Message of Christ’s Kingdom
Matthew 5:21-48
Jim Davis
We live in an age that seeks to condense and simplify everything from what we eat to what we read. Meals are prepackaged in ready to cook disposal containers. Just take it home and stick it in the oven, and when you are finished simply throw away the mess. We also want information encapsulated in a nutshell. Books are written much different today than in the past. Sentences and paragraphs are shorter and to the point. Literature is packaged for short attention spans and fast lifestyles.
Jesus may have lived in a faster paced world than we may imagine. Don’t forget he was standing in the shadows of the greatest philosophers of the ancient world. It is little wonder why his teaching was always succinct and to the point. He always condensed what he taught into short pithy statements that often left his listeners absolutely stunned with his simplicity and wisdom. Jesus came speaking short parables enlightening the minds of his generation and embalming the truth for future generations. In the very outset of Jesus’ ministry he preached a sermon on a mountainside. He left his generation realizing no one had ever spoken God’s word so simply, powerfully and with such authority.
The religious people of Jesus’ day were accustomed to making long legal statements to explain how to keep God’s law. How to keep God’s law became more important than the reason for keeping the law. It is not much different today. Churches may place more emphasis on how to do church than the reason for doing church. Sadly, there is too much religious talk today. It tends to blind us to the simplicity of God’s word. Too much time has been spent formulating church doctrines, which seem to draw us away from the simple teaching of Christ.
Jesus Condensed the Message of the Bible
Volumes were written by Jews on how to keep the Ten Commandments. Jewish lawyers were the experts on how to keep the law. If there was a difficulty understanding a precept, the lawyers would step in and give legal advice on how to keep the law. They were very meticulous in designing rules to live by. Eventually the laws and regulations blinded the world to God and the simplicity of God’s Word.
Jesus was a master at simplifying and clarifying the message of the Bible. On one occasion he was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He took the opportunity to condense the entire Bible into two simple statements with extreme clarity.
Jesus simplified the entire scope of Old Testament into four short verses.
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Jesus summed it up in these short statements.
Jesus summed up the law; its about loving God and loving ones fellowman. For those who have trouble understanding these two principles Jesus made it even simpler. To keep these principles simply treat others as you want to be treated. Simple, yet mind boggling in application; it’s easy to know how we want to be treated, but not so easy to reciprocate this message for others.
Matthew records Jesus’ message of the kingdom in three short chapters, Matthew 5-7. The remainder of Matthew’s gospel is about how Jesus’ went about living out the principles in the Sermon on the Mount. Literally thousands of treatises have been written plunging the depth of what Jesus taught on that mountainside. However, the depth of his teaching is found in its transparency. No one had ever spoken with such profound clarity. It is not the depth of his teaching that is profound; it is the intelligibility of what he taught that makes it powerful. He distilled the message and purpose of the gospel into one earthshaking sermon.
When we come to the Sermon on the Mount today, we feel as though weeks should be expended searching the truths reveal. Jesus shared these truths on a mountainside to the ears of those who had little trouble understanding what he said. Countless books have been written to expound the message of Jesus’ sermon, but amazingly, Jesus did it in one sermon. He didn’t even give them an outline to take home.
Matthew 5:21-48
21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25 "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. NIV
Jesus sums up his message in just one rule saying, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 NIV) Just one rule; no legal jargon; only one soul searching precept: “Treat others as you would want to be treated.” Yet, I know a lifetime of living will never bring this one principle to perfection in my life.
The apostles picked up on Jesus’ interpretation of God’s law. By the way the precepts of the law are still valid. The only difference today is that we are saved through Christ sacrifice.
Romans 13:8-10
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. NIV
Becoming the Message is the Real Challenge
Becoming the message is the real challenge. John refers to Jesus as the Word that became flesh. He came to flesh-out the message of God for us. It shouldn’t surprise us that the first sermon he preached was about how to flesh-out—live out the message of the his kingdom.
As I read the Sermon on the Mount I feel an emptiness welling up in me; I realize how difficult it is to live by these principles. Jesus’ sermon actually creates a big black hole in me that longs to be filled. How difficult it is to never be angry—to make relationships right when they go wrong—to hold my tongue—to always speak the absolute truth—to control my wondering and wandering eyes—to give those suing me the advantage—to be as perfect in my love for my enemies as God’s love is for me—to forgive as I have been forgiven.
