Sermon On The Mount - Kingdom Life

·         Pray

·         Matt 5:1-10

• ·          Words of Jesus have uniqueness because of who He was   

•        In many cases against or opposite way of world  (James 4:4)                                     

•              Jesus is teaching about the Kingdom of God. So they could be Kingdom people on earth

•              Jesus just beginning 2^nd year of Ministry

•              Just returning from His 2^nd Passover in ministry

 MATT 4  ²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, Decapolis,^[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

• Most Jews expected the Messiah to be a political / military leader. Jesus had no intention of changing the world through politics or military might. He was here to take back the world for God with love.
•  In those times life was as cheap as it’s ever been in history. Most people (including His disciples) did not understand anything but force. Jesus instead preached – meekness, Love,  mercy, - fruits of spirit.
• Most of them did not get it (we are no different) – we want what Jesus can do for us but we don’t get WHO HE IS! HE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD – AND ALL THINGS HE PREACHED, HE IS OUT TO CHANGE THE WORLD THROUGH LOVE AND SERVICE THEN AND NOW!

Returning to Capernaum – preaching and teaching (what did He teach about?)

KINGDOM OF GOD AND RELEVANCE TO LIFE AND RELEVANCE OF LIFE TO KINGDOM OF GOD – THE FACT THAT THE TWO ARE INSEPARABLE but also opposite the world’s idea of life and priorities.

·     

           People gathering and following – traveling with Him – They expected something from Him  note: They wanted what He could do, they knew because of Jewish teachings that He might be the Messiah. They wanted to hear or be around Him for what he could do for them right now - they did not get it spiritually - they wanted what we would call "welfare". God in His compassion took this opportunity to teach – HELP them – PROCLAIM KINGDOM

Mat 5  ¹ Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes   He said:

·         ³ 
  “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

•  can’t do it alone – admit and correct mistakes. Cant do it without God and the people He puts in our lives – He gets ALL the credit – GLORY - in your brokenness seek Him. - If you can fix problems yourself, you don't need God 
                                                

·         ⁴Blessed are those who mourn,
  for they will be comforted.  

• Bounce back especially when hurting (praise IN all things - not FOR all things) – remember your trust is In Him – deep compassion
  

·     
   ⁵ Blessed are the meek,         
   for they will inherit the earth.  

• Remain cool calm and collected – meekness does not mean weakness…it mean being under control. - Racehorse analogy: Race horses are awesome specimens, pound  for pound almost pure strength. Yet a rider weighing a fraction of what the horse weighs and also at fraction of the horses’ strength controls him - Strength under control

·         ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.

•  Insisting in your personal life on being connected to God and knowing you are made right    with Him through Christ. Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Showing Him to others by what you do as well as what you say.

·         ⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
   for they will be shown mercy.

• Treating others the way I want to be treated – no matter what - simple but hard to do

·         ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
         for they will see God.  

•  Really caring because you know the Love of God and you want others to know  it to. You show them your faith by your actions. Showing and sharing you’re your faith because you care.

·         ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they will be called children of God.

•  A lifestyle of bring people together – bridge building

·         ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

• Choose to be joyful, by doing that, you can be happy no matter what. – Remember your Joy is in the Lord . Easier said than done. Hurt is real.Happiness and joy two different things.

The Sacrifice Of God And Man

This study was presented at the Polk County Jail in 2007.  We just touch on some principals and I think, the main concept of the Bible. 

 If we treat others half as good as He treats us, the world would be different place.  We would have no need for jails or police. We would have no need for courts. We wouldn't sue each other. There would be no need.

We can't out-give God. His very nature to give.  Our nature is to be selfish. That is why we must think like Him. So we can mirror his actions - follow His example. 

It becomes apparent that our actions are to mirror God's actions toward us. That may be overly simplistic.

 We readily see, That He expects us to sacrifice or give gifts to others the way He treats us and sacrifices for us.

Rom 12:1-2  21^st Century  KJV

 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 2 And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

Beseech – Call near , invite, ask, call you to, intreat, call for, pray, beg, implore urgently

            Rom 15:30,

                       

·        Paul invites us to think about, by begging (he must think what he is saying is important) us in an urgent manner and tells us to listen to his message.

Therefore – so, hence, then

Bretheren –

 1) a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother

2) having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman

3) any fellow or man

4) a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection

5) an associate in employment or office

6) brethren in Christ

a) his brothers by blood

b) all men  - don’t forget “God would that all men be saved”   1Ti 2:4  - Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

c) apostles

d) Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place

Mercies  –  God’s mercy / save sinners by re-establishing His Kingdom. Gal 2:8-9

1.	compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2.	the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.

3.	the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, esp. to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

4.	an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5.	something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

6.	at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to: They were at the mercy of their captors.   Also, at one's mercy.

Present -  

1.	to furnish or endow with a gift or the like, esp. by formal act
3.	afford or furnish
11.	to represent, impersonate, or act,
16.	a thing presented as a gift
4.	to hand over or submit

Lets take a look at an old testament sacrifice: - it will become clear that a sacrifice is a gift. 

Leviticus 16:7New International Version (NIV)    ⁷ Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting

The idea here is to make a gift of something, to give something, a gift is always free – or at least it is supposed to be. In this case a sacrifice to the Living God, a gift from a man.

The creation is never greater than creator. We know man could never give anything to God. However, in the case of worship (as is the case with all giving) the act of giving is the true gift. 

·         Gift always free next slide next slide.

·         A gift is always given in love. 

·          What do we call gifts (Christmas, birthday presents – spelled the same way). Remember God’s free Gift in salvation (undeserved) He – presented or gave to us?

·         We can never out give God, in the old test. He put in place a series of animal sacrifices because He had not sent His Son yet to be a perm. Sac for us. Think of that he sent His Son not only to re-establish His Kingdom here on earth but through His Son, a permanent sacrifice or gift was given to each on of us.

your body -  a temple -  1 Cor. 6:19 – A temple is where sacs were made

a living sacrifice – your reasonable service  - acceptable to God

Rom 15:16                  Gal 2:20 – after what He has done for us it’s the least we can do for Him.

                                                We are Crucified with Him – if we are joint heirs with Him Rom 8:17

Like any father all God wants for us is the best.  (His Children)

1.   He thru Paul, tells us to give ourselves over to Him and His way of thinking, His service (by working for Him, in our church, by helping and building each other up, etc. what ever He wants you to do specifically) He speaks to us most of time thru His Word, Pray – listen/spend time being quiet specifically to listen to God. 

2.   He tells us not to be like the unbelieving world but transform or change your thinking to the way He thinks. (He says that the least we can do) – when we do that (the more we think like Him. Or our thoughts line up with His, then it’s easier to discern His voice)

3.   We learn what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God the more we meditate on His Word. It’s a circle of Gods Love toward us: The more we meditate on His Word the more He reveals to us and the more He reveals to us, the more we meditate on His Word.

Consider this in-light of understanding through daily meditation of               God’s Word:

Luke 8:18New International Version (NIV)   ¹⁸ Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

4.   . The more we learn about Him the more we will want to learn - for who can resist then The God of the universe?

(read)  Isaiah 28: 9&10 “line upon line, precept upon precept”

5.   Paul telling us to meditate (think about, mull over, kick around) The Word

6.   When we do this, our view of situations – good or bad, begins to change to the way God see them. This is what He wants for us and tells us to meditate on His Word in many places in the Bible.