The Message of the Kingdom, Matthew 5-7

When Jesus saw the crowds he went up on a hillside. The people who wanted to be disciples gathered around him. And he sat down (as teachers do) and he began to teach them. He said: “God bless you who are spiritual zeroes. Who are absolutely broke…beggars. The kingdom of heaven is open to you. God bless you who are heartbroken. You will know the comfort of God. God bless you who are powerless. In God’s kingdom you’re going to win everything. The whole wide earth will be yours. Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for simple justice. They will be satisfied. This world will be set right. God bless the people who care about other people. You’re going to find yourself cared for on the Day of Judgment. Blessed are the pure in heart—whose whole self is focused on their relationship with God. They will see God. God bless those who make peace and bring people together. They will be called God’s sons and daughters. Blessed are those who are persecuted because they stand for what is right—the kingdom of heaven will be theirs. They will not be deprived. Blessed are you who are insulted and persecuted and lied about because of your devotion to God. Be thrilled—if you can dance, dance for joy! Because your reward is huge in heaven. And you’re in a long and worthy line—that’s exactly how they persecuted the prophets before you.

You are…the salt of the earth. You’re what makes this world taste good. You’re here to bring the flavors out…of God’s earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how do you season it again? With salt? You’re the salt. There’s nothing more useless than un-salty salt. It’ll just be thrown out and treated with contempt.

You are…the light of the world. God is not a secret to be kept—he’s as big and public as a shining city on a hill. And nobody lights a lamp and sticks it under a bucket. No, they put it on a lamp stand, and it lights up the whole room for everybody in it. You light up the whole room. I’ve turned the lights on in you. I’m setting you on a lamp stand. Now shine! Let everybody see your grace-filled life and actions and say, That’s God at work! Glory to God.

I know some of you think I’ve come to re-write the whole Bible. To pull down the Law of Moses and the Prophets and to put up something completely different. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I came to pull it all together and bring it to a fullness.

The Law of God is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground under your feet. Long after heaven and earth pass away the Law of God will be in full operation—right down to the dots over the i’s and the dashes in the t’s.

You understand what I’m saying? If you trivialize even the smallest item in God’s Righteousness, you will be a trivial thing in the kingdom of God. But if you take it seriously and show the way for others, you will be held in high honor in the kingdom of God. But let me tell you, you better learn a way of righteousness that goes way beyond the religious leaders and Bible teachers…or you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Do you want to change the world? Want to see “Thy kingdom come”? Or do you want to just keep things messed-up? Kingdom-people live generously, because the whole world is going to be theirs. And so, live like you believe that. When you own the world, somebody wants to borrow something, what’s the big deal? Somebody asks for something, “Sure.” You’re a billionaire, for crying out loud! See how this kingdom-perspective changes you—from a repressed and crabby legalist (“what’s the rule here? tell me what I’m not supposed to do!”) to somebody God’s life just flows out of…with generosity and joy.