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Advent Productions

The Mount of Blessings

Benjamin Ng

The Beatitudes

Father in heaven, thank you so much for this new day, for this new Sabbath.

Thank you Lord that we can come and continue to study the Word of God together.

We're asking for your Holy Spirit to please convict us, to convert us, to speak to us, to guide us and to teach us.

And we ask that from your word as well that you would illumine our hearts and minds as we open your word to study now.

Well our study for this evening is entitled The Beatitudes and the the Mount of Blessings study series is focused on Matthew 5, 6 and 7 and you'll find it in other books of the gospel, the other gospel books, but Matthew 5, 6, and 7 really are the chapters that many of us are most familiar with and even here in this Mount of Blessings series studies, you know, the Beatitudes which is the first study that we're looking at this evening is Probably the second most famous passage in this Matthew 5 to 7 The most famous 1 really is the Lord's Prayer that we find in Matthew chapter 6 but the beginning of the of the Sermon on the Mount is this Beatitudes and we're going to study that into that this evening.

And you know, we've readjusted our studies, I've rewritten them in a different way because normally we spend an hour almost on each Beatitude, but we're combining it today and we're going to look at the whole series together.

And so the beatitudes is our study for this evening.

Let's start by reading Matthew chapter 5 at the very beginning there starting in verse 3.

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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

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

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets, which were before you.

Pardon me, I hope you can't hear all that knocking in the background.

I live in a condo here and it can get noisy here and there.

But you know, when we read through this passage here in Matthew chapter 5 from verse 3 all the way to verse 12, there is 1 word that probably jumps out and that is repeated nearly in every verse, just over and over and over again.

Now, what does the word blessed actually mean?

You know, we all want to be blessed, right?

But what does that word blessed actually mean?

When you look in the original Greek it means to be happy.

It just simply means happy or extremely happy.

So really when we study the Beatitudes what these studies is all about is steps to happiness.

If you want to be blessed, the blessings of God is about giving us happiness.

Really the whole Bible is a book of blessings And this book is a book that's been calculated and written in such a way to help us experience true happiness.

And in the Beatitudes we are seeing those steps, steps to happiness.

They're coming in a certain order and God, He wants to bless us abundantly.

You know, friends, the Christian life is not, at least not on this earth, it's not all about doom and gloom and, you know, just a set of standards and trying to work your way to heaven.

And so even though there are serious events that we've looked at before and that are yet to come upon this earth, yet the Christian life is not all about being sad or just serious all the time.

And so let's start by going to that first step, the first beatitude found there in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 3.

The Bible says this, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

How can we be happy when it seems like being poor in spirit doesn't sound like a good statement, right?

Remember, these are steps to happiness and this is that first step.

Well, if we go to the New Living Translation, So it's the same passage, Matthew 5, 3, but we look at the new living translation.

God blesses those or God helps us to be happy those who are poor and realize their need for him.

We can be happy if we realize our need for Jesus.

The first step to happiness is self-realization.

When we can understand our need, when we know that the first step we need to take is our step toward Jesus, this is our first step towards happiness.

Because Jesus came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly.

God came to give us that happiness, that fullness of joy in our life.

You see friends, many of us are unaware of our actual need of Jesus and as a result we find many things that we do, even as Christians, to be a burden and not a delight.

And so everything that God has given to us, everything that He's instructed us in, when He says, come to me and I'll give you rest, He wants to give us happiness.

Yes, even on the Sabbath, when we don't do anything, we're not working, and it seems that we're not going out when everyone else is going out and going to the nightclubs, or going to the bars, or going shopping, or just having a jolly time on the weekends, there is happiness to be found in coming to Jesus.

On a Friday night, on Sabbath morning, when we go to church, there is happiness.

There is happiness when we find Jesus every morning and we spend time with Him in His Word.

The first step that we must take is steps towards Jesus.

And so that's our first step in this ladder of happiness.

Blessed are they or happy are they that what?

So how can we be sad and happy at the same time?

Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted.

Well let's go to a text in scripture found in Zechariah chapter 12 and verse 10.

The Bible says this, And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as 1 mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as 1 that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Do you see right there in the middle of the verse it says what?

When we look on Him, when we look on Jesus, that is the Him that's being referred to here.

When we look at Jesus, whom we have pierced, we will mourn.

When we realize what our sins have done, not to ourselves, but to Jesus Christ.

When we realize the sins that we have done have put him on the cross, when we ourselves have been responsible for crucifying Jesus, the Lamb of God, and realizing that His grace is sufficient to cover us.

So there is a certain level of mourning and being sad and sorry which will bring us happiness.

Yes, when we realize how much we need Jesus because we are such great sinners, when we look at Christ and we mourn for the things that we've done, we see that our burdens are lightened.

