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PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM
A. Introduction: Jesus came into this world to die as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity, and open the way for
those who acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord to be restored to their created purpose.
1. Human beings were created to become holy, righteous sons and daughters of God. And Jesus, in His
humanity, is the pattern for God’s family. Eph 1:4-5; Rom 8:29
a. Jesus is God become fully man without ceasing to be fully God. While He was on earth He showed
us how sons and daughters of God live in relation to their Father in Heaven and their fellow man.
b. When Jesus was on earth, He called men and women to follow Him—seek to be like Him, imitate
Him, copy His example. Matt 4:19; Matt 16:24; John 21:19-21; etc.
1. Jesus said: Take my yoke upon you (submit to me), and learn from me, for I am gentle (meek)
and lowly in heart (humble), and you will find rest for your souls (Matt 11:29, ESV).
2. He urged men and women to learn from Him. In that context, the first thing Jesus said about
Himself was: I am meek and humble. In other words, learn from me and copy my character.
2. Jesus did a lot of teaching about the kind of attitudes and behaviors He wants His followers to express
and demonstrate. We’re looking at a well known sermon Jesus gave, a whole teaching that describes
what sons and daughters of God look like—the Sermon on the Mount. We have more to say tonight.
B. People have a lot of misconceptions about the Sermon on the Mount. Some question whether it even applies
to us today, or if God actually expects us to live like this, since it sets a seemingly impossible standard for
human behavior. We’re approaching the Sermon from the standpoint of what it meant to the first hearers.
1. When Jesus was thirty years old, He began His public ministry. His opening statement was: (Repent)
Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the kingdom of heaven is near (Matt 4:17, NLT).
a. Then Jesus began to travel around Galilee (northern Israel), “teaching in their synagogues (meeting
places for instruction in the Scriptures) and proclaiming the gospel (Good News) of the kingdom
and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matt 4:23, ESV).
1. Jesus was born into 1st century Israel, as a Jew. Based on the writings of the Jewish Old
Testament prophets, these people were expecting the God of heaven (to) set up a kingdom (on
earth) that will never be destroyed (Dan 2:44, NLT).
2. The prophet Daniel further wrote that at that time: (God will) put down rebellion…bring an
end to sin…atone for guilt… (and) bring in everlasting righteousness (Dan 9:24, NLT).
3. When Jesus called people to turn from sin toward God because the kingdom is at hand, He got
everyone’s attention because, not only were they expecting the Kingdom of God to come, they
knew that sin would keep them out of the kingdom. So, they wanted to know what they needed
to do, to be certain that they would have a place in God’s kingdom.
b. When Jesus began to heal multiple people of all types of diseases and afflictions, they were even
more interested, because the prophets wrote: Be strong, and do not fear for your God is coming to
…save you. And when he comes he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf.
The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will shout and sing (Isa 35:4-6, NLT).
2. Jesus delivered His Sermon on the Mount early in His ministry. He opened it with seven specific
statements about the kind of person who will have a part and a place in the Kingdom of Heaven, the
Kingdom of God. These statements are known as the Beatitudes.
a. According to Jesus’ teachings, the Kingdom of Heaven belongs are those who are poor in spirit,
those who mourn over their sin, and those who are meek. They hunger and thirst for righteousness
and are merciful. They are pure in heart, and they are peacemakers. Matt 5:3-9
b. This is not a list of impossible standards that no one can meet. This is a description of what normal
looks like for a human. Human behavior in its present state is contrary to our created purpose.
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1. God made man in His image and likeness (Gen 1:26). We were created to express our
Creator’s goodness, love, kindness, and mercy to the world by the way we live, with the
capacity to be meek and humble. Jesus, in His humanity, expressed all these character traits.
2. Despite the corruption that is in us because of sin, the capacity to be like Jesus—merciful, kind,
humble—is in us. It’s part of the image of God that we still bear even in our fallen condition.
3. But the Sermon on the Mount alone won’t produce Christ-like character. We need supernatural help to
be Christ-like in character. Jesus will have to provide the power through His Spirit dwelling in us.
a. The crowd who heard Jesus speak didn’t know it yet, but Jesus was going to open the way for them
(and us) to be restored to all that they (we) were created, to be through His upcoming death and
resurrection. Salvation is the complete restoration of human nature from the effects of sin by the
power of God on the basis of the Cross.
b. Through His teaching, Jesus was working desire into them. Teaching creates the desire to aspire to
be Christ-like. Jesus was describing the kind of life that He’s come to produce in them. The
salvation that I am bringing will return you to normal if you obey me and rely on me to help you.
