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Survey of the Beatitudes

Mat. 5:3-10 Sermon on the Mount

Pastor Albert N. Martin delivers a survey of the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-12, establishing them as Christ's authoritative declaration of true blessedness. He argues that the Beatitudes describe the essential character of every true Christian, emphasizing that Christianity is fundamentally concerned with the inner condition of the heart, not merely outward actions or numerical growth. Martin stresses that these characteristics are supernaturally produced by God's grace and reveal the essential antagonism between the world's values and the church's virtues. He applies these truths to young people and adults, warning against the devil's deceptive bait of worldly happiness and urging a pursuit of God's way of blessedness.

2 illustrations in this sermon

The Devil's Counterfeit Happiness and Christ's True Way
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Fisherman's Bait

Driving home: Sin did not destroy man's capacity for blessedness nor his yearning for blessedness. And it's this very fact that the devil has capitalized on.

Martin uses the analogy of a fisherman using bait to catch fish to explain how the devil capitalizes on humanity's innate desire for happiness by offering deceptive, destructive temptations.

And what does he do? He does exactly what the fish are doing. He does exactly what the fisherman does with his bait. Now when I go fishing, which is very rare, I think it's been three or four times this whole year, I enjoy going but don't have too much opportunity to do that.

7:41 - 7:58 Read in full sermon
The Beatitudes as God's Supernatural Work of Grace
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Mrs. Elliot and the Alta Indian

In this part of the sermon: The third principle is that the Beatitudes describe God's supernatural work in grace. Martin clarifies that these are not natural temperaments but characteristics God Himself…

Martin recounts Mrs. Elliot showing a picture of an Alta Indian with a big grin, which someone mistook for 'the light of Christ.' Mrs. Elliot clarified that the man was a murderer, illustrating that natural temperament is not the same as spiritual character or blessedness.

I remember Mrs. Elliot. Did I mention this last week? Sometimes I can't remember.

33:14 - 33:17 Read in full sermon
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