billy Sunday said Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car
    3. Religion focuses on the outside not the inside
    4. Our community is looking for something real
    5. You have to be full of Jesus full of the Holy Spirit
    6. Who did Jesus declare war on?
      g. 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness
    7. Religion destroys hope: ultimately we know we cannot make it upon our own work
    8. The enemy wants us to think that works will get us in
    9. Religion glorifies man and not God
    10. When we glorify man we repel people
    11. John 12:32 And if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself
    12. When we glorify Jesus we attract people
    13. His love is unconditional and is based upon the cross
    14. Grace + 0 = salvation we cannot add anything to the cross
    15. 3. Our attitude towards our self
    1. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
    2. Poor in Spirit = to have a correct estimation of oneself spiritually
    3. Many people sit in church services for years and do not know their true spiritual condition
    4. 4. Our attitude towards our sins
    1. 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted
    2. To be intensely saddened over your own sin
    3. 5:5 Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth
    4. Gentle or Meek = Powerful yet under control speaks of submission
    5. Concerning sin we should meekly submit to God and agree with His Word
      5. Our attitude towards the Lord
    1. 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied
      1. To hunger and thirst means to strive after God with an intense desire
    2. 5:7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy
      1. We are to treat others the way that God has treated us
      2. The Pharisees wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery John8:1
    3. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God
      1. Sin separates us from God
    4. 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God
      1. God has given us the ministry of reconciliation
        6. Our attitude towards the world
    1. 5:10 Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you
    2. We are to be in the world but not of it
    3. The world has nothing to offer nothing that will satisfy
    4. If you are a Christian you will be noticed there will be opposition of some kind
    5. John 4:4 Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world