Sermon on the Mount #3

Beginning of Faith – Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:3

INTRODUCTION

A. Beatitudes are all about critical elements of character
that produce a life in harmony with the will of God

1. Beatitudes also give us basic information about the person
who lives a life of faith in God

a. The beginning of faith (vs. 3-5)

b. The development of faith (vs. 6)

c. The perfection of faith (vs. 7-9)

d. The trial of faith (vs. 10-12)

2. Habakkuk 2:4

a. Romans 1:17

b. Galatians 2:20

c. Galatians 3:11

d. Hebrews 10:38

B. I believe that if we are to live by faith, then it is of
utmost importance to us that we understand faith, and
how to develop a faith approach to living

1. This is where the Beatitudes can help us

2. From time to time, over the coming months, I want to
examine each of the Beatitudes and present the place of
each one in helping us develop our faith in God and His
Son Jesus Christ

3. Matthew 5:3

DISCUSSION

A. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POOR IN SPIRIT

1. What it does not mean

a. Poor in the sense of material goods

b. Poor in the sense of a lack of self-esteem

c. Poor in the sense of self-depreciation

2. The more accurate definition of “poor in spirit”

a. I has to do with an emptying out of a man all the
worldly, self- promotional attitudes and ideas

1) Luke 2:34

2) Before a man can rise before God, he must fall to
himself and to all that would lift him up without God

b. Isaiah gives us two statements by God that explains how
important this quality is to Him

1) Isaiah 66:1-2

2) Isaiah 57:15

c. The idea is a total absence of pride and self-glory – it is
the attitude that says we know that we are nothing
without God

3. Biblical Examples

a. Gideon – recruited by God to unite his people to fight
the Midianites

1) Judges 6:15

2) We may think it was all excuses, but he proved he was
not a coward  – Hebrews 11:32 lists him as a great
man of faith

3) He was a man who thought it incredible that God
would choose him for such a task – an attitude that
makes it possible for God to do extraordinary things

b. Moses _ recruited by God to become leader and law
giver

1) Exodus 3:10-11

2) We often berate Moses because we only see his
attempt to make excuses

3) God didn’t see him as an excuse maker – He saw
Moses as a man who didn’t see himself as his people’s
answer

4) Once he was convinced that God could do it, Moses
agreed to the task

c. David

1) 2 Samuel 7:18

2) Acts 13:22

3) It’s not that David was perfect, but he had an attitude,
a way of thinking about himself that allowed him to
bow before Jehovah

4. It is the attitude of the man who has learned that there
is nothing to lean upon except God

a. Not our heritage, our family, or anything about ourselves

b. Not our abilities, our intellect, or our accomplishments

c. Not our position, our power, or our influence

d. Not our education, our wealth, nor our prestige

e. Not our morals, our conduct, nor our behavior

f. Though God may choose to use all or none of these,
the man who is poor in spirit only sees God, and not
himself

B. WHY BEING POOR IN SPIRIT PRODUCES A
MAN OF FAITH

1. Consider the problem of the opposite characteristic

a. This would be the man who is “rich in spirit”

b. It is the man who sees only himself – he is the answer to
it all

c. This man needs nothing or no one, because he has
everything he needs to succeed at life

d. This is the man of pride and arrogance

2. What does the Bible say about this attitude

a. Proverbs 16:18

b. Proverbs 29:23

c. James 4:16

3. Being poor in spirit equips a man with certain
abilities

a. To honestly know ourselves

1) We don’t have to deny ourselves or anything about us

2) We can use anything we have or are capable of doing

3) We don’t have to pretend we are or are not

b. To honestly know God

1) His majesty, glory, power, righteousness, justice, love
grace, mercy, etc.

2) Since our focus is not on ourselves, we can honestly
recognize the fact that we do not compare to him

3) To yield to the God who is greater than we are,
without any hint of being threatened, ridiculed or put
down in any way

4. Statements by people who were poor in spirit

a. Luke 18:13

b. Isaiah 6:5

c. Luke 5:8

d. John 6:38

e. John 4:34

CONCLUSION

A. If you would be a man or woman of faith you must
begin here – become poor in spirit

1. Get rid of pride and arrogance that produces a self-
promoting rebellion against God

2. See God – and hit the dirt

3. Drain yourself of self and then be filled with awe at the
very thought of God

4. That man or woman will live a life of faith

B. Invitation