The first portion of the Sermon on the Mount is known as the Beatitudes, which means
“The Blessings”.
- It also can be understood as giving the believer his “be – attitudes” –
- the attitudes he should “be.”
All of these character traits are marks and goals for all Christians.
Statement #1…Jesus as always, begins with the heart.
Statement #2…a person who is poor in spirit is a person who has realized
that they have nothing to offer to God but a broken
and contrite heart.
The poor in spirit are those people who have learned not to trust in themselves
or their own abilities …but have learned to trust solely and completely on God.