We see that Jesus is setting us free from the bondage of sin, those bad habits, and especially the consequences of sin, which is death itself.

Without that, friends, without looking at Jesus, we'll never be sorry for what we have done.

We'll never be sorry for the sins that we have committed.

And the first thing he says is, come, give me your burdens, give me your sins.

As you mourn for it and you feel sorry for it, I will take it.

I have already borne it, I have already died for it, he says.

But we've got to be willing to come to him.

Blessed are those that realize their need of Jesus.

Blessed are those that mourn for the wrong and the sins that they've done.

Our Communication

We are continuing our study as always on a Friday night, and we are continuing that study in the Mount of Blessings and the sermon that Jesus preached in Matthew 5, 6, and 7.

So, before we get into it, I just want to invite you all to bow your heads with me for a word of prayer as we ask for God's blessing to be with us as we open the Word of God to study together.

And so may you please just bow your heads with me as we pray.

Father in heaven, Thank you so much for this opportunity that we have to come and study your Word together.

We just ask for your Holy Spirit to please be with us now, guide and lead us, and bless us O Lord, that we might understand your Word, that it might speak to our hearts, it may be written in our hearts as well, and that Lord you would uplift our thoughts even heavenward now we pray.

Well the title of our study for this evening is our communication.

And you know, what was the importance of our communication that Jesus wanted to highlight and even enshrine in the pages of scripture for millions to read after?

Let us go to our first text written here in Matthew 5 and verse 33.

Matthew 5 verse 33, the Bible says, Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.

The word forswear actually means to swear falsely or to make an oath or a promise knowing that you're not going to follow through with it or pretty much you're going to break it.

And so that means to commit perjury or really in a more simple language that's basically lying.

You're giving a promise to someone, you're saying that you're going to do something, but you in your heart know that you're not.

You're just saying it, it's just lip service.

And you know Moses even warned about this many, many, many years before that.

In the book of Leviticus 19, and chapter 19, verse 12, this is what Moses wrote down.

And ye shall not forswear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God.

And of course, though Moses was writing this, this was the instruction from God.

Moses warns us not to swear by God's name falsely.

We must be careful to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

Now what did Moses actually write about taking oaths or swearing?

Because I told you the key word there really is the falsely, but is there anything wrong with actually taking oaths at all?

Well, in Numbers chapter 30 and verse 2, this is what we read.

If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond.

He shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." Moses said that if you take a vow or if you make a promise, You need to do all that you have said.

You're not to break a single word of anything that you have promised at all.

So he did not say do not take oath at all.

If you do, you've got to make sure you follow through with it.

Furthermore, we also read in Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 13, the Bible says, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name.

Now it's interesting that what we read here in Deuteronomy, it seems to contradict what Jesus was saying there in Matthew chapter 5.

It seems to say here that it's okay to swear and to make oaths.

There seems to be no problem with it at all.

So what is happening in Matthew chapter 5?

In Jesus's day where he's saying that it is not okay, what is taking place?

Why does it seem like Jesus is contradicting his own words that he asked Moses to read in Deuteronomy, or write in Deuteronomy.

Well, let's go back to Matthew chapter 5, okay?

In Matthew chapter 5 and verses 34 to 36, this is what we read.

But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make 1 hair white or black." Now, if we are not to swear by heaven or by God's throne, it would definitely not be okay to swear by God's name or Jesus' name.

But yet in Deuteronomy, we just read that Moses said it is okay to swear even by God's name.

I mean, why does there seem to be this contradiction?

You see, back in the Old Testament, Moses was teaching the Israelites to tell the truth under oath.

In Matthew 5, Jesus is likely dealing with a group of people that are taking oaths, that are making promises, but they know that they're intentionally knowing that they're not going to follow through with what they have promised.

They've determined beforehand to make that promise, but they know that they're going to break it.

You see Moses is saying if you swear by God's name you got to make sure that you follow through with it.

But Jesus is dealing with people in his day And it really sounds like our day too, isn't it?

But Jesus is dealing with people in His day who are making promises, who are saying, yes, I'm going to do this, but they already know beforehand.

They've already predetermined that they're not going to do it.

They're just saying it, knowing that they're not going to follow through with it.

Isaiah, he also speaks of such a group of people as well.

Look at this, Isaiah chapter 48 and verse 1.

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness." Do you see that?

They make mention of God's name but not in truth nor in righteousness.

This problem of breaking oaths had already started long before We get to Matthew chapter 5 when Jesus is walking the earth.

Even in Israel, in the Old Testament, after the time of Moses, people were swearing by the name of God.

They were taking oaths, but yet not in truth nor in righteousness.

They were not intending to go through with what they had promised.

