ASSESSING YOUR KINGDOM STATUS
Matthew 5:19-20
“How is your son John doing?” said a pastor to the father of a prosperous young man.
“Oh,” said the proud father, “John is doing very well. He is really getting along in the world.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the pastor asked, “Which world?”
Far too many people are spending their days focused on the wrong world and consumed with the wrong kingdom. Jesus said to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”, but rather than focusing on the eternal, many people (even genuine Christians) are consumed with the temporal. Rather than seeking God’s Kingdom, they are attempting to build their own.
Those of us who have been born again are citizens of God’s Kingdom. This is both a present and a future reality for the Christian. It is imperative that we spend our time here preparing for the hereafter. We must heed the words of our Savior and ensure that we are “laying up treasures in Heaven” as opposed to storing up temporal treasures here on earth that will rust, rot, and fade away.
When Jesus came to earth, He astonished the crowds with His teaching. At the conclusion of The Sermon On The Mount, Matthew says that “the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes”. (Matthew 7:28-29).
Throughout His earthly ministry, one of the constant complaints from the Pharisees was that Jesus’ teaching was contrary to the Law of Moses. In the preceding verses, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that His doctrine was not at all contrary to God’s Law. However, it was vastly different from the Pharisees incorrect interpretation of it. Jesus declares that it was not His purpose or desire to abolish the Law, in fact, one of the primary reasons for His coming to earth was to fulfill the Law that the Pharisees “claimed” to hold so dear.
It is important to note that Jesus’ primary audience during the Sermon on the Mount were Jews in Israel who lived during the time when the Mosaic Law was still in full effect. Herod’s Temple was still standing atop the Temple Mount, the prescribed sacrifices were still being offered, and the veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies was still intact.
Unbeknownst to the majority of the Jewish people was the reality that the Promised Messiah was in their midst. The One that the Law pointed to, the One that the Prophets spoke about, was walking the earth and in time He would fulfill (not abolish) “the Law and the Prophets”. On the day of His crucifixion, when all things were accomplished Jesus cried, “it is finished”. Our Savior bowed His head, took His last breath, an earthquake rumbled across the earth, and the veil of the Temple was torn into. At that point in time those laws that regulated sacrifice and worship were fulfilled. They were fulfilled because Jesus was the final and complete sacrifice.
Jesus’ death satisfied God’s requirements for sin and for obedience to the Law. Those who are in Christ are not forced to obey the Law. However, we are compelled to obey God’s Law because of our love for Jesus and our appreciation for His selfless sacrifice for our sins. We have gone from being slaves to sin to living as children of God. Therefore, a good Christian does obey, but we do so because of grace, not in an attempt to earn God’s favor by our compliance to His Law.
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
As born-again Christians, we are not under the ceremonial law; we have no obligation to comply with the dietary laws, to observe certain days or feasts, etc. However, we are expected to obey God’s moral laws. There is no excuse or justification for us to lie, cheat, steal, covet, lust, or to commit adultery or murder.
Our obedience concerning these laws is not the source of our justification, instead they are the result of our salvation. As God promised the prophet Jeremiah, He has put His teaching within us and has written it on our hearts. Anyone who claims that a Christian is not obligated to obey God’s moral laws has not spent much time in the Epistles, for there are many passages that make it clear that these laws are most certainly still in effect.
Last week we examined Christ and the Law; this week we will spend some time considering the Christian and the Law. Here in Matthew chapter 5, after proclaiming that He did not come to abolish God’s Law and stating that “not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished”, Jesus went on to warn His listeners that “whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
In this passage, Jesus sounds some very clear and important warnings to those who belong to Him and those who don’t. I would like to examine these warnings and consider the subject “Assessing Your Kingdom Status”.
The outline of these verses is simple. There are some who will be considered “least” in the Kingdom of Heaven, there are others who will be considered “great”, and there are some who will not enter the Kingdom at all.
There is a common misconception that everyone will be equal in God’s Kingdom. It is true that we all gain entrance into the Kingdom the same way and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. There will not be one person in Heaven who deserves to be there anymore than anyone else. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way that we can get to the Father is through Him. However, the Lord makes it clear in this passage and many others that a person’s position in the Kingdom is determined by his or her obedience and faithfulness here on earth.
The fact that there are varying statuses in the Kingdom is highlighted in Matthew chapter 22 when James and John put their mother up to asking Jesus if they could sit on either side of Him in His Kingdom. Jesus did not reply by stating that everyone would be equal, instead He said, “to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:23).
Upon hearing this conversation, the other ten Disciples became furious with James and John. In response, Jesus then taught His men how one is to become great in the Kingdom. He said, “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave”. Jesus then presented Himself as the ultimate example of humble service. He said, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28).
As Jesus informed James and John, determining rank in the kingdom of heaven is entirely God’s prerogative. But scripture does tell us that our obedience to the Lord will have an impact on our status in His Kingdom. Our selected text assures us that if we obey the commands of God and teach others to do likewise, we will be called “great” in the Kingdom. If we relax even one of the least commands, we will be called “least” in the Kingdom.
- Look with me to verse 19 as we consider the reality that:
I. SOME WILL BE CALLED THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM
Unfortunately, we have a natural tendency to measure one’s success by using certain superficial metrics. If someone has a degree from a certain college or university, if they hold a certain position in society, if they have attained a level of success in the business world we consider them to be successful. We judge a man’s worth by the neighborhood he lives in, by the size of his home, the kind of car he drives or the type of clothes he wears.
Please understand that I am not saying that it is sinful to enjoy financial success in this world or to attain a certain level of respect among your peers. Some of the most vibrant and faithful Christians I know have been extremely successful in this world.
However, there are many genuine Christians who have all the material possessions that one could ask for. They have a good reputation in their community, they are respected by their peers and they are known for their community involvement and charitable acts. Though they are immensely successful in matters pertaining to this present age, in the end they will be considered “least” in the Kingdom. The reason for this is because they have lived their life with a temporal focus rather than an eternal one. Tragically, in order to achieve their worldly ambitions they have compromised Christians principles and broken the commands of God.
- This is why Jesus warns us about certain:
A. DANGEROUS ACTIONS
v19a Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments… will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
The word “relax” or “break” is translated from the Greek word luo and it means “to loose,” “to release,” “to nullify,” or “to destroy.” The idea here is that if you release yourself from the obligation to obey God’s least command, you’ll be called the least in the kingdom. This is what the Pharisees did, and this is what many Christians do.
Many people in the world today are involved in what is called antinomianism. This is a word that comes from two Greek words, anti, meaning "against"; and nomos, meaning "law." Simply stated, Antinomianism means “against the law”, specifically God’s Law.
Because Christians are not required to observe the Old Testament Law in order to receive salvation, some are of the opinion that there is no expectation to obey God’s moral laws. However, the apostle Paul said, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2)
Here in Matthew chapter 5, when Jesus speaks concerning His purpose of fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, He was referencing what we know as The Old Testament. Those of us who live 2,000 years after the earthly ministry of Jesus have the added benefit of the New Testament. As Paul reminds us, all scripture (both the Old and New Testaments) are inspired, literally “breathed out” by God. Our Savior wanted His audience back then and He wants His followers today to know that those who hold God’s Word in the lowest esteem in this world will be held in the lowest esteem in the Kingdom of God.
This is a sobering doctrine! Knowing that how we live our life here on earth will have and impact on our status in God’s eternal Kingdom should shock us to the core and motivate us to assess our priorities and ensure that we do not “relax” God’s commands.
At the same time this teaching from our Savior serves as evidence of our eternal security. Thankfully, He does not declare that those who fail to obey the Lord will lose their salvation. As William MacDonald says in his commentary on this verse, “it is a wonder that God would permit us into His Kingdom at all”! Thankfully, our entrance is based on the righteousness and finished work of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, our appreciation for Him making a way for us to enter into the Kingdom should serve as motivation for us to live in such a way that would honor His sacrifice.
- Jesus warned about some dangerous actions and He also cautioned His people against:
B. DANGEROUS INSTRUCTIONS
The Pharisees in the crowd that day were experts at telling others what to do, but often they did not practice what they preached. Concerning this hypocrisy Jesus said,
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. (Matthew 23:2-5)
It is obviously dangerous to relax the commands of God, but Jesus goes on to point out the great danger in teaching others to do the same. He says, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (v19a).
It is a great responsibility and a tremendous honor to be in a position to teach others about the commands of God. Being a pastor/teacher is one of the greatest joys of my life. However, I am constantly reminded of the weightiness of this responsibility. James said, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness”. (James 3:1)
All over the world there are men in positions of authority who are guilty of watering down the truths of God’s Word. They pick and choose certain parts of the Bible and avoid others. In an attempt to draw or keep a crowd, or in an effort to avoid “rocking the boat”, they fail to preach the whole counsel of God. I am not referring to the heretic or the false prophet (we will discuss them when we get to verse 20), I am talking about genuine Christians, some who have actually had an authentic call into ministry who somewhere along the way began to “relax” the commands of God and then teach others to do the same. If they continue on their current path they will be called “least” in the Kingdom of Heaven.
This warning does not just apply to those who hold positions of authority in the Church, it applies to all Christians for we have all been given a measure of influence in this world. If we break God’s commands and teach others to do the same, whether it be by our words or our actions, we will be called “least” in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Perhaps our greatest area of influence in this life is the relationship that we have with our children. Tragically, many Christian parents are trying to live with one foot in the Kingdom and the other in the world. They profess to believe one thing and then live in a way that is contradictory to their stated beliefs and biblical principles. They will be held accountable for their sinful actions and they will be held accountable for teaching their children to do the same. In the end, they may escape the torments of Hell and enjoy entrance into the eternal Kingdom of God, but they will be considered “the least” in the Kingdom.
Just the thought of this potential reality should be devastating to us. In fact, the warning that Jesus provides in this passage should be enough for us to reassess our priorities and shift our focus from temporal pleasures to eternal treasures.
