WEBVTT 00:00:06.633 --> 00:00:07.466 Thank you. 00:00:07.466 --> 00:00:10.000 Good morning, Valley View. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:13.432 It's great to be with you as we continue in our study of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:00:13.432 --> 00:00:16.365 We're going to be looking at the second half of the Beatitudes. 00:00:16.365 --> 00:00:18.500 We looked at the first half last week. 00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:30.966 We did an introduction to the Beatitudes, and we showed how it related in some ways to the Ten Commandments, having this structure of the first half being about our relationship with God and the second half about our relationship with others. 00:00:30.966 --> 00:00:34.799 And we're not going to slice that too finely, because there's overlap between those. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:40.500 But today, the second half will be about our relationship with others, about loving others. 00:00:40.500 --> 00:00:47.066 And if you're a Christian, if you've been involved in church in any amount of time, you know that's an important part of being a Christian is loving others as well. 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:55.165 However, what do you do when you're around those who are hard to love? 00:00:55.165 --> 00:00:59.700 This is a no elbow zone, by the way, right now, especially as important that you hold very still. 00:00:59.700 --> 00:01:02.365 Don't go elbowing people around you. 00:01:02.365 --> 00:01:05.433 What do you do when you encounter those who are hard to love? 00:01:05.433 --> 00:01:09.099 There are people in your life who are difficult to love. 00:01:09.099 --> 00:01:14.165 It may be at someone at work, someone you've been forced to work with. 00:01:14.165 --> 00:01:15.400 You didn't want to work with them. 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:18.299 But now here you are and you got to figure out how to get along. 00:01:18.299 --> 00:01:22.365 Maybe it's someone at school you didn't want to be in class with them. 00:01:22.365 --> 00:01:26.465 You had the same last name or a similar last name, so you have to sit next to them. 00:01:26.465 --> 00:01:28.465 We didn't want that. But here we are. 00:01:28.465 --> 00:01:30.066 How do we love them? 00:01:30.066 --> 00:01:33.066 Well, maybe it's someone in your family. 00:01:33.233 --> 00:01:35.365 You don't get to choose your family. 00:01:36.832 --> 00:01:41.165 Maybe even it's someone at church. 00:01:41.165 --> 00:01:42.033 Not this church. 00:01:42.033 --> 00:01:43.933 Of course, we're not talking about our church. 00:01:43.933 --> 00:01:47.266 It's other churches out there who have struggles loving one another. 00:01:47.266 --> 00:01:48.900 But you know what I'm saying? 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:51.965 There are people out there who can be difficult to love. 00:01:51.965 --> 00:01:54.566 And so what do you do? 00:01:54.566 --> 00:01:58.433 We're going to see in the Beatitudes, the second half of the Beatitudes. 00:01:58.433 --> 00:01:59.299 How do you love? 00:01:59.299 --> 00:02:05.865 Well, in fact, we're going to focus on four attitudes of love, for mindsets of love. 00:02:05.865 --> 00:02:09.300 When you're encountering that person that is hard to love. 00:02:09.300 --> 00:02:12.432 What's the mindset we're called to have as a Christian? 00:02:12.432 --> 00:02:15.432 These are shown in the Beatitudes today. 00:02:15.832 --> 00:02:19.699 So we're going to read through all of the Beatitudes, which is in Matthew chapter five. 00:02:19.699 --> 00:02:21.832 If you have a Bible, you want to turn there. 00:02:21.832 --> 00:02:26.765 If you have a church Bible that's on page 769, if you don't have a Bible, we have Bibles out in the lobby. 00:02:26.765 --> 00:02:27.800 We'd love for you to have one. 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:32.466 We'd love for you to be able to have your own copy of the Bible that you can read and turn to at any time. 00:02:32.466 --> 00:02:35.900 You can slip out any time and grab a copy of that. 00:02:35.900 --> 00:02:39.699 Turn to Matthew five and let's all stand while I read through all the Beatitudes. 00:02:39.699 --> 00:02:43.633 We're going to reread them all, even though we'll focus on the second half today. 00:02:43.633 --> 00:02:50.233 Just stand as a sign of reverence for God's Word as I read through these Matthew chapter five, verse one. 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:53.400 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain. 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:57.199 And when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.699 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying. 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:04.966 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:03:04.966 --> 00:03:09.165 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 00:03:09.165 --> 00:03:12.699 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 00:03:12.699 --> 00:03:20.099 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 00:03:20.099 --> 00:03:22.165 Those are the verses we focused on last week. 00:03:22.165 --> 00:03:26.032 Now we turn our attention, verse seven through 12 that will focus on this week. 00:03:26.032 --> 00:03:30.400 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:33.599 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:38.432 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 00:03:39.466 --> 00:03:45.466 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:03:45.466 --> 00:03:55.665 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 00:03:55.665 --> 00:04:00.665 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 00:04:00.665 --> 00:04:05.066 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 00:04:05.066 --> 00:04:08.066 You can be seated. 00:04:09.099 --> 00:04:17.699 For attitudes of love are going to be summed up in this second grouping of the Beatitudes. 00:04:17.699 --> 00:04:23.565 And we're starting with verse seven, blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 00:04:23.565 --> 00:04:28.165 We are called as Christians to extend mercy to others. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:34.033 And the attitude of mercy, that we're going to unpack the attitude behind that, that we should have is. 00:04:34.033 --> 00:04:37.833 And if you have a notes outline, this would be the first point in your notes. 00:04:37.833 --> 00:04:43.800 I'm no better than you, but as a Christian, we have that mindset. 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:50.399 We should not walking around feeling superior to others, but we should have the mindset. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:53.266 I'm no better than you. 00:04:53.266 --> 00:04:57.865 Let's talk about what that means when it refers to extending mercy. 00:04:57.899 --> 00:05:01.665 We know that mercy is a key teaching in Scripture. 00:05:01.665 --> 00:05:02.833 Even in the Old Testament. 00:05:02.833 --> 00:05:05.266 We saw in Micah six eight. 00:05:05.266 --> 00:05:07.399 What does the Lord require of you? 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:16.500 Oh, man, it's to to do justly, walk humbly, love mercy, or love kindness, depending on your translation. 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:21.466 But there should be this love for mercy, this desire to extend mercy to others. 00:05:21.466 --> 00:05:23.699 There's even an emphasis in the Old Testament. 00:05:23.699 --> 00:05:25.033 And then we get to the New Testament. 00:05:25.033 --> 00:05:27.800 You see it show up in a number of different places. 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:30.233 You get the story of the Good Samaritan. 00:05:30.233 --> 00:05:34.165 It's probably the most quintessential picture of mercy in all of Scripture. 00:05:34.165 --> 00:05:41.800 The good Samaritan, the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan says, I know the social conventions say Jews and Samaritans don't mix. 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:45.966 I know they say we stay far apart, but I don't care. 00:05:45.966 --> 00:05:49.833 I see someone who's hurting and I'm going to go show them mercy. 00:05:49.833 --> 00:05:50.966 I'm going to help them. 00:05:50.966 --> 00:05:53.699 It doesn't matter what other people think. 00:05:53.699 --> 00:06:00.833 It's at our very human core, in our nature, and especially as Christians, is to extend mercy to others. 00:06:00.899 --> 00:06:02.833 It's a beautiful picture of that in the Good Samaritan. 00:06:02.833 --> 00:06:08.466 And then we get the opposite picture in the story of the unfaithful steward. 00:06:08.865 --> 00:06:11.000 That's in Matthew chapter 18. 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:13.966 We'll turn to that in just a second if you want to pre-term there. 00:06:13.966 --> 00:06:27.600 But in summarizing the story, there's a guy who is owes what by many accounts believe in our terms billions of dollars, and he pleads for forgiveness and the debt is forgiven. 00:06:27.766 --> 00:06:34.565 And he turns around and just brutalize as someone who owes him a very small amount. 00:06:34.565 --> 00:06:40.833 Oh, he's he's forgiven billions and then won't forgive someone $1,000. 00:06:42.432 --> 00:06:44.833 And that story gets summarized in Matthew 18. 00:06:44.833 --> 00:06:49.766 If you want to flip over that, the summary teaching there, the issue at hand. 00:06:49.766 --> 00:06:53.565 The big problem that he's driving towards. 00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:57.300 If you look at verse 32. 00:06:59.100 --> 00:07:06.600 The master summoned him and said to him, you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 00:07:08.165 --> 00:07:14.000 Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:25.000 I showed you so mercy, so much mercy, and yet you can't extend just a small measure of mercy to someone else. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:27.399 He threw him in jail to pay his debt. 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:37.065 And then verse 35, so also my heavenly father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:41.766 That's the key word we're going to see in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:07:41.766 --> 00:07:47.365 Even if the word doesn't show up, the idea is there over and over again the heart. 00:07:47.365 --> 00:07:49.065 We'll see it in the Lord's Prayer. 00:07:49.065 --> 00:07:54.500 It ends with, forgive us our debts, as we forgive those who have debt against us, who trespass against us. 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:59.699 And it ends if you if you are not able to forgive others, how do you expect God to forgive you? 00:07:59.966 --> 00:08:00.899 The issue is the heart. 00:08:00.899 --> 00:08:11.432 We're going to come back to that over and over again, because Jesus cares so much more about your heart than your actions. 00:08:11.432 --> 00:08:13.665 Now he cares about the actions to. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:16.466 In fact, the word will hear. 00:08:16.466 --> 00:08:19.800 He cares more about your heart than your appearances. 00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:23.466 That's what he's going to attack the Pharisees about over and over again. 00:08:23.466 --> 00:08:26.165 You can appear to have it all together on the outside. 00:08:26.165 --> 00:08:30.165 You can appear to be doing everything great, and you've seen that. 00:08:30.165 --> 00:08:36.365 You've known people like that on the outside, they seem to be the model Christian, the model family member. 00:08:36.365 --> 00:08:39.299 And you found out later that wasn't the case. 00:08:39.299 --> 00:08:44.865 Their hearts were hard and dark and bitter. 00:08:44.865 --> 00:08:47.500 This was the main criticism Jesus had of the Pharisees. 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:51.666 There's this whole section in Matthew called The Woes in Matthew 23. 00:08:51.666 --> 00:08:59.500 Flip over to their real quick, just a few pages over from where we were in 18, because he addresses this with them. 00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:03.365 In fact, he has a favorite word for the Pharisees. 00:09:03.365 --> 00:09:04.799 He calls them hypocrites. 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:11.399 In fact, Matthew uses the word hypocrite more than any other book over and over again. Hypocrites. 