Chapter 5. And if you're using notes this morning, I've confused you all, I've even confused myself, which isn't a difficult thing to do.
We're going to go Hebrew today. We normally read left to right. Hebrew goes right to left.
So you'll see the title on the front, Living for the King. When you've completed that page, don't open it up, just go to the very back.
And it'll be Jesus the King at the top and you can follow through. And then at the end of that page, open up the middle and then it's back to English again.
So start with Hebrew and part to English. Now that I've confused you, we're going to read God's word.
Thank you so much, Claire. Hope you don't mind me asking. Thank you. Thank you. That's great. Brilliant.
Let's continue in our reading of the Gospel of Matthew.
Starting at verse 1 of chapter 5 and we'll go down to verse 20.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him and he began to teach them.
Jesus said,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you,
persecute you,
and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are the salt of the earth,
but if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand
and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way,
let your light shine before others
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven.
Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have not come to abolish them,
but to fulfill them.
For truly I tell you,
until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the law
until everything is accomplished.
Therefore,
anyone who sets aside
one of the least of these commands
and teaches others accordingly
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever practices and teaches these commands
will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you
that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees
and the teachers of the law,
you will certainly not enter
the kingdom of heaven.
Well,
let's keep our Bible open
and we'll pray.
Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Father,
would you give us
that hunger
and that thirst
and may it only be satisfied
by Jesus
and knowing him more.
Meet us in our need today.
Show us the greatness
of your kingdom
and what it is
to live as your people
in that kingdom.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Well,
we're going to jump
straight into the text today
so you can take a deep breath.
We're straight into the deep end.
And we're going to look at
three themes
that build on one another.
We're going to look at
God's kingdom has come,
enter the kingdom,
and then live
as God's kingdom people.
So,
God's kingdom has come,
enter the kingdom,
and live
as God's kingdom people.
So,
the first one,
God's kingdom has come.
Let's read verse 1.
Now,
when Jesus saw the crowd,
so,
just prior to this,
Jesus has been about
teaching in different places
and he's been healing
lots of people
and of course
it's caused a stir
and there's crowds
of people going
wherever he is.
So,
when Jesus saw the crowd,
he went up on a mountainside
and sat down.
Seems the obvious thing
to do,
isn't it,
when you want to get away
from people?
Go and climb a mountain.
It's what I like to do
because when you get
up a mountain
you don't particularly
see many people up there,
do you?
Apart from sheep
and they don't want to
talk to you either.
Well,
here we have Jesus
going up a mountain.
except for
Jesus is not trying
to get away
from the crowds.
Look at the end
of verse 1.
His disciples
came to them,
to him
and he began
to teach them.
This begins
a whole teaching section.
It's like one
big long sermon
that goes
all the way through
to the end
of chapter 7.
So,
if you just quickly
have a look at
chapter 7
and verse 28.
So,
he's gone up
the mountain,
he begins teaching
and then he concludes
verse 28,
when Jesus
had finished
saying these things,
the crowds
were amazed
at his teaching.
You see,
the crowds
are still with him.
They followed him
up the mountain.
Jesus isn't trying
to get away
from anyone.
Jesus has taken
an intentional
and deliberate
step to go
up a mountain
because by going
up a mountain,
he's revealing
something about
who he is
and what he has
come to do.
Mountains are
very significant
things in the Bible.
Things happen
on mountains.
In particular,
is what happened
on Mount Sinai.
Do you remember
that event?
Well,
go with me
all the way
back to Exodus.
It's the second
book in the Bible,
Genesis,
Exodus,
chapter 19.
Exodus,
chapter 19.
So God,
through Moses,
has rescued
the Israelites
from Egypt
and God
brings them
to Mount Sinai.
And from this
mountain,
God speaks
and reveals
his purpose
in rescuing
his people.
They are to be
God's
treasured
possession.
So let's
pick it up
in verse
3.
So then
Moses went
up to God
and the Lord
called to him
from the
mountain
and said,
this is what
you are to say
to the descendants
of Jacob
and what you are
to tell the
people of Israel.
You yourselves
have seen
what I did
to Egypt
and how I
carried you
on eagles'
wings
and brought
you to
myself.
Now if you
obey me
fully
and keep
my covenant,
then out of
all the nations
you will be
my treasured
possession.
Although the
whole earth
is mine,
you will be
for me
a kingdom
of priests
and a
holy nation.
These,
Moses,
are the words
that you are
to speak
to the
Israelites.
So God
rescued his
people to be,
verse 5,
his treasured
possession,
to be his
chosen special
people.
But in being
his special
people comes
a purpose.
