(The Beatitudes are found in Matthew 5, at the beginning of the Sermon on The Mount. These posts are from a series of sermons preaches by Brother Bob Easton.)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
What does it mean to be “poor,” in general?
When we hear of a person being described as poor, we generally think of him as lacking in money, food, or possessions. When Jesus lists those who are considered blessed in the kingdom of heaven, the first group of people He mentions is the “poor in spirit” (as opposed to poor in material goods).
The well-known parable Jesus told of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9-14, illustrates what it means to be “poor in spirit” using the character of the tax collector. (Please read these verses to refresh your memory.)
In this parable, the Pharisee thought more highly of himself than he should have in the presence of the holy and Almighty God. He was not poor, or humble of spirit in the presence of God but, instead, he was prideful and arrogant.
On the other hand, the Publican, the tax collector, often despised by all the religious people like the Pharisees, came before God in humility; understanding that he needed, but did not deserve, God’s mercy. He made himself poor in spirit.
First, He Perceived His Lack
The tax collector stood at a distance. The tax collector in this story, the one poor in spirit, acknowledged that he was poor in spirit and needed God to be made whole and righteous. He recognized that there was nothing within himself that could make him righteous before the Holy God, so he stood at a distance, in fear of God, in order to pray.
In the Kingdom of God, we must continually be aware of the lack within our bodies and minds to make ourselves good and right before God. There is nothing good within us unless we have Jesus inside of us. He makes all things new and sets everything right. On the other hand, those who think they do not need anything from God may be considered wise and “rich” by the standards of the world, but not in the eyes of God.
Second, He Acknowledged His Weakness
The tax collector would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Those who are poor in spirit acknowledge their own personal weakness. However, they also acknowledge the strength that is in God alone, so they approach God and wait on Him in order to be strengthened and made whole again.
This is a lesson not only for new Christians who must admit their sinfulness and their need for a Savior, but also for those who have been Christians for a while. We must continually look to God to supply the strength to overcome sin, to resist temptation, to walk in holiness and in the power of God, and to be used by Him to further His Kingdom.
Third, He Recognized His Need to be Made Right
Look at Luke 18:14a, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” “This man” refers to the tax collector, the one who was humble and penitent before God. He is the one who went home justified in the eyes of God. What does it mean to be “justified”? Basically, it means to be made right before God.
Just like the tax collector, we must acknowledge when we sin, and admit the wrongfulness of our actions when we go against God’s will. But we do not just stop at confessing our sin; we do not want to wallow in self-pity and hopelessness, but we put our trust in God to make us right again. We believe that Jesus justifies us, makes us right before God (Romans 3:24-25; Galatians 2:16). Once we confess our sins and are washed clean, we trust in Jesus to help us continue on the right track, doing the will of God.
If instead, we think we are righteous in and of ourselves, like the Pharisee, or if we believe that we can be made righteous by living according to a set of rules, or if we think we are better than others – then we are fooling ourselves; and we are not justified before God.
Fourth, He Realized His Need to be Lifted Up
Now look at Luke 18:14c, “he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Being “poor in spirit” means we must have an attitude of humility before God and before others. If we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us up and, as Jesus promises, we will receive the kingdom of heaven. If, however, we continue in an attitude of pride or arrogance, then God will come and humble us, and reveal to us that we are not as cool or special as we think.
Their Reward Is Great – A Rich Kingdom
“…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
What is the reward for those who are poor in spirit? Jesus says those who are poor in spirit are blessed and will receive the Kingdom of Heaven. God’s Kingdom is infinitely rich and wealthy – not only able to provide its citizens with all they need to survive physically, but also able to give them all they need to thrive spiritually.
What does it mean that the kingdom of heaven is “theirs”? Just that they’ll go to heaven some day, or does it have meaning for their life on earth now?
Please read Psalm 51:3-9. This is the Psalm David wrote after he committed the sins of adultery and murder in the incident with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. David was genuinely penitent over his wrongful actions; and he humbled himself before God, as did the publican.
When we humble ourselves, and acknowledge our wrongdoing before God, we admit that we were wrong, and we cannot make everything right ourselves. No, we cannot atone for our sin ourselves, and we cannot behave righteously on our own. We admit that God is just, and also that He is the only One who can cleanse us and cover our sins.
We must remain humble; we must remain poor in spirit; whether we have sinned, or whether we have acted in holiness before God. He is the only One who can cleanse us from our sins, and He is the only One who enables us to be holy.