A Blessed Life - Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ says wonderful characteristic bluntness.

The man is blind.

Remember when Nicodemus Pharisee first came to meet him. Nicodemus is showing tremendous respect and Nicodemus was likely the lead teacher in the Sanhedrin as a Pharisee about Old Testament through becomes the Jesus and he says we know that no one could do the things you do unless you sent God you know and that's really Gary sort of really good and uses a lot of acrylate Jesus would say some nice things back in Jesus just looks at them as a measure born again you can see the I can imagine when Nicodemus. Was is deeply respected. That's Jesus joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work, and I believe what happens to us as were so familiar with it and we think this is just a really nice sermon that Jesus preached it was anything but that. When Jesus is preaching is disturbing, confrontational, he's just got his ministry going and he decides the shock everybody there.

The original audience and heard him speak. I'm pretty sure did agree with anything that he was saying the whole time he was preaching because nothing they had ever worn for generation after generation after generation spoke to us at all. So I would invite you to open your Bibles to Matthew five and up.

As I've said in the past. Matthew is a I would call a bridge book Matthews the book between the Old Testament and New Testament of the New Testament really gets going, worn Mark, Matthew decides that he will be the bridge between Malachi in the New Testament the theme of the entire book of Matthew is that Jesus Christ is the Davidic king and his messianic and does a great job with this in the first chapter I Matthew decides that he wants to show us where the king came from any shows as a genealogy there.

That's not what you expect is not the genealogy back to Abraham's not the genealogy back to Adam the genealogy back to one of Matthew's favorite expressions, the son of David, that means he's the Davidic recipient of the Davidic covenant. He's Israel's Messiah.

Chapter 2 you see, you have the whole story of the birth of Christ. The baby grew in chapter 2. You have the Magi coming from the east, and that's perplexing in its own way and then you have them going to Egypt. Chapter 3 you have the father's please the father so this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. He begins his ministry. Chapter 4 goes the temptations door. He said he's been tempted by Lucifer at the end of chapter 4. You'll notice that in verse 18. For the first time Jesus pics disciples in 18 it says now as Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen and he said to them, follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. So those to take off. Verse 21, going from there he saw two other brothers, James and the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the boat was Zebedee, the father, mending their nets and he called them and immediately left the boat and the father followed him must've been amazing saying I mean to me. Your Zebedee. You have two sons are here to business your mending her guy comes walking up says follow me your two sons. This drop and that's it going follow every meds that just an amazing thing. Well then it says in verse 23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in the synagogues proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom healing every kind of disease every kind of sickness among the people and news about him spread all over Syria and they were but I brought to him all who were ill or suffering various diseases and pains the money. Ask epileptics paralytic city said, and he healed them. Large crowds followed him from Galilee to an accomplice in Jerusalem and Judea and far beyond the Jordan crowds came from everywhere. Jesus then goes to Capernaum northern part of the Sea of Dolly and there is a at that part of the sea galley. The from the sea level rises up etc. goes up a plane like this not know mountainous but is likely a.height of one of those rising areas in the Sea of Galilee. And that's we call the sermon on the Mount. I don't believe is on the mountaintop needed he was just simply right there. Jesus saw the crowds, he he went up to the mountain and after he said down his disciples came to him and he opened his mouth and he began to teach. This is interesting. He sees the crowds he's going to teach and he sits down, which is what all rabbis do. A rabbi doesn't teach standing up a rabbi teacher sitting so Jesus sits down anyways about teaching us as he opened his mouth and he stunned the crowd.

It would be just the opposite of what you when I would think you should handle Jesus is just come on the scene. He knows who he is, no one else does quite yet.

He's starting his ministry. Crowds are coming. He's healing people performing miracles already and now is going to speak for the first time in a large setting and what he says is shocking is just shocking and there's no way that they could've responded in a very hostile way to what he was saying. The key verse in the whole summer.

-520. Notice what Jesus is there for I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of I believe when he said that women fainted. I think women cried. I think men shook their fists in rage. It's it's unbelievable what he just said no one who heard it could believe anything that he said right you can't see the scribes and Pharisees, especially the Pharisees the most respected people in the land of a a bad PR now on the side of the cross in the church. But the time of Christ. I've said this before, but if you were a parent you would pray your daughter would marry a Pharisee. No one respected the more the probably the most religious Jews who ever lived are they not only tried to abide by the 600 laws and ordinances of the Old Testament, they added hundreds of their own and so the whole idea was with them. We did that we respect these people more than anybody. Imagine a setting or someone come in and you world of room full of devout Roman Catholics and I said to you. Let me start out by telling you this first thing in less your righteousness is greater then any car nor pope, you have no chance of ever going to have. How would you respond week for not greater than the Cardinals and the Pope were not going no, no one would've believed that I mean that from their point of view is amazing. But Jesus has a wonderful characteristic cold bluntness.

