That All May Know "The Kingdom Ways" | Joy Teh

You're listening to a message to go from ext church. We hope this message

will light up your day. This the theme for this year is that all

may know. Yeah, So that all may know will be what we want

to continue to speak about. Yeah. And today I'm drawing from what the

leaders are are now learning. Even as we meet every month, and even

as I was preparing for Salt leaders we were gathering together for Salt yesterday and

every first Saturday of the month, I was very blessed myself even as I

look into Matthew chapter five, the beginning of the Sermon of the Mound,

where Jesus taught his disciples on the Kingdom ways. So that is what we

want to look at today, that when we say the theme that all may

know, that all may know what the all may know me know the O

may no Jesus right, yes, but what is when you read the scripture,

especially the Gospels, what is the thing that Jesus is talking about?

And he started his ministry talking about the Kingdom of God. So basically we're

in the world and the world has his own ways, but he's teaching his

disciples and teaching us today as we read his word, his Kingdom ways immen

Amen. So I went to study a bit and learned again. But this

is a familiar passage to all of us. But I believe we want to

draw again from the Lord Jesus himself the kingdom ways, imen Amen. So

let me read from Mettil chapter five. We can all turn to our bibles.

If you have your bibles, I encourage all of us to bring our

Bibles to church. Kay. And but of course, if you don't own

a physical one, you can refer to your digital one. And now let

me read from chapter five, verses one to twelve. Now, and seeing

the multitudes he as in, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when

he was seated, his disciples came to him. Then he opened his mouth

and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs

is the Kingdom of heaven. Verse four. Blessed are those who mourn,

for day shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for day shall inherit

the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for day

shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for day shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for day shall see God. Blessed are

the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those

who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you when they revive and persecute you, and see all kinds of

evil against you falsely for my sake Verse twelve, Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,

for great is your reward in heaven for soul. They persecuted the prophets

who were before you. Now I shall stop here, Okay. So the

Sermon of the Mound starts from chapter five, and it actually goes all the

way chapter six, chapter seven, so it's actually three long chapters of the

whole salmon that Jesus off So if you turn your bible, your physical one,

you will see this. It's all in rate rate, all right,

okay. And then chapter eight onwards you see other things that that Matthew was

talking about what Jesus did. But the three chapters is purely just what Jesus

was teaching his disciples. So today I'm just going to zoom in at the

very first portion of the Sermon of the mound, which is the beg Attitudes.

Now, some of us grew up memorizing the be attitudes as well.

Right, and we can even remember we have learned this, we have heard

this. So let's again look into God's word again and ask the Lord to

speak to us. So in verse one, we saw that seeing the mount

even Jesus said, seeing the multitudes, he went up on a mountain,

and when he was seated, his disciples came to him. So this is

just the background of the Sermon of the Mound. So in chapter twenty Chapter

twenty four it was so. In chapter four it was also mentioned that great

multitudes was following Jesus, already coming from different regions in chapter four the chapter

before. So imagine there's a great crowd on multitude in front of him.

So Jesus chose to go up on the mountain, right. And this sermon

was spoken to the disciples of Jesus, but not just the twelve disciples.

He was speaking to many more who followed him and was wanting to hear him.

And in those days it was customary for the teacher to sit down while

the listeners stand right. So and then in verse two he opened his mouth

and he taught them saying, so in this whole sermon, we're only going

to look at the first part on it. So all the way under chapter

seven, Jesus was telling us how to live. So it's like a declaration

of God's kingdom and what his kingdom is all about. So at that time

the nation of Issia were probably expecting Messiah to look in a different way or

sound differently, but basically whatever Jesus is talking about did not sound and looked

like what they expected him or explaining to sound like. Right, So instead,

the Sermon of the Mound basically tells the disciples of how we will live

when Jesus is our lord. So last year the theme was Heaven rules,

So when Heaven rules, when Jesus rules in our lives, this is the

way we should be living in men that reflects his kingdom ways, immen Imen.

