The Unveiling of the Kingdom of God: The Beatitudes (2)
Matthew 5:1-12
We have been looking at the Beatitudes from Matthew 5. The word, “Beatitude” is from the Latin word meaning “to bless”, and so The Beatitudes are sayings by Jesus in which He describes how He BLESSES those whom He chosen as His Kingdom Children. These Beatitudes ARE NOT given to us in order to TRY HARDER to be a Kingdom Kid, but they are the reality of a LIFE THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED from the spirit of the World into the Holy Spirit of the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 5, from last study: 1 ”When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain ; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
I. (vs. 3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (I am spiritually bankrupt, destitute, and KNOW IT)
II. (vs. 4) "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (By God’s grace, I have come to a realization of how great my sin really is and I turn to God in REPENTANCE!)
III. (vs. 5) "Blessed are the gentle (meek), for they shall inherit the earth.” (The meek and humble realize how much grace and forgiveness have been received from God and are willing to follow His Word and Will on His terms. The meek live in humility and submissiveness to God’s Sovereignty.)
IV. (vs. 6) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (I now have a new spiritual diet which desires to please God and follow His standards. I am only truly satisfied and fulfilled when I am pleasing God.)
V. (vs 7) "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” This fifth beatitude could be seen as is a natural result of hungering and thirsting after God: If you are following and feasting on Christ, you are going to start acting like Christ. If you realize what He has done for you, you will not be judgmental to others. How much grace have you received? Just a little from God? NO! An infinite amount! It is only those who are poor in spirit, those who are humble recipients of God’s grace who will naturally extend mercy to others.
Jesus took my penalty for sin and so God has pardoned me instead of judging and punishing me; God has extended help and healing to me in the person and work of Jesus and I can do no less toward others. You extend forgiveness to others because you have received forgiveness from God.
The “world’s” attitude toward those who seeks retribution, but those who have received grace from God, are quick to extend mercy. By the grace of God, we demonstrate the very character of God to others. Extending mercy is the living proof of the living God living in us.
We will find Jesus expounding on this beatitude later in Matthew 18 in the parable of the unmerciful servant: 32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
VI. (vs. 8) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Psalm 24:3-6 tells us: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.”
The immediate answer to “who may stand in God’s Holy Place?” is NOBODY. Our hearts are POLLUTED with sin. Unholy (impure) people CANNOT stand in God’s Holy Place. The Bible continually teaches that sin and evil originate and spring up in the heart, in the inner man because man’s HEART IS EVIL, born in sin. The word for “pure” (katharos) is translated “pure, clean or clear” in the New Testament. Some of the definitions for this word include: “free from corrupt desire, free from sin and guilt, free from what is false, sincere genuine, blameless, innocent”.
Matthew 23:26, Jesus used the verb (Katharizo) as well as the adjective form (Katharos) of this word when He said: "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.” As is the case with all of these Beatitudes, we cannot will and try to do better and expect to achieve God’s standard. WE cannot cleanse a polluted and dead heart. Cleansing has to begin from the inside out. We need a righteousness and a cleansing that is not our own. We need HEARTS cleansed by the washing of the Holy Spirit and by the blood of Christ and we need the clothing of Christ’s righteousness, a righteousness NOT OF OUR OWN; that is the only way that we will see God. The GIFT from God will lead to Holy Living, NOT THAT Holy Living will result in a Holy heart.
VII. (vs. 9) "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” This is the only time that the compound word for “peacemaker”(ei rç nop o ios) is used in the New Testament but the word for “Peace” (ei rç nç) is used 89 times.
I want to tell you a true story from Luke 24 that demonstrates the power of THE PEACEMAKER. On Resurrection Sunday, Jesus joins the two men on the road to Emmaus and asks them what they’re talking about. He then explains the truth of God’s Word and how Jesus had to die and then be risen again. In Luke 24:30 we read:
“When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 THEN THEIR EYES were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon." 35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
36 While they were telling these things, He (JESUS) Himself stood in their midst and said to them, "PEACE BE TO YOU." 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself ; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
Everyone is in a tizzy about what has happened to Jesus: JESUS reminds them of the truth: The Messiah came into this world to be the Savior, THE peacemaker between a Holy God and unholy sinners. He would be crucified. His body would be broken. (Jesus reminded them of this “breaking the bread.) His body would be buried, but He would rise again. Dying is not difficult to understand because everyone does it; It comes naturally, but the resurrection is troubling because it is SO UNNATURAL, but Jesus shows His hands and feet. You have peace with God now because I have accomplished everything I came to do. New Life and Peace with God are come naturally to Jesus. He says: “DO you HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT?
Peace is never cheap. It always comes at an extravagant price because blood must be shed and lives are lost. Jesus came to demonstrate the love of God by dying to bring reconciliation, to bring us the peace of God. Jesus not only signed the agreement, the peace treaty, if you will, in His own blood, but He became our Peace.
See how Romans 8 fits into the Kingdom of God: Verse 3 says: “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and PEACE (eirene),
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are SONS OF GOD. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba ! Father !" 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
We receive the peace of God as a result of Christ’s purchase. We are heirs of God, and as His adopted children we receive His benefits as well as responsibilities to share that peace with others. If you are bearers of the message of Peace with God on HIS TERMS, through the Lord Jesus Christ, it is inevitable that you will receive the next “blessing”.
VIII. (vs.10) "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, (and still have the marks to show for it;) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (When was I persecuted for Christ?)
