I suspect that, like me, most of you have been watching the scenes of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine unfold this week—not only images of bomb blasts in Kiev but of over a million refugees fleeing west on overcrowded trains to the Polish city of Przemysl. One of the scenes that caught my attention at that train station was that of hundreds of Ukrainian men living in Poland—getting on the train to go the other way—east back to Kiev to defend their homeland. That scene reminded me that men are hardwired, no matter what the cost, to accomplish their duty—if the mission is a worthy cause. Defending their homeland is! Back in our world, so is accomplishing the mission Christ assigned to us—implementing his agenda in every sphere of my life. Being a Christian is not just trusting Jesus to forgive our sins; it is enlisting in his cause, pursuing his mission—the spread of his kingdom of righteousness over earth. This episode looks at Jesus’ challenge, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and what kingdom attitudes look like in the hearts of men.
Every man longs to live a significant life. Men want to be part of something greater than themselves. Author David Murrow, in his book, Why Men Hate Going to Church, argues that the church today is not capturing the hearts of men with Jesus’ vision for them. He writes, Jesus had a vision. He called it the kingdom of God. It was huge. It involved nothing less than a re-creation of the world, one person at a time. And we are His partners in this task. This vision was the focus of his entire life. Everything about his life was tied up in this vision. This vision is what kept him focused on his mission. It was the reason he lived and died.
Just as Jesus the Messiah came to overthrow the tyrannical reign of Satan, sin, and death to establish his kingdom of righteousness over earth, Jesus told his followers that their focus was to seek first the reign of Christ’s kingdom over earth (Matt 6:33). As Christ brings the kingdom of righteousness to earth, this kingdom is FIRST MANIFEST IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HUMAN HEART. So, Jesus began his portrait of kingdom life, given in the Sermon on the Mount, with a cameo of eight, character qualities of kingdom members. Here, King Jesus gives us a picture of what the human heart looks like when He rules over our attitudes.
These character traits, called the Beatitudes, are a summary expression of what godly character looks like when the heart is restored to “rightness”—the way we were designed to respond to life. That is why Jesus introduced each of these attitudes with the word, “blessed.” Each attitude embodies the wholeness that God originally designed us to experience. As God restores each of us to the unfallen, right attitudes that cause human life to flourish, our lives become a promo for the final fulfillment of the Kingdom of God when, at Christ’s return, he completely fixes everything in this world broken by sin. That wholeness is described by the Greek word, MAKARIOS, which is translated “blessed.” It was the term used to describe the island of Cyprus, known as “The Happy Isle,” because it was thought that Cyprus was such a paradise that one would never have to go beyond its coastline to find the perfect, happy life. Today we begin a 4-week process of examining two of these kingdom heart attitudes each week.
THE POOR IN SPIRIT
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:3). There are two Greek words for poor: PENIKROS means ordinary poverty. This is the word used for the poor widow who had just two copper coins to put in the offering. The other word is PTOKOS, which describes one who has NO COINS to put in the offering, i.e. who is utterly destitute, one reduced to begging. This is the word Jesus uses for poor in spirit. The root means to crouch. The word picture is of a beggar crouching in a corner holding out his tin cup with one hand, covering his face in shame with the other.
The abject poverty described here, though, is not material, financial poverty, but spiritual poverty. The poor in spirit person recognizes his utter spiritual bankruptcy. We recognize that our sin deserves God’s just punishment; we have a moral debt that we can’t pay. We do not have a record of doing right that can commend us to God. We must trust Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sin. Recognizing our spiritual poverty is the foundation for our salvation. However, being poor in spirit is the key to receiving continued kingdom blessing throughout all of life, not just the entranceway to heaven. The great paradox is that those who recognize their spiritual poverty are those who become spiritually rich. How does this work in the everyday life of believers? The poor in spirit person 1) humbly recognizes his spiritual poverty (crouching posture) and 2) asks for God’s help (holds out his cup). He does not blame others for that spiritual poverty, but cowers, owning his moral failure. But neither does he passively remain impoverished, just learning to live with his destitute moral condition. He holds out his cup. He asks for moral power to be a transformed man. This foundational life principle is embodied in the book of Proverbs, 1 Peter, and James: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (Prov 3:34, 1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6).
