Sermon on the Mount I - Kingdom of Heaven

God, I want to pray and talk with you about Jesus' sermon on the mount. I already knew I loved this section of your Word- I want to understand it better. Before I gave my life to Lord Jesus, I read a book my Emmet Fox on this section of scripture, and I believe even though he may have had good points, that he speaks more in the tradition of the gnostics and Christian Science than from accurate Biblical interpretation.

I read this recently, and I was fascinated with the idea of the 'kingdom of heaven' because everyone knows about Heaven itself, the place the saved go when we die, but I had somehow missed that it was supposed to be not only a future hope, but a present reality... at least according to my Study Bible and Matthew Henry.

Matthew says (3:2, 4:17) from then on you began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

I love that word repent- to turn about, to make a 180 degree change... That's what I had to do. The process took about 9 years! It started with changing my life, eliminating addictions and unhealthy relationships, but still didn't center of Jesus. I focused on spirituality and growing, but I had not truly repented of my selfishness. I still held on to my right to choose who my god would be. Effectively, I was still God. I thank you for your patience through that time, God, and for the grace, the mercy, the goodness you showed me through others, that you might even comfort me while I still did not know who you really were.

So, Matthew quotes you in the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount using this phrase Kingdom of Heaven in connection with two separate situations, conditions, or attitudes. The first is, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," (5:3).

I'll go now for more insight to Matthew Henry, who I love. He lived and died more than about three centuries ago, but given how despite all our social and technological changes, people change so little, that amount of time is really not much. And when I come close to him through his writing, I am really just hand in hand with him trying to approach Christ. I love him with philadelphia, brotherly love, because of what he wrote (his Bible commentary), because of how much he wrote, because he gave his life to Christ through his writing, because he gave Christ to us through his writing.

Matthew Henry is quite thorough, so I will only mention a few things he says here. The Sermon on the Mount is, he says, a practical discourse, not on the beliefs of Christianity, but on what is to be done. According to MH, it is this: he proposes that our goal is blessedness, and gives us the character of those who are entitled to blessedness- in eight paradoxical beatitudes.

He says Christ came into the world to bless us. I am happy that I have also read Ecclesiastes recently, because Solomon's lamentations (about the uselessness of many of the things most men pursue) make these paradoxes more comprehensible and welcome.

Not only do these beatitudes make it clear that you need not be rich, gifted, smart, or useful to enjoy the kingdom of heaven, but they are also a warning to those who are rich, gifted, smart, and useful that real happiness comes not from those graces, but from God, and from being this way:

• poor in spirit,
• mourning,
• meek,
• hungering and thirsting for righteousness,
• merciful,
• pure in heart,
• peace making, and
• persecuted for righteousness.

Now in connection with spiritual poverty, MH talks about two interpretations:

• poverty in selfishness - that is being empty of self - not lacking spirituality and being carnal, but becoming empty so we can be filled with Christ
• the spirit of financial poverty even if you are not poor - even if you are poor, you may still be haughty and arrogant. Even if you are rich, you must be willing to lose all your wealth and still be content. This is subjection to God's will.

God, if you will it, let me have plenty so I can give money to your work, to the building of churches, to the funding of fellowship, to missionary efforts to spread the gospel and to improve lives in basic needs. But if it is your will that I have nothing, or have a mediocre amount, let me glory and have joy in You regardless. Empty me of self, search my heart and remove what offends you. Take everything away from me that keeps me from knowing and loving and communicating Jesus Christ.

That last is a scary one... what if he takes xxxxx... well, everything but xxxxx - clutching on to something, or even to nothing, simply to the idea that if I don't give myself up to you, I will still have something nice or comfortable or needful that you wouldn't want me to have. It reminds me of Gollum whenever he had the ring- it destroyed people from the inside, they wanted it madly, they couldn't see that letting go of it meant life. It's like that with Christ. I know Tolkein hung out with C.S. Lewis- I wonder if he knew how great an allegory this was for the Christian walk. Frodo was the only one who could grapple with sin and survive. Still, at the end, he rebelled. It's best for all of us not to fool with it.

I haven't gotten to talking about the Kingdom of Heaven yet!

The glories of the kingdoms of this world fade into history and are forgotten. The kingdom of heaven is eternal.

MH doesn't seem to talk about it as a present reality, at least not in this section. My NIV Study Bible says it is both, and it is the rule of God. It appears 33 times in Matthew, and only in that book. I suppose it may not only be happiness (blessedness), but also the things needed to really be ruled by the Lord.

The greatest commandment is to Love God and Love people- and we love God by knowing him, obeying him, thanking him...

That's as far as I'll go today God. Thanks for this time. I pray you be with me and whoever reads this. Please bless us to understand your Word and your will better each day. Let your spirit hover over us and protect us. Give us strength and wisdom. Thank you for Jesus, for Christ's standing in our place- thank you for your mercy and love.

B