Sermon: Children of the Light
#1851A
Clyde Finklea
Given 20-Dec-25; 35 minutes
description: The Sermon on the Mount ( Matthew 5-7 ) contains Jesus' instruction primarily to His disciples, outlining seven unified character traits- the Beatitudes defining the "children of light." These are not optional attitudes but a complete picture of Christlike character that God is forming in His people. These seven traits are: 1 Poor in spirit- genuine humility that opens the way to repentance and God's grace. 2Those who mourn- sorrow over sin and evil, not merely personal lost. 3Meekness- gentle strength expressed through kindness and self-control. 4Hunger and thirst for righteousness- a deep desire to obey God personally to see righteousness rule the world 5 Mercy- compassion in action, reflecting God's own merciful nature. 6.Purity of heart- single-minded devotion to God, modeled by Christ's servant-hearted humility. 7. Peacemaking- actively pursuing peace in relationships through godly character. Together, these traits mirror the very character of Jesus Christ, marking those destined to the Kingdom of God. Possessing then inevitably leads to persecution because such lives shine as light in a dark world. Therefore, Jesus calls His disciples the salt of the earth and the light of the world, warning that failing to live out these traits makes one spiritually ineffective . Paul's exhortation to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" reminds believers that God is actively working in them . The Beatitudes describe not multiple choices, but a complete perfected character- the life of those called to reflect Christ, glorifying Almighty God, shining as lights in a corrupt Satanic world.
transcript:
We're going to be talking today. We're going to be looking into the Sermon on the Mount a little bit. And in chapters 5 to 7 Matthew gives us what is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount. Um, And, and beginning in chapter 5 and verse, in verses 3 through 9, we are given a picture or description of the seven character traits of the children of light from their character and then, then they go into what the rewards are. Now, I, I say 7 character traits because that's the way I see it. Uh, some people say 8, they include a couple more, but I think you'll see that that's, that's really not the case. All right, so this is, this section is referred to as the B attitudes. Now if you turn that around, it really means attitudes to be. So the word beatitude actually comes from the Latin word. Beatitudo, something like that, meaning blessedness. Uh, you can you can begin by turning to Mark, the 4th chapter. I want to kind of get a running start here and so leading up to what Jesus was saying. So in Matthew, we will, we will, we will check the last 3 verses out. Matthew 4, beginning in verse 23. Where it raises Jesus and it says, and Jesus went, went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every bodily Ament among the people. Verse 24, this then his fame went out to all Syria, and they brought him all who were sick, oppressed by various diseases and torments, and possessed by demons, lunatics, and paralytics, and he healed them. So, and, and it says in verse 25, it says in great multitudes followed him from Galilee, Jacopolis, Jerusalem and all Judea and Judea and beyond the Jordan. Now if you look at Luke's version, he, Luke's version in chapter 6 of Luke, he, he'll, he says, Um, he also adds tire, I think in Sudan, as a couple of other places, so I guess that's part of Judea anyway. But anyway, so it was a lot of people coming from a lot of areas following Jesus. Now, let's go ahead and turn over to, to chapter 5. And we will start there in chapter one, I mean verse one, excuse me. That says, but seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. Now, what we need to understand here, again, if you go back to Luke's version, you'll see that he had already called the 12, he had already chose the 12 and, and named them apostles. So, but there were other disciples, I believe as well, as we will find, as we will see, and he opened his mouth and he taught them. Now, I would like to write here a quote from, um, from John Reitenbaugh's sermon on the Beatitudes, Part one, the Sermon on the Mount. This was a series of sermons that he gave on this back in January of 1999. That's been Right at almost 27 years now, 27 years and So if you hadn't ever listened to him. This might be a good time to go back before Passover and And go through all of them because he gets, he, he's going to get a lot way deeper than what I can get in this little 35 minute talk. So, um, anyway, so I'm quoting from what he said, I just wanted to open up with this, virtually every pitcher. Of this sermon, whether in a movie. Uh, painting, portraits, portrays Jesus speaking to a large multitude. Now some reason exists to assume this because Matthew 4 ends. As we just read with that great multitude following him. He goes on to say, however, in this case, the stronger evidence lies with the understanding that it was a sermon intended for his disciples. And again, I, I, I do not think it was just the 12, though, he, he mentions that, though others besides the 12 have been, have been listening. Jesus did not speak to Uh, a great multitude here, unquote. So, with that said, let's go ahead and, and start back in in Matthew in the 2nd verse 5 and verse 2. I guess you're still there, and he opened his mouth and he taught them, his disciples, saying, Verse 3, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now, I look at this word blessed right here for a minute. Uh, according to um Mott's concise Greek-English dictionary, blessed is defined as happy and a lot of times you'll see some translations that