Six Characteristics of Poor-In-Spirit Men
A Poor in spirit men see failure as an opportunity to DEPEND ON Christ more. Our sinful nature, for example in battling lust, is so strong that our numerous losses make us feel like giving up in the relentless battle with sin. But srength is NOT about never losing; it is about getting up again. Strong men don’t let failure stop them—and today's world needs strong, godly, men. I don’t know if Teddy Roosevelt was a Christian, although I know he taught Sunday School. But no Christian has better captured than he did what masculine strength looks like in battling evil in our own hearts and throughout the culture. Satan, the accuser of the brothers may ridicule our defeat. But...
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat (“Citizenship in a Republic”).
Writing of his own weakness, Paul tells us that he pled with God for him to take his thorn in the flesh away (probably so he could accomplish more ministry). But God’s answer was “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Cor 12:9). God doesn’t expect us to have the strength we need in ourselves to follow Christ and win our spiritual battles.
B. Poor in spirit men spend much time connecting with Christ the Vine. Just as the beggar must beg daily for physical sustenance, poor in spirit men are often found on their knees at the gate of the king, begging for spiritual sustenance. Poor in spirit people have come to believe Jesus’ words in John 15: Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (vs:4-5). They realize they can’t love their wives well, disciple their children well, or represent Christ well to their neighbors and work associates unless the Spirit is producing spiritual fruit in their lives. This constant need for Christ's help is a great bridge into the lives of the lost. Instead of covering up our sins so the lost better see CHRIST IN US, we would be more effective evangelists if we let them see our sinfulness, SHOWING THEM ONE WHO NEEDS JESUS.
C. Poor in spirit men are connected to other men in the Body of Christ. One of God’s most significant provisions for spiritual strength is connection in the Body of Christ. You cannot ignore this provision and be poor in spirit. God never intended us to fight our spiritual battles alone and poor in spirit men believe that! We grow spiritually through connection: Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ (Eph 4:15). When I was first ordained as a pastor, I was put on the ministerial (presbytery) committee that was responsible for fixing messy relational breakdowns between pastors and their wives or churches. After a year on that committee, I realized that in every case, by the time this committee got involved, it was too late; hearts were hardened. So, I made a decision. I began meeting weekly with a brother who could run his finger around the edge of my life and pick up on problems in my marriage or other places BEFORE they did too much damage.
D. Poor in spirit people trust God and not their own understanding. They realize their mental horsepower is limited. They do not expect to always make sense out of what God ordains, especially the pain, trials, and suffering that he says are for our good. They don’t give up trying to understand—we are called to love God with all of our mind as well as our heart—but they are experts in the wisdom of Prov 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. If you think about it, it is rather arrogant for us, as finite creatures, to presume to understand what is best for an individual or for the world in eternity—and then accuse God of not being good! This is not to say we should suppress our doubts or questions. God Almighty can handle them. But it is to recognize our spiritual poverty: we don’t have the mental horsepower to sit in judgement upon God.
E. Poor in spirit men are quick to take a servant role. Paul says Jesus is the great example, who humbled himself, taking the form of a servant. In John 13 we read that after the Passover meal Jesus laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him…. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Christ-like humility is choosing to count others more significant than ourselves. Humility is not looking at myself as inferior but not looking at myself at all. Since we count others more significant than ourselves, it is focusing on other’s needs as a priority over my own.
F. Poor in spirit men recognizes that WE are not the center of the universe. God is not a cosmic coke machine in the sky whose job is to make life taste sweet and to refresh and energize me to do what I want. GOD is NOT there to please ME; I was put on planet earth to please HIM. He is creator; I am creature. He made ME for HIS pleasure. Human beings were created to worship God, to exalt him, to serve him, to glorify him. It happens that whatever is to His glory is also to my eternal benefit. You can’t outgive God! But my motivations and decision making become not, what do I want, but what will honor Christ and glorify God. Such a heart attitude is counter cultural to our current ME generation!
THOSE WHO MOURN
Jesus continues to challenge us to be like him in the second beatitude, Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matt 5:4). When we realize that “blessedness,” MAKARIOS refers to heart satisfaction, well-being, and joy, the startling paradox of Jesus’ words becomes apparent. It is as if he is saying, Happy are the unhappy. Happy are the sad. So, we must ask, “What kind of sorrow can it be that Christ wants us to experience, and which brings the joy of Christ’s blessing?" Let me say, emphatically, that Jesus is NOT talking about human pain in general; He is not a masochist!