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.466 And there's this whole section where a number of times he says, hypocrite, hypocrite, hypocrite. 00:09:15.466 --> 00:09:23.033 If you look at verse 25, Matthew 2325, woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You see that same wording over and over again? 00:09:23.033 --> 00:09:39.666 Woe to you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgent indulgence, you blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 00:09:39.666 --> 00:09:45.166 The Pharisees were all about the religious rituals and rules to make sure everything looked right on the outside. 00:09:45.166 --> 00:09:48.399 We cleaned the club, the plate, the dish, all in the proper order. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:50.033 Washed the hands in the right way. 00:09:51.066 --> 00:09:57.600 But look, it doesn't matter how clean the outside of the cup is, if there's poison inside, it doesn't matter. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:02.899 And he's saying to them, you take so much care for the outside and you've forgotten about the heart. 00:10:02.899 --> 00:10:05.899 He says it again more directly here. 00:10:05.966 --> 00:10:06.700 Wo to you. 00:10:06.700 --> 00:10:19.500 Verse 27, woe to you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful, but within our full of dead people's bones and all uncleanliness. 00:10:19.500 --> 00:10:27.466 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 00:10:27.466 --> 00:10:31.899 We saw this in the revelation with the church of Sardis. 00:10:31.899 --> 00:10:37.832 You have the appearance of being alive, but you are dead. 00:10:40.265 --> 00:10:47.633 My first car was a 1989 Malibu lowrider. 00:10:47.666 --> 00:10:50.232 It was awesome. It was great. 00:10:50.232 --> 00:10:51.966 I love that car. 00:10:51.966 --> 00:10:55.600 But there came a point where I was ready to upgrade and I wanted to go the other extreme. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:57.299 I wanted a Jeep. 00:10:57.299 --> 00:10:58.765 And so I started looking at jeeps. 00:10:58.765 --> 00:11:05.500 I found one I liked, and I took it to our mechanic and I said, hey, just look this over for me. 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:10.100 Give it a quick once over to make sure it's good to go before I buy it, because I'm ready to buy it. 00:11:10.100 --> 00:11:18.966 And he puts it up on the lift and he takes a screwdriver and he just starts to press on the frame, which was freshly painted. 00:11:18.966 --> 00:11:21.432 It looked great. 00:11:21.432 --> 00:11:29.232 And he presses and he presses, and then all of a sudden the screwdriver goes straight through the frame and he said, John, you don't you don't want this jeep. 00:11:29.232 --> 00:11:30.466 I said, no, I still want it. 00:11:30.466 --> 00:11:37.166 He said, don't, do not buy this Jeep, because the issue is you can't just put paint over deep rust. 00:11:37.232 --> 00:11:39.466 That won't fix it. 00:11:39.466 --> 00:11:45.799 You gotta go all the way down to the core, to the heart of the issue to address it. 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:49.432 And this is what Jesus is concerned about. 00:11:49.432 --> 00:11:54.432 Not appearances, but the heart. 00:11:54.432 --> 00:12:02.100 He wants to press in to the heart, and at the heart of how we approach others is mercy. 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:07.765 I know, and it doesn't matter how long you've been a Christian, it doesn't matter how long you've been in church. 00:12:07.765 --> 00:12:14.399 You still carry the mindset of, I know I'm not any better than anybody else here. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:24.600 In fact, I used to get so mad when I would hear stories of well-known Christian leaders, pastors who have some kind of public moral failing. 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:26.200 I would get so angry at them. 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:28.832 How dare you defile the name of Christ that way? 00:12:28.832 --> 00:12:31.832 And that is a legitimate concern. 00:12:31.832 --> 00:12:36.299 But I think over time that anger has turned to sorrow. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:40.200 Sadness for them. 00:12:40.832 --> 00:12:45.100 One guy posted a picture of his family as he talked about his failure. 00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:48.200 I thought, your family has got to go through this as well. 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:52.365 Your children publicly have to walk through this. 00:12:52.432 --> 00:12:55.365 It just makes me so sad. 00:12:55.365 --> 00:13:06.700 And it also is a reminder that apart from Christ, apart from the Holy Spirit, apart from accountability, I'm no better than that guy and none of us are. 00:13:08.365 --> 00:13:16.399 And because we know how much mercy we've been extended, that gives us the ability to extend that to others. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.000 We can walk in the mercy we've received. 00:13:20.033 --> 00:13:24.232 Blessed are those who are merciful because they received mercy. 00:13:24.232 --> 00:13:28.000 And we can also extend mercy, forgiveness, love to others. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:33.265 So that's the first mindset of how you love the unlovable. 00:13:33.265 --> 00:13:36.265 Start with look, I'm no better than you. 00:13:36.832 --> 00:13:39.765 Second, look here at verse eight. 00:13:39.765 --> 00:13:42.600 Our second beatitude we're looking at today. 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:45.200 First was blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:48.899 Second, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:50.500 What's the mindset here? 00:13:50.500 --> 00:13:53.232 The attitude of love to have. 00:13:53.232 --> 00:13:56.033 I will not be in my love towards others. 00:13:56.033 --> 00:13:57.966 I will not be double minded. 00:13:58.899 --> 00:14:01.633 The pure in heart is not double minded. 00:14:01.633 --> 00:14:06.166 I'm not one way in one setting and the exact opposite way in the other. 00:14:06.166 --> 00:14:07.265 I'm not going to be double minded. 00:14:07.265 --> 00:14:08.633 I'm going to be pure in heart. 