So we can also regard this whole teaching as Jesus training his disciples and

one thing, and not only is for them, but he's also teaching them

so that they can teach others the kingdom ways. So it's meant to be

passed unto them and also through them. So that's what Jesus was trying to

do. And because if we look in the Gospel of Luke, where something

similar to the to the Sermon of the Mound, although not fully right,

Jesus was talking about that right after he chose the twelve disciples. So he

chose the twelve disciples, and that's when he started teaching. All right,

okay, so he wants us to not own this is not only for ourselves,

but so that we can pass it on to others. And the word

taught. So in verse two write so they say he was seated, okay,

and he taught. Sorry, he opened his mouth and he taught them,

saying the word taught is in the imperfect tents in the original text,

and it just means it is repeated and it is of habitual action. So

in other words, if we translate it, it's like this is what he

used to teach his disciples. And I believe Jesus probably repeated it over and

over again to his disciples. Why because he's preaching about the Kingdom of God

to them that now this is the way to live a right immen. So

let's look into the be attitudes right now now, so we would sum it

all so before we move on with something all into Basically, what are some

of the character traits of kingdom citizens? So if we say that Heaven rules

our hearts and we belong to that, to God's kingdom, then these are

some of the character traits that we, as citizens of Heaven should have,

immen, immen. So this is what we call the be attitudes, or

some call it the blessings because all of it starts with blessed? Are you

blessed? Are you blessed? Are those right? Okay? It can also

be understood as the attitudes that a kingdom citizen should be. Right, So

the bee attitudes okay? So inner beattitudes Jesus sets for both the nature and

the aspirations of citizens of his kingdom. Why because it's something that we have

learned, but we are still learning as well. Amen. I don't think

anyone I got it all, Okay, I don't think so. I would

never say that. So it's something we have, amen, by the grace

of God, and we are learning. Amen. So these are character traits

that marks that are like marks and goals of all Christians. Right, So

it's not something that we want one of the attitudes and we can exclude the

other one, just like spiritual gifts, because I say, oh I only

desire one of it and the other. It's not it's not so important.

I like this one. I don't know that one. Okay. So it's

something to be looked as a whole. And there is no escape from our

responsibility to desire every one of the spiritual attributes. Now, so if we

know someone who claims to be a Christian but who says that, who displays

I have no desire, no no need for these attributes, then we probably

doubt his salvation. Really, yeah, So if someone who's really in the

Lord, they will at least desire, right, yeah, these attributes.

But if someone claims that I've mastered it all, then we probably doubt his

honest stealer. Okay, all right, so let's look at the first one,

which is verse three. Now I put a slide so that we can

just focus in on the verse Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs

is the Kingdom of Heaven in the New king James. So the first big

attitude is like the foundation. All right, okay, talking about the poverty

of our spirit. Now, but before we go into that, because all

of it talks about the blessed. Are you blessed? Are those? Let's

look at the word blessed and what does it mean. So Jesus promise blessings

to his disciples, right, promising that the poor in spirit are blessed.

So the Greek word means happy, blessed are you? Or some version will

just say happy? Are you happy? Are those? Okay? So happy?

But this happy, like English, is just happier, all right,

But the happiness is not that happy because we are comfortable, we are entertained,

we are we got what we want. Okay, okay. So this

blessed means joy, which is untouchable. It means nothing can shake you one

all right, okay, and completely independent of all the chances and changes in

life. Anything does not change this joy, this happiness that you have,

and that's why you are blessed. So in Matthew now, so just referring

to Matthew twenty five, verse thirty four, is Jesus said on the day

of judgment that he will say to his people, come you, blessed of

my father. Okay, I don't have a sight for this, Okay,

blessed of my father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of

the world. So Jesus called the people when he's talking to them about the

judgment day, come you blessed of my father on that day. So Jesus

will judged between, in other words, the blessed and the curse. Okay,

And that's why Jesus explains now to all of you, all of us,

to his disciples at that time, to you and I, what are

the requirements to be under the category of blessed. So blessed are you?

So God will come back and call his blessed ones. All right, So

there is a distinction between the blessed ones and the curse or the no blessed

ones. Okay, So not that blessing is in every case in the present

tense. So remember it says, if you read just now, we read

verse three to verse eight nine, right, the eight Beatitudes, right,

blessed ah, the poor in spirit, blessed are those on It didn't say

blessed shall be you, blessed you will be. It says blessed are.