translated happy or and most of them will translate it as blessed, but it goes a little deeper than that. Um, it goes on to say as a noun it can depict someone who receives divine favor. Someone who is approved by God. I think this is, is more what we are speaking about when he talks about blessed and certainly if you were if you have God's divine favor and you're approved by God, I would think that that would be a good reason to be happy, do not you feel blessed. But yeah, but when we look at this, um. Uh, the poor in spirit, you know, it's not really that hard to understand. Uh, poor in spirit is referring to an attitude of mind. It's the way um you respond to people, the way we respond to people is what he's talking about. Uh, it describes an honest humility in a person and it reflect, and it's reflected in how we treat others or other people or each other. Now, blessed are the poor in spirit. For those who exhibit an attitude of humility, and it shows in the way again that we treat each other or treat other people. And um I believe that's very, that's important. So this character trait is opposed to the proud and haughty, and we might could even add arrogant. Solomon said that in Proverbs 18:12, you can just reference this, before destruction, the heart of man is haunted. Or proud and before honor is humility. And, and once again in I Peter 5:5, if you want to flip over there, hold your finger, in chapter 5 of Matthew. Um, Pete, I Peter 5:5, we will get his take on this. Uh, cutting into what he's talking about here, he says in the same manner, you younger men be subject to the older men, and all of you be subject to one another being clothed with humility because God sets Himself against the proud. And the haughty, we could add, but he gives grace to the humble. So without a humble spirit, We would never truly repent. So humbleness of spirit. are poor in spirit precedes actually precedes grace and Inheritance into the kingdom of God because he said, goes on to say, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God, our kingdom of heaven, as Matthew puts it. All right, let's move on. Let's look at the next one. blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. So Jesus says, blessed are those that recognize their spiritual poverty. Blessed are those that mourn that condition. When you begin to mourn your spiritual condition, this will change the way that you view those around you and the way you view yourself. I do not think he's talking so much about mourning the loss of a loved one. Even the wicked mourn the loss of their loved ones. Um, because this, and, and we, and I say this because of the context in which he's speaking. Remember, these are, these are. These are character traits. Of, um, of a true Christian of first fruits. Uh, and which I refer to as the children of the light. All right. In, in Ezekiel verse 9, we will this, in chapter 9, we will, this kind of gives a little bit of a picture of what we are talking about here, about mourning. Um, To, to prove what I just said, Ezekiel 9, and we will begin in verse 1 and you, you can back up to verse eight and kind of get a run start on that, but I just want to go ahead and start in verse one, where it says, he cried in my ears with a loud voice saying, Let the executioners of the city draw near, even each with his destroying weapon in his hand. And behold, 6 men came from the way of the upper gate which faces north, and each had a slaughter weapon in his hand, and 1 man among them was clothed in white linen, in linen. I do not know, maybe the other ones were not holy angels or angels of God. Maybe, I mean, they may have been evil angels that are doing the slaughtering. I do not know. It just seems that, well, I thought it was kind of odd that just one of them had they mentioned with, with linen, clothing and linen. All right, he had a riotous inkhorn by his side and they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the care where he had been at the threshold of the temple, and he called to the man, clothed in linen with the writer's inkhorn by his side, and the Lord said to him, Go through the midst of the city in the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads of the men who are groaning and are mourning because of all the abominations. Um, that are done in her midst. Because if you go back to chapter 8, you'll see that he was He was showing Ezekiel. He took Ezekiel in a vision and And he took him to Jerusalem and he was showing him all the sins and the wickedness that was going on in the city. So that's what, that's what he was, he was talking about here and the ones that were marked were the ones that were mourning all the sinful acts, all the, you know, the evil that was going on in, in the city. Um, now this morning is not just a, so this morning is not just for the suffering or pain or, or sadness of life before the sinfulness that actually causes it. So the blessing is not upon all who mourn, but those who mourn actually regarding sin. All right, number 5, I mean verse 5. Blessed of the meek. For they shall inherit the earth. Now, you know, I always like to look at the meaning of words and meek here means mild. Gentleness of mind and we may even can add kindness. It relates closely to the poor in spirit. See, the person who is humble. Um, who is meek, who is mild, who is gentle. will treat people with kindness. It is also part, which is also part of the fruits of the spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, we are very familiar with that. It says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control against those things. There is no law. So In Psalm 37, the psalmist says, but the meek shall inherit the earth. And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. So