The Poor in Spirit
The sermon emphasizes the importance of humility and poverty in entering the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the need to yield to Him rather than trying to decide for Him.
Oswald Chambers preaches about the importance of yielding to Jesus rather than just deciding for Him, emphasizing that true strength lies in recognizing our poverty and inability, as it is through this humility that we enter God's Kingdom. He highlights that the loveliness that pleases God is unconscious and unaffected, and that examining our own actions can lead us to lose touch with the Lord. Chambers urges surrendering our will to God, acknowledging that true freedom and strength come from being captivated by Him and finding our life in His embrace.
Text
...The preaching of today is apt to emphasize strength of will, beauty of character -- the things that are easily noticed. The phrase we hear so often, 'Decide for Christ,' is an emphasis on something Our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him, a very different thing.
At the basis of Jesus Christ's Kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the commonplace. The thing I am blessed in is my poverty. If I know I have no strength of will, no nobility of disposition, then Jesus says -- Blessed are you, because it is through this poverty that I enter His Kingdom. I cannot enter His Kingdom as a good man or woman, I can only enter it as a complete pauper.
[Jesus said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Luke 5:31]
The true character of the loveliness that tells for God is always unconscious. ... If I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.
Make me a captive, Lord,
and then I shall be free.
Force me to render up my sword,
and I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life's alarms when
by myself I stand.
Imprison me within Thine arms,
and strong shall be my hand.
My will is not my own
'till Thou hast made it Thine.
If it would gain a monarch's throne,
it must its crown resign.
It only stands unbent,
amidst the clashing strife,
When on thy bosom it has lent,
and found in thee its life.
By George Matheson
Sermon Outline
- The Unaffected Loveliness of the Commonplace
- The Power of Poverty
- The Unconscious Character of True Loveliness
- True loveliness is always unconscious and comes from God
- Examining our outflow can lead us away from God's touch
Key Quotes
“Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.” — Oswald Chambers
“Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be.” — Oswald Chambers
“My will is not my own 'till Thou hast made it Thine.” — Oswald Chambers
Application Points
- We should strive to acknowledge our poverty and weakness, and yield to Jesus in order to enter His Kingdom.
- True loveliness and connection with God come from surrendering our will and strength to Him.
- Examining our outflow can lead us away from God's touch, and we should instead focus on being unconscious and yielded to Him.