The man is blind. Remember when Nicodemus get Pharisee first came to meet him Nicodemus to show them tremendous respect the Nicodemus was likely the lead teacher in the Sanhedrin as a Pharisee about Old Testament truth and he comes to Jesus and he says we know that no one could do the things you do unless you sent from God, you know, nets really get a resort of really given Jesus a lot of accolades you think Jesus would say some nice things back and Jesus just looks at him and says in leisure born again you can't see the kingdom of God first word that a born-again eunuch and not going anywhere.

I can imagine when Nicodemus thought he was a steeply respected, but that's Jesus so he starts the sermon out telling them something that they find is extremely difficult for them to believe and notice what he says. I say that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes in verse getting I say into God's. I said I said I mean you like that who is this Rabbi. He says that he does what he say now we end up knowing what's really going on here Jesus knows what the enemy and that's was going to play out in Matthew five, six and seven in this whole sermon.

Jesus is speaking out so bluntly against religion Jesus saying that through any means of religion.

You'll never ever have an eternal relationship with God you can't and you won't.

No one will remember, religion is external religion is a list of the things I do and the things I don't do in the belief system of religion is if I don't do these.

And I do these God will be so impressed with me that he'll gladly welcome me and that's what religion does. That's what religion has always done since the Tower of Babel way back in Genesis will border power. So I will walk in the heaven subvert the religion and that's what religion does. And Jesus is going to confront that the Pharisees and turn that into an art form.

This whole idea of our religious zeal that's going to do it.

And Jesus said that's not going to do it all snug in work that way at all.

In fact what Jesus going to say is that you can never start your relationship with God by doing things externally. You can only start your relationship with God not based on what you do but who you are internally, you have to be a certain person internally for you have any relationship with God at all.

Then after you have that relationship. There are certain ways you'll there are things you will do, but only after you've established the relationship and so what he wants to do here in the beginning of five is he gives us what we call the Beatitudes. That's what they've always been called up.

I heard a pastor about 20 years ago we called the be happy to be happy tunes. I don't think that's exactly what he means, but comes from a miss.

I think a mistranslation of the word blessed. However going to give us eight characteristics here of what a person is like on the inside is a relationship with God and it will make sense to the Jews especially doesn't make sense. The Pharisees, they hate everything you say. It really doesn't make sense to a lot of people in our country. Now, for different reasons, but it's not sensible to us is not the way so many people is an American see the way things work out explain a little bit later.

So Jesus starts out with these what we call the Beatitudes and in a says in verse three. The very first one he says blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven the red light Proverbs. Each one of these. The proverb is not like the rest. The sermon he's basically saying by generalizations. Let me tell you what it is to really write me to God. That's what is trying to set many of you generalizations so this one. Blessed is the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven were blessed is Mark Diaz and a lot of translators there will means happy. It does, but it doesn't happen is not a bad translation.

But when the Greek choose market are stated mean happy like you and I mean happy is a different kind a happy happiness in English as you can see by the root word is based on what happens. You see, if certain things happen then you're happy. You see that's happens is totally circumstantial. Certain good things happen. I'm happy Mark Diaz is in a word like that.

It means happy.

In Greek it means joyful in Greek.

But maybe even more than that. What it really means is that you have a peaceful right relationship with God.

That's her. Mark asked me to because I have this right relationship with God. I'm joyful and I am happy he said blessed are the poor in spirit when interesting term to use. We have a lot of poverty today. Probably nothing like what they had at time of Christ. I when we think of poor. I think often what you when I think of is just economically people report and a lot of really poor people at the time of Christ was interesting to you is that there's two Greek words for poor and this is the word talk us and taught us is the second word and it's an interesting word caucus means bankrupt. Nothing. If you have nothing that's what he means and he said happy, blessed, joyful, are you if you have nothing in the spirit while you have the kind of thing people get excited about the point of it is that when you think about it. He saying poor in spirit.

Bankrupt be great English synonym. Blessed are the bankrupt in spirit.

Notice then in even says it he said for theirs is the kingdom of first step.

If you have an eternal relationship with God or you bankrupt in your spirit when you really poor and your bankrupt in your bigger much power do you have none. How dependent are you on others to live totally. Jesus said that's a great thing for you if your bankrupt and your spirit. In other words, what I bring to the table to offer God. Nothing will I have the offer God nothing. I have anything you see important spirit.

I don't have anything to offer guided all is amazing because if you think our culture how many times do we ever advocate or cultures agreed to be poured spirit men were culture of willing to be TV specials on what we call self-made people. He rose out of the ashes he came out of poverty and now he owns 115 coffee shops is a multibillionaire. He rose the that's the American way. Jesus in four self-made men are all here.

He said that's not the way it works seat the Jews would feel the same way why the first he so respected. No one works harder religion. Anita nobody does see they work so hard they go as you see in the sermon.

