Matt. 5:1 The Cost of Discipleship

Matt. 5:1 "And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: "When Jesus had walked in the plain there had been many to follow him as we read in Matt. 4:25 "And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan."  There are many who are willing to follow Jesus as long as the way is easy and there are no obstacles to overcome.  What distinguishes the disciples is their willingness to climb the mountain to hear what Jesus had to say and to worship him and to serve him.  There is a cost to discipleship.  This is illustrated in the following passage: Lk. 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

            In order to be a true disciple of Jesus and not just a nominal one, there is a price that we must be willing to pay.  We look at the following principles of the cost of discipleship:

                        1.  We must determine whom we are going to serve.  Matt. 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."  In our pursuit of making a living and providing for the needs of our family, will we put earthly mammon ahead of the service of God or will we put serving God ahead of earthly mammon.  No one can answer this question for us.  Yet it is key to whether we are truly going to be the disciple of Christ.

                        2.  What is going to be our priority in life?: Matt. 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."  God knows we have needs and he has promised us that if we put him first, he will see that we have our needs.  There truly is no reason why we cannot put the Lord first in our lives.

                        3.  There are truly no excuses not to honor and serve the Lord: Lk.14:16 "Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind."  While we are prone to make many excuses, such as buying a piece of land, proving some oxen, marrying a wife, etc., yet they are just excuses.  None are truly more important than honoring and serving the Lord.

                        4.  We should expect hardships if we are to be the Lord's disciples: Lk. 9:57 "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."  Are we willing to have no certain dwelling place in order to serve the Lord?

                        5.  Being a disciple of the Lord means that we may have to make some hard emotional decisions: Lk. 9:59 "And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."  If your father had passed away, would you be willing to allow someone else to take care of his burial in order to go and preach the gospel at the direction of the Lord?  We will if we are serious about being the disciple of the Lord.

                        6.  Not only are we to put a priority of service to the Lord, but also a priority of time must be devoted to the Lord if we are to be his disciple: Lk. 9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

                        7.  In addition, we must put a priority of love to the Lord if we are to be his disciples: Lk. 14:25 "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."  We must love the Lord more than we love anyone else in this life in order to be his disciple.

                        8.  Finally, we must hold to the very principles of truth of the grace of Christ if we are to be his disciples: John 6:60 "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him."


Matt. 5:3  

            Matt. 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  In this verse and the nine that follow, we have what is commonly called the "beatitudes."  Some had said that there are nine blessings presented in this passage, but in reality, there are eighteen as there is a double blessing in each one. 

            We ask ourselves, what does it mean to be "poor in spirit?"  There are many who are poor in this world's goods.  Yet being poor in this world's goods does not make you poor in spirit.  Also, being rich in this world's goods does not disqualify you from being poor in spirit.  The following verses of scripture give us light on what it means to be poor in spirit:

                        1.  Eph. 3:8 "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."  How do we value ourselves?  If we feel to be the very least of all saints, then truly we value ourselves as being poor in spirit.

                        2.  Lk. 9:48 "And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great."  How do we value ourselves among the deeds and accomplishments of others in a spiritual sense?  Truly if we believe ourselves to be least then we are poor in spirit.

                        3.  1 Cor. 15:9 "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."  How do we value our worthiness in serving in the office that God has given us?  If we value ourselves to be the least, then we are poor in spirit.

                        4.  Lk. 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."  How do we value ourselves before a just and holy God?  If we feel ourselves to be sinners condemned by our sins and not worthy of standing in the judgment of God, but only crying out for God's mercy, then are we poor in spirit.

            The scripture says that we are blessed to be poor in spirit.  The man of nature is full of pride.  He is proud of his accomplishments and thinks himself to be better than others.  Yet, when someone has been born of the spirit of God he begins to see himself as he really is and begins to see the total depravity of his own nature.  Isaiah in his experience of grace saw himself this way: Is. 6:5 "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."  The only ones who will ever see themselves as having no spiritually redeeming qualities and see themselves as totally bankrupt of righteousness before a just and holy God are those that have been born of the Spirit of God.  We are indeed blessed to be poor in Spirit.

            Next, we are blessed a second time because we are blessed to be poor in Spirit.  We are blessed to have the kingdom of heaven.  The blessing is not that we will someday have the kingdom of God, but the blessing is that "theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  No one is currently inhabiting the kingdom of heaven, but those who are poor in spirit.  When a person is lifted up in pride he is either never been a part of the kingdom of heaven or else he has departed from the kingdom of heaven.    As a side principle, this also tells us that the kingdom of heaven is not the glory world.  All of God's elect will be a part of the glory world, but only those who are poor in spirit have part in the kingdom of heaven here in time.

