Inflammatory Word: Jesus’ listeners fail to hear
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
One emotionally charged word, kingdom, makes images dance in the minds of Jesus’ audience: bright banners, glittering armies, the gold and ivory of Solomon’s day, the nation of Israel restored to glory. Yet Jesus often uses this word that quickens the Jewish pulse, starting with his very first message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17).
Winds of change are blowing through Israel as Jesus speaks. Guerrilla fighters called Zealots hang on the edges of the crowds, awaiting the signal. Armed and well organized, they are spoiling for a fight against oppressive Rome. The signal for revolt, however, never comes. To their dismay, it gradually becomes clear that Jesus is not talking about a political or military kingdom.
The expectations raised by Jesus’ statements lead to confusion and, ultimately, to angry rejection. Initial excitement over Jesus’ miracles sours into disappointment when he fails to restore the long-awaited kingdom. As it turns out, the word kingdom means one thing to the crowd and quite another to Jesus.
Two Kinds of History
Jesus indicates that two kinds of history are going on simultaneously. We live in a visible world of families and people and cities and nations—“the kingdom of this world.” But Jesus calls for people to commit their lives to an invisible kingdom, the “kingdom of heaven,” a kingