Friday, 19 March, 2021
Title: Do you seek to be poor?
By: Ps Cheng Cheung

Matthew 5: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

It has been said the ”Beatitudes” found in Matthew 5: 3-10 are commonly used to describe how each of these attitudes should “be” part of the Christian’s behaviour. They are the “Be Attitudes” that should be in each of our lives and give a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven.

This first Beatitude sets the tone for the Beatitudes that follow. Each beatitude gives a character trait and then a promise. The first and last beatitude end with the same promise – “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3 and 10). This is a great and wonderful promise. The question we need to ask ”Is the character trait demanded achievable?”

What does Jesus mean when he says
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”?

What does it mean to be blessed ?

‘Blessed’ reflected an inward contentedness that was not affected by circumstances. God is the truly blessed one, deserving of all our praise and adoration. So, man can only receive this blessing – and divine happiness which follows – from God. Out of His benevolence, He desires each of his children to experience divine blessedness.

Sadly, people often think true happiness comes from possessions, positive circumstances, or relationships. However, true happiness or blessedness is Divine – something only given by God to those living righteously. In addition, the world regularly seeks happiness in sin and the fruits thereof, but true happiness cannot be attained without holiness. There may be a temporary gratification in the pleasures of sin, but ultimately, it brings God’s curse and not his blessing.

Though “blessed” can be translated “happy,” it cannot be reduced to only happiness. Happiness ultimately comes because of being blessed by God. The word “blessed” also has the sense of being approved. Those who have these characteristics and are growing in them have God’s approval – they make God smile. He enjoys them and approves of their behaviour. Therefore, if that is your ultimate desire in life – to please God – then you should observe each of these Beatitudes closely and pursue them through God’s grace, to give God pleasure.

There is also a third sense of the word “blessed.” Not only does God approve of these people and bestow Divine happiness upon them, he also favours them. He lavishly bestows grace, mercy, and peace upon their lives. He favours them in a myriad of ways. Psalm 23:6 says, -“goodness and mercy”_ shall follow them all the days of their lives. Those who personify the Beatitudes are truly blessed by God.

What does it mean to be poor in spirit?

The Greek word ‘poor’ was used of those who were destitute with no resources (and therefore had to resort to begging). In Luke 16:20, it was used of Lazarus who lay at the gate of a rich man’s house, longing to eat crumbs that fell from his table. Such beggars often would hold one hand out for money and hide their face with the other hand because of shame. The word ‘poor’ here means “to shrink, cower, or cringe,” even as beggars did. In fact, a good translation for this word is the “beggarly poor.”

Now, try not to interpret the meaning of this word ”poor” literally but figuratively and spiritually. When Christ says, “the kingdom of heaven belongs to them,” “them” is emphatic in the Greek—literally meaning “them alone.” That is, only those who approach God recognising His greatness, purity, holiness, supreme grace and our own unworthiness, utter sinfulness, extreme woe, and inability to save ourselves (hence to shrink in shame) will enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Poor in spirit” does not mean that these people think they are worthless. That wouldn’t be true. All people are Divine image bearers and therefore have unimaginable worth. Rather, it refers to an awareness and admission of one’s utter sinfulness and lack of virtue before God. It is a recognition of one’s spiritual bankruptcy.

The great apostle Paul, despite all his achievements, demonstrated this poverty of spirit as he declared that nothing good dwelled in his flesh (Rom 7:18), that he was chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15), and least of all God’s people (Eph 3:8).

Spiritual poverty is necessary for salvation and sanctification. This is placed first in the Beatitudes, as it is both the doorway to the kingdom of heaven and the other attitudes. No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless they have first come to a place where they recognize their inability to please God and be accepted by him on their own merit.

LET US PRAY

Heavenly Father, help me grow in spiritual poverty by knowing You more. As I know You better, may I see my own spiritual poverty clearer and therefore my need for Your mercy and grace. Help me focus on your Word, prayer and serving your people.