00:14:08.633 --> 00:14:15.000 Now, I think there's a couple of different ways to take that, and part of the ways to understand this is to understand the backdrop of the Beatitudes. 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:20.566 So much of the Beatitudes have the Old Testament as the backdrop, especially the Psalms. 00:14:20.566 --> 00:14:22.600 The Psalms are a huge backdrop. 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:25.466 In fact, we quoted one of them last week directly. 00:14:25.466 --> 00:14:28.399 If you look at Psalm 24, you can turn there if you want or not. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:29.799 I'm going to quickly quote it. 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:44.600 Most believe Psalm 24 is the clear backdrop for this passage, in particular Psalm 24 for he who has cleaned hands and a pure heart, there's that phrase purity of heart. 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:51.966 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, does not swear deceitfully. 00:14:51.966 --> 00:14:54.365 He will receive blessings from the Lord. 00:14:54.365 --> 00:14:55.299 There's that word blessing. 00:14:55.299 --> 00:14:59.432 So you have purity of heart, blessed, same phrasing, same wording. 00:14:59.432 --> 00:15:04.066 There together he will receive blessings from the Lord, righteousness from the God of his salvation. 00:15:04.066 --> 00:15:06.666 So you have Psalm 24 as a backdrop. 00:15:06.666 --> 00:15:09.100 Purity in heart are those who are blessed. 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:17.466 You also remember David after his sin with Bathsheba in Psalm 51 he said, Lord, create in me a clean heart, a pure heart. 00:15:17.466 --> 00:15:20.500 Renew a right spirit within me. 00:15:21.033 --> 00:15:25.899 You have these psalms, these passages as backdrop for us. 00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:28.700 And a Christian should want to be pure in heart. 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:30.399 Again, not just about appearances. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.033 We want pure heart. 00:15:32.033 --> 00:15:43.566 We want to make sure we're right with Christ in heart as well, when it would be double minded or duplicitous, or saying one thing in public, doing something else in private. 00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:47.600 God was very critical of the of Israel for this reality. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:16:00.200 Isaiah 2913 addresses this where he says to them, you pay me roughly says it like this you pay me great lip service, but your hearts are far from me. 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:01.865 You say all the right things. 00:16:01.865 --> 00:16:02.799 Oh, we love you, Lord. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:04.432 We do anything for you. 00:16:04.432 --> 00:16:07.166 If you just get me out of this jam, I'll do anything for you, I promise. 00:16:07.166 --> 00:16:09.365 Never again will I do that again. 00:16:09.365 --> 00:16:13.633 You say all the right things, but your hearts are far from me. 00:16:15.365 --> 00:16:17.600 That's not how it should be. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.200 It's not about appearance. Its first. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:22.200 Its heart first and foremost. 00:16:25.033 --> 00:16:29.066 I think probably we can look at this in two different layers. 00:16:29.066 --> 00:16:35.399 To be pure in heart with God means first and foremost, he has cleansed my heart. 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.633 I know it's he who cleans my heart. 00:16:37.633 --> 00:16:44.399 It's not because of how many great actions I've taken to clean my own heart that now I am pure before him. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:45.365 No, he is the. 00:16:45.365 --> 00:16:49.166 I know how dark my heart is to begin with. 00:16:49.166 --> 00:16:54.432 He is the one who purifies and cleanses the heart. 00:16:56.865 --> 00:17:00.232 This is critical because. 00:17:01.066 --> 00:17:05.965 You know so much of our surroundings influence the way we act, and I think many people have this mindset. 00:17:05.965 --> 00:17:08.400 If it just weren't the people I was around, I'd act different. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:10.965 Or if it just wasn't the way I was brought up, I'd act different. 00:17:10.965 --> 00:17:13.500 Or if it wasn't for society, I'd act different. 00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:17.566 And of course, yes, those are a factor. 00:17:17.566 --> 00:17:19.799 Those play a role. 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:23.900 But where we're Adam and Eve when they sinned. 00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:24.799 It's not your question. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:25.432 You should know this one. 00:17:25.432 --> 00:17:27.165 This one's pretty straightforward. 00:17:27.165 --> 00:17:35.032 They were in the garden in a place of perfection, and they still stumbled. 00:17:35.032 --> 00:17:39.232 The issue James four speaks to I've listed verses in your notes. 00:17:39.232 --> 00:17:44.900 Is the heart what is the source of the sin within you? 00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:47.165 What is the source of the quarrels, the fights among you? 00:17:47.165 --> 00:17:50.833 Is it not this that your passions are at war within you? 00:17:50.833 --> 00:17:55.032 And he says these two words you desire and you covet. 00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:59.299 The issue is that the sin starts here. 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:01.200 And so I need him to purify me. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.365 And I'm not double minded in my relationship with him. 00:18:03.365 --> 00:18:04.965 I'm not thinking, yeah, look at what I did. 00:18:04.965 --> 00:18:09.633 And I know it's him, only him singularly that cleanses the heart. 00:18:09.633 --> 00:18:17.133 But I'm also not double minded in my relationship with you, with others, with one another. 00:18:17.165 --> 00:18:18.700 I don't say one thing to you. 00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.232 Turn around. 