Poor in Spirit

The Beatitudes, Part 1

“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 off 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 following parable illustrates what it means to be poor in spirit through the character of the tax collector.

Luke 18:9-14

     To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

      “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

     “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

·         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 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.
THEY HAVE GREAT SPIRITUAL NEEDS 

They Perceive Their Lack

But 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. 

They Acknowledge Their Weakness

He 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.
THEY LOOK TO GOD 

To Be Made Right

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.

·         “This man” in this verse 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 our faith in Jesus justifies us, makes us right before God. Once we confess our sins and get 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 are not justified before God. 

To Be Lifted Up

… he who humbles himself will 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 wealth, 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? 

Psalm 51:3-9 

For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when you speak

and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;

you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.

·         This is the Psalm David wrote after he committed the sins of adultery and murder in the incident with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. He was genuinely penitent over his wrongful actions and humbled before God.·         When we acknowledge our wrongdoing before God, we admit that we were wrong, that we cannot make everything right ourselves, that we cannot fully atone for the sin ourselves, and that we cannot behave righteously on our own. We admit that God is just and also that He is the one who can cleanse us and cover over our sins.

·         We must remain humble whether we have sinned or whether we have acted in holiness before God. He is the One who can cleanse us from our faults and He is the One who enables us to be holy.

Have a great day

John

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