Remove from me the prideful and selfish spirit of this world. Help me to recognise my own wretchedness like Paul did and create in me a pure heart.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Themes taken from “The Sermon on the Mount: Experiencing God’s Kingdom on Earth” by Gregory Brown (Author)

每日灵粮
星期五，2021年3月19日
标题：你想成为虚心的人吗
作者：张祯祥传道
翻译：巫惠如姐妹

有人说，马太福音5:3-10中的“八福”通常用来描述这些态度应如何“成为”基督徒行为的一部分。它们是我们每个人应有的生活态度，以让我们可以一瞥天国的风采。

八福的第一部分为第二部分定了调子。每段福都提到一个品格，然后是一个应许。第一和最后的福都是以同样的应许为收尾：“因为天国是他们的”（第3和第10节）。 这是一个极为美好的应许。我们需要问的是，“有可能实践所提到的品格吗？”

当耶稣说， “虚心的人有福了！因为天国是他们的”，这福意味着什么？

“有福了”反映了内心的满足，而且不受环境的影响。上帝是真正有福的，值得我们的赞扬和尊崇。因此，人类只能从上帝那里得到这类的福份，以及那随之而来的神圣喜乐。因他的慈爱，他希望他的每个孩子都体验到从他而来的福份。

悲哀的是，人们常常认为真正的福来自财产、良好的环境或关系。然而，真正的幸福或快乐是上帝所赐的— 只有上帝才能给予那些正直的人。此外，属世的人经常在罪恶及其果实中寻求幸福，但真正的福份只有透过圣洁而得到。人在罪恶的快乐中也许有一种暂时的满足感，但最终，它带来了的是上帝的诅咒，而不是祝福。

尽管“有福”可以被翻译为“快乐” ，但它不能只被降格为此而已。快乐最终也是由上帝赐予的。“有福了”在字眼上也有被认可的意思。那些拥有这些特质并在其中成长的人得到了上帝的认可 — 上帝对他们微笑。他喜欢他们，并赞同他们的行为。因此，如果这是你在生活中的终极愿望是讨上帝喜悦，那么你就应该仔细观察八福，以上帝的恩典去追求实践它们，讨上帝喜悦。

“有福了”还有第三种意思。 上帝不仅认同这些人，赐他们从他而来的福份，而且蒙上帝的恩惠。他慷慨地赐他们恩惠、仁慈和平安。他以多种方式恩待他们。诗篇23:6 提到，“我一生一世必有恩惠、慈爱随着我，我且要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远。”那些活出八福的人真的受上帝的祝福。

“虚心”意味着什么？

希腊语中的”虚”是指那些穷困潦倒、没有资源（因此不得不乞讨）的人。 在路16:20，拉撒路躺在富翁门口，渴望吃剩下的饭菜。这些乞讨者往往会一手抓钱，另一手又因羞耻而遮脸。这里的“虚”意味着“缩小、缩减或畏缩”，乞丐也是如此。事实上，这个词可以翻译为“乞讨般的穷”。

现在，试着不去从字面上解释“虚心”这个词的含义而是从比喻和属灵层面解释。当基督说“因为天国是他们的”时，“他们”在希腊语中是为了强调的效果：字面意思是“唯独他们”。 也就是说，只有那些向上帝承认他伟大、圣洁、至高无上的恩典和我们自身的无能、彻底的罪孽、极度的苦难和无力拯救自己（因此在耻辱中退缩）的人，才会进入天国。

“虚心的人”并不意味着这些人认为自己毫无价值。那不是事实。所有人都是上帝的形象造的，因此具有难以想象的价值。相反，它指的是在上帝面前意识到并承认自己的绝对罪性和缺乏美德。这是承认自己灵命破产。

伟大的使徒保罗尽管取得了巨大成就，但却表现出这种属灵的贫乏，他宣称，他的肉体里没有良善（罗7:18），他是个罪魁（提前1:15），比众圣徒中最小的还小（弗3:8）。

灵命的贫穷是救恩和成圣的必要条件。这是被摆在八福的第一顺序，因为它既是通往天国的大门，也是其他品质的门。没有人能进入天国，除非他们首先来到一个他们承认他们无法讨上帝喜悦并且不能靠自己的所作所为被上帝接受。

让我们祈祷：天父，让我更认识你，学习成为虚心的人。当我更认识你，求主使我更清楚地看到自己灵命的贫乏，因此我需要你的仁慈和宽恕。助我专心阅读你话语，祈祷，并服侍你的子民。

求主从我身上抹去这个世界的傲慢和自私。帮助我如同保罗那样认识到自己的罪恶，并为我造一颗清洁的心。 奉耶稣的名祷告，阿门。

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主题取自格雷戈里·布朗的《登山宝训：在世上体验上帝的天国》