4. For the last few weeks we’ve been focusing on Jesus’ opening statements, the Beatitudes. Each one of
them begins with the word blessed. Blessed means happy.
a. The one who is truly happy is the one who exhibits these traits because they have returned to normal.
We were created to live like this, and when we do so, we fulfill our created purpose.
b. These are the people who will inherit the Kingdom of God—they will have a part in God’s eternal
kingdom. This includes the present Heaven when they die. This also includes unending life on
this earth, when Heaven comes to earth in connection with the Second Coming of Jesus.
1. When we read the Beatitudes we immediately think: Is this what I have to do to be saved? Do
I have to earn my salvation by exhibiting these character traits? If I burst out in an angry rage,
have I lost my salvation? None of these questions would have entered the listeners’ minds.
2. Jesus was not addressing any of those issues. Jesus was describing the kind of people that
those who follow Him, and receive the salvation He provides, will become. These are the
kinds of people who will populate God’s promised kingdom in Heaven and on earth.
c. Let’s briefly review the Beatitudes we’ve already covered (Matt 5:3-9). The one who is poor in
spirit has a right attitude toward himself and recognizes his complete dependence on God for
everything. The one who mourns has the right attitude toward sin. He realizes that sin is an
offense against God and is desperately sorry for it. The one who is meek has the right attitude
toward others. He is patient and longsuffering with others and doesn’t repay evil for evil. The one
who hungers and thirsts for righteousness has the right attitude toward his own conduct. He longs
to be and do what is right before God. The one who is merciful has the right attitude toward those
who are suffering. He has compassion even for those who are suffering for wrongs they have done.
C. Let’s examine the last two Beatitudes: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matt 5:8. KJV).
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matt 5:9, KJV).
1. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matt 5:8. KJV). This Beatitude has to do with
motives. The Greek word that is translated pure means unmixed, free from corrupt desires.
a. Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God (J. B. Phillips). Those who are pure in their
thinking are happy, because they will be with God (NCV). Blessed is the man whose motives are
always entirely unmixed, for that man will someday be able to see God (Barclay).
b. Those who are pure in heart have a right attitude toward their purpose in life. They are living for
God’s glory and not for their own. They live for His praise and not the praise of men. Matt 16:24
1. Jesus was born into a world (a culture) that was led by men with correct outer actions, but wrong
motives and attitudes—namely, the Pharisees and scribes. These men were outwardly pure
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and emphasized outward, ceremonial washings and cleansings.
2. But their hearts were full of corruption and defilement. They did what they did to gain the
praises of men. Jesus will later level the charge of hypocrisy against them. Matt 23:1-39
3. Jesus was introducing the concept of inward purity of heart—purity of motives, and purity of
devotion to God. The Pharisees were the opposite of the Beatitudes. Matt 6:1-18
c. The phrase shall see God is a Hebraism (figure of speech). The word seeing was used to mean
possessing. The idea is that the one who is pure in heart will possess or enjoy God’s happiness.
2. Matt 5:9—Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (KJV). This does
not mean work for world peace. Nor does it mean not dealing with something, just to keep peace.
a. God is progressively bringing His peace back to the world—By (Jesus) God reconciled everything
to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the
cross (Col 1:20, NLT). We could do an entire lesson on this, but consider two points.
b. Right now, God brings peace with Him to all who surrender to Him (Rom 5:1). When Jesus returns
He will bring His everlasting peace to this world and establish His kingdom on earth (Isa 9:6-7).
c. A peacemaker has a right attitude toward God’s purpose. A peacemaker works to bring peace to
relationships. He doesn’t think in terms of me and my rights, and what they did to me. He
desires God’s glory above all—even if it means that he must suffers a wrong or an injustice.
1. This man will be called a child (literally, a son) of God. The Hebrew language did not have
many adjectives. When they wished to describe something, the phrase “son of” was used. A
man would be called a son of peace when they meant a peaceful man. The one who brings
peace to a situation is doing a God-like, Christ-like work.
2. Are you the person who is often at the center of quarrels and strife with others, or are you the
the cause of quarrels among others? Do you bring drama to situations? Do you always
answer back? Do you have to have the last word? Or do you bring peace to the situation?
3. Jesus made two more “blessed” statements: Blessed are those who are persecuted because they live for
God, and blessed are those are mocked, persecuted, and lied about because they follow Me. Matt 5:10-11
a. Jesus was warning His audience that this is how some people will respond to those who are Christ-
like in character. But, Jesus said be happy, because your reward will be great in the life to come.
b. We aren’t going to discuss this in detail. The point for now is that as you return to normal behavior,
you will seem abnormal to those around you. And you must learn to be okay with that.