So Jesus was dealing here with a very big problem also in modern day Israel.

And once again people they're making promises people are swearing by heaven or God's throne or by earth, by their own hair, by his name, whatever.

They were just, you know, in our day we go on my mother's life or on my mother's grave.

We say things like that but we know that what we say can be easily changed and many people swear and make promises but they don't go through with it.

Now look, was Jesus trying to destroy oath-taking altogether?

Was he saying that it was just simply wrong?

But I mean, look, is there room for the judicial oath?

Or you know when you go to court and you say, I promise to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but help me God.

Are we violating or sinning, violating the Bible or God's Word or sinning?

If we do that, I mean, should we just not go to court at all and make sure we avoid such things?

You know, we do this in Christian countries, right?

But in many Christian countries, we do do that.

Let's go to Matthew chapter 26 and verses 63 to 64.

But Jesus held his peace, and the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

You know, Jesus at this time, He was standing before the high priest who was trying to judge Him and condemn Him, trying to find a way to kill Him and put him on that Roman cross.

And up to this point, Jesus, he had remained silent.

He had not responded to any question, any insult, or anything that they've done to him.

People had been bringing these false accusations against him and they didn't line up and Jesus didn't say a single thing.

But now the high priest comes in and he says, I adjure thee by the living God.

That word adjure, it means to invoke an oath.

He's putting Christ under oath, under oath of God and he's asking Jesus if he really is the Messiah or not, if he truly is the Son of God or not.

At this point, As soon as the high priest says that, I adjure thee by the living God, Jesus speaks.

The Salt of the Earth

Father in heaven, thank you Lord for seeing us safely through another week.

Thank you Lord for the gift of health and strength.

And Lord, as we're about to study what it means to be the salt of the earth, I just pray that you would give us discernment and wisdom and understanding, that you would bless us with your spirit that he might guide us and lead us into all truth for we pray in Jesus name amen well as you have heard already we are going to be studying about the salt of the earth.

It's the very next verse after the Beatitudes which we already studied last week.

So let's get into it by starting with that key text found there in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 13.

The Bible says, Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?

It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and be trodden under foot of men.

So friends, what does it mean to be the salt of the earth?

That's what we're going to be looking at this evening.

Well, let's start by looking at first what salt is used for.

We know that it adds flavor, it gives taste to food, right?

But in the Bible, what do we see salt used for practically, physically?

Let's start by going to Genesis chapter 8 and verse 20 to 21.

So we know that salt is used as a savor, that's what it said in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 13.

But here in verse 20 and 21 of Genesis 8 the Bible says, and Noah built an altar unto the Lord and took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore for man's sake for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth neither will I again smite anymore every living thing as I have done.

And so when Noah came out of the ark after the flood, he went and offered a sacrifice of all the clean animals that was brought with him on the ark there.

And the Bible says that this was a sweet savor to the Lord, just as salt is a savor.

We're looking at that word savor first so God accepted his offering and his sacrifice it was a sweet savor.

Let's look at another text here in Exodus 29 and verse 25.

And thou shalt receive them of their hands and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering for a sweet savor before the Lord.

It is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

And so once again we see sacrifice mentioned here as well, a burnt offering and it was a offering of consecration.

And then 1 more text in regards to Sava, Ezra chapter 6 verse 10 that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

And this is when King Adaserkses allowed the children of Israel to go back and start rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple there and to set governors so that they could govern themselves once again.

And in so doing, he allowed them also to make sacrifices again to God as a sweet savor.

So we see this savor, the sweet savor, they're accepted by God and they always seem to be connected with what?

Keep this in mind as we keep studying about what it means to be the salt of the earth.

So we see sacrifice and offerings mentioned here.

Let's go over to Leviticus 2 and verse 13.

The Bible says this, And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt, neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt." So salt was also used in what?

So not only were the sacrifices offered to God as a sweet savor, but salt itself was actually put in or rubbed in to these offerings.

So once again we see sacrifices connected very much with salt and savor.

The word sacrifice, the activity, sacrifices and offerings.

And how is that relevant to us today because you see God wants us to be the salt of the earth.

Where do we see God using sacrifices in relation to us?

Let's go over to our next text here in Romans chapter 12 and verse 1 Familiar text the Bible says I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service God here calls us to be living sacrifice.

What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?

It means to be holy and acceptable to God.

But how can we be holy and acceptable to God?

Because if salt is connected with sacrifice and sacrifices are like sweet savors to God and He wants us to be the salt of the earth.

But in order for us to be that, we got to be holy and acceptable.

Let's keep reading in Romans chapter 12, verse 2.

It says this, And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

So how can we be holy and acceptable to God?

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The Mount of Blessings

The Lord’s Prayer

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