In the weeks ahead they go out of their way to impress everybody publicly just how religiously dedicated they are. Jesus hates it. You see, he says that's not the case at all, is trying to show a complete difference in the way they see things in the way he does illustrate holder place or going with me to Luke 18, Luke chapter 18 here's a perfect illustration of what Jesus is talking about. Jesus tells her terrible and you gotta love verse nine Peter comes them and says, and he said a parable about themselves and they were righteous, and viewed each other with contempt, and then he goes on talks about Peter once asked Mike what what you mean by what you're saying and notice what Jesus says in in verse 10, two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other task other than Pharisee stood as he was praying and hears his prayer to himself God. I think you that I'm not like other people while swimmers unjust, adulterers even this tax collector. Notice what he doesn't do. I don't act like those people in especially that guy. He said I fast twice a week and I pay ties on everything I get notice what he doesn't do notice what he does and got I thank you that on that way this at some point spirit you see is not at all man is filled with arrogance and pride, no notice. Next thing the tax gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling the designs they have been beating on his breath saying God have mercy on me, the center task. Others considered what with prostitutes the worst kind of sinners in his room.

These are people betrayed their people got rich off of their own people had loyalties with home there detested by everybody. Jesus then says I tell you this, this man went up more justified rather than the other is everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and one a result who humbles himself will be exalted theirs poor in spirit.

You want to look up the God he said, have mercy that's being point spirit that's bankrupt but notice the Pharisee doesn't see himself that way at all. The Pharisee sees himself as prideful look.

When a religious man is what I do I take your list of dues and do the meticulous of dunkers and I don't overlook that makes me now. Think about it though. From another point of view. How many of us are all people from Jesus point of your point spirit always is an exception. None all sinful sort of glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one.

Every human being is point spirit. But this he admit that you seek one of the ways you have to come the Christ is you have the come and say can bring you anything you see I can bring you anything I know about my sinner separated myself from you forever and I can't say that why don't sing a lot because the word of God's is a vibrate. One aspect of the lawn guilty of the whole law.

Jesus, to believe in furtherance of not only what you do, let me put it this way. If you've ever thought a simple thought your center. You see, as you said you say you shall not murder. I say if you've ever been angry and when your murder. You say you should not commit adultery. I say if you ever looked at a woman with lust.

Your center see there are no people who have anything in their spirit offer price, but poverty and that's the first step in being right with God and Jesus says it. If you see yourself as poor in spirit. Yours is the kingdom of heaven goes on then insist Blessed are those who mourn for the be comforted. How many of you got the names it would like the morning today if at some of you remember that the morning periods of your life for the worse. Mourning the loss of someone you love or something like that Jesus is Blessed Mark Diaz happy enjoy for those who mourn, see, this is contradictory to human nature and certainly religious human nature, it's very hard to figure out, and the idea behind it is mourn what their sin separates them from holy God is disappointing.

Number Romans chapter 7 the apostle Paul was writing his writing in morning is morning what he said look I find myself doing the very things I should not be doing. I also find myself not doing the very things I should be doing at the end of the chapter he said O wretched man that I am is morning is morning his own shortcomings before God. She is morning that that's how serious he takes his own sin. I mourning my sin. It bothers me that I don't know about you but I know bothers me. It bothers me that I fall short of what God's expectations are of me.

Not only that I have fallen short in the past, but I'm still falling short and it really bothers me.

What effect the morning and it bothers me.

What is that I need comfort. What does God offer me comfort sees an amazing thing.

If we acknowledge our sins. Verse John 19. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and he cleanses us from all unrighteousness. While thank you.

See I don't enjoy my sin. I heard people talking you like on grease abusers will all my sins are covered by grace, the more I sin the more grace is and it so I don't mind sending it all by just give me more grace. I'm suspicious of your relationship with God.

You know, mourn, you celebrate see you celebrate said no that's not the case.

I don't know I I feel bad that I fall short of knowing God's expectations of me which I know pretty well, but I often fall short of my own expectations of me.

You see, that's the idea that he says it fits. Notice the first one was a present tense. Yours is the kingdom, the second one is a future tense, for they shall be in the future, comforted by God. If you mourn. Thirdly, Blessed are there new micro sentences general the King James is meek. I think Meek is probably a better word here is meek.

Blessed are the meek, how many of you prayed and hoped as a teenager and then three early years in your 20s that one of the things you really hope you acquiring your life as you become meek. I really want to be with Jesus said that's what you should do.

See what happens when you and I think Meek week.

That's what Meek means no that's not at all with me week means this Greek word is an interesting word for meek. One of the Greek writer set up Taylor. What is meek.

He said if you took a tremendously beautiful, powerful, and a very highly spirited horse and rider completely controlled him that horse evidence meekness its power under control. You see this horse submits himself to his owner to his rider. He has power, he hasn't. And it's not weakness at all. I mean I give you three men from the Bible who were very meek, Moses, Abraham and David.

Now would you say the week is a week is nothing we can buy any of these men, but they are meek, he said, Blessed are the meek, because the idea even with my own strength and power. I am under control and he said he knew inherently says the earth pastoral giver on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just listen to the message one more time.

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