Look at
verse 6,
you will be
a kingdom
of priests
and a
holy nation.
You see,
the role
of the
priest
was to
represent
God
to the
people.
So if
you are a
kingdom
of priests,
that means
together
they are
to represent
God to
all the
nations
around
them.
And if
you are
going to
be holy,
it means
you are
to be
set apart,
to be
different.
You are
to reflect
God's
character.
So if
you are
a holy
nation,
that means
that together
as God's
people,
you are
to reflect
God's
character
to all
the nations
and all
the people
around you.
So as
God's
treasured
people,
they are
to represent
God and
reflect
God to
the nations.
That was
God's
purpose.
But the
problem was
they failed.
Instead of
drawing the
nations to
God,
the nations
drew them
away from
God.
Rather than
being a
light to
the world,
they became
part of
the darkness.
They didn't
represent God
fully and
they didn't
reflect God
as they
should.
But yet
when God
makes a
promise to
bring a
people to
himself,
he will
fulfill that
promise.
Let's go
back now
with that
in mind
to chapter
5 of
Matthew.
So look
at verse
1.
What has
happened?
Well,
just as
Moses went
up the
mountain
before the
people,
so Jesus
goes up
the mountain
before the
people.
The difference
is that
Jesus is
claiming to
be God
on the
mountain.
Remember the
name given
to Jesus
earlier in
Matthew 1
verse 23?
You will
give birth
to a son
and you
will call
him
Emmanuel,
which means
God
with us.
So as
Jesus stands
on the
mountain
before the
crowds,
he stands
there as
God.
He is the
true priest
representing
God to the
people.
He is the
true holy
one reflecting
God to the
people.
As Jesus
speaks,
people are
hearing the
very words
of God.
You see,
Jesus going
up the
mountain
side is
not to
get away
from people.
It's
significant.
It tells
us something
about who
Jesus is
and why
he has
come.
Have a
look over
at verse
17.
Jesus says,
don't think
that I've
come to
abolish the
law or
the prophets.
That is,
the Old
Testament
scriptures,
scriptures like
what we've
just read
in Exodus
19.
I haven't
come to
abolish
them,
but to
fulfill
them.
In other
words,
what you
see in
the Old
Testament
is a
picture,
it's
pointing
towards
me,
it's
longing
for me
to
come.
I am
the
faithful
one
who
has
not
failed.
I am
the
light
come into
the
darkness
to draw
people
to
myself
because
the
coming
of
Jesus
is
the
coming
of
God's
kingdom.
And
that is
the case
today.
Jesus
has
come,
that
means
God's
kingdom
has
come.
And
God's
plan and
purpose
is the
same.
He is
to rescue
a people
for himself
who will
be his
treasured
possession,
a people
who are a
kingdom of
priests,
and a
holy nation
who will
draw
people to
God.
God's
kingdom
has
come.
God's
kingdom
has
come.
Second,
he calls
us to
enter into
the
kingdom
of
God.
Jesus
is
calling
a
people
to
himself.
Look at
verse 1
again.
His
disciples
came to
him
and he
began to
teach
them.
He
teaches
how we
might
enter
the
kingdom
and
become
his
treasured
possession.
And
his
teaching
initially
is
focused
on
eight
beatitudes
or
blessings.
The
first
one,
verse
three,
and the
last
one,
which
starts
in
verse
10
and
continues
into
verse
11.
The
first
and
the
last
of
these
blessings
set
the
theme.
It's
repeated.
Theirs
is the
kingdom
of
heaven.
So
how do
we
enter
the
kingdom
of
heaven?
Well,
first we
are to
be
poor
in
spirit.
Verse
three,
blessed
are the
poor
in
spirit,
for
theirs
is the
kingdom
of
heaven.
Those
who
are
poor
in
spirit
enter
the
kingdom.
Suppose
you
get
yourself
into
debt.
You
might
go to
the
bank
and
get
a
loan,
but
instead
of
dealing
with
your
debt,
you
decide
to
use
that
money
and
keep
on
spending,
and
so
you
get
into
a
pattern
of
just
borrowing
and
borrowing,
and
sooner
or
later,
you
become
bankrupt.
You
haven't
the
resources
or
the
means
within
yourself
to
pay
it
off.
Well,
to be
poor
in
spirit
is
to
recognize
and
to
own
the
fact
that
I
am
spiritually
bankrupt,
that
I've
been
running
up
an
increasing
sin
debt
and
I
have
no
resources
or
means
to
pay
it
off.
And
rather
than
plead
innocence
or
ignorance,
we
accept
our
condition
and
completely
rely on
God.
It's
saying,
I deserve
justice,
but I
am
desperate
for
mercy
and
grace.
