"Kingdom Living" Matthew 5:1,2

Preach the Word Podcast

Episode 64

Title: “Kingdom Living”
Text: Matthew 5:1,2

Introduction: (Read Matthew 5:3-12)

The word "Beatitude" is defined as “supreme blessedness”. The “Beatitudes of Jesus” were given as part of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 through 7. In verses 1 and 2, it is worth noting that Jesus did not give the Sermon on the Mount to the multitudes directly, but indirectly. He gave the discourse to the Disciples after seeing the multitude and their needs. This is extremely important and a key to understanding the passage. We must come to Christ first, then learn how to live.

One mishandling of the Sermon on the Mount is that it is the Gospel of Salvation. What is the Gospel of Salvation? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Another way the Sermon on the Mount is mishandled is by totally ignoring it. Some people single it out as the Gospel of Salvation and present it to an unsaved person as a standard of living, while others avoid it. Go back to the key of not only the Beatitudes, but the sermon on the mount. Jesus spoke indirectly to the multitudes, but directly to His Disciples, His Followers, and those who believed in Him. This teaching is not to be ignored or avoided...but to be upheld and obeyed.

We must note that the Beatitudes are not contrary to the life a Christian is supposed to lead. First and foremost, we must grasp that this is a way of life, and this way of life is shaped by the mind of Christ, which should be the mind of Christians also.

Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. We must also understand that Bible teaching shows us that when we are saved, not only are we new creatures and Children of God, but we are citizens of another country. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” - Ephesians 2:19

A common theme in the Book of Matthew is the Kingdom. The King, the Lord Jesus Christ, has presented himself. Matthew 3:2, "And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."; Matthew 6:10, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” The Sermon on the Mount is to set before us the laws of the Kingdom. As believers, we are citizens of that Kingdom.

Mark 12:17: “And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.”
1 Timothy 2:2 “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

This is a study to help believers in Christ understand that:
1. We belong to God’s Kingdom
2. How we are to Live according to God’s Heart (“Let this mind be in you…”)

Outline: “Kingdom Living”

I. Our Residency
We often pray the Lord’s prayer as if the Kingdom is far away, not applicable, or in another timeframe. Jesus instructed us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” in Matthew 6:10. Paul tells us our citizenship is in Heaven. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” – Philippians 3:20.

Our current Residency is here on earth, but our official residency, our permanent home, is in Heaven.
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” – John 14:2

Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2 to “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” This means our hearts must be in Heaven. The things of this earth are temporal, but the Kingdom, our true residence, is eternal.

II. Our Rules
The Beatitudes have been presented to us before as, “be-attitudes”, ways to make us happy and live a good life. Although there is some truth with this teaching, we must be careful about using them as rules for happiness, and see them as what they are... commands for present living and rules of the kingdom.

Not only could seeing the Beatitudes as rules for happiness take away the importance of them as commands, but it could also lead someone to see them more as just references or allegories. The Beatitudes are not just a checklist of things we should do to be happy and find joy, but they have become our identity as new creatures in Christ and are evidence of our residency in the Kingdom.

As mentioned earlier, we are to render to Caesar the things that are his, be law-abiding citizens, and lead a quiet and peaceful life.

It is extremely important to note, that we can live from God's heart and achieve Kingdom living here on earth while being law-abiding citizens.

III. Our Role (Way of Life - Identity “Blessed”)

“This is the vision of the Beatitudes—a vision that invites us from the shadows of alienation into the purpose and joy of Christ’s kingdom. But, as we shall see, this blessedness is both counterintuitive and countercultural. The Beatitudes pour gasoline on our contemporary ideals—and then light a match. To satisfy our hunger for wealth, Jesus offers poverty. He extols meekness over hostility. Rather than personal pleasure and fame, he proposes patience and a commitment to justice. Instead of lust and greed, he commends purity of heart. For the soul riddled with anxiety and fear, he offers peace. Rather than vanity and pride, he bestows security and inner strength. The Beatitudes dig beneath the surface, exposing what we really need to value and practice.”
- Chris Castaldo, "The upside-down kingdom: Wisdom for life from the Beatitudes"

So, what is our role? What should we do with the Beatitudes now?

1. Learn them, memorize them, and know them. Remember it starts with identity, then community, and then ministry.

2. Live them. We must put them into practice. They eventually become our habits and instincts.

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:31,32