The Life of Jesus Christ - Chapter 4 - Jesus, the great teacher - Part 5
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An online Bible Study course by Barrie Wetherill about the life of Jesus. This book is in EasyEnglish Level B. Use the links below for other online Bible Study books and commentaries that will help you. Or go to the Word List, which explains words with a *star.
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This verse also shows that a Christian is different. He is
different from a person who is not a Christian. What Jesus said in verses 3 and
4 should prepare us for this verse. If you are poor in *spirit you will feel sad
about some things. The result is that you will be humble. A person who is not a
Christian wants to have everything for himself. He thinks that he is the most
important person. The Christian is different. When Jesus spoke these words, it
was a shock for the Jews. The Jews, of course, had expected a military *Messiah.
A military *Messiah could not be a humble person.
It is not natural for a person to be humble. Nobody is humble
from his birth. But a humble person is not the same as a weak person. A humble
person can have great authority and strength. But a humble person understands
his life. He knows what he is like. We see this in the way that he behaves
towards other people. The humble man is not proud of himself. He does not think
that he is the most important person. He knows that he is poor in *spirit. This
is not something to be proud about! The humble man does not think all the time
about himself and his interests. He does not make excuses for himself all the
time. When we are really humble, we do not need to worry. We trust God with
everything, now and in the future. We do not do anything to someone who has hurt
us. We learn to do what Paul did. He allowed God to look after him. Hebrews
10:30: ‘I am the one who will punish’, says the Lord.
As examples of humble people, think about the martyrs. (A martyr
is a person who dies, because of his trust in God.) The martyrs were humble. But
they were NEVER weak. They were bold and brave. God helped them to be strong,
even when they were in great danger.
Matthew 5:5 promises that humble people will receive everything.
This means that this will happen in the future. Paul tells us that God’s
people shall *judge the world (1 Corinthians 6). In Romans chapter 8 he tells us
that we are God’s family. We are heirs of God. And we are heirs with Christ.
(An heir is a person who is going to receive a family’s possessions. God does
not promise to give us possessions. But God promises to look after us.) What a
wonderful future this is, but it is only for humble people. But God will *bless
the humble person now, as well as in the future. Only the humble person can be
happy in this world, because we have many difficulties in this world. Such a
person knows what Paul knew (Philippians 4:11). Such a person is satisfied,
whatever happens to him. He knows how to be content. He trusts and obeys the
Lord. He does not love anything in this world too much, because he loves the
Lord. Only a humble person can keep calm like this. Too many Christians today do
not live like this. We worry too much about our possessions, our children, our
house. It is the humble people who are really happy!
*Sermon
on Mount [Mountain] *beatitudes: poor
in *spirit
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