Because it's in a present tense. It means the happiness, the joy is

to be enjoyed now, not only later. Where we see Jesus. Amen,

Amen, so blessed are you, because the Kingdom of God is here

here now, hallelujah. So blessed are you, So the blessed here,

So the first one the poor in spirit. So again, this is not

just a man's confession that I'm insignificant and without value. Okay, then means

poor in spirit? No, Instead, it is a realization. It is

a confession that we are sinful, and we are rebellious, and that we

are utterly without moral virtues adequate to comment to God, basically nothing. All

right, the poor in spirit recognizes that they have no spiritual assets within ourselves.

They know they are spiritually bankrupt. We might say, okay, So

basically the ancient Greek word okay has this sum the word poor. Right,

they have a distinction between the poor word. They have the working poor,

that is not so poor, little bit poor, and then they have a

word that says truly poor. So the word that they chose to use in

the text is the truly poor, that is poor to the point that you

need and you must beg for whatever that you will need. So we are

like spiritual beggars. Basically we have nothing that we have that is that we

can say that it's off. It's of a spiritual asset, all right.

We are truly poor and means that we have to beg for whatever we have

or to get. That is the original meaning of the word. So basically

it just means poor in spirit, just means poverty of spirit. Now,

it cannot be induced by self. That's why I'm so horrible. It's not.

Okay, yeah, really, it's not something artificially induced by yourself.

Okay. It is the Holy Spirit, okay, working in our hearts and

our response to the working of the Holy Spirit that brings about that realization that

we are poor in spirit. Amen. Amen. So it is again,

I repeat, is that realization that comes from the working of the Holy Spirit

in our lives and our response to his working all right about and that we

know and we are aware we come to the state that we know that we

are nothing apart from God. Amen. Now, of all the beattitudes,

this is the first I ever wondered. Why. Okay, So this is

the first, and I believe you and I this is where we start with

God, isn't it. Our spiritual journey starts when we first acknowledge that we

have seen and following short of God's glory. And that's what is first,

because this is where we start with God. And you know what, every

one of us can start there because we're all in the same state one correct,

no matter what our title, our whatever bank account is, we all

start here with God. So it isn't first, blessed are the pure in

heart? So God Jesus didn't put that one first. Pure in heart those

who are what are merciful. Yes, Jesus said, blessed are the poor

in spirit first, because every one of us can come to that point of

poor in spirit. Amen, not what I have, but what I have

not. So so it puts the other following beattitudes into perspective. Also why

because if you look at the next bear, later we're gonna look at it.

So today I'm just going to touch on tree. No time here,

faster, I try my best. So before we move in the second one.

So for example, if no one will moan, so the second one

is blessed are you who moan? But no one moans until they know that

they are poor in spirit. No one is meek towards others until he has

a humble view of himself. And if you don't sense your own need and

poverty, you will never hunger and thust after righteousness. And if you are

too high, if you have a too high view of yourself, you will

find it very difficult to be merciful to others. Right, and that is

why this is the first Bee attitude. So summing it all up again,

what is poverty or spirit? It is a sense of powerlessness in ourselves.

It's a sense of spiritual bankruptcy and helplessness before God. It is a sense

of moral uncleanness before God. It is a sense of personal unworthiness before God.

It's a sense that if there's any life or joy or usefulness in our

lives, right, it has to be all God, and all because of

God, and all because of His grace. This is just summing it up

right. So the truth is every one of us are poor in spirit,

amen, everyone of us. So where whether we sense it or not,

it's a sense like okay, I said, there's a sense. It's a

sense that or it's a realization. Okay. But whether we sense it or

not, we are all poor spirit. It's just when we sense it on

me okay, okay, So so every one of us is poor in spirit,

and we are powerless without God, and we are bankrupt and helpless,

unclean, unworthy before God. Now again, yes, this is the truth.

We are poor and spirit, but not all of us are blessed.