00:18:19.232 --> 00:18:20.633 Say the opposite to someone else. 00:18:20.633 --> 00:18:22.299 We don't do that as Christians. 00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:24.766 We're we're called to be straightforward. 00:18:24.766 --> 00:18:30.032 We're called to say, let our yes be yes, our no be no mean what you say. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.165 Say what you mean. 00:18:31.165 --> 00:18:35.299 We're called to be straightforward and a kind and loving way. 00:18:36.066 --> 00:18:38.200 Sadly, that's not always the case. 00:18:40.566 --> 00:18:49.200 Of all the work relationships I've ever had, the most difficult by far, it wasn't when I was working in the grocery store as a kid. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:54.232 It wasn't when I was working in engineering in various manufacturing settings. 00:18:54.232 --> 00:18:58.165 It was when I was serving in ministry, not here at church, by the way. 00:18:58.165 --> 00:19:02.099 Don't worry, that's not not some other staff member here or any of you. 00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:07.900 But it was in another ministry setting and there were two guys there consistently. 00:19:07.900 --> 00:19:09.099 I'd be in a meeting with one of them. 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:10.465 We'd come to an agreement. 00:19:10.465 --> 00:19:12.232 We have a clear agreement there together. 00:19:12.232 --> 00:19:13.299 We were on the same page. Right. 00:19:13.299 --> 00:19:14.599 I repeat what we agreed to. Yes. 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:16.365 Of course. Yes. All in. 00:19:16.365 --> 00:19:18.365 Not an hour later, I'd hear from someone else. 00:19:18.365 --> 00:19:20.633 The exact opposite from them. 00:19:20.633 --> 00:19:21.799 Oh, so-and-so told me this. 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:23.833 The exact opposite of what we had just talked about. 00:19:23.833 --> 00:19:28.599 And that happened over and over and over again. 00:19:29.465 --> 00:19:32.365 And I get that that happens in, let's say, politics. 00:19:32.365 --> 00:19:34.066 That's that's part of the political game. 00:19:34.066 --> 00:19:35.000 I don't understand it. 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:36.365 I don't think it's right. 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:44.232 That shouldn't be the case among Christians are leaders in Christian ministry. 00:19:45.365 --> 00:19:52.266 We're called to be pure in heart with one another, not duplicitous, not double minded. 00:19:52.365 --> 00:19:56.865 So that's the second attitude to have as we seek to love others. 00:19:56.865 --> 00:19:59.865 And then third, look at verse nine. 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:07.865 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 00:20:08.833 --> 00:20:14.200 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:24.099 Part of what this means for us is that the peacemaker is the person who says, I can take the high road. 00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:27.299 I can take the high road. 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:29.465 I don't always have to be right. 00:20:29.465 --> 00:20:31.665 I don't always have to be the one in charge. 00:20:31.665 --> 00:20:34.099 I don't I don't have to go on the defensive. 00:20:34.099 --> 00:20:36.032 I can take the high road. 00:20:36.032 --> 00:20:41.165 I can be offended and survive and get through it. 00:20:41.165 --> 00:20:45.365 This is part of what it's at the heart of, of peacemaking. 00:20:45.833 --> 00:20:50.066 Blessed are the peacemakers, so that for they shall be called sons of God. 00:20:50.066 --> 00:20:53.000 Again, behind this we see some of the Old Testament. 00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:54.000 We see the Psalm. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:57.165 Psalm 3414 is a verse I've listed there. 00:20:57.165 --> 00:21:02.266 And the simple phrase there is seek peace and pursue it. 00:21:05.365 --> 00:21:09.599 So we're not ones who just sit around hoping peace occurs. We pursue. 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:11.833 It takes wisdom on how to do that. 00:21:11.833 --> 00:21:16.365 But the reason we do that is because Jesus set the model for us. 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:19.000 We said, leave us alone. 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:20.700 We don't want any part of you. 00:21:20.700 --> 00:21:23.200 Each of us said that to him at some point in our life. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:26.066 Maybe you didn't say the words, but you meant it in your heart. 00:21:26.066 --> 00:21:27.365 God, leave me alone. 00:21:27.365 --> 00:21:28.566 I got this on my own. 00:21:28.566 --> 00:21:30.200 Don't tell me what to do. 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:31.599 I got this figured out. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:36.633 And of course, hopefully, as we talked about last week, we come to the end of ourselves. 00:21:36.633 --> 00:21:41.066 We hit the point, we hit rock bottom and we go, oh, I was wrong. 00:21:41.066 --> 00:21:43.599 I don't got this. Would you show up? 00:21:44.965 --> 00:21:50.432 But even when we were saying, leave me alone, get out of my life, he wasn't giving up on you. 00:21:50.432 --> 00:21:52.566 He was the one pursuing you. 00:21:52.566 --> 00:21:56.665 And he may have let you go in your own way to get there, because he knew you weren't listening. 00:21:56.665 --> 00:21:58.400 But he was still in pursuit. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.799 He was still waiting for you. 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:01.965 He was the one initiating peace. 00:22:01.965 --> 00:22:04.965 He's the one who died on our behalf. 00:22:05.066 --> 00:22:06.633 And that's the model, he said. 00:22:06.633 --> 00:22:16.365 For us, we don't just sit around going, well, look, hey, once they're ready to apologize and come to me on my terms, maybe then I'll maybe pursue peace. 00:22:16.365 --> 00:22:19.365 We'll see. 00:22:19.965 --> 00:22:22.232 Now we're the ones with a posture of. 00:22:22.232 --> 00:22:24.465 We want to see peace happen. 