Participants: Glenn Russell & Ranko Stefanovic (Host)
Series Code: MTBOTB
Program Code: MTBOTB00006B
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00:01 We're back exploring the-- gospel recorded in Matthew.
00:04 We're in Chapter 5 looking at the beatitudes. 00:07 Take us on from where we've been Ranko. 00:09 So we understood so far that actually the word Makarios 00:16 which means a blessed refers to the people 00:20 who have difficulties in this life, 00:22 but telling them they're not blessed 00:23 because they've their difficulties they're blessed, 00:26 because they know God, they follow God, 00:29 God is with them during those difficulties. 00:31 So despite of the difficulties, 00:33 Glenn, what is that, that make a person happy in his life? 00:38 Our relationships mainly. 00:40 Actually are the external circumstances. 00:44 External circumstance, they make us happy. 00:46 Well, temporarily. 00:47 But they make us happy. 00:49 I meet a student there on the campus say Prof 00:52 oh, I'm happy person what happened? 00:54 I found that lady. 00:55 He is happy, external circumstances. 00:57 After few days, he bows the-- head he was on there on campus, 01:01 she kick you out of her life. 01:03 He said yes, he becomes sad. 01:05 You see the person is healthy, he is happy, he gets sick. 01:08 So usually the external circumstances 01:11 defined our happiness. 01:12 But according to Jesus, the-- Christians are always happy. 01:17 The Christians always feel closed to God, 01:20 not be closed of the external circumstances, 01:22 but because what God does within them, 01:25 they get that gift which I called the gift of Makarios, 01:29 that blessedness, they defined their happiness 01:31 which is not based on external circumstances. 01:33 So when we say happy, we really having to redefined it. 01:38 I am talking about human happiness. 01:40 Yes, yes. I'm not talking about the joy that inner joy. 01:43 You see human happiness is defined 01:45 by circumstances of life. 01:47 Life takes it. He gives and it takes. Gives and takes. 01:52 But when we have Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, 01:57 Jesus said, "I'm giving you these joy 02:00 Gospel John Chapter 13 and nobody and nothing 02:03 will be able to take the joy from you. 02:05 Now Ranko, I hear some folks today suggesting, 02:08 what they've been suggesting for a longtime, 02:10 but if you just give your life to Jesus. 02:12 If you just follow Him or some other formula, 02:17 you're not gonna have any problems. 02:19 There's Sermon on the Mount speak to this, 02:21 this issue of believing that you know, 02:25 if I just follow God, then everything is gonna go good, 02:27 I'll have all the money in the bank, 02:29 I'll have no problems in my life, is that what is it about? 02:32 Do you remember when we go to the Old Testament, 02:35 God said through Moses to the people of Israel. 02:38 You'll always have poor people among yourself. 02:43 Not because those people deserve it, 02:45 it's simply because of the circumstances of life. 02:47 And we saw Paul, he started preaching gospel 02:52 and he was helping poor people. 02:54 Poverty is not the token of unfaithfulness to God, 02:58 poverty can be as-- result of many circumstances 03:02 in this life, but you see life can take money from you, 03:07 life can take health from me, 03:10 life can take many things from me. 03:12 There is one thing that life cannot take from me what God 03:15 gives that inner joy, that the blessedness 03:19 that actually woes my heart 03:22 and makes to me mourn for his life. 03:24 You're implying that there can be a condition 03:27 and this kind of reward, there is a kind of two parts 03:30 to these beatitudes, aren't there. 03:32 There is your condition, your situation life, 03:34 but then there is a promise, beautiful promises. 03:38 We've to understand that we live in these a life 03:42 when there is a sin. 03:44 Tragedies, they-very often can strike human life 03:50 and there is one mystery that I really do not understand 03:54 why sometimes God answers some of these prayers? 04:00 And people are healed. 04:02 People can tell those great experience with God, 04:06 but sometimes God doesn't react. 04:09 One of the-- classical examples 04:11 are when we go to the Book of Acts, Chapter 12. 04:14 You know, when we're reading Chapter 12. 04:17 Herod decided to persecute the church 04:20 and he arrested James. 