In Mideast and Jewish tradition, if you were suffering or being persecuted, it was because you were UNRIGHTEOUS, God was displeased with you, and you certainly were not blessed. In God’s Kingdom framework, if you are being persecuted for identifying with THE ONE WHO IS RIGHTEOUS, the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, YOU ARE BLESSED.
If you are persecuted for doing EVIL, there is no blessedness; you are getting what you deserve. If you suffer for righteousness’ sake, (for Christ), initially, you are NOT RECEIVING from OTHERS what you deserve, but Christ did not receive from others what He DESERVED either. If you are an imitator of God in Christ and His Kingdom, if you are a person who is sharing the Peace of Christ with those who do not HAVE His Peace, ON THIS Earth, you will be rejected, insulted, and persecuted. On this earth, persecution is the reality of following the Prince of Peace.
The Old Testament Prophets proclaimed God’s message and were killed. Jesus received suffering and persecution from religious and political leaders as well as people who followed them because He WAS and IS God’s Message. The Apostles obeyed and proclaimed Jesus’ message and received the same treatment. As His disciples, we should expect the same if we are obeying and proclaiming Him. James 1 says: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its PERFECT result, so that you may be PERFECT AND COMPLETE, lacking in NOTHING.”
I noticed that there are not any New Testament writings which do not include persecution as part of the diet toward PERFECTION in Christ, that’s why James AND JESUS say “Consider it all Joy” to enter trials for Him. We should expect nothing different as true disciples of Jesus.
Here are some of the Elements of the Beatitudes in review.
1. The Beatitudes indicate the working of God’s Spirit in believers as Kingdom citizens.
2. The Beatitudes contrast God’s Kingdom from that of the world: They contrast the unnatural or spiritual from the natural or flesh.
3. The Beatitudes are born into (and BORNE by) Disciples of Christ, but are alien to unbelievers and the world.
4. The Beatitudes cause us to examine ourselves and whether we belong to God’s Kingdom.
Here are some of the Elements of the Kingdom of God which we have seen.
1. God’s Kingdom is primarily dynamic, not spacial: It is about God’s RULE and reign in hearts and lives; it is not about geographical borders or territories. (The Kingdom is given by the Father to the Son (Luke 22:29). When His rule has subdued all things in opposition to God, the Kingdom will be given back to the Father. (1 Cor. 15:24-28) The kingdom of men in opposition to God will become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, who shall reign forever and ever (Rev. 11:15) “The Kingdom of God is parallel to the salvation and power of God and of His Christ. (Rev. 12:10: "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”)
2. The Kingdom of God/Heaven is the spiritual reign and sovereignty of God in the human heart and life. It is heavenly, eternal, righteous, peaceful and joyful in the Holy Spirit.
3. The Kingdom of God is the only place where one finds eternal life, peace and salvation.
4. The timeline of the Kingdom of God is present and future, commencing with Jesus’ first coming and continuing with His second, the end of the World and then the beginning of the New Heavens and New Earth.
5. The Rule of God through Christ includes obedience and submission (Matt. 7:21-23). The rule of God is in the heart and because God rules in individual hearts, there will be definite changes in attitudes and behaviors that will be evidenced by others.
6. The Presence of the Kingdom of God in the World is a mystery, hidden before the ages, but now revealed in Christ in the power to bring forgiveness of sin, new life and righteousness to dead sinners, deliverance from sin, and we are permitted to be seated “in the heavenlies” with Jesus (remember our study in Eph. 2:4-7). “Positionally” we are there already.
OUTLINE: “The Unveiling of the Kingdom of God”: The Beatitudes (2) Matt. 5:1-12
Elements of the Beatitudes
1. The Beatitudes indicate the working of God’s Spirit in believers as Kingdom citizens.
2. The Beatitudes contrast God’s Kingdom from that of the world: They contrast the unnatural or spiritual from the natural or flesh.
3. The Beatitudes are born into (and BORNE by) disciples of Christ, but are alien to unbelievers and the world.
4. The Beatitudes cause us to examine ourselves and whether we belong to God’s Kingdom.
Elements of God’s Kingdom
1. The Kingdom of God is dynamic, not spacial: It is about God’s sovereign reign, not limited to geographical borders.
2. The Kingdom of God/Heaven is the spiritual reign of God.
3. The Kingdom of God is the only place where one finds eternal life and salvation.
4. The Kingdom of God is present and future.
5. The Rule of God through Christ includes obedience and submission.
6. The Presence of the Kingdom of God in the World is a mystery, hidden before the ages, but now revealed in Christ.
I. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (I am spiritually bankrupt, destitute, and KNOW IT)
II. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (By God’s grace, I have come to a realization of how great my sin really is and I turn to God in REPENTANCE!)
III. "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” (The meek live in humility and submissiveness to God’s Sovereignty)
IV. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (I now have a new spiritual diet which desires to please God and follow His standards)
V. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
A. You extend forgiveness to others because you have received forgiveness from God.
B. Extending mercy is the living proof of the living God living in us.
VI. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
A. Unholy (impure) people CANNOT stand in God’s Holy Place and Presence.
B. We need HEARTS cleansed by the washing of the Holy Spirit and by the blood of Christ: We need the clothing of Christ’s righteousness, a righteousness NOT OF OUR OWN.
VII. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
A. Peace comes at an extravagant price: Blood must be shed and lives are lost.
B. We are heirs of God, and as His adopted children (sons of God) we receive His benefits as well as responsibilities to share the Peace OF God.
VIII. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
A. On this earth, persecution is the reality of following the Prince of Peace.
B. It is a privilege to be able to imitate the Savior in such a way.