00:22:24.465 --> 00:22:34.633 We are the ones who are pursuing peace, who are making peace, who are hoping that peace comes about in relationships. 00:22:35.965 --> 00:22:46.566 And I think, as a side note, it's important to mention if you're someone that everywhere you go, all your relationships are filled with strife. 00:22:46.566 --> 00:22:55.965 If it seems that everyone is against you, if it seems like there is never any peace around you, it's going to be hard to say. 00:22:55.965 --> 00:22:58.700 But maybe you need to just take stock and wonder. 00:22:58.700 --> 00:23:02.633 There's one common denominator and all those relationships. 00:23:02.633 --> 00:23:08.599 Maybe the issue is in everybody else in the world, maybe it's you, maybe not. 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:10.799 Okay, maybe not. 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:13.232 And we're going to look at that in the next beatitude, maybe not. 00:23:13.232 --> 00:23:17.799 But it's healthy to take stock and go, you know what? 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:22.000 Maybe I have been the kind of person that just loves to stir up strife. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:23.965 Maybe that's who I was before I knew Christ. 00:23:23.965 --> 00:23:25.500 I still have those patterns. 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.900 You might have to pause and go. 00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:29.066 I need a new way of thinking. 00:23:29.066 --> 00:23:30.400 I need a new way of behaving. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.400 I need a new way to engage with people. 00:23:35.066 --> 00:23:36.266 I also need to say something else. 00:23:36.266 --> 00:23:44.400 And this is going to be hard to say, and it's going to be hard to engage around, but it's important. 00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:51.299 Peacemakers doesn't mean keeping the peace at all costs. 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:58.066 And some of you are in homes where some have used Scripture to continue to abuse you. 00:23:58.066 --> 00:23:59.799 And I don't know specifically. 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:02.799 I don't have anyone in mind. 00:24:05.032 --> 00:24:06.900 But it's not okay. 00:24:06.900 --> 00:24:11.032 You don't have to keep allowing someone to sin against you. 00:24:11.032 --> 00:24:17.965 If there's abuse in your home, you need to remove yourself from that situation for your protection, for your children's protection. 00:24:17.965 --> 00:24:24.200 And if someone is using Scripture to continue to justify their abuse, that is evil. That is not Christ like. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:25.266 That's evil. 00:24:26.465 --> 00:24:28.200 Remove yourself from that situation. 00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:29.566 Come to us and talk to us. 00:24:29.566 --> 00:24:32.566 Let us come alongside you and help you. 00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:49.965 That's not what peacemaking is about, but turning it back to us in the church we should be known for those who are quick to diffuse, to not be defensive, to not make it about us. 00:24:49.965 --> 00:24:56.232 We can take the high road, we can be offended, and we can pursue peace. 00:24:56.232 --> 00:24:59.032 That's part of the mindset of how we love one another. 00:24:59.032 --> 00:25:02.099 That's part of the mindset of what it means to be peacemakers. 00:25:02.099 --> 00:25:07.833 In fact, Romans 1218 says, as far as it depends on you, and that's an important phrase. 00:25:07.833 --> 00:25:10.066 Some people don't want peace no matter what you do. 00:25:10.066 --> 00:25:13.799 So as far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:20.266 We can do this because second Corinthians five in your notes, Jesus sought peace with us. 00:25:20.266 --> 00:25:22.799 He gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:25.165 Therefore be at peace with all men. 00:25:25.165 --> 00:25:30.833 He set the model for us in that, and we can follow that. 00:25:30.833 --> 00:25:32.266 Peacemakers. 00:25:32.266 --> 00:25:35.200 We are ones who know that we can take the high road. 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:42.299 And then let's look at the fourth mindset, the fourth attitude to have when it comes to loving others. 00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:52.299 Verse ten, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:25:52.665 --> 00:25:56.200 What's the fourth mindset we have when it comes to loving others? 00:25:56.200 --> 00:26:03.432 Well, it's just knowing that following Christ isn't the popular path. 00:26:04.965 --> 00:26:06.599 It's not. 00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:16.500 Pursuing Christ isn't a path we take so that we can gain more wealth and fame and popularity and health. 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:20.665 And look, some of that may happen as a result. 00:26:20.665 --> 00:26:25.232 It may, but that's not what the gospel is about. 00:26:25.232 --> 00:26:30.232 It's not inherently come to know Jesus so that then you'll be richer. 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:31.900 You'll be happier. 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:33.965 I hope you end up happier. 00:26:33.965 --> 00:26:35.665 You'll be more popular. 00:26:35.665 --> 00:26:38.900 You'll be you'll have more success in the business world. 00:26:40.566 --> 00:26:44.665 That's actually, in many ways, the opposite of what the gospel teaches. 00:26:44.665 --> 00:26:47.500 Don't sign up for Christianity thinking. 00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:53.400 And this is a this is the pathway to greater success I've always been looking for. 00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:57.766 Now side note you will find greater joy than you could ever imagine. 00:26:57.766 --> 00:27:02.165 It just won't look like what this world tells you is the path to joy. 00:27:03.266 --> 00:27:05.266 And this should be no surprise. 