Blessed are the Poor…

The Sermon on the Mount  The Beatitudes  Salt & Light  Christ Fulfills the Law: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”  Murder Begins in the Heart: “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

The Sermon on the Mount  Adultery in the Heart: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  Marriage is Sacred & Binding  Jesus Forbids Oaths: “ But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’”  Go the Second Mile: Turning the other cheek  Love Your Enemies

Matthew Chapter 6 & 7  The Lord’s Prayer  Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing  You cannot serve God and mammon  Judge not that you be not judged  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Exodus 22:21  “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  Stranger/Sojourner = Transient  Transients were homeless people who migrated from city to city, country to country, looking for temporary residency or shelter

Exodus 23:10-12  Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce,  11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.  12 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

Matthew 6:33  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Leviticus 19:33-34  “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the L ORD your God.”

Leviticus 25:35-38  35 ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 36 Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. 37 You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. 38 I am the L ORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

Deuteronomy 15: 7-11  7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the L ORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. 9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the L ORD against you, and it become sin among you. 10 You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the L ORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. 11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

3 Things  “…you shall not…shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him…”  “…your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the L ORD your God will bless you in all your works…”  “For the poor will never cease from the land…”

Other Old Testament quotes on the poor and needy  Psalm 72:4 says, “He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.”  Psalm 82:4 says, “Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.  Proverbs 30:14 says, “There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.”  Isaiah 57:15 says, “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite (repentant) and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Matthew 19:16-22  16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”  17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”  18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”  Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”  20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”  21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matthew 19:23-30  23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”  26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”  28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Matthew 6:1-4  “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.