            Some of the ways we are blessed being poor in spirit in the kingdom of heaven are set forth in the following scriptures:

                        1.  Matt. 11:5 "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

                        2.  Lk. 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

                        3.  Lk. 6:20 "And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God."

                        4.  Lk. 7:22 "Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached."

                        5.  2 Cor. 6:10 "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

 


Matt. 5:4 

            Matt. 5:4 "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."  What are we blessed to mourn about?  Mourning over the loss of a loved one, or mourning over the loss of worldly possession or mourning over the loss of prestige or worldly honor is not something that we would consider to be a blessing. 

            The publican was mourning over the fact that he was a sinner and was mourning over his sins that had brought the felt wrath of God upon him: Lk. 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."  Likewise, Isaiah was mourning over his sinful state in Is. 6:5 "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."  

            Similarly, we see Paul mourning over his sinful state in Rom. 7:24 "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"  Only those of God's people who have been born of the Spirit are able to mourn over their sins.  When we are born of the Spirit of God, God writes his laws in our heart and puts them in our mind.  He sprinkles our heart from an evil conscience and our heart either condemns us or condemns us not.  Thus, a courtroom has been set up in the heart of those born of the Spirit.  It is in this courtroom of our heart and mind that we see ourselves as hell-deserving sinners and feel the depravity of our own heart. 

            We are blessed to see ourselves as sinners and feel the depravity of our own heart, as this is evidence that we have been born again.

            Furthermore, we receive a second blessing in that we are comforted while we mourn over our sins.  Isaiah speaks of this comfort in Is. 40:1 "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins."  Likewise Isaiah experienced this comfort in his experience of grace in chapter 6: 6 "Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged."  The live coal is a figure of the sacrificial suffering of Jesus on the cross for our sins, through which he redeemed us from our sins.  This gospel truth is what brings such comfort to those who previously had mourned their sinful state. 

            2 Cor. 1:3 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."  The mourning of our sins is one of the tribulations through which God comforts us.


Matt. 5:5 

            Matt. 5:5 "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."  What does it mean to be meek and what is the earth that they inherit? 

            Meek is defined as: mild, i.e. (by impl.) humble.  The blessings of humility or meekness are set forth for us in the following verses:

                        1.  Matt. 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  In meekness we are blessed to be yoked with Jesus.

                        2.  Matt. 21:5 "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."  In meekness we are blessed to be like Jesus.

                        3.  1 Pet. 3:1 "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."  Meekness in the sight of God is of great value.

                        4.  Matt. 18:3 "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me."  In meekness we dwell in the kingdom of heaven.

                        5.  Matt. 23:12 "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."  God lifts us when we are meek.

                        6.  James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."  God gives favor to the meek.

                        7.  1 Pet. 5:5 "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."

            The earth that the meek are blessed to inherit is not a literal earth, for there are many who possess a plot of land on the literal earth that are anything but meek.  However, there in the description of the kingdom of heaven we find different natural objects representing spiritual things in the kingdom, such as the sun, moon, stars, clouds, etc.  The land of Canaan was a natural land that the children of Israel had been promised to possess based on the covenant that God had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Likewise, there is a possession that God's people are promised to possess in the spiritual kingdom of God.  That possession is the church and its ordinances and government.  When we humble ourselves as little children and remain humble we are able to possess this church kingdom and enjoy the spiritual blessings that God brings upon it.


Matt. 5:6

            Matt. 5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." 

            The hungering and thirsting above must be a spiritual hungering and thirsting rather than a natural hungering and thirsting.  A natural hungering and thirsting would be for natural food and water, but a spiritual hungering and thirsting would be after spiritual things such as righteousness.  The natural man is not seeking after righteousness as the scripture teaches us in Rom. 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."  Thus the natural man has no interest in righteousness or seeking after God.

            Hungering and Thirsting are evidences of life.  A dead person does not hunger or thirst.  Once life ceases, so does the desire or ability to hunger or thirst.  Spiritual hunger and thirst are evidences of spiritual life.  Only those who have spiritual life are able to hunger or thirst after spiritual things.  Thus, hungering and thirsting for righteousness are evidences that we have been born of the spirit and, therefore, have spiritual life.  To be born of the spirit is a great blessing from God and that only God can bring about. 

            To those who are born of the Spirit and hunger and thirst after righteousness, the desire for righteousness at first may seem like a curse rather than a blessing.  The reason is that we first see ourselves condemned by a just and holy God and condemned by his just laws.  Much like the publican who smote upon his breast and cried out "God be merciful to me a sinner."  The publican was hungering and thirsting for righteousness, but saw himself as a sinner.  This condemnation gave way, however, when he saw himself made righteous through the shed blood of Jesus.

            Similarly, with us, we first see ourselves condemned by the law, and then we see ourselves justified by the blood of Jesus.  This is a double blessing as we are blessed to have a hungering and thirsting for righteousness in the new birth, then we are blessed to see ourselves made righteous through the atoning blood of Christ.

 

 

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