It is true that being the least in the Kingdom will still be greater than any position that we could ever attain or enjoy in this life; but knowing that we have the opportunity to be seen as great in God’s Kingdom is encouraging and exciting.
Our supreme motivation should not be to make a name for ourselves here or even in Heaven. Our motivation should be to honor Christ and glorify God, but the wonderful news is that when we do this, we will live in such a way that will result in us being considered “great” in the Kingdom. This leads us to the second thought I would like to consider and that is:
II. SOME WILL BE CALLED GREAT IN THE KINGDOM
We have spent ample time considering the negative result of breaking God’s commands, thankfully Jesus goes on to reveal the positive results for those who keep God’s commands and teach others to do the same.
- In the second half of this verse, the Savior speaks about some:
A. PROFITABLE ACTIONS
v19b but whoever does them… will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Those of us who are citizens of the Kingdom are expected to uphold God’s moral Law. As Christians, it is good and pleasing to God when we obey His commands. There is no way that we could ever be successful in obeying God’s commands on our own. However, the obedience that God requires is made possible because we are indwelt with and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God.
Those who have truly experienced regeneration will have an intense desire to honor the Lord, this will cause us to strive not to sin. Because of our gratitude for God’s grace and forgiveness, and our appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice we want to please the Lord. The true Christian who walks in the spirit not only refuses to relax God’s laws and seeks to obey them; he will actually love the commands of God.
The Apostle John said, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome”. (1 John 5:1-3)
Those who love God and seek to honor Him with obedience will consecrate their lives to Him out of love, worship, and gratitude for what He has done for us. We will heed the exhortation of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-2, there he says: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”.
When we receive, honor, and obey the precepts that are written within God’s Word we have the amazing opportunity to be called “great” in God’s Kingdom. We must ever be conscious of the reality one day we will stand before The Judgment Seat of Christ and we will be rewarded based on how faithfully we serve Christ during our time here on earth.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil”.
Those who relax God’s commands will suffer loss at the Judgement Seat, and those who obey God’s commands in this life will receive an eternal reward.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
- Later in The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus will say:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
These verses and many more make it clear that we have the opportunity to enjoy great success in God’s Kingdom. For this to be possible we must be involved in profitable actions. Additionally, Jesus tells us that in order to be called great in the Kingdom, we must also teach others to obey God’s commands.
- Now that we have seen something about profitable actions, let’s consider:
B. PROFITABLE INSTRUCTIONS
v19b but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Pharisees were teachers of the Law, as we will see in verse 20, most of them never even made it into the Kingdom of Heaven. We have already considered the fact that those Christians who foolishly relax the commands of God and teach others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom. But Jesus assures us that if we are faithful to observe God’s commands and teach others to do the same, we can be seen as “great” in the Kingdom of Heaven. This serves as fantastic motivation for us to be faithful to the Lord, to honor Him with obedience, and teach others with our words and actions. I don’t know about you, but the thought of being great in God’s Kingdom is very appealing to me!
As we assess our Kingdom status, it is important to determine whether we are living in such a way that we will be seen as “great” in the Kingdom, or “least” in the Kingdom. But most importantly, we must assess whether we will be in the Kingdom at all. For Jesus makes it clear in verse 20 that:
III. SOME WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE KINGDOM
v20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
As often as we criticize the Pharisees (and rightfully so) we may think that it would be an easy feat to surpass their righteousness. We know that their interpretation of the law was often superficial and their actions were hypocritical. However, it is important for us to put ourselves in the position of Jesus’ original audience. The Jews who were assembled as He preached The Sermon on the Mount saw the Pharisees as the most accurate interpreters of the God’s Law and they were considered to be the most devout practitioners of it.
The great problem was that Pharisees were focused on religious ceremonies and observances that were only ritualistic and did nothing for their impure hearts. By focusing only on the externals, the Pharisees avoided the real intent of the law and obscured its real demands.
When Jesus says that one’s righteousness must “exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees” in order to enter the Kingdom, He is not prescribing a more intense version of their obedience, rather, He is teaching that his listeners needed a different kind of righteousness altogether.
External righteousness without internal holiness is not enough to secure one’s entrance into God’s Kingdom. The only righteousness that God will accept is the perfection that He imputes to those who accept His Son as Savior. (2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God).
The righteousness that Christ provides in the lives of His followers works from the inside out. It begins with changed hearts and then results in changed actions and motivations. As Paul said in Romans 6:17-18, “thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness”.
When God does His work of regeneration in our lives, we are then equipped to live in such a way that our righteousness does in fact “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.”
These often-overlooked verses teach us some very important lessons. First and foremost we must examine our lives, actions and motivations and ensure that we are not depending on our own righteousness to secure our entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Our only hope is to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. If we have surrendered to Him in faith, we are assured of our place in God’s Kingdom. However, once we are in the Kingdom, we are then presented with the opportunity to live in such a way that we can be seen as “great”. It should be our heart’s desire to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord and to avoid relaxing His commands. If we break those command and teach others to do the same, the consequence will be that we will be considered “least” in the Kingdom. For this reason, it is imperative that we pause and “Assess Our Kingdom Status”.
07042024