1. It is better that you be criticized for being Christ-like, rather than because you are a difficult,
inconsiderate, quarrelsome, harsh, judgmental person.
2. Later in the Sermon, Jesus will tell them to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute
them. That way you will be acting as true children of your Father in Heaven (Matt 5:45, NLT).
4. Jesus finished this portion of His Sermon with two statements: You are the salt of the earth and the light
of the world (Matt 5:13-15). Jesus was using familiar cultural references to help them see the value of
displaying the character traits He has just outlined. This is what you were created to be and do.
a. In the ancient world, salt was highly prized. It was connected with purity, and it was used as an
offering to the gods (even in certain Jewish offerings, Lev 2:13). Salt was a preservative and added
flavor to food. There are many good word pictures from salt that can be applied to Christians.
1. But the most important point for our discussion is that salt that has lost its flavor is useless—
What good is salt if it has lost its flavor (Matt 5:13, NLT). As a Christian, you need to fulfill
your purpose. Your purpose is to reflect the character of Christ (the moral attributes of
God) to the world around you.
2. Developing Christ-like character is the most important thing you can do (above career, job,
ministry, marriage, family, etc.). If you are not Christ-like, you aren’t fulfilling your purpose.
b. The statement that you are the light of the world was a familiar expression to a Jewish audience.
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They themselves referred to Jerusalem as the light of the world.
1. With His statement Jesus was preparing His listeners for the fact that He will call His followers
to be like Him, because I am the Light of the world (John 9:5). You are to reflect Me to the
world around you. Jesus is not demanding that His followers produce their own light.
2. We reflect His light, a radiance that comes from Him within us by His Spirit, reflected and
expressed through attitudes, motives, words, and actions. Jesus said: You are the light of the
world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see (Matt 5:14, NLT).
A. The purpose of a lamp is to be seen. If it can’t be seen, it’s useless. Jesus said: Don’t
hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all (Matt 5:15,
NLT). This was a familiar cultural reference.
B. Homes in 1st century Israel were dark, and generally had only one small window. Lamps
were shaped like little gravy boats, filled with oil, and the wick floated in the oil. The
lamps were placed on a stand for maximum benefit. Because it was difficult to light wicks
before matches were invented, lamps were kept burning.
C. For safety’s sake, when people left the house, they took the lamp off the stand and put it
under a clay bushel (a container used to measure grain) to reduce the risk of fire.
1. Jesus finished Hi point with this statement: In the same way, let your light shine
before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who
is in heaven (Matt 5:16, ESV).
2. Just as Jesus reflected God the Father to the world through His character, those who
have a part in God’s kingdom will reflect Christ-like character to the world.
5. Don’t forget the context. Jesus was talking to people that were expecting the Kingdom of God to come,
and wanted to know who will have a place in God’s Kingdom. Jesus wasn’t teaching a sermon on how
to be saved or on who is and isn’t saved. None of the people listening spoke or thought in those terms.
a. Jesus was beginning to prepare them from what He was going to do through His death, burial, and
resurrection. He was preparing them for the new type of relationship that God will establish with
humanity. Men and women will become God’s sons and daughters (many lessons for another day).
b. In the Beatitudes Jesus described the kind of character that God’s salvation and redemption will
produce in men and women, through His Spirit and life in them. They don’t know all of that yet.
Remember, Jesus is wetting their appetite for what is to come.
c. Over the next three years Jesus will continue to teach about and model these character traits.
The Beatitudes describe the character of those in God’s kingdom—they are Christ-like.
D. Conclusion: Talking about developing Christ-like character can seem overwhelming to us, especially when
we look at these Beatitudes. We have more to say next week, but consider these thoughts as we close.
1. This list is not an all or nothing list—You either do it or you don’t. You’re either Christ-like or you
aren’t. No, we have to grow into these traits, practice, and develop them. Start where you are.
a. No one Jesus spoke to that day was able to perfectly demonstrate any of these traits. They had the
potential to do so because they were created in the image of God. But they did not yet have the
Holy Spirit within them. Although none of them could do it fully, Jesus expected them to try.
b. When you ask a five year old to set the table for dinner, you know he can’t do it perfectly. But he
has the potential, so you ask him to do it, to help train him, and to develop the skill to do it properly.
2. Practice these traits. When someone angers you, restrain yourself. Don’t lash out at them. You may
be raging on the inside, and not yet perfect in meekness, but you are moving in the right direction.
3. Pray these Beatitudes. Ask God to help you grow in humility, meekness, and mercy. Ask Him to help
you express Christ-like character, the characteristics of people in the Kingdom of God. Much more
next week!