Matthew Chapter 5/Study Notes

3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Right now on this planet those who are poor in spirit are blessed by God. Right now on this planet you are blessed by God if you know that you don’t have it all together like the proud and rich people think they do. Right now on this planet you are blessed by God if you know that you are a sinner and that there is no way for you to reach heaven without a Savior. This is the true blessed life because God only helps those who know that they need help, and are willing to humble themselves and cry out for it. “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” “Whoever comes to me I will by no means turn away,” were statements made by our Lord Jesus. If we are empty ourselves then we can be filled with Jesus. If we empty ourselves we will have room for all htat He has for us.

Blessed are you if this is your whole life’s attitude. It is not just coming to Christ to receive mercy and forgiveness that makes you blessed, but that your entire life’s attitude is that you are poor and needy when it comes to the things of God. Of which He is ready to pour out his blessing, knowledge, gifts of service, and all other favors and graces. The proud in heart are not worthy for such things from God. If I am rich in this worlds goods it is okay as long as I am still poor in spirit.

Theirs is the kingdom of heaven because God is near to the broken hearted and saves such as have a humble and contrite spirit. The kingdom of heaven is open only to the poor in spirit. It will be populated only by those who acknowledge the Savior and love Him to the end. God our Father is merciful and gracious beyond our comprehension, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the saving knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ. Sadly though, most think they are rich in spirit and can gain heaven by their own good works, which no one ever has or will. Those who are of the high spirit will perish with the kingdoms of this world in which they thought themselves to be so high, but those of the low in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven when the world kingdoms pass away.

4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are you on this planet if you mourn over your sin and the sins of others which placed Christ on the cross. Blessed are you on this planet if you are in that continual state of repentance in which you do not delight in gratifying the lusts of the flesh that war against your soul. Blessed are you on this planet if you really feel the sorrow of others who are struggling with sin and death, looking forward to the time when heaven will relieve all our pain. Our seeds of mourning are hereby ready to produce a harvest of joy, for we will be comforted by the Comforter himself. We will by our mourning draw the Spirit of our God to us, near us, with us. The Holy Spirit is most definitely attracted to those who mourn, and why not, it is He that is most grieved by the sins, sorrows, and deeds of men. For He knows what could have been had sin not been given entrance into the world so who better to comfort us than the One who mourns with us. What sin did to the body of God is an outward sign of what sin does to the heart of God.

“Sorrow the pledge of joy.-Grief, sorrow, pain of heart, mourning is no dividing wall between man and God. The Lord congratulates them that mourn. There is no evil in sorrow. True, it is not an essential good, a good in itself, like love; but it will mingle with any good thing and is even so sided to good that it will open the door of the heart for any good. The happy child runs farther away, the wounded child turns to go home. The weeper sits down close to the gate; The Lord of life draws near to him from within. God does not love sorrow, yet rejoices to see a man sorrowful, because in his sorrow man leaves his heavenward door open, and God can enter to help him. So good a medicine is sorrow, so powerful to slay the moths that infest and devour the human heart, that the Lord is glad to see a man weep. Grief is an ill-favored thing, but she is Love’s child, and her mother loves her.-George Macdonald