Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount (12)
Pray Psalm 119.1-4.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the LORD!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
Sing Psalm 119.1-4.
(Ode to Joy: Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee)
Blessed are they whose way is blameless, all who walk within God’s Law,
who, His testimonies keeping, seek Him, filled with joy and awe.
These are they who, no wrong doing, ever walk within God’s ways.
LORD, Your precepts You command us; we would keep them all our days.
Read Matthew 5.1-19; meditate on verse 19.
What does “least” look like here?
Prepare.
1. Who are least in the Kingdom of heaven?
2. Who are great in the Kingdom of heaven?
Meditate.
Jesus could hardly be clearer about the importance of the Law of God. He fulfilled it, and He expects His followers to walk the same path (1 Jn. 2.1-6). Those who break even the least of God’s commandments, whether willfully or in ignorance, hinder their ability to realize more of the Kingdom of God, and its purity, righteousness, mercy, peace, power, and joy. Moreover, by failing to keep the Law, they cause others to stumble by their example. Even worse is intentionally to teach that we need not heed the commandments of the Lord, for thus lawlessness spreads, and with it, lack of love (Matt. 24.12).
If your aspiration is to be merely least in the Kingdom of heaven, then you’re missing Jesus’ point here. When He calls us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6.33), He does not mean that we should do so a little bit, or when it’s convenient, or if we feel like it and aren’t otherwise too busy. Life in the Kingdom demands our full-time attention and effort; we seek the Kingdom and righteousness of God first, as the defining motif of everything else we do. But we will not realize all the Kingdom promises apart from learning, obeying, and teaching the Law of God.
Kingdom greatness—flourishing and abounding in the character and power of the Kingdom of God (Rom. 14.17, 18; 1 Cor. 4.20)—is directly connected to obedience to God’s Law. We must learn the Law, meditating in it throughout the day (Ps. 1), and we must work out our salvation in obedience to it (Phil. 2.12). As we do, submitting thus to the rule of King Jesus, the reality of that rule comes to us and through us, and His Kingdom advances on earth as it is in heaven.
Kingdom greatness is involved with serving others in love (Mk. 10.41-45), and we cannot do that effectively apart from the Law of God.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The prophet Samuel was tasked with the job of telling King Saul that he had disobeyed and displeased God.
Not a safe job for Samuel, but a necessary one. Saul maintained that he had “sort of” obeyed; and Samuel disavowed him of that notion, quite succinctly:
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and
to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king” (1 Sam. 15.22, 23).
Jesus was saying the same thing, only taking a more positive approach:
Obeying the commandments and teaching them will make you great in the Kingdom of heaven;
however, breaking the commandments and teaching or allowing others to do the same, will make you least.
“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments,
and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;
BUT
Whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5.19).
The Law of God is pivotal for our life in the Kingdom.
How else can we possibly be righteous unless we keep them?
How can we keep them if we don’t know them?
How can we seek righteousness, first and foremost, if we don’t know what it entails?
The Law of God is the standard upon which the entire Kingdom population performs.
Pastors will be judged most sternly if they do not teach the Law; nor keep it (Jms.3.1).
But the rest of us will be equally judged for not keeping the Law; and not teaching it.
All will one day stand before the Judge to answer for our misdeeds (2 Cor. 5.10).
Jesus had great disdain for those who did not seek righteousness.
Here are some choice words He had regarding the scribes and Pharisees:
“Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do,
but do not do according to their works; for they say and do not do” (Matt. 23.3).
We dare not be found guilty of the same.
But on the upside, how very exciting it is that we can aspire to greatness in the Kingdom!
It is so easy, really—just keep the Law.
“Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.
LORD, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments.
My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.
I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You” (Ps. 119.165-168).
“Sort of” obeying (like Saul) is never good;
but fully obeying the Law, because we long to please our King
is how greatness can be “effectively” attained.
Reflect.
1. What role does the Law of God play in your life at this time?
2. How can we understand how to apply the Law to our lives?
3. What can keep us from seeking greatness in the Kingdom of God?
Whoever sets aside “one of the least of the commandments” of the law is set aside by God as God’s enemy and as an inventor of laws opposed to God. Cyril of Alexandria (375-444), Fragment 48
Pray Psalm 119.5-8.
Pray that God will deepen your love for His Law, and that He might help you learn and obey His commandments.
Sing Psalm 119.5-8.
(Ode to Joy: Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee)
Let my ways steadfastly keep to all the statutes of Your Word.
Then shall I, no shame enduring, fix my eyes on You, O LORD!
With an upright heart I praise You, in Your rules will I abide.
I will keep Your statutes wholly; keep me ever by Your side!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is studying the Church as Jesus envisions it. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