It's
what
David
prayed
as he
accepted
his
sin
of that
adultery
and
murder.
This is
what he
prayed
to
God.
God,
my
sacrifice,
O God,
is a
broken
spirit,
a
broken
and
contrite
heart
you,
God,
will
not
despise.
You
see,
poor in
spirit,
that
contrite
heart,
it's
coming
before
God
with
nothing
and
offering
nothing
except
our
broken,
ruined
lives.
Poor in
spirit is
the necessary
heart
attitude
to enter
the kingdom.
It is
what marks
out
members
of God's
kingdom.
So first,
poor in
spirit.
second,
a
God
given
righteousness.
Do you
see what it
says?
Verse 10,
blessed
are those
who
persecuted
because of
righteousness.
In other
words,
that if
you are
righteous,
you will
face some
kind of
opposition.
Blessed
are those
who are
persecuted
because of
righteousness,
for theirs
is the
kingdom of
heaven.
those
who are
righteous
enter the
kingdom.
Well,
what does
it mean
to be
righteous?
How can
I be
righteous
to enter
the
kingdom?
Well,
Jesus
explains it
for us.
We read
it in
verse 20.
Jesus
says,
I tell
you that
unless
your
righteousness
surpasses
that of
the Pharisees
and the
teachers
of the
law,
you will
certainly
not
enter
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
Now,
the Pharisees
were the
religious
lot.
We'll
meet them
lots of
times as
we go
through
Matthew.
They were
the religious
leaders of
the day.
And they
had worked
up,
they'd done
their sums
as they
read through
the Old
Testament
scriptures.
There
were 613
laws.
And they
not only
claimed to
know every
single one
of them,
but that
they kept
every single
one.
They saw
themselves as
righteous,
pure,
blameless,
and right
before God.
In their
eyes,
they were
the keepers
of righteousness
and they
made sure
that everybody
else kept
these laws
so that
together they
could become
a kingdom
of priests
and a
holy nation.
Do you see
what Jesus
says in
verse 20?
Unless your
righteousness
surpasses that
of the
Pharisees,
you won't
be able to
enter the
kingdom of
heaven.
Now Jesus
is not
saying you
must be
better than
the Pharisees.
He's saying
you need to
surpass it.
In other
words, you
need a
righteousness
that is
something
altogether
different.
Have a
look with
me please
to Matthew
chapter 23.
23.
Go to
Matthew
23.
Here Jesus
confronts
these very
Pharisees
over their
understanding
of what it
is to be
righteous.
Because they're
all telling
everybody,
do this,
be righteous
and you'll
enter.
And Jesus
confronts this
notion.
Let's
pick it
up in
verse 27.
Woe to
you,
teachers of
the law
and Pharisees,
you hypocrites!
You look
like whitewashed
tombs.
Now for
us in our
culture we
put flowers
where people
have been
buried,
then they
whitewashed,
they got
out nice
white paint
and cleaned
them all
up.
It was
nice and
bright and
white.
He says
you are
like
whitewashed
tombs,
which look
beautiful on
the outside
but on
the inside
are full
of the
bones of
the dead
and
everything
unclean.
In the
same way
on the
outside
you appear
to people
as righteous
but on
the inside
you are
full of
hypocrisy
and wickedness.
We're all
good at
putting on
a show
aren't
we?
Nice and
white and
bright on
the outside.
We can
all do
our acts
of righteousness
committed
at church,
serving away,
giving generously,
obeying all
the COVID
rules in
society and
we can spend
our time
making sure
that everybody
else keeps
to my
little standard
of what it
is to be
right and
good.
But Jesus
says it's not
about that,
it's about
what's on the
inside that
counts.
He's concerned
with what's in
the heart,
our motives,
our attitudes,
our desires,
what we're
thinking about
people who
don't measure
up to me.
The reality
is we are
all hypocrites.
We look so
nice and
bright on
the outside
but inside
we are
bones,
we're dead,
we're unclean.
Let's go
back to
chapter 5.
You see,
we need a
righteousness
that doesn't
come from
self,
where we
manage to
do all
these different
things,
but we
need a
righteousness
that is
given to
us by
God.
It's not
about external
behaviours,
but about
an internal
change of
heart.
Any one
of us
can put
on a
show,
but no
one can
change the
true self,
the heart.
So
righteousness
that comes
from God
is the
necessary
thing we
need for
heart change
to enter
the kingdom.
kingdom.
So we
need to
be poor
in spirit,
we need
a God
given
righteousness
and well
if that's
the way
it is
then we
are truly
blessed.
You see,
to enter
we must
begin to
apply what
we've just
looked at
to our
own life.