So the question is who is blessed? Okay, I'll come back to that

again later on. Just hang it, hang it there first. But Jesus

promised that blessed are you. Why he said you're blessed because your poor spirit,

because you, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. So those who

are poor in spirit, so poor again in our spiritual state, that we

must beg God rewards us. So we are rewarded when we come humbly before

God. Amen, And we receive the Kingdom of heaven, because poverty or

spirit is a prerequisite for receiving the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen. For Dias

is the Kingdom of heaven. Because as long as we think we have our

own spiritual resources we don't need Jesus, we will never receive from God what

we absolutely need to be saved. Amen. Amen. Now, before I

move on into the next beatitude, I just quickly want to zoom in into

King David's life. Now, King David, now if we remember his life

and just undersjoying. One example, he went too many stuff. He did

many mistakes as well, and in Psalms fifty one, so I have the

sum there, Palm fifty one, verse seventeen. Oh dear, is it

too small people? Oh dear, okay, it's too small. Fail effort,

effort, okay. So the sacrifice acceptable to God is a white a

broken spirit, a broken and a contracte hard allelujah. These, Oh,

God, you will not despise. So he came to a point of brokenness

King David, all right, and he could only say, God, this

is my broken heart and my and I'm just so sorry for whatever I've done.

Right, okay. So and he knows that God will not despise,

right, a broken and a contrite heart. But we said, okay,

yep is it makes sense because he was he he's sin, he committed adultery,

he committed murder. So but what about the times when King David was

doing well? So when he was not doing well, yes, he could

understand the poverty of spirit. How about when he was doing well? Now

in another verse, in First Chronicles, chapter twenty nine, verse fourteen,

just zooming in, David was collecting a collection for the building of the temple.

Okay, so collecting so much, you know, until he has stopped

the people from giving anymore? Enough enough, right, David prayed? What

did he pray? Who am I and what is my people? That we

should be able to able thirst to offer willingly? For all things come from

you, Lord, and in you your own you have given to us.

Amen. So jez Jesus. But David, even after he has collected so

much in his good times as well, he also could recognize that it is

all God, all right. He could still recognize as all God. So

even when David and his people were performing a beautiful act of giving unto the

Lord, David did not you to self esteem all right. Instead, he

was again looking unto God and the grace of our Lord. Amen. So

who are we that we should be able thus to offer willingly? So even

as we've given our eNews we give to the Lord. That should be our

posture, that should be our attitude. That God, even as I give

you, it's not like, Oh God, I give you so much,

you know, no, really want, really want? Is God? Who

am I to give you this thing that is actually nothing? It's all from

you in the first place. That is the attitude and the posture of poverty

of spirit. Amen. Amen. So some things for us just to think

about. Do we acknowledge and we do we sense or are we aware?

That we are poor in spirit? Church? So it comes to we got

to come to dead realization. And again it's not something that we induce it

ourselves. Is allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. All right.

Now, moving on to the next attitude, It says in verse four,

Blessed are those who mourn for day shall be comforted. Now the great

word for morning here is the strongest word for morning, okay, meaning it's

like mourning for the date, mourning for your your dearly loved one. Now,

I know some of you, all of us, I think, somehow

or another, we have experienced the loss of a loved one and we understand

that pain and when we really truly moan for someone we love. Right,

So this word mon is the strongest word mon. So basically it indicates an

intense degree of morning. So Jesus did not speak of just a casual morning,

a casual sorrow for the consequences of sin, but it is a deep

grief before God over our fallen state. Basically looking. Once we come aware

from the poor in spirit we are, we realize that we are bankrupt spiritually.

Then comes that deep sorrow and grief over that state that we are in.

That is what it means a blessed are those who moan. So the

morning the weeping is for the low and needy condition of our fallen state,

but not for ourselves only as individuals, but it's also that mourning for our

society at large as well, the sin that we live in. And with

the awareness that it is because of sin and the sin and its effects of

our in our lives that we are mourning. So this morning is what we

call the godly sorrow that produce us in Second Corinthians chapter seven, and our

need this verse repentance to salvation that Paul was talking about. So in Second

Coringtons chapter seven, verses nine to ten, it says Paul say, now

I rejoice not that you will mad sorry, but that your sorrow led to

repentance, for you will made sorry in a godly manner. So there's such

a thing as sorrow in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from

us in nothing, for godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to

be regretted. But the sorrow of the world produces that. So what we

don't need is the sorrow of the world people, but what we need is

the godly sorrow that leads to repentance. So that is where this is talking

about. Blessed those with you mourn for you, for you shall be comforted.

