"Blessed Are The Poor in Spirit"

Hi my friends! I will start today in Matthew 5 with the most famous sermon Jesus taught, the "Sermon on the Mount." I will start with the "Beattitudes." Let's look at the first one and expand out all over the Bible today.

Matthew 5:3 NIV

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

First of all, "blessed" here means happy. So we'll have a happy life if we are "poor in spirit." So, what does "poor in spirit" mean? It means having a humble spirit before God and all people. It is not thinking lowly or badly about yourself, but thinking correctly about yourself. Being humble means you don't think you are better than everybody else, and you do not exalt yourself above anybody else. You exclude pride, arrogance, and conceitedness from your spirit.

As Christians, we are to walk humbly before God and all mankind. Be available to all people you encounter. Never exclude anyone from your life. Be willing to interact with anyone you come across. Why? So they can be saved too. Remember, that's the main purpose of the Church. God working through us so others can be saved too. 

Having said that, be cautious in friendships and being close companions with just anyone. Use wisdom. Be smart about it. Here's some verses about friends and close companions; people we "yoke" ourselves to. 

Proverbs 12:26 NIV

[26] The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV

[33] Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NIV

[14] Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? [15] What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? [16] What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” [17] Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” [18] And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Paul is saying here to make friends and close companions with other Christians and not just anyone. 

However, be humble enough to interact with anyone, so that God can use us for them to be saved too. 

Be "poor in spirit" or humble all the time and this will give us a happy life.

Now let's pour over the scriptures about being a humble person.

Proverbs 3:34 NIV

[34] He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

Proverbs 11:2 NIV

[2] When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33 NIV

[33] Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16:19 NIV

[19] Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Proverbs 22:4 NIV

[4] Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.

Proverbs 29:23 NIV

[23] Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.

Isaiah 57:15 NIV

[15] For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Micah 6:8 NIV

[8] He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 18:3-4 NIV

[3] And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 20:25-28 NIV

[25] Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [26] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 23:11-12 NIV

[11] The greatest among you will be your servant. [12] For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Mark 9:35 NIV

[35] Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Mark 10:43-45 NIV

[43] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Luke 9:47-48 NIV

[47] Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. [48] Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Luke 14:11 NIV

[11] For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14 NIV

[9] To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: [10] “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ [13] “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.’ [14] “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Luke 22:24-26 NIV

[24] A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. [25] Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. [26] But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

John 13:1-17 NIV

[1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. [2] The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. [3] Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; [4] so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. [5] After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. [6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” [7] Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” [8] “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” [9] “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” [10] Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” [11] For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. [12] When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. [13] “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. [14] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. [15] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [16] Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Romans 12:3 NIV

[3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Romans 12:10 NIV

[10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:16 NIV

[16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

1 Corinthians 1:28-31 NIV

[28] God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, [29] so that no one may boast before him. [30] It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. [31] Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Philippians 2:3-8 NIV

[3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross.

Colossians 3:12 NIV

[12] Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

1 Timothy 6:17 NIV

[17] Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

James 4:10 NIV

[10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1 Peter 5:5-7 NIV

[5] In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” [6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. [7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

So good. Thank you Jesus for your teaching!!

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post