We become
poor in
spirit and
we seek
his
righteousness.
As one
writer put it
like this,
every day
Jesus comes
to us
with his
mercy and
grace and
says,
I'll do
a deal.
I will
take all
your failures,
all your
sin,
all your
guilt,
all your
bitterness,
all the
curse,
all the
wrath,
all the
death,
and in
return I'm
going to
give you
love,
joy,
life,
righteousness,
peace.
Nothing
delights
Jesus more
than for
us to
come to
him empty
and needy
so that
we might
be filled
and satisfied.
We give
him our
sin and
we receive
his
righteousness,
his
perfection.
We give
to him
our sin
debt and
he credits
us with
his
righteousness.
Now if
that's how
we come
to Jesus,
we are
truly
blessed
people.
Verse
three,
blessed
are the
poor in
spirit.
Verse
ten,
blessed
are those
who are
righteous,
for theirs
is the
kingdom of
heaven.
You see,
if you are
blessed,
you are
approved by
God,
you've been
accepted by
God,
you are
now his
treasured
possession.
In coming
to Jesus,
you become
a priest in
his kingdom,
representing
God to
others.
You become
a holy
one in
his nation,
reflecting
God to
others.
You see,
Jesus has
come to
us today,
speaking
his word
to us,
calling
us to
himself,
commanding
us,
enter the
kingdom.
kingdom,
and as
we humbly
come,
as we
rely on
him,
we become
his
treasured
possession.
God's
plan and
purpose
remains the
same,
for him
to make
himself a
kingdom of
priests and
a holy
nation that
will bring
others to
the king
and into
his kingdom.
kingdom.
So the
kingdom has
come,
enter the
kingdom,
and third,
live as
kingdom
people.
So what
does Jesus
say to
his kingdom
people?
You say
you follow
me, you
say you've
entered your
poor in
spirit, that
you've received
my righteousness,
what does
that look like
now for us
in his
kingdom?
Well,
first,
it's about
distinctive
living.
Look at
verse 13.
Jesus says
you are the
salt of
the earth.
We can say
at least one
thing about
salt, it's
distinctive,
isn't it?
It tastes
different.
You always
know if you've
eaten something
with salt in
it.
Salt, to
state the
obvious, is
salty.
So Jesus'
message is
simple, be
distinctive in
the way you
live.
Be different
from those
around you.
Be salty
people.
So in
what ways
are we to
be different?
Well, let's
just think
about these.
I'll throw
a few things
out.
How we
speak about
others to
others.
Are we
building them
up in our
conversation or
are we just
knocking them
down?
how we
treat those
who hurt
us?
Do we
forgive their
gripes or
do we bear
grudges?
How we
use our
finances?
Are we
open-handed
or are we
tight-fisted?
How we
respond to
practical needs
around us?
Are we
willing to
give of our
time or do
we begrudgingly
do what we
have to do
because someone's
seen us?
Here's a good
question to ask
ourselves.
Think about
who you'll
meet this
week.
The people
in your
work?
People who
you live
next door to
in your
neighbourhood?
Your social
group?
Do they
see difference
in the way
you live?
Or do you
just blend
in with
everybody
else?
Are we
just kind
of camouflaged
in with
everyone else?
We can't
see any
difference,
just the
same.
You see,
if there's
no distinctive
living,
if we're
not salty,
look at the
end of verse
13,
it is no
longer good
for anything
except to be
thrown out
and trampled
underfoot.
kingdom
people live
distinctive,
salty
lives.
Second,
there's
attractive
living.
Look at
verse 14.
You are
the light
of the
world.
A light
stands out
in the
darkness,
doesn't it?
So,
look at the
rest of
verse 14.
A town
built on
a hill
cannot be
hidden.
We're used
to lots
of lights
in our
society,
but then
you think
of a
town,
and the
lights in
that town,
if you are
a long
distance,
you can
see that
town from
a long
way away,
and you're
attracted
towards it.
You're
heading to
the light.
Jesus'
message is
clear.
Be a
light for
good in
this world
of darkness.
In other
words,
be attractive
in the
way you
live.
Draw
people to
the light
by the
way you
conduct
yourself.
So,
what's that
going to
look like
for you
and me?
Well,
think about
this.
It's
listening to
others'
concerns
and not
voicing
your
complaints.
sacrifice.
It's
sacrificing
what you
want
and giving
to those
who are
in need.
It's
about
inviting
people into
your home,
not waiting
to be
invited.
It's
pursuing
the good
of others,
not protecting
the comfort
of self.
Again,
it's good
to ask
ourselves
this
question.