Amen. Amen. So now just a short illustration. It's like a

Sunday school teacher asking her class what repentance mean. What do you think the

children will say? One child said, it means it means you're sorry for

something you did. Sounds correct, okay, And another child said it means

you are sorry enough to quit or to stop it. Okay, solition,

it's better, okay. So to mourn over sin. It's not just sorry

for it, feel sorry on me, okay, it's the appropriate enough sorrow

that leads us to stop sinning. That is morning, all right. So,

and the promise to all of us is we shall be comforted. So

those who mourn over their sin and that more enough to change our ways,

we will be comforted. And God promises us that right, So amen amen.

Why because genuine grief express over our poverty of spirit. Now I'm linking

the first beatitude and the second beatitude ignites God's forgiveness right, and that leads

to salvation. Amen, So, which brings cleansing to our hearts. So

until we acknowledge we come to a realization of our spiritual bankruptcy that caused us

to go on our knees, to repent and to be sorrowful enough to change

our ways. And that's where we allow God to forgive us, cleanse us

right and restore our relationship with the Father. Amen. So, the question

of are we bless question mark blessed? Are you okay? If you're poor

in spirit? Blessed? Are you human? So blessed are the poor in

spirit? I join together who mourn blessed other people who feel keenly they're inadequacies

and their guilt and their failures and their whatever helplessness unfold unworthiness and all emptiness.

But they're not. We're not trying to hide these things under a cloak

of self sufficiency. But we are honest to God about it, and we

are driven to the grace of God in state. Amen, hallelujah. So

the first one I would say, the first beatitude is recognizing our state poverty

of spirit. The second beltitude repent thing of sin. And the third one

today, which yeah, which we will go into, is the third one

the meekness. So verse five, blessed other meek, for they shall inherit

the earth. This one, it shows us how we can resemble our savior,

because only Jesus can do this. Yes, I feel I feel like,

but Miami your kin. Okay. So question is what does madness have

to do with God? Why the third beatitude? Why blessed, blessed?

Are so many other things right, but blessed other meek? So what does

midness have to do with God? Now the English would make can't really properly

translate the Greek. That's what That's what most of the commenters are say it.

But the word meek has the idea of this, okay. It's the

idea of a proper balance between anger and indifference, of a powerful personality properly

controlled, and of humility. So in the Greek language, a meg person

is not passive nor easily pushed around. That's not the point. It's not

what we would imagine as Mike, and then we always associate with Mick and

mouth push you know, okay, But the main idea of the word make

is strength under control. So it's like a strong stalion, but it's truin

to do the job instead of just running well, but it's still a stealin

all right, okay. So the myth are those who can be angry.

It's not that they cannot be angry and you're like, oh they got they

cannot be angry and okay, okay, can be angry, but they restrain

their wrath in obedience to the way of God for your or, and will

not be angry unless they can be angry and not seen laggihard ah, nor

will be easily provoked by others. Sorry, God fail for effort. So

the meek are those who suffer wrong. I like this very much, but

it's so hard without bitterness or desire for revenge, kailer. Some of us

might have might understand it be close to heart. Okay maybe, but if

you have never suffered wrong, you probably just hearing it. Okay, okay,

all right, But if you have suffered wrong, maybe you can understand.

All right. So the first two be editors are talking more about inwardly

we recognize, we repent, But the third one this one deals with how

we relate to another person, one's fellow men. So to be make means

to show willingness to submit, submit, and work under proper authority. It

also shows a willingness to regard one's own rights and privileges very hard. So

it's one thing for me, I can admit my spiritual poverty and bankruptcy.

Can I can admit it to God? But what if someone else admit it

for you? Will you react meekly? So the meek is not only meek

before God in that they will submit to his will and conform to his word.

