Go! And… Live the Kingdom Life - Matthew 5–7
Living as citizens of God’s Kingdom in a world that rejects His rule
Introduction: The Kingdom Manifesto
When Jesus ascended a Galilean hillside and opened His mouth to teach, He delivered what is arguably the most transformative sermon ever preached — The Sermon on the Mount. It wasn’t a list of moral tips; it was a divine revelation of what life looks like under the reign of the King.
Matthew 5:1–2 (NLT) says: “One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.”
The setting is important. Mountains in Scripture often symbolise encounters with God — Moses on Sinai, Elijah on Carmel, and now Jesus, God in flesh, declaring His Kingdom manifesto. The Sermon on the Mount is not about how to get into the Kingdom — it’s about how Kingdom citizens live because they belong to Jesus.
1. Go! And Live with a Kingdom Heart
Matthew 5:3–6 (NLT): “God blesses those who are poor and realise their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.”
Here Jesus reverses the world’s value system. The Greek word for “poor” is ptochos, meaning “utterly destitute.” This isn’t about financial poverty but spiritual bankruptcy — an awareness that apart from God’s grace, we have nothing.
To be “poor in spirit” is to come to God empty-handed, like the tax collector in Luke 18:13 who beat his chest and cried, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.”
Charles Stanley once said: “Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.”
That’s the heart of the Kingdom — humility before holiness.
The modern world prizes self-sufficiency, but Jesus calls us to spiritual dependency. To live as Kingdom people means confessing daily, “Lord, I need You.”
Psalm 51:17 (NLT): “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
True discipleship starts where pride dies and grace lives.
2. Go! And Reflect the Light of the King
Matthew 5:14–16 (NLT): “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
In Greek, the word for “light” is phos, from which we get “phosphorus” — something that radiates by nature. Jesus doesn’t say “try to be light”; He says, “You are light.”
Light reveals truth and exposes darkness. The world we live in is spiritually dark — morally confused, ethically compromised, and spiritually blind. But when Christ lives in us, His light shines through us.
John Piper wrote: “People don’t glorify God because they see our moral performance. They glorify Him when they see His grace in our joy, humility, and love.”
Our witness is not about perfection but reflection. The world doesn’t need more religious showmanship; it needs radiant authenticity — people whose good works point others to the Saviour.
Philippians 2:15 (NLT): “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”
A lighthouse doesn’t argue with the storm; it simply shines. Be the light that helps others find safe harbour in Christ.
3. Go! And Seek a Righteousness that Comes from God
Matthew 5:20 (NLT): “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”
This must have shocked Jesus’ listeners. The Pharisees were meticulous rule-keepers. Yet Jesus says their righteousness isn’t enough. Why? Because it was external righteousness — performance without transformation.
The Greek word for “righteousness” here is dikaiosyne, meaning “a state of being made right by God.” It’s not earned; it’s imparted.
Romans 3:22 (NLT) declares: “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”
Tim Keller wrote, “Religion says, ‘I obey, therefore I’m accepted.’ The Gospel says, ‘I’m accepted, therefore I obey.’”
That’s the difference between dead religion and living faith.
Stop striving to impress God and start surrendering to Him. The righteousness we need was purchased at the cross. Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn’t, died the death we deserved, and rose so we could be declared righteous in Him.
Imagine standing in court guilty of every charge. Then the judge steps down, takes your place, and pays your fine. That’s what Christ did for us at Calvary.
4. Go! And Build on the Rock of Obedience
Matthew 7:24–27 (NLT): “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.”
The storm reveals the foundation. The wise builder isn’t the one who hears the Word but the one who does it.
The Greek word for “obey” is poieo — meaning “to act, to carry out, to make real.”
James 1:22 (NLT) reinforces this: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
R.T. Kendall once wrote: “Partial obedience is disobedience. God doesn’t want your agreement; He wants your surrender.”
Faith that saves is faith that obeys. Build your life not on feelings or trends but on the unshakeable truth of Jesus Christ. When the storms of life hit — and they will — only those built on Christ will stand.
The Gospel Call: Go! And Trust the King
The Sermon on the Mount shows us that we fall short of God’s perfect standard. We cannot live this life on our own. But the One who preached this sermon didn’t just teach the way of the Kingdom — He is the Way.
Jesus fulfilled the law we broke, bore the punishment we deserved, and rose to give us eternal life.
Romans 5:8 (NLT) says: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
This is the Gospel:
Jesus died for our sins.
He was buried.
He rose again on the third day.
If you repent of your sin and trust in Him as Lord and Saviour, you are forgiven, adopted, and made new.
Call to Action and Invitation:
So, Go! And live as citizens of His Kingdom.
Go! And let your light shine.
Go! And build your life on the rock of obedience.
If you have not yet trusted Christ, today is the day. Surrender your heart. Confess your sin. Receive His mercy.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I recognise that I am a sinner in need of Your grace. Thank You for dying for my sin and rising again. I turn from my old life and place my trust in You. Be my Lord, my Saviour, and my King. Amen.”
Benediction:
May you go from this place shining as a light in the darkness, walking in the righteousness of Christ, and standing firm on the solid rock of His Word — until the day we see our King face to face.
