Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #24 Heralding the Kingdom of God

We continue following Jesus throughout all Galilee as he heralded the good news, preaching and teaching the kingdom of God. Let’s take the trek up the mountain to listen in to the timeless truths of Jesus’ first recorded teaching. (For a wonderful summation of the content of this teaching, please see Gene’s blog, The Sermon on the Mount.)

Matthew 5:1:
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.

Moving away from the crowds, it’s possible that Jesus wanted to see who really desired to hear what he had to say. It was his growing number of disciples that decided it would be worth the climb into the mountain, fairly certain they would not be disappointed. They had already heard a bit of the good news, seen the oppressed healed, witnessed the casting out of evil, tormenting spirits—and they were hungry for more. Listen carefully now, this is a most remarkable teaching that changed the world forever.

The Blessed

Matthew 5:2-12 [ESV]:
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit [humble, little in pride], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth [Psalms 37:11].
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus begins with the characteristics of those who are, or would be blessed, aiming straight to the heart of the downtrodden and oppressed who had begun to follow him. They were not used to hearing of great reward in heaven, much less anything to rejoice and be exceeding glad about. This kind of encouragement would never have come from the Judaean leadership at the time. And then—there’s more!

Salt and Light

And having received these blessings in the kingdom of heaven, they would need to keep hold of them by staying faithfully honest and true in this life, as symbolized by the “salt.”

Matthew 5:13:
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Furthermore, they could then share the blessings by shining the light of their Father in heaven in word and deed.

Matthew 5:14-16:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jesus showed the listeners that they could receive the blessings of God, faithfully hold on to them despite the pressures of the world, and then shine on all with the glorious light of our Father in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

Then Jesus begins to show “the way” into the kingdom of heaven as indicated in the Law.

Matthew 5:17,18:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

The Law was given by the prophets to begin to accomplish God’s purpose of bringing men and women back into complete fellowship with Him (Isaiah 55:11). While the scribes and Pharisees pretended to fulfill their own distorted versions of the Law for their own purposes, Jesus declared that he was the God-ordained one to fulfill God’s true Law and that he intended to do just that—to fulfill the Law in all righteousness.

Matthew 5:19,20:
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

From the Letter of the Law to the Heart

With his purpose made clear, Jesus then addresses age-old problems and habits that have plagued mankind since the fall of man and the resulting sin nature. He describes both “what it is not” and “what it should be.” And watch how he takes each principle to a whole new level—from mere outward observance to the heart!

Anger

Matthew 5:21-26: [Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17]
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Jesus wanted people to be right with God, his Father. That included keeping pure and open relations with others, not just showing up to place an offering on the altar. It wasn’t a matter of merely fulfilling what the Law required, but fulfilling it with God’s love in action as Jesus described.

Lust

Matthew 5:27-32:  [Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18]
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Jesus understood that God made men and women to be attracted to each other. He also knew that true sexual fulfillment came in a marriage between one man and one woman with God at the center. It wasn’t just avoiding the act of adultery, but getting to the root cause. He taught that God’s love was more important than to even consider giving in to physical passions and desires. It was a matter of the heart.

Oaths

Jesus taught the listeners (and today, “readers”) not to make rash vows before God.

Matthew 5:33-37: [Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12]
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King [the Messiah].
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Retaliation

Matthew 5:38-42: [Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21]
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil [Satan, the evil one]: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Many people experience great physical and mental harm as “payback” for some mistake they had made. But Jesus knew that an “eye for an eye” left everyone blind. Instead, they were to resist the evil one, by overcoming evil with good. Jesus taught his disciples to trust God to meet their physical needs, therefore they had the freedom to give to others.

Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:43-48: [Leviticus 19:18]
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Jesus knew his Father intimately, better than anyone. He knew God’s love and light and goodness. Yet he also knew that hate, darkness, and evil were the absence of these things. He wanted his disciples to be like his Father, filled with spiritual strength and wholeness so that they could minister healing and love to others.

Alms-giving, Prayer, and Fasting

With so much hypocrisy and vanity among the Pharisees and Sadducees, the people needed a champion who would show what true heart-service to God was all about. Jesus was that heroic, suffering servant. He brought service to a whole new level. Here he exposes the hypocrites who make a great show of “giving” to the poor, “praying” to God, and “fasting.” Not, of course, from a pure heart to do God’s will, but solely to be seen of men.

Alms-giving—To Desire the Glory of Men or the Father?  

Matthew 6:1-4:
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Prayer – To Be Seen of Men or the Father?

Matthew 6:5-15:
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting – To Appear Self-Sacrificing to Men or the Father?

Matthew 6:16-18:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Then, regarding these same acts of piety, Jesus describes how to give, pray, and fast with a pure heart to the Father in heaven.

Alms-giving – A Trust in the Father and His True Riches

Matthew 6:19-21:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Prayer – A Singleness of Heart for the Father

Matthew 6:22-24:
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Fasting – A Trust in the Father to Provide for Our Bodily Needs

Matthew 6:25-34:
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The Unshakeable Foundation of God’s Kingdom

After setting the law of Moses in true perspective and giving practical advice on how to do the Father’s will in daily life, Jesus laid down the unshakeable principles of the Kingdom of God. The Father was to be the focus and source of all good things. And all good things from the Father were to come by way of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Man’s Judgment or the Father’s?

In the kingdom of God, a righteous judge would not make judgments according to personal interest or concerns.

Matthew 7:1-5:
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

The Good Gifts of The Father

The good gifts of the Father are solely for His children.

Matthew 7:6-12:
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Enter by the Gate

The good gifts from the Father include, above all, the way of life that He provided in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 7:13,14:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

And the Father provides some help with identifying the good trees (true prophets, and especially here, the Son of God,) from the corrupt ones:

Matthew 7:15-20:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Many will try to enter the kingdom of heaven by their own “good works”.

Matthew 7:21-23:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The will of the Father is not for men and women to boast of all they did for Him, but instead to repent of their sin and to accept His mercy and forgiveness in the atonement of His perfect gift, His Son, Jesus Christ.

Build Your House on the Rock

Matthew 7:24-27:
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

And to this very day, we too are instructed to build our house upon the Rock of all ages, the Lord Jesus Christ, by not only hearing the Word of God but also doing it.

 The Authority of Jesus

Matthew 7:28,29:
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

I, too, am astonished at his teaching. The Word of God spoken by the Son of God, as recorded in the Word of God has power to reach our hearts even to this day, two thousand years later. And we are changed, strengthened, and encouraged to continue following our Lord Jesus Christ!

NEXT:  Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #25 Healing of a Leper

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