00:27:05.266 --> 00:27:07.465 This should be no surprise at all. 00:27:07.465 --> 00:27:15.400 In fact, these beatitudes tell us I don't think it's any coincidence that verse many believe verses 11 and 12 are just an unpacking of verse ten. 00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:20.299 But just look at the volume, verse ten, 11 and 12 compared to verse seven, eight and nine. 00:27:20.299 --> 00:27:25.365 I mean, it's a gigantic amount on the fact that you should expect suffering. 00:27:25.365 --> 00:27:26.200 Let's look back at these. 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:32.365 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:27:32.365 --> 00:27:35.900 We saw that phrase last week that started the Beatitudes in verse three. 00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:37.232 Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:27:37.232 --> 00:27:38.799 We see it here in verse ten. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:40.299 Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:42.099 All of the Beatitudes are unpacking. 00:27:42.099 --> 00:27:44.599 What does it look like to live in the kingdom of heaven? 00:27:44.599 --> 00:27:48.165 What does it look like to live under Jesus's rule and reign? 00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:53.500 What's interesting is Matthew is the only one who uses that phrase. 00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:56.099 It doesn't appear anywhere else in the New Testament Kingdom of heaven. 00:27:56.099 --> 00:27:58.766 It's always kingdom of God. 00:27:58.766 --> 00:28:09.299 Matthew uses Kingdom of heaven because he knows that the Jews, who are his primary audience, think that Jesus is going to come, the Messiah is going to come, and he's going to set up a new kingdom on earth. 00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:12.400 And so now we are the ones who are going to be in charge. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:13.865 We are going to be the powerful ones. 00:28:13.865 --> 00:28:21.232 Again, you'll drive out the Romans and we'll have political rule over this earth. 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:26.000 But no, no, no, no, it's the kingdom of heaven. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:29.099 Know where your kingdom is. 00:28:29.099 --> 00:28:35.865 And so we're not surprised when Jesus comes and says, hey, you should expect to be persecuted. 00:28:35.865 --> 00:28:37.400 You should expect to suffer. 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:49.965 In fact, he says in verse 11, blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 00:28:49.965 --> 00:28:55.066 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 00:28:55.066 --> 00:29:05.000 You shouldn't be surprised when there is suffering, when there's persecution, when people revile you and speak ill of you because you follow Christ. 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:16.900 We're not surprised because he said in John 15, they hated me first, they're going to hate you, and you've experienced this with friends, with family, with loved ones. 00:29:16.900 --> 00:29:23.865 When you have taken a stand for Christ and you felt their hatred, maybe it's someone at school or work. 00:29:23.865 --> 00:29:30.165 This world will not tolerate you following Christ when it comes to certain issues. 00:29:30.165 --> 00:29:31.965 You take a stand for Christ. 00:29:31.965 --> 00:29:33.766 They will hate you. 00:29:33.766 --> 00:29:35.900 They will despise you. 00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:39.766 They will not tolerate it at all. 00:29:39.833 --> 00:29:42.099 It's a deep offense to them. 00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:48.766 When you say, I've got a standard I'm going to follow that's of Christ and not of this world. 00:29:50.665 --> 00:29:54.833 In fact, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I've put a quote in your notes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 00:29:54.833 --> 00:29:58.165 He was a pastor in Germany during World War Two. 00:29:58.165 --> 00:30:06.365 He was known for taking a stand against Hitler and what he was trying to do, and it cost him his life. 00:30:07.165 --> 00:30:15.200 Many of the pastors in Germany were going along with what Hitler was saying, that Dietrich Bonhoeffer and a number of other said, this is not right. 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:16.665 We can't go this direction. 00:30:16.665 --> 00:30:18.599 This is unchristian. 00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:19.900 And here's what he said. 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:27.599 If you see it in your notes and the quote should be on the screen as well, suffering, then is the badge of the true disciple. 00:30:28.566 --> 00:30:30.799 The disciple is not above his master. 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:41.465 Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christian should be called upon to suffer. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:51.865 We shouldn't be shocked that there will be moments of persecution and suffer suffering when that's what Jesus did, when that's what Jesus went through. 00:30:52.932 --> 00:30:57.365 So if you've ever been a part of a Christian teacher that's saying you should never suffer. 00:30:57.365 --> 00:30:58.932 You should never go through anything hard. 00:30:58.932 --> 00:31:01.932 That is not that's not Christianity. 00:31:02.365 --> 00:31:07.000 It doesn't reflect who Christ is and what he did. 00:31:08.365 --> 00:31:08.633 Okay. 00:31:08.633 --> 00:31:11.665 But what he does here that's different is he gives us a path forward. 00:31:11.665 --> 00:31:14.099 He gives us a path through it. 00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:20.299 And I confess, verse 12, I think it's one of the harder verses to stomach in all of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:31.032 It's one of the harder verses to process because it's one thing to say, hey, you're going to face suffering and persecution, it's going to be hard and you need to get through it. 00:31:31.032 --> 00:31:34.032 But verse 12 goes far beyond that. 00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:38.066 Verse 12 doesn't just leave you in, we're somehow going to manage it. 00:31:40.365 --> 00:31:47.500 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:56.365 In fact, in the Luke version of this, you know Luke has some of the Beatitudes repeated in a similar sermon there in Luke. 00:31:56.365 --> 00:31:59.365 In that version it says, jump for joy. 00:32:00.865 --> 00:32:04.266 I gotta tell you, I don't know that I'm always there. 