3. Th e Rewards . (1) T h e poor a r et h eprinces. T h e i rs i s a K i n g d o m; "th eKingdom " t h a t n e v er p a s s es a w a y. , ' M S ^ R H (2) T h em o u r n e rs shall find c om f o r t. Sun a f t e r r a i n; r e st a f t e r toil; smiles a f t e r t e a r s; h o wb l e s t! W e h a ve a l l h a d e x - perience o f c om f o r t i n g s, s w e et cooings, t h a t h a ve m o re t h a n repaid o u r t r i b u l a- tions. "A s on e who m hi s mothe r eom - forteth. " (Isa .66:13'.) (S) "Th emeek, " shall g e tw h a t t h eself s e e k i ng w a n t, viz . "th e earth " ( P s a . 37:9-11.) „ (4 ) "Th ehungry, " shall b e filled. Shall g et w h a t t h ey w a n t, al l t h ey w a n t ; a l l t h e y c a ncompass. N o t h i ng is .m o re cerr t a in t h an t h a t t h o se w h ol o ng f o r r i g h t- eousness shall h a ve it . T h emo r al o r d er of t h ewo r ld d e m a n ds t h ea g eo f r i g h t e o u s- ness a n dt h e g r a ce o f it . ' ,...'.; „• (5) "Th emerciful " shall g e tw h a t t h ey give, a n ds e e wliat t h ey show. (6) "Th e pure " shall se e God , shall k n o w H i m ; shall come into H i sholy hill (Psa. 24:3 , 4) . T h ep u r e h e a rt i s a clear l e ns t h at a l o ne c a n discover h i mw h o dwells "i nt h i ck d a r k n e s s ." (7) " T h e p e a c e m a k e r s" shall b e called God's c h i l d r e n; sons o f t h e Go do f peace (Phil. 4:9) ; a n d b e h e i rs o f t h e p e a ce o f God (Phil. 4:7) ;a n d c o - h e i rs w i th t h e P r i n ce o f P e a ce (Isa . 9:6. ) (8) T h ep e r s e c u t ed will b e p u r s u ed into t h e ir R e f u g e a n d join t h e g l o r i o us c o m p a ny o f p r o p h e ts a n d apostles. Oh ! w h a t g l o ry (Rev . 7:9-17). T h e re i s exceeding g r e at r e w a rd n ow , f or J e s us uses t h e p r e s e nt tense. S oH e says, "Thes evirtue shav e thei r ow n re - ward, " a n dt h e re i s a h u n d r e d f o ld y e tt o (1) 2 Cor . 8:9 . (2 ) Ma t . 26:38. (3 ) Mat. 21:5 . (4 )Ma t .3:15 . (5 ) Ma t .15:22, 28. (6 )Acts 2:27 . (7 ) E p h .2:15-17. (8 ) Phil. 2:9-11; He b .12:2 . Blessed a r e t h e Poor, t h eP e n i t e n t, t h e Passive, t h eP i n i n g, t h eP i t i f u l, t h e P u r e t h e P e a c e m a k e r s, t h eP e r s e c u t e d. Al l t h e L o r d 's B e a t i t u d es a r e t h e w o r l d 's a b - horence. T r ue i s I s a i ah 55:8 . TH E RICHE SO F POVERT YAN D TH E POVERT YOP RICHE S Lesso nV . Ma y5 . Luk e 6:20-26 ;16:19-31 . I. PERSON SADDRESSED . 1. No t al l th e poor , b u t t h e u n g o d ly poor. T h eg o d l e ss poor a r e poor indeed. T h e re i s n o m i t i g a t i on o f t h e ir lot . I fa n y should secure t h e t r u e r i c h es i t i s t h e y. 2. No tal l th e rich , b u tt h eg o d l e ss rich. T he godly rich, t h et r u ly godly, a r e doubly blest. "Abraha mwa s ver y rich " (Gen . 