There is no way a sane person can read Jesus’ sermon and not long for the kind of world his message would create.
Anger is becoming the dominant emotion of our country. In fact it is leading response to the world’s problems. I am living in the outskirts of Orlando, Florida. Orlando is the vacation spots of the world. Celebration Station, Disney world, Sea World, and so much more than I have time to mention are only minutes away. Surprisingly, Orlando is ranked as one of the angriest cities in the country.
Do you know why people are angry? People are angry because they feel they aren’t being treating as they should be treated. Anger is a reciprocal emotion; we treat others as we are treated rather than as we would like to be treated, and it always comes back upon our heads. How often do we use and abuse others for our own selfish pleasure because we feel used and abused. We live in cities that need to be salvaged by Jesus’ precepts. Many dying fellowships could be salvaged by this kind of living.
We feel the emptiness of our world personally. Jesus reminds me of my spiritual poverty. He doesn’t do this to send me on a guilt trip, although we are guilty. This is precisely what brings us face to face with the essential prerequisites for entering God’s kingdom. He taught this simple message to create in us an eternal hunger for a better way of living. We must never forget the gospel message isn’t just designed to get us to heaven; it is a message designed to salvage life on planet earth. Humble obedience to this message will cause us to inherit the earth in a very real sense. This hunger for a better world brings us to the front gates of the kingdom of heaven. It seeks to prepare us for entry into the presence of God.
Matthew 5:3-10
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NIV
Coming face to face with Jesus’ kingdom message needs to create this kind of response in every heart. We need to feel the emptiness only God can fill; we need to mourn over the emptiness our personal sin creates in our souls. The emptiness our sin creates in others. It is the only way we will ever find comfort. We need to hunger for a better way of living; not just to fill our emptiness, but fill the emptiness of the world.
Jesus’ kingdom message leaves us with a clear understanding of the only way this kind of living is discovered and made possible. We must ask for God’s help. We must trust God to give us what we so desperately need. We know from experience it is not something that comes naturally.
Matthew 7:7-12
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. NIV
This is not a prayer to fulfill our selfish wishes. The context of the prayer revolves around asking God to help us discover and live according to the Golden Rule. Only God can direct our steps down this pathway of life. It is not in us to direct our steps to this kind of living (Jeremiah 10:23). We must pray for God to give us a change of heart. David’s failure led him to cry out, “Oh God, create in me a pure heart” (Psalms 51:10). It’s the only way for God’s kingdom to come in my life and my world. It is the only way to salvage the world.
We must pray for God to rule in our hearts. God is more than willing to direct the steps of the rebellious to know him. Listen to Jeremiah words to rebellious Israel.
Jeremiah 24:4-7
4 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5 "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
God will give you the desires of your heart, but you must desire what he desires. If you don’t desire it, ask God to create in you a desire to be the kind of person he designed you to be—the kind of person He wants you to be. Pray for God’s kingdom to come more fully in your own heart.
Matthew 6:9-15
9 "This, then, is how you should pray:
"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'
14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. NIV
We can rest assured this type of living will bring us face to face an angry world scorning kingdom living.
But we must remember:
Matthew 5:11-16
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NIV
We must not allow the evil others do blind us to our need to accept Christ’s mission for our lives.
Matthew 7:3-5
3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. NIV
God’s Plan for Evangelism
Remember this is God’s plan for saving and salvaging lives here on earth. Living the message of the kingdom of Christ was what made everything Christ taught credible. It is God’s way to evangelize our world. Our lives must have a purifying influence upon those we meet.
Mattew 5:13-16
13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. NIV
Jesus’ mission was to give us a clear picture of the life God has given us. There are those who are lost that only you can bring to Christ. The only way for them to ever see and believe is for them to experience the message of the kingdom through your life.
Conclusion:
Jesus concludes his kingdom message saying:
Matthew7:21-29
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. NIV
Take up our crosses to die with Christ daily.
Matthew 16:24-27
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? NIV
We must die with Christ to experience the power of the resurrected life.
Romans 6:1-7
6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. NIV