Run The Race: Run it with Heart!

2020-06-07 

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Key Verse: Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful 

Today we continue the series, Run The Race, by looking at the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. Specifically, we’re going to address the passage commonly known as the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes, while specifically talking about the passage in Matthew we’re going to talk about today and next Sunday, they are technically all over the Bible, especially in the Psalms. The term “Beatitudes” really just refers to a blessing. “Blessed” is translated from both Hebrew and Greek words, to refer to divine favor conveyed to man.[1] 

But for today, let’s walk through 8 blessings given by Jesus to the church, to us, and they are just as timely today as they were 2,000 years ago. 

Matthew 5:3-12 Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.5Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

• Not financial poverty but spiritual poverty 
• This poverty flows from an understanding we can never find righteousness on our own due to our own sinful nature 
• The beginning of repentance is the recognition of one’s spiritual bankruptcy—one’s inability to become righteous on one’s own[2] 

2. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 

This statement, too, has nothing to do with being upset over a life occurrence, but rather mourning our own spiritual emptiness 

• This mourning is where healing grows and grace begins 

3. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 

Meekness is not weakness 

• Being meek reflects self-control, kindness, gentleness 
• To be meek toward others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit.[3] 
• Being meek is an image of power which is not overbearing or unkind 
• The most powerful people in the world are not those who lash out with their power and position but rather show restraint in leadership 

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 

Jesus uses two words that reflect emptiness to show the proper desires of our heart 

• Just as we long for food and refreshment, we should long for righteousness 
• Any change in our culture, our church, ourselves must begin within our own hearts 

[1]James M. Houston, “Beatitudes, The,”Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 271.

[2]Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 58.

[3]D. A. Carson, “Matthew,”in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 133.