But the meek is also met before men in that they are strong,

But yet they are humble, They are gentle, they are patient, and

they are long suffering. Hallelujah, owing by the Lord's grace. Amen.

Amen, But what's the promise to us? For they shall inherit the earth?

Now? I like this very much because we can only be meet willing

to control our desire for our rights or privileges angry. Also, we choose

not to say you know, we don't you know, meaning there's no revenge

all right? Because why so? I think the bottom line is this done

right? The bottom line is this. Are we confident that God watches out

for us? Are we confident that God will protect our cause? Do you

think God is blind? Man? But sometimes you just need to remember that

God knows, God sees. God is not blind. God is not the

Okay, the promise that they shall inherit the earth. Why God chose all

the promises and then this one match this one because it shows that God is

trying to tell you you will inherit what is yours. Don't worry, okay,

So not God will not allow the meek okay, to be the ones

that end up at and may nothing. Okay, God will protect what is

yours. Hallelujah. Now, as I draw to a close, I want

to draw us to sums THET seven because sums the the seventh in verse eleven

has the exact same verse that says, but the meek shall inherit the earth

and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Gouse some more blessing.

You do not need to stop there. Not only inherit the earth, but

they will delight themselves in abundance of peace. So this is God's promise for

those of us there who have gone through this and again some of us might

be struggling because it's not easy. I must say, Okay, it sounds

beautiful, but it is very painful, right yeah. So let's go to

Sums thety seven right now, and let's read from verse five to eleven.

And I just want to point out something, and I hope that this will

be an encouragement and a blessing to all of us. Imen so Psalms the

seventh verse five, it says, commit your way to the Lord. Trust

also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. He shall bring

forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday rests.

In the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of

him who prospers in his ways, because of the man who brings wicked schemes

to pass. Cease from anger, and for sake wrath, do not fret.

It only causes harm Verse nine. For evil doers shall be cut off,

But those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

Pay attention here, okay. Verse nine, Then verse ten, for yet

a little while, and the wicked shall be no more. Indeed, you

will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. What's

eleven. But the milk shall inhabit the earth and shall delight themselves in the

abundance of peace. Not this verse nine and verse eleven. Okay. Verse

eleven says the mick shall inherit the earth. In verse nine it says the

be the second power of us. But those who wait on the Lord the

same promise, though they shall inherit the earth. So a egal see be

ego see hence e equals be okay, So math teacher, that's like okay,

So that means the meek are also those who wait upon the Lord?

Amen, a man. So if you ask, ever, ask yourself,

because we always say, oh, wait upon the Lord? What's not?

As you ask yourself upon? What means? To what? Do? What?

Do nothing? Sit there? Okay? What does it mean to wait

upon the Lord? Or what does it mean to be made? So we

get a picture of those who wait upon the Lord or those who are mad

when we read the verses here in Psalms thirty seven. So I'm just drawing

from verse five to verse eight a few points here. How does it look

like for someone who waits upon the Lord? Amen? They trust in God,

like they trust that God will not forget them. God is not blind,

and God sees they commit their way to God before they want to be

angry or they want to strike back. They commit it to God instead.

They are quiet before God and they wait for him. Sometimes it's just it's

okay to be just quiet for one and they do not fret over the wicked.

They miss that, not too bothered about the wicked. But then the

person, how that person? How that person? How? But why like

that? Why like that? Sometimes? Just live it to God. Amen.

So the quietness and openness and the vulnerability of the of meekness. Again,

you make yourself very vulnerable, isn't it meekness? Yep? It's very

beautiful, but a very painful thing because it goes against all that we are

in our sinful nature, everything against you've never been there. Welcome Jesus,

Yes, blessed other make okay? Yes, I say it requires supernatural health.

Amen. And without God's help we cannot do it. But you know

what the good news is if Jesus won't put it there, because you won't

miss trying to tell you, I will help you. I will help you.

Thanks be to God. Amen. We hope you've been blessed by this

message. For more information about church, please visit aschurch dot org. We

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to be a good week, a hit for you. God bless