- He is not talking about the tragedy of lost Ukrainian and Russian lives in this unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
- He is not talking about the sorrow that comes when your mate divorces you.
- He is not talking about the grief of losing a loved one.
He is talking about the grief of repentance. He is talking about godly sorrow over sin and the devastation it brings. We know this is the kind of mourning Jesus has in mind for two reasons: 1) The context. The first beatitude is acknowledging our spiritual poverty as those enslaved by sin. The second beatitude quite naturally follows, i.e. grieving and mourning over that spiritual poverty—that sinful tendency. Using theological terms, we say the first beatitude is about confession. The second beatitude is about contrition. The first beatitude is about our mind acknowledging sin, the second beatitude is about our heart grieving over that sin. 2) We also know that the mourning is the grief of repentance over sin becasue the verb tense of the word, mourn. The tense indicates “habitual action,” a regular mourning that is part of everyday life. It is unlikely that Jesus was saying, “happy are those who must go through the agony of losing a loved one over and over again.” It is more likely that he was referring to those who deeply grieve over their sins as a regular part of their walk with him. This attitude of mourning over sin is explained by James, Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you (4:8-10). Sin should always grieve us—our own sin and that of others.
A. How We Are to Grieve Over OUR OWN SIN
- Own our sin by confessing it. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” (Ps 32:4-5).
- Stop viewing my sin as BREAKING A RULE and start seeing my sin as VIOLATING A RELATIONSHIP. Christianity is not a bunch of rules, nor even primarily a way of life. It is primarily a RELATIONSHIP. Keeping his commands has always been personal with God. In Deut 6:5, we read, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Jesus repeated the same principle, If you love me keep, my commandments (Jn 14:15). Although David had sinned against both Bathsheba and Uriah (whom he murdered), when David repented, his sense of personal betrayal of his God was so severe, that he said, Against you, you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight (Ps 51:4).
- Realize the price tag of sin. “Kingdom people,” says Jesus, "are those who weep inwardly over sin…their own sin and the sin of others." Sin is spiritual cancer. It always destroys. The wage it always pays is spiritual, emotional, physical destruction. Paul wrote to the Galatians, Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own sinful nature will FROM THAT NATURE REAP CORRUPTION, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (6:7-8).
B. How We are to Grieve Over OTHER’S SIN.
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying… the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you (Luke 19:41ff). Jesus wept because he foresaw the horrific slaughter of Jerusalem’s inhabitants in 70 AD by Roman legions because of the city’s sin of rejecting him as its savior.
There are many ways we can respond to evil in the culture. 1) We can envy those who seem to get away with violating God’s law—like couples in love who just sleep with each other instead of fighting the tough battle to wait until marriage for sex, or the non-tithing neighbor who just bought the Jaguar convertible. 2) We can be judgmental towards the sinners around us who don’t go to church, use bad language, sleep around, and corrupt the morals of our kids. 3) We can be angry and hostile towards the sexually broken, like members of the LGBTQ community, for example, especially the social activists who are ruining our country by pushing their destructive, immoral agenda. We need to stand against their efforts, but when Christ reigns in our hearts, our attitude towards evil in the world must be to weep for those it enslaves, as Jesus did. Weep over our own awful disloyalty to our creator and Lord—and weep over the horrible devastation and pain that sin brings into the lives of others. John Stott, in his book, Christian Counterculture, writes:
Jesus wept over the sins of others, over their bitter consequences in judgement and death, and over the impenitent city which would not receive him. We, too, should weep over the evil in the world, as did the godly men of biblical times. “My eyes shed streams of tears,” the psalmist could say to God, “because men do not keep your law.” Ezekiel heard God’s faithful people described as those “who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in Jerusalem.”
If we would be like Jesus, we must be hostile towards evil but compassionate toward evil’s victims. We must have hearts that mourn over evil in general, but especially, right now, over the evil that is happening in Ukraine.
For Further Prayerful Thought:
- Why is accepting Jesus’ challenge to BECOME LIKE HIM so hard?
- Which characteristic of the poor in spirit do you most need to focus upon?
- Contrast the attitude of hostility towards non-believers whose values are corrupting American culture with Jesus’ example of weeping over Jerusalem’s rejection of him as the Messiah.