04:21 Glenn, who was James? 04:23 Leader of the church, they're one of three disciples. 04:25 One of the three disciples, 04:26 very closed group, group to Jesus. 04:29 And Herod kills him and then in order to please Jews, 04:35 he arrested Peter. 04:36 What happened with Peter? 04:38 The angel of the Lord comes near to the prison 04:40 and then rescues Peter from the prison. 04:43 Why Peter was rescued and James was killed? 04:48 Did God loved Peter more than James. 04:50 Oh no, both of them were one of the three disciples. 04:53 I know from my personal life, how God did miracle in the life 04:57 of our own son and the pastor who prayed for us. 05:00 Actually after healing my son just the fifth day 05:03 after the tragic accident of my son, 05:05 actually he died a tragic death. 05:09 There are many mysteries of this life 05:11 and the question is when we face difficulties of this life 05:15 according to the Sermon on Mount 05:16 is not to ask what did I sinned to God, 05:20 Did God forsake me etcetera. 05:23 Now, only the question we're asking God come be close to me. 05:28 And God promised even if you walk through the valley 05:31 the valley of the shadow of death. 05:33 He will be with us and He will not forsake us. 05:36 What else would you wanted us to hold on to from. 05:39 We could explore each beatitudes, 05:41 we don't have time for that, they're very rich and powerful, 05:43 but what should we keep in mind for these sequence? 05:46 Actually I want two things is the beatitudes 05:48 are eight in numbers. 05:51 The first four beatitudes, the ones I just-- 05:56 Blessed are the poor in spirit. 05:57 Blessed are those who mourn. 05:58 Blessed are the meek. 05:59 Blessed are those who hunger. 06:00 They deal on the vertical level with regard 06:03 to our relationships with God. 06:05 The last four, those who are the merciful, pure in heart, 06:09 peacemaker and persecuted. 06:11 They deal on our relationships 06:12 on the horizontal level with human beings. 06:15 Is that what the Ten Commandments are all about? 06:17 Sure, it seems like it. 06:18 Is that what Jesus said, love the Lord your God 06:21 with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. 06:25 Actually everything all the Law and the Prophets 06:27 are about our relationships with God 06:29 and our relationships with human beings. 06:31 That's actually Makarios is all about, that blessedness 06:35 that we receive from God. 06:37 But there is-- something else. 06:39 Jesus concludes these beatitudes section 06:43 with verses 13 to 16 and Glenn I would like to ask you 06:46 if you can read these verses. 06:48 And just before I read I would want to say that-- 06:51 when we entered into the beatitudes, 06:52 we hear Jesus preaching His values and His attitudes 06:56 are radically different than this world. 06:58 We don't say anybody poor is blessed. 07:00 He has taken a radical approach 07:02 this is a completely different understanding of life. 07:05 And He's here dealing with the citizens of the kingdom, 07:08 so those who are in the church, 07:10 the citizens of this Kingdom because the church 07:13 as we mentioned is the visible manifestation of the kingdom. 07:16 This is how the Christians live. 07:18 While the entire world is complaining 07:20 about economy about everything, 07:22 you know the Christians the happiness 07:24 is not defined by what is going in the world, 07:26 it's by their relationship with God. 07:28 So let's read about how you describes 07:29 those for the kingdom people. 07:31 Yes. Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 13. 07:34 You are the salt of the earth, 07:36 but if the salt losses its flavor, 07:38 how shall it be seasoned? 07:39 It is good then for nothing 07:41 but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 07:44 You are the light of the world. 07:45 A city that is set on an hill cannot be hidden. 07:49 Up to 16. Nor do they light a lamp, 07:52 and put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand 07:55 and it gives light to all who are in the house. 07:57 Let your light so shine before men, 07:59 that they may see your good works, 08:00 and glorify your Father in heaven. 