If you
were to
ask them
or they
were to
write
something
about
you,
would
people
say,
Johnny
is so
caring,
he's
such a
loving
neighbour,
or
would they
say he's
stingy
and selfish?
Are we
a light
in the
darkness?
Or by
our words
and actions
are we
adding
to the
darkness?
You see,
kingdom
people
live
attractive
lives.
And this
attractiveness,
this
distinctiveness,
well,
it's not
to be
done in
isolation,
it's a
community
project.
Again,
look at
verse 13,
he says,
you are
the salt
of the
earth.
Verse 14,
you are
the light
of the
world.
He's
talking about
his people,
his treasured
possession,
his church,
us,
as we're
gathered here
today.
We are
to live
this kingdom
life together.
We're not
doing it
in isolation,
me in my
small corner
and you
in yours.
We're
together.
That's why
Carragoline
Baptist Church
exists.
We serve
each other,
we're to
love each
other,
show compassion
and forgive
and work
all these
things out
so that
our
distinctive
living
becomes
attractive.
That people
see a
difference
the way
that
community
live and
operate
and are
drawn in.
A grain
of salt,
one little
inchy pinchy
grain of
salt has
a little
impact,
but a
fistful
of salt,
the impact
of that.
or one
little
candle
in the
darkness,
but 50
candles
in the
darkness.
The
community
of God's
people
rescued
for a
purpose,
drawn
together
to be
his
treasure
possession,
working
and serving,
making a
difference.
We live
communal
lives.
We don't
just come
and disappear.
We get
involved
with each
other.
This is
the best
I could
come up
with,
intentional
living.
Being
distinctive
and being
attractive
is of
no value
if we're
all just
looking at
each other
and keeping
ourselves
to ourselves.
Look what
Jesus says,
you are the
light of
the world.
A town
built on
a hill
cannot be
hidden.
Neither
do people
light a
lamp
and then
put it
under
a bowl.
Instead,
they put
it on
its
stand
and it
gives
light to
everyone
in the
house
so that
everybody
can see
it and
benefit.
Verse 16,
in the
same way,
let your
light shine
before
others
that they
may see
your good
deeds
and glorify
your Father
in heaven.
In other
words,
we are to
be light
in the
darkness.
The
kingdom of
heaven is
to be
in the
kingdom of
the world.
That means
intentionally
being with,
getting to
know,
spending time
with people
who are not
yet in
the kingdom
of heaven.
Do you
have friends
who are not
in the
kingdom of
heaven?
Do you
actually know
anybody?
I mean,
really know
them and
call them
as friends
where you
get to
know them?
Well,
be intentional.
Go and
spend time
with them.
Don't hide
your light.
Don't bury
yourselves away
keeping yourself
to yourself.
That's not
what it's
about.
The church
is not to
separate or
isolate from
the world.
The church
is to be
in the
world.
living
distinctively
and attractive
lives together.
And as
we do,
end of
verse 16,
they may
see your
good deeds,
your acts
of love
and kindness,
the way in
which you
conduct
yourself,
the way
you speak,
and that
God could
use all
of that to
bring them
to glorify
your Father
in heaven.
Amen.
I'm worried
that we
can be so
withdrawn
that we
don't mix
and meet.
How sad
that is.
We are the
salt of the
earth,
a kingdom
of priests
representing
God to
those around
us.
We are
the light
of the
world,
a holy
nation
reflecting
God to
those around
us.
Together,
the church
is God's
treasured
possession,
living our
life together
as God's
kingdom
people
for his
glory.
kingdom
has come.
Are you
in the
kingdom?
And are
we together
living as
his kingdom?
Let's
pray about
that now.
Father,
your kingdom
is a
good
kingdom.
You are
faithful
and you
are
trustworthy.
You
provide for
us in
all our
need.
And you
have enabled
us and
shown us
how we
might enter
and I
pray right
now that
if you
are here
today and
you think
I'm not
in that
kingdom
yet,
come before
God,
poor in
spirit,
bringing
nothing but
your
brokenness
and receive
from him
his
righteousness
so that
you may
be truly
blessed.
father,
help us
by your
holy
spirit
to take
seriously
your
words
that we
would live
distinctive
lives,
that we
would be
attractive in
the way we
speak and
the way we
act,
that you
would help
us to
do these
acts of
love well
to one
another,
but
amongst
people.
Help us
to get
down to
the nitty
gritty of
life with
others.
Please help
us not to
hide our
light,
but to
shine it
forth for
your glory,
family,
that others,
our friends,
our
neighbours,
family and
workmates,
would come
to glorify
the father
and worship
him.
In Jesus'
name we
pray.
Amen.
We're
going to
sing a
song.