we see that's the reward of the meek. The meek, that says they are going to inherit the earth, um. Now if you go back to Revelation, you'll see those in the, those that are in the first resurrection, which these attributes are actually spelling out really those that are going to be in the first resurrection, by the way. Uh, the seven attributes that we are looking at because it's the same attitude in and attributes that Jesus Christ had when he walked on this earth. But if you go back there and see him and I think it's Revelation 19, it says those in the first resurrection will rule with Jesus Christ, right? And where will they be ruling from? We'll be on the earth because we are going to be coming back down to JerusalemSo, anyway. The next one we will look at is is in verse 6, where it said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after the righteousness. For they shall be filled. Now, again, here the word for righteousness probably has two meanings. I know a lot of people like to focus on the hunger and thirsting. Let's focus on the word righteousness for a minute because I think it has, kind of shows us two meanings here probably. One would certainly be, of course, personal. The study is the strong desire to be pleasing to God. To do what God wants, to live up to His will, keeping His commandments and having that strong desire to, to want to obey Him and avoid sin and showing our love for keeping his commandments, and that's what Jesus said, If you love me, keep my commandments, and all his commandments are righteousness. But out of this also will grow the desire for righteousness. In the land. On the earth You see, Because of the, we, we are talking about the the desire for, for justice, for righteousness to rule in this world because it's such a, an evil world and it's getting darker and darker with every passing week, it seemed like every passing day really. And Jesus Christ is coming back. And um to straighten all this out. So, but first we got to, we got to our hunger and thirsting is for his kingdom. You see, do we hunger and thirst? That's the question we need to ask ourselves. Do we hunger and thirst for the kingdom of God to come? Remember, as part of our outline of our prayer, Jesus said, Thy kingdom come, that will be done on earth as it is in heaven. How bad do we want that to come? And I think our hungering and thirsting should be toward that. Um, when our Lord. That's when he comes, he's going to be putting an end to sin. He's going to be putting an end to transgressions, which is rebellion, and he's going to make an end to sin, which is iniquity, and what's he going to do? He's going to usher in. Everlasting righteousness. What a wonderful, wonderful world that'll be to live in in a land where righteousness rules. OK. Let's look at the, the 5th attribute. Character attribute here. Or attitude, if you want to call it that, but I call it the, I think it's a character traits is what I should say. Uh, yeah, that was pretty neat. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. You know Well, once again, I look at this as, as how we treat other people. Uh, it has to do with how we treat each other and how we treat other people. You see, a merciful person is actually someone you like to be with. You like to be around them. You do not have to worry about them judging you so harshly, do you, because they have, they are, they are merciful people. They have a compassion about them. So you, you really like to be with them. You like actually like to see them coming. Um, those are the ones you want to make your friends, right? You want to be close to. So the word most often translated mercy in the King James Version. Um, it actually conveys a strong Feelings of pity. Sympathy, compassion, and affection. And the Old Testament word is sometimes translated as loving kindness, and that word I believe is ed, which is according to the Jewish the Jewish scholars Hebrew scholars. They said that word is, is most likely the, the word that would be closest to the equivalent of the Greek word agape. So it's translated loving kindness in the King James and and sometimes it's actually translated as mercy. And that describes one important aspect of mercy when God looks on suffering people. People that are hurting. He feels Compassionate toward them in their needs. Remember, compassion always precedes mercy. Because compassion is more of the emotional part of it, you know, you, you have this feeling, it's emotion that you have pity for something or, or, you know, you feel sympathy or compassion towards somebody or affection, and that precedes mercy and mercy is the action. It's what you follow through with and do to try to help in whatever way you can. Now Matthew, later on in the, in the, in the, when he was on the sermon of the Matt in verse 48 chapter 5. Jesus said, therefore, be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. That we are commanded then here by Jesus, that's like a command to be perfect even as God is perfect. Um, that one of our doctrines is moving on to perfection, but in Luke's version of the same thing in Luke 6:36, Luke translates it this way. He says, therefore be merciful. Even as your father is merciful. So the command to be perfect. Um, seems to me like it means to be merciful. If you want to be perfect, You certainly got to have compassion and mercy, do not you? So anyway, so that's what I, the way I see it, that is, um, you know, we are, we are perfect in God's, God's, God's eyes when we are. Compassionate and merciful to others. Now I want to quote here from um Um, Chang Benatorah's Hebrew word study. Uh, he was going through some things I want to get into all that, but he was talking about numbers and he was