08:03 We have here two metaphors and I heard 08:05 people are taking about these metaphors in different context, 08:09 but we've to put in the context of these beatitudes here. 08:12 Salt and light. What is that Jesus tried to say salt. 08:16 What is the-- purpose of salt? 08:17 Glenn, we know that salt all the way it changes 08:21 the taste of food, food never changes the taste of salt. 08:28 See Jesus does not say here you're salt of the world, 08:31 He says you're the salt. 08:33 In Greek, it's a definite article. 08:36 We are not any salt. 08:38 The Christians are the salt. 08:39 Christians they can make difference 08:42 in environment where they live. 08:44 So, Jesus here talks about people who are blessed, 08:47 those who are Makarios. What is that? 08:49 Telling them the external circumstances 08:52 will not change your relationship with God. 08:56 Your relationship with God will impact and influence 08:59 the circumstances within which you are. 09:01 This is the purpose of this first metaphor. All right. 09:04 Now we have the second metaphor 09:06 and this is very significant. 09:08 People think that Jesus simply repeats the first metaphor. 09:10 No, He is not doing that. 09:12 He says you are the light of the world. 09:14 Glenn, what is the purpose of light? 09:17 Obviously contrasting with darkness. 09:19 But let me ask you one question, 09:21 I'm putting you here on the spot. 09:23 Does dark impact darkness? 09:27 Does darkness impact light? 09:31 You can't destroy it. 09:33 But can it impact light. 09:35 Let me tell you when I was young pastor, 09:37 you know, I had those old cars when you leave 09:41 the car you have to be sure that the lights are off, 09:46 otherwise it emptied the batteries. 09:48 And I'll, in the morning, I'll come to the church 09:52 it was sunshine in some area. 09:53 I'll leave my car and hurrying to the church 09:54 because I've to preach. 09:56 And the people tell me, pastor the lights are on, on the car. 10:00 No I said, it's not they said, it is. 10:03 I will come there to the car and look oh, 10:05 yes the lights are on. 10:07 I'll turn the lights off, but then I will come 10:11 in the evening it was dark outside. 10:14 I did not have need of anybody 10:17 to tell me that the lights are on. 10:20 Even if I would be far away from my car, 10:22 I'll see that the lights are on what is the point? 10:24 Does darkness impact light yes, the more dense darkness is, 10:30 the more visible light is, does make sense. 10:36 It's not only that Christians, 10:37 they change their circumstances. 10:39 The more severe circumstances are more visible. 10:45 The presence of God is in their life. 10:48 I just want to go quickly. 10:49 She was like my mother to me. 10:54 She would always give me advice, I was a young pastor 10:56 and one day her son came to me to tell me 11:03 that his mother was sick. 11:06 The doctor told her just she had a few weeks 11:09 to live and he asked, can you go and visit her. 11:11 I went there and she is really sad. 11:13 And--to make long story short, 11:15 I would come every week to visit her. 11:18 She was so dear me to. 11:19 And finally I came and I saw skeleton 11:22 there on the bed and the number of people 11:25 there sitting in the room. 11:28 And there was one lady who said, 11:29 you know, you served your God for about 40 years. 11:33 Why did God allow you all these things 11:35 now to happened to you. 11:37 And I saw that skeleton shrink to straight 11:40 to say few words to her neighbor 11:42 and I help her, you know, quickly. 11:44 And she said, you know, I serve my God for 40 years. 11:49 He has always been good to me. 11:51 I don't know why all these things 11:53 are taking place with me. 11:55 But I know that my God has not forsaken me. 11:58 I'll very soon fall asleep. 12:00 One day my God will stand on the tomb, 12:02 my tomb, and call me by name. 12:06 Then you'll die after me. 12:09 Are you sure that one day your God 12:12 will stand on your tomb and call you by name. 12:15 After that I had-- evangelistic series. 12:18 Two of those ladies they decided to be baptized. Amen. 12:21 You see more dense darkness is, 12:25 more visible that light as a result 12:29 of that gift that God give to us. 12:31 Make us to go through this life is more visible to people. 12:34 Now Ranko the world's getting pretty dark, 12:35 what should be hold on? Yes. 12:38 Dear viewers if in this life 12:41 you face different difficulties, 12:43 the problems of this life, 12:45 I've like to invite you to put your life 12:48 into the hands of Jesus Christ and He will defined 12:51 your happiness and journey through this life. |
Revised 2014-12-17