Kingdom Lifestyle: Living on Earth as Citizens of Heaven – 2

Today, we will start Part 2 of our sermon series on the Kingdom, entitled, “Kingdom Lifestyle: Living on Earth as Citizens of Heaven.” Part 2 is built on Part 1. First, we learned about the nature of the Kingdom in the parables. Now, we will learn about the guidelines of the Kingdom lifestyle in Jesus’ sermon. Jesus’ sermon on the mount describes the quality of the righteous life of citizens of the Kingdom. It describes what it should look like in the present spiritual Kingdom as well as in the coming future physical Kingdom of Christ. But it does not tell us how to attain this righteous life.[1]
        I read a story of a king who visited a school and asked the children some questions. He pointed to a stone in his ring and asked, “To what kingdom does this stone belong?” The children answered, “The mineral kingdom.”
        He pointed to a flower in his clothes and asked, “To what kingdom does this flower belong?” “The vegetable kingdom.”
        He pointed to a bird that flew outside and asked, “To what kingdom does this bird belong?” The kids replied, “The animal kingdom.”
        Then the king pointed at himself. “To what kingdom do I belong?”
        Have you received Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you follow Christ today? Do you obey His commands? Then you belong to the kingdom of God. You will exhibit the marks of the righteous life of a citizen of the Kingdom.
        The first part of Jesus’ sermon on the Kingdom lifestyle is the beatitudes. The English word, “Beatitudes,” is from the Latin, “beatitudenes,” from the Latin adjective, “beatitudo,”—“happy, fortunate, or blissful.” Let me point seven things about the beatitudes in Matt. 5:3-12.
        First, the word, “blessed,” is translated from the Greek, makarios, “happy usually in the sense of privileged recipient of divine favor.” (Gingrich) In the context of Jesus’ sermon, the word, “blessed,” is the pronouncement of God’s favor upon you that comes from being right with God. Blessedness also means God’s rewards for those who live the righteous life of the Kingdom.[2]
        Second, each “blessing” forms a topic that is a major theme in the Bible. For example, meekness and righteousness are major biblical themes.
        Third, each saying includes a condition and result. For example, the phrase, “the poor in spirit,” is a condition; and the phrase, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” the result.
        Fourth, the majority of scholars see only eight blessings in Matt. 5:3-10. Matt. 5:11-12 state, not another blessing, but a commentary on the eighth.
        Fifth, Jesus reverses the status of the unfortunate by calling them blessed. For example, meekness is thought to be a sign of weakness. But to Jesus, it is a sign of the blessing of inheriting the earth.
        Sixth, the beatitudes are not entrance requirements of the Kingdom, but eschatological blessings to disciples in the Kingdom. In vv. 1-2, Jesus taught the beatitudes to the disciples who came to Him. In v. 3, Jesus said, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In v. 10, Jesus said again, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Verses 3 and 10 form an “inclusio,” bracketing the beatitudes in vv. 2-9. Thus, the beatitudes are not for everybody, but only for followers of Christ.
        Seventh, and lastly, there is the present aspect of the beatitudes (“theirs is the kingdom”); but also, the future aspect (“they shall inherit the earth”). Thus, God gives partial rewards in the present age, but full rewards in the age to come.
[1] Allen Ross, “The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12),” An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew. Cited August 17, 2013. Online: https://bible.org/seriespage/beatitudes-matthew-51-12.