00:32:04.266 --> 00:32:08.200 I don't I don't know that I go, yes, persecution. 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:11.266 I don't that's not my immediate reaction. 00:32:11.266 --> 00:32:15.633 And I'm guessing it's probably not for most of us. 00:32:15.665 --> 00:32:19.833 But the reality is, whether you're Christian or unchristian, you're going to face challenges in this life. 00:32:19.833 --> 00:32:20.799 You're going to face suffering. 00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:27.032 You're going to face and not Christian persecution, but you're going to have others opposed to you. 00:32:27.032 --> 00:32:28.633 The non-Christian has no path forward. 00:32:28.633 --> 00:32:32.165 And Jesus says, look, there is a greater reward coming one day. 00:32:33.266 --> 00:32:34.266 Rejoice. 00:32:34.266 --> 00:32:38.633 In fact, in acts five, the disciples, when they were persecuted, they were whipped. They were beaten. 00:32:38.633 --> 00:32:40.200 They're leaving their with bloodied backs. 00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:50.299 Their shirts are probably sticking to their backs because their flesh is torn and bloody, and they're rejoicing that they were counted worthy of the gospel, worthy enough to be beaten. 00:32:50.465 --> 00:32:53.200 I don't know how we get there. 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:55.865 Some of you, I think, probably do have that mindset. 00:32:55.865 --> 00:32:56.665 I see it on your face. 00:32:56.665 --> 00:32:59.099 I see the joy in your heart. 00:32:59.099 --> 00:33:04.400 I think of it there of us go, I hope, man, I hope that's my response. 00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:08.232 Persecution looks different for us as Americans. 00:33:08.232 --> 00:33:14.266 There's as much persecution going on around the world now as there ever has been in the history of the world. 00:33:14.266 --> 00:33:17.165 It doesn't mean that we'll never face it. 00:33:19.566 --> 00:33:21.000 Rejoice. 00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:22.500 Take great joy. 00:33:22.500 --> 00:33:30.066 Take great delight that you are counted worthy that he thought you could handle it. 00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:32.266 That's a whole different mindset. 00:33:32.266 --> 00:33:35.165 But it comes back to this idea. 00:33:35.165 --> 00:33:37.165 Following Christ isn't the popular path. 00:33:37.165 --> 00:33:43.299 And Hebrews 12 it says he, for the joy set before him endured the cross. 00:33:44.566 --> 00:33:51.165 Lastly, I want to point out one thing that ties the Beatitudes all together because remember the context. 00:33:51.165 --> 00:34:01.700 He's speaking to a Jewish audience, and he's largely going to address the fact that the Pharisees have misunderstood a lot of what the law was teaching, and they've missed the heart. 00:34:02.500 --> 00:34:04.500 Part of the backdrop for all of this. 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:09.099 There's a reason why he keeps repeating the word blessed over and over again. 00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:14.000 We're going to end in Psalms one, Psalm one and two. 00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:17.300 The Book of Psalms is a powerful section of Scripture. 00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:19.000 Every Jew would have known so much of it. 00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:22.266 That would have been what they sang when they gathered to worship. 00:34:22.266 --> 00:34:24.266 They would have just sang the psalms. 00:34:24.266 --> 00:34:29.432 That was their songbook and the very first word in Psalms. 00:34:29.432 --> 00:34:31.766 This is a word they would have heard over and over again. 00:34:31.766 --> 00:34:48.199 And most believed Psalm one and Psalm to act as an introduction to the whole book of Psalms, the very first word of the Book of Psalms, the introduction to the whole book that sets up the whole understanding of the book is the word we've heard over and over again. 00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:50.032 And Beatitudes. 00:34:50.032 --> 00:34:52.199 Blessed. 00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:56.900 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, stands in the way of sinners, sits in the seat of scoffers. 00:34:56.900 --> 00:35:03.400 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:05.266 So the Jews already understood. 00:35:05.266 --> 00:35:06.266 You want a blessed life. 00:35:06.266 --> 00:35:10.465 You want to want to know what it means to have God's favor, God's flourishing in your life. 00:35:10.465 --> 00:35:13.800 Meditate on his law, know his law, be in his law. 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:16.800 And that's one side of it. 00:35:16.833 --> 00:35:25.000 But here's where it comes full circle, because the end of the intro to Psalms is at the end of chapter two, and that word blessed shows up again. 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:30.766 And now we'll understand where ultimately you find our fulfillment in blessing. 00:35:30.766 --> 00:35:32.800 Look at how chapter two ends. 00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:39.800 Verse 12, kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way for his wrath as quickly kindled. 00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:44.500 Blessed are all who take refuge in him. 00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:47.166 Blessed are all who take refuge in the sun. 00:35:47.166 --> 00:35:53.233 You want to know what blessing, true blessing, true favor, true flourishing is? 00:35:53.300 --> 00:35:57.565 It starts in the law, but it is completed. 00:35:57.565 --> 00:36:00.233 In fact, this is the final blank in your outline. 00:36:00.233 --> 00:36:04.099 True and final blessing is found in the sun. 00:36:04.166 --> 00:36:09.099 And of course we know that is Jesus points to who he is. 00:36:09.099 --> 00:36:11.065 That is where we find blessing.