13:2). , Joseph o f A r i m a t h ea a n dN i c o d emus (Jno. 19:38, 39 )w e re b o th rich, t h e f o r m er v e ry rich. A godly rich m a nw h oh a d lost his w e a l th said t h a t w h en rich h e e n j o y ed God i n a l l t h i n g s, b u t n o wpoor h e e n - joyed a l lt h i n gs i nGod . II . TH EBEATITUDE S O F TH EPOOR . ] . "Hi sDisciples. " The Lord c ame t o call n o tt h e r i g h t e o u s, b ut s i n n e r s; n o tt h ewell, b u tt h esick; n o t t h e rich b u tt h epoor. T h e rich h a d t h e ir consolations, t h epoor w e l c omed a Saviour. H is .disciples w i th f e w exceptions w e re poor. T h ey w e re h umb le fishermen, o rd e - spised " P u b l i c a ns a n d sinners." I t i s s o in p a g a n l a n ds today. No ri s t h e b o a st of r i c h es i n t h eCh u r ch t o d ay a f a v o r a b le sign. P e r h a ps i t h a sn o g r e a t er w e a k n e ss come a s t h e issue o f t h em. 4. Jesu sExemplifie d I t All .
poor, h o wh u m b le i n vv . 10-15! Se et h e c o n t r a s ts i n Re v .3:17 ,18 ; Phil. 2;l-9. " He t h a t i s d own need f e a r n o fall, He t h a t i s l o wn o pride; He t h a t i s h umb le ever shall H a v e Go dt o b e H i s guide." (2 ) "The y tha t mourn . T h is h as | n o r e f e r e n ce t o sighs, a n dtears, a p a rt f r om t h e ir reason. I f t h e y - a r e godly s o r r o ws (2 Cor .7:10 )blessed a r ethey. O t h e r w i se t h e r e wo u ld b emo re h a p p i n e ss i n hell t h a n a n y w h e re else. T h e s o r r o ws o f J o b (Job 1:21); o f H a n n ah ( I Sam .1:9-11); of David ( P s a .51:4); o f P e t er (Mat . 26 : 75); o f P a ul ( Rom . 9:2) ;o f J e s us ( I s a . 53:3; Mat. 33:37); t h e se w e re beautific, i . e . h a p p i n e ss m a k i n g. T os o r r ow f o rs i n ;t o w e ep w i th t h e w e e p e r s; t o m o u rn over t h e lost wo r l d; t o b e ar "th e car e o f th e Churche s i" al l such t e a rs shall b e wiped a w a y ( Re v . 21:4 )w i t h a touch o f infinite t e n d e r n e s s, a n d w i th t h r i l ls o f exquisite bliss. (S) "Th emeek. " No tt h e c r a v en a n d c r i n g i n g, n o tt h eo y s t er f o re v e ry m a nt o s w a l l o w; n o Uriah Heep. B u t K i n g ly s o u ls l i ke Moses, w h ol e t t h e Lord fight h i s b a t t l es (Num. 16:4 , 5) ; like David w h o w o u ld n o t h a r m t h e L o r d 's a n o i n t ed (I Sam . 24:9-12); l i ke J o bw h osaid "Th e Lor d gave , th e Lor d hat h take n away , blesse d b e th e nam e o f th e Lord " ( J o b 1:21); like Ma ry ( L u ke 1:38); like J e s us (Jno. 19:5 ;Ma t .11:25-30). Such a r em a s - t e r souls ( P r o . 16:32.) (4 ) "Tha t hunger. " W h o l o ng f o r r i g h t e o u s n e ss (justification) w i th Go d (Psa. 51:7 , 12;'32:1, 2) ; f o r r i g h t e o u s n e ss w i t h i n ( P s a . 51:10); f o rH i m , a n dmo re o f Him, w h o i s o u r r i g h t e o u s n e ss ( I Cor . 1:30); f o r t h e f r u i t s o f r i g h t e o u s n e ss
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