trying to explain what numbers represented certain numbers. And I thought this was, this was very, very interesting to me because the number 5, which Represents, he says, grace and mercy. Well, which, which character trait is this one we are we are talking to? Talking about mercy. It's the 5th 1 I thought that was pretty interesting to me that Jesus used that one as the 5th 1. If numbers, if he's correct, then the number 5 really represents that. So anyway, I thought it was very interesting anyway. So number 8. I mean, I, I keep saying number 8. It, it actually be the 6th character trait, but it's in verse 8. Where it says blessed or. Those with divine favor or those who have been approved by God. All the pure In heart, for they shall see God. The, I think that that was most uniquely characterized Jesus was his, was what servanthood. You see in Matthew 10:45, he says, for even the Son of Man, Jesus said this, he said, even the Son of Man cannot to be served. But to serve And he gave his life as a ransom for many. Let's look at um, come with me over to Philippians, the 2nd chapter. Let's look at, take a look at this over here. Philippians 2 will begin in verse 3. Where it reads, Let nothing be done through contention or vainglory, but in humility. Each esteeming others above himself. Each one look not only after his own things but let each one also consider the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Who, although he existed in the form of God, he did not consider robbery to be equal with God, but he emptied himself. And was made in the likeness of men, and he took on the form of a servant. And being found in the in the manner of man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even to death of the cross. So you see these, these character traits that we are looking at here. is the very holy and righteous nature of Jesus Christ. It's what God is creating in us, right? We're, we are being created in his likeness. Mr. Armstrong used to always say that, you know, God is building holy and righteous character in it. Anyway, so let's, let's look at a, look at something else here in First John, see what John had to say about it. First John 3. In in verse one, it gives us a little, little more into it. I John 3 and in verse 1. It says, behold what glorious love. The Father has given to us that we should be called the children of God. For this very reason, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are the children of God. It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is manifested. We shall be like him. Because he shall see, we shall see him exactly as he is. And in verse 3, and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. So again, as we look through these things, we have to understand it has to do with how we treat others, how we treat each other. Um, how we treat other people. All right, so we have one more attribute, right? Number 7, where it says in, in uh, in verse 9, blessed are the peacemakers. For they should be called the sons of God. Now, I do not think that. Uh, this is not so much a matter of trying to get in between two friends who are at odds with each other, have issues with one another, and you, you're trying to step into. Make peace because sometimes that really do not work because you step in, if you step in between two of your friends and this one, they are having issues with each other and you're trying to make peace and you tend to agree more with this one than the other one. Well, you know what, you just caused another problem. That doesn't happen. That just made it probably made it worse. So you have to be careful about how we do that and how we go about things like that. You do not want to be taking sides with two friends, you know, because the other one's going to probably be hurt. And then you would, you would, you'd be at odds with him too. But anyway, so that's, that's just that's not what this is about. If you can make peace, oh, let me just say. I do not think that's what this is about. If you can make peace with people, um, with whom you're at odds with or you have an issue with, you see, you're the peacemaker. If you can go make peace with, because that's your character, right? That's part of the character trait that we are talking about. A peacemaker is one that will not allow things to be not, not be peaceful with him and other people. Even Paul said that, did he not try to make peace with, be at peace with all men if possible. Anyway, so. So that makes you the peacemaker when you can, when you can make peace with people whom you, you have issues with or at odds with, I should say. And that's what it means. The place to start making peace is between yourself and those that were uh where, where peace does not exist. It has to do again with attitude. That's what these are attitudes to be. So, how you conduct yourself toward other people. And toward each other. And we are talking here again about that holy and righteous character. We're talking here about the very character again that Jesus Christ possessed when he walked on this earth. These are the seven character traits that we all, that we should all be examining ourselves with and remember, one thing to remember. This is not a multiple choice. There are 7 character traits, and they make up 1 individual. They have to all go together. There is not a multiple choice here, you know, you can't just be the one, well, I, I want the kingdom of God to come, but you ain't none of the other ones. I do not, that ain't going to cut it. So these are 7, and the reason they are 7. It's because 7 represents completion, and what else? Perfection. So in verse 10 now we see what comes from this, what, what comes from having this character. These character traits will be what we will see in verse 1011, 12. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Again, those that possess these character traits are going to be persecuted. Because you look, you, you, what you're going to see as we go through this, you're going to be a light. You are a light in a dark world. So you're going to stick out. Like a light bulb does in a dark room when you flip the switch on, right? And 11 says, blessed are you when they shall reproach you and shall persecute you and shall falsely say every wicked thing against you for my name's sake. For just simply being a Christian. Preaching about Jesus Christ. Rejoice and be filled with joy. When this happens to you, for great is your reward in heaven. For in the same manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you. If you want to, if you would turn over with me to John 15. We'll, we will, we will begin in verse 18. Jesus was, Jesus was speaking here. He said, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. However, because you're not of the world, but I have personally chosen you out of the world. That is, you have been divinely called or favored and you have been approved by God because Jesus. chose us. We, you are the chosen, he's talking about. These people that possess this character traits are the chosen. And he says, I've chosen you out of the world, and the world hates you for this. Verse 20, Remember the word that I spoke to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they kept my word, they will keep your word also, but they will do all these things to you for my name's sake because they do not know Him who sent me. Just think about even, even Charlie Kirk, you know, was assassinated simply. He was a professing Christian. He, he, he, he talked about, he tried to do good to people, you know, and This dark world, man, it's getting darker too. And he, he, and they took his life. So hopefully, I mean, He'll be rewarded for that someday, I'm sure. So immediately following his statements about the persecution of those who possess these character traits, that Jesus goes on to say, There is 2 more things we will cover here and that's verse 13 and 14. You are the salt of the earth. And the first floor train says you are the light of the world. Now these two comparisons, salt of the earth, light of the world. Um, actually says two different things about us. One, we are like salt that's scattered. You know, when you sprinkle salt all over your food and stuff, it's, it's scattered on your food, right? Or if you took a handful of salt and threw it up in the air and the wind would just blow it, it'd go all over the place, right? Because it's not, we are not concentrated in one place, we are all scattered all over the world. 2. And the second one is each of us is like a lamp or a lantern or a candle, it depending on what translation you look at in a very dark place. So he says you are the salt of the earth, but now he gives us a warning here about something, but if the salt has become tasteless, With what shall it be salted, for it is no longer, it no longer has any strength, but is to be thrown out and be trampled upon by men. Uh, that's, to me that's a warning right here for all of us. There is a risk that we may become good for nothing. And we might ask ourselves, well, how, how would that happen? Well I suppose it comes about by our failure. To live up to these seven character traits. And then in verse 14 again, he says, you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do they light a lamp or lantern or, or um a candle and put it under. And put it under a, I put it under a bushel basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines for all those who are in the house. So if you come into a dark house at night and all your lights are off, you flip that little switch and what happens? Boom, light comes on and you can see the light overtakes the darkness. But darkness does not overtake the light. So in the same way also, he says you are to let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works. Bearing fruit and good works is what it's all about here. It's the same as bearing good work, bearing fruit, and they glorify your Father who is in heaven. Doesn't it say that in John 15? Bearing much fruit glorifies God, the Father. OK, we are going to begin. Let's begin wrapping this up. Uh. And my time is running out. So turn back with me to Philippians and we will, we will begin to end here. In Philippians, the 2nd chapter again. And this time we are going to pick it up in verse 12. Where Paul is addressing the Philippians, he says, So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but Now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Remember what Jesus said. If that salt loses its flavor. You're, you're good for nothing. It's good for nothing. So Paul's saying, he's saying basically, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Because you certainly do not want to become tasteless. In verse, in verse 13, he says, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure. You know, God has not called us to lose. He has called us. To win I do not know if y'all remember Ronald Dart, but he had a radio station called Born to Win, and that's what, what God called. He calls us to win. We're not losers, we are winners in Him. OK, it says in verse 14, do all things without complaints and disputes. Well, it's being a peacemaker, ain't it? So that you may be blameless and without offense, innocent children of God, or we could even say children of the light. In the midst of a crooked and perverted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. Brethren We are the salt of the earth. And we are the light of the world.
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