The Work of God

Matthew 5:3–12

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

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Poor in spirit— is the opposite of pride. The poor in spirit is powerful in Spirit, because he is poor in spirit. He understands the source and the results of His power. Because he understands the source, he cannot be prideful. If he gets confused and thinks for some reason he was the cream of the crop; therefore, he was selected, he moves towards taking some of God’s glory.

The word pauper is used to describe this poor person. Without Jesus, he knows he has nothing. Do you think that sometimes even though we really love our Lord and are genuinely grateful that He saved us that there could be something in us that wants recognition for what we do?

Do you think it’s possible that when we don’t get recognized like our flesh wants that the enemy could use that as an opportunity to cause strife and division? And if you do believe that is possible, what do you think is causing that confusion? Who should I expect to be the author of confusion?

Meek— humble power/ Jesus told Paul, “for my strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)”

The Lord said, “The Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to lay down His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).” Jesus was full of power but His purpose demanded the greatest humility ever seen. While the power of God knocked the soldiers to the ground in the garden, He also allowed them to bind Him and take Him to the cross. His purpose was to glorify His Father by doing His will. Jesus received His glory in doing the will of the Father. On this side, the will of the Father was that He die as a sacrifice in order to bring many sons to glory

Hebrews 2:10

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

On the other side, He is seated in majesty and glory

Hebrews 8:1 NASB

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

Philippians 2:8-9

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

We will one day receive glory. We will one day be like He is and have a glorified body. It’s His kingdom, not mine. It’s His glory, not mine. It’s His work, not mine. Why would I try to gain glory now, when even then, it won’t be my own? He’s wanting us to practice exalting Him now. It’s time to fill the earth with His glory now if we plan to be part of His glorious kingdom then.

He said, Matt 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake

Sounds bad when you read it, but then he says:

13 You are the salt of the earth 14 You are the light of the world

13 NASB if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men

Salt that loses its flavor, loses its purpose. Many a Bible student has pointed out the preservative purposes of salt. But salt also has an ability that no other seasoning has in that it reveals the presence of other flavors. If believers lose their saltiness, they lose their purpose. Whether the world realizes it or not, they’re depending on believers not losing their purpose. The purpose of believers is to reveal Jesus to the world.

Hidden flavors are revealed when salt is added. Jesus is on the Earth, and He dwells on the inside of his people. However, if the salt of the Earth, which is his people is left in the shaker, Jesus, the one ingredient that contains hope for the lost and the dying is never revealed. So again, if salt isn’t salty, what purpose does it have? If Christians don’t expose Jesus, what purpose do they have?

When we let our light shine before men, They see our works and it glorifies the Father.

First thing that we need to figure out—what is the work of God?

John 6:28 then they said unto him “what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? “ 29Jesus answered and said, unto them, “this is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent“

I’ve heard doctors say “we do God’s work – no you don’t. When people do God’s work, God gets the glory—not man.

He speaks about the Pharisees

Matthew 23:3

therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

5 But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men

Mark 14:3

While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.

Mark 14:4

But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?

Matt 26:11 … You have the poor with you always.

Matt 26:13… She poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Matt 26:13… Verily, I say, where, so ever this is Gospel is preached in the whole world. There shall also this, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her.

Memorial— a remembrance – somebody gave all they had, she pushed through the embarrassment, pushed through all of the critical spirits and poured all that she had out in pure worship. Paul told the Corinthian church in regards to communion that they weren’t rightly discerning the Lord’s body.

1 Corinthians 11:29

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

She got it. She rightly discerned His body. She was a reminder to a room filled with disciples, that the heart of true worship is all about Him.

Judas complained about the woman’s extravagant worship, and stated that the product could’ve been sold to feed the poor– you don’t want to feed the poor Judas you’ve been stealing the money and the motive of your heart is that it’s about what you want.

And then there’s her and her simple, faith. She believed on the one whom God sent and it changed her. It changed her so much that she pushed through the stares. She pushed through the cares (she was likely saving this for her wedding), scholars believe that the value of this Nard would have been worth a year’s wage, and her act became a memorial in the word of God.