The United States has the most wealth of any country in the world.  At a young age, Americans are told to pursue the American dream.  That dream is about America pursuing wealth and success and happiness.  Do you see yourself as wealthy or poor?

Matt. 5:3 → The beatitudes are things that make us happy in life.
Matt. 5:8 → Pure in heart.  Most of what people want in this world is based in perversion.
Matt. 5:9→ Blessed are the peacemakers.  That goes against the aggressiveness of the wealth.

Jesus Christ is teaching to live a specific way of life to be a good Christian.

What picture comes to mind when Jesus says to be poor in spirit.  Why would Christ desire for us to be poor in spirit?

God the Father and Jesus Christ are extremely wealthy.  Everything we have came from them.  We are to preach the gospel to the poor.

Mark 12:42 → Widow and Mites.u

Luke 4:1 → Pneuma, Jesus Christ if filled with that Holy Spirit.

Mark 6:7

Poor means desperate for money or begging.  Spirit is God’s power.  Christ used this analogy becuase the poor don’t need anyone to tell them that they are broke.  We should be aware of our spiritual poverty.

Rev. 3:17

We need to be awake and see our spiritual poverty.

Matt. 25:2 → Parable of the virgins.

The poor are completely dependent on others assistance every day.  We are completely dependent on our spiritual sustenance from Jesus Christ every day.

Luke 18:9

We need to take God’s 10 Commandments and compare them in our own mind and how we are keeping God’s Law.

God can work with a sinner who confesses his sins to Him.  He cannot work with a self righteous sinner.  Ancient Israel was not poor in spirit.

What was King David’s life like?  Was David poor in spirit with all of the power, wealth, and influence that he had?

Psalm 51:1 → Have mercy on me for my transgressions.  My sins are always before me.  Our are sins always before us?  He had God to give him a steadfast spirit.  Some might misinterpret poor in spirit to being weak.

1 Sam. 17: 32→ David is preparing to go to battle at the age of 17 against Goliath.

Psalm 40:17 → I am poor and weak, but the Lord is thinking of me right now.  

David was powerful

What are the promises made for the poor in spirit.

Isa 61:1 → Jesus Christ was inspired to teach good things to us.  He was sent to heal the broken hearted.  God will make us spiritually rich and heal us.

Psalm 9:18 → The needy shall not always be forgotten.  Our hope is for Jesus Christ to return to this Earth.

Psalm 10 → The helpless commits himself to you.  We are the helper of the helpless.

Psalm 22:26 → Poor shall eat and be satisfied.

Was Jesus Christ poor?

2 Cor. 8:9 → He was rich, but He became poor. Christ became needs just like you and I, He needed His father’s help just as we do every day.

James 2:5 → Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom.

God doesn’t look for the smartest, best looking, or with the most money - He looks for the poor in spirit, to put aside yourself.  Being poor in spirit is the opposite of being self righteous.  God wants us to live our life in a fun life and building relationships with others.

Isa. 66:1-2 → Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool.  Jesus Christ is looking for someone to change who they are and change themselves.