The Course of the Kingdom

Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount (7)

Pray Psalm 111.1-3.
Praise the LORD!
I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
The works of the LORD are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.

Sing Psalm 111.1-3.
(Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
Praise the LORD! O let my heart give thanks here amid His chosen race! 
Your works are great, O LORD, and sought by all who know their grace. 

For Your work is full of splendor, LORD, and of majesty most pure; 
Your righteousness, O glorious God, forever will endure!

Read aloud and meditate on Matthew 5.1-12.
In what sense is the reward of the faithful “in” heaven? Only for when we get there?

Prepare.
1. Which aspects of life in the Kingdom does Jesus address in these verses?

2. What does it mean to be “blessed”? 

Meditate.
We should remember that in God’s covenant, the core promise is that He will bless us (Gen. 12.1-3). To be blessed of God is to be a beneficiary of His favor, to be given access to His Presence, to know and love and serve Him, and to realize all the other promises of His covenant, which include extending His blessing to all the families of the earth. The Kingdom of God is the context in which those precious and very great promises are all realized in Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1.4; 2 Cor. 1.20). 

Jesus assumes the role of covenant-keeper, and He stands in the place of God to give entry to the Kingdom, where all those promises and blessings may be finally possessed. We enter the Kingdom through meekness, mourning for our sins, and looking to Jesus for comfort. He holds out the earth to us as His to give—having wrested it from the devil in Matthew 4.1-11—and calls us to seek righteousness and purity for our part of it. Kingdom citizens look to God through Jesus Christ and offer the mercy and peace of God to the world, inviting them to enter the Kingdom through the blessing of Jesus and His words and work.

Our course in this world will be difficult, as not everyone welcomes the Good News of the Kingdom. But we must meet all opposition with rejoicing, looking to the end of our faith, which is to see Jesus face to face, and to dwell forever with Him in thanksgiving and praise, in a place He is even now preparing for us.

The beatitudes offer a concise summary of the Good News of the Kingdom. But we have many questions, and, in the remainder of the sermon on the mount, Jesus will continue to sketch out the implications and opportunities of life in the Kingdom which is not of this world.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The first part of Jesus’ sermon to His disciples, and the multitudes, was regarding the blessings that fall on us because we are in Christ (vv. 3-5). Here and now and there and then.

The second part of His sermon details the blessings that are ours as we do His will, whilst living in the Kingdom, here and now (vv. 6-12).

“Our course in this world it will be difficult…but we must meet all opposition with rejoicing, looking to the end of our faith, which is to see Jesus face to face, and to dwell forever with Him in thanksgiving and praise, in a place He is even now preparing for us.”

And that amazing grace and hope are what gives us the strength to journey on in this life, on earth, living as if we were already in heaven—doing His will every day, moment by moment.

The blessings are ours when we trust in God to create in us a heart like His. 
He will never leave us, nor forsake us, in this journey towards holiness.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46.1).

“‘For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed,
but My kindness shall not depart from you,
nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,’ 
says the LORD, Who has mercy on you” (Is. 54.10).

“…being confident of this very thing, that 
He Who has begun a good work in you 
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…” (Phil. 1.6).

All the characteristics talked about in the Sermon on the Mount, 
were lived out perfectly by the One 
Who preached this glorious sermon of blessings. 
Blessings that God desires to pour upon us— 
“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven…”! (Matt. 5.12).

The great impetus to live on earth, righteously, as we will, one day, in heaven.

Reflect.
1. Summarize the teaching of the beatitudes in your own words:

2. What is involved in your having a heart like the heart of Jesus?

3. Why is our “course in this life” necessarily “difficult”? How should you prepare for that each day?

So do not suppose that the reward of the kingdom of heaven belongs only to the poor in spirit. It also belongs to those who hunger for justice, and to the meek and to all these blessed others without exception. For he set his blessing upon all these things to keep you from expecting something belonging to this material world. John Chrysostom (344-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 15.5

Pray Psalm 111.4-10.
Thank the Lord for transferring you into His Kingdom, sealing you in His covenant, redeeming you by His blood, and showing you His wisdom for Kingdom living. Pray about the day ahead, that you might be a faithful ambassador of that Kingdom.

Sing Psalm 111.4-10.
Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
You have caused Your many wondrous works to remain before our face. 
For You are full of mercy, LORD, and abounding all in grace. 

For all who fear You, You provide; Your covenant endures. 
Your pow’r You show Your people, LORD, and make the nations theirs. 

The works of Your all-sovereign hands are faithful, LORD, and just. 
Your precepts evermore are true and worthy of our trust. 

You have sent redemption, to us, LORD, in Christ of cov’nant fame,
and we in wonder, grace, and awe adore Your holy Name. 

All they who would true wisdom know must learn to fear You, LORD, 
and in that wisdom daily live and praise You evermore.

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).

Haven’t been to The Ailbe Bookstore lately? There’s a surprise waiting for you. And men, there is still time to sign-up for one of our Spring Men’s Reading Groups.

Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast begins a series of readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter has begun a new 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.