“Kingdom Living”
Part 1
Introduction
“Beatitudes”
Matthew 5:1-12
Before we get started with out text -- allow me a brief moment to set the stage and give you a brief introduction as to what has taken place thus far in the Book of Matthew.
You see – The Gospel of Matthew was viewed as the most important Gospel by the early church, and is the Gospel most frequently quoted by writers of the first three centuries. During my research, I learned that the Gospel of Matthew [at that time, mind you] was directed primarily to the Jewish people. It contains at least 130 direct references to the Old Testament. The book of Matthew shows that Jesus truly is the messianic King of Old Testament prophecy.
I want to point out to you that there are several unique features of Matthew:
· 1,068 verses, 644 contain words of Jesus. That is why when you flip thru your Bible you with find that most of the pages in the Book of Matthew are in red.
· Three fifths of the Gospel is a report of Christ’s sayings.
· Among them 35 are parables.
The Gospel of Matthew also emphasizes two teachings:
1. Jesus’ ethical teachings, and
2. His es-cha-tological teaching (teaching about the future and end times).
Matthew’s Gospel records 20 of Jesus’ miracles, 3 of which are found only in this Gospel (the story of two blind men healed are recorded in Matt. 9:27–31, 9:32–33 records the healing of a man possessed by a devil; and 17:24–27 teaches us about the miracle of money in the mouth of a fish.
Perhaps -- the most striking feature of this Gospel, however, is the fact that while it affirms Old Testament prophecy of Jesus as Israel’s promised King, it also presents Him as -- a Servant.
**As you read your Bible you will discover that “In Jesus, and only in Jesus, glory and humility, power and gentleness, are perfectly combined.”
I discovered that Matthew was concerned that his readers acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah of Israel. That is why chapter 1 traces Jesus’ genealogy and human ancestry back to Abraham, through David, whose offspring was promised an eternal throne. The purpose of the genealogy in chapter 1 was to show that the details of Jesus’ birth were in full harmony with the Old Testament.
Matthew Chapter 2 records the birth of Jesus -- then notice that the Gospel skips over Jesus’ childhood and adolescence. From the birth story it moves directly to introduce Jesus’ ministry.
Matthew chapter 3 records the preaching of John the Baptist, who announced the approach of the Messiah, and shouted in the wilderness, Repent, Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.
We also find in chapter 3 the story of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. After which, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove, ... and a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew chapter 4 tells of the personal preparation of Jesus. It starts by saying that Jesus was led by the spirit to be tempted by the Devil. I don’t know about you, but that is why I think that it is so important that you constantly pray – as Jesus taught, Lead us not into temptation but deliver us -- from evil.
After fasting forty days and forty nights, Jesus overcame His temptations by the Devil, which demonstrates to us His sinlessness and His complete commitment to God.
Chapter four closes with the beginning of Jesus public ministry where it records Him traveling all about Nazareth, Capernaum, Naphtali, Zebulum and Galilee, teaching and preaching the gospel – telling men, women, boys and girls to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and healing all manner of sickness and disease.
All of this preaching, teaching and healing created a whole lot of excitement. So the Bible tells us that great multitudes started to follow Him.
Which leads us into Chapter 5 – and what is known as the Sermon on the Mount.
As we study through these 11-12 verses I will often stop to ask this question: How is this different in what the world teaches?
· We must always remember God’s ways are strange to the ways of the world.
· And as we as Christians faithfully commit ourselves to be obedient and follow the Lord, our ways will certainly be contrary to what the world teaches.
The Sermon on the Mount is the most misunderstood messages that Jesus ever gave.
· One group says it is God’s plan of salvation and that if we ever hope to go to heaven we must obey these rules.
· The 2nd group says it is a charter for word peace and begs the nations of the world to accept it.
· The 3rd group tells and teaches that this sermon does dot apply to us today.
Matthew 5:20 I believe the key tot his important message of the Lord Jesus. (Read)
The Jewish religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on law.
The righteousness Jesus described is a true and vital righteousness that begins internally; within the heart.
Someone has said; “Conduct flows out of character.”
Notice in Chapter 5:1-2 – I am using the KJV but the NJKV, the NAS and the NIV all say the same with only a few exceptions:
”And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was seated, his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth and taught, saying, …”
I. The PREACHER of the sermon.
· The Lord Jesus.
· We are living in day of great preachers. In days of old we had Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, The Wesley’s, to the great evangelists of the early 1900’s such as Billy Sunday to today like men like Billy Graham. These men faithfully proclaimed the Word of God.
· But there is no other teacher, no other preacher like the Prince of preachers, the Lord Jesus. He is the eternal Wisdom.
· In John 1:1 we are told that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” This is referring to Jesus as the eternal, sustaining living Word.
· Read John 1:14-17
· Jesus as the Living Word preached the truth.
· Jesus said of Himself in John 14:6; “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me.”
· Do you know anywhere else you can receive as much truth as you can through the reading and teaching of God’s Word?
· But sad to say it is so often neglected in our daily lives.
II. The PLACE of the sermon
· A mountain in Galilee.
· We do not actually know where this mountain was probably in the area of Capernaum. The land we know today as Palestine.
· Jesus had no great accommodations like we do today. Matthew 8: 20 tells the scribe who says he will follow Jesus that; “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
· I find it very strange that the times in Scripture we find Jesus teaching and preaching and healing it is not in the church or the temple; it is out among the people.
· I think this is one thing we must understand as we study these Kingdom characteristics; to follow Christ, for Him to be Lord we must totally submit to Him. We must give our all to Him. In doing so we are empting ourselves so that He might fill us and when we do so; that is when we are blessed.
· Notice also His position in which Jesus taught. He sat.
· It was the custom of the Jews when they read from the book of Laws to stand. But when the preaching or interpretation was given the preacher sat down.
· Next notice
III. The PARTICIPANTS of the sermon
· The disciples.
· *One who receives instruction from another; a scholar; a learner; especially, a follower who has learned to believe in the truth of the doctrine of his teacher; an adherent in doctrine. (Source: Dictionary.com)
· The best illustration and example of a disciplpe is given to us earlier in Matthew in chapter 4:18-22. (Read)
· Being a disciple or follower of Jesus means commitment. It means giving up of ourselves to follow Jesus.
· Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
IV. The PURPOSE of the sermon.
· I will try and close this point with a question; why is it important that we be instructed in the Word of God?
· Listen to what Matthew Henry comments on this: “In the Sermon on the Mount as well as all Christ’s teachings, He teaches what is the evil we should avoid, the good we should abide and abound in. Christianity is not a matter of speculation, but is designed to regulate the temper of our minds and the tenour of our conversations; gospel-time is a time of reformation; and by the gospel we must be reformed, must be made good, and must be made better.” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary volume 5 pg. 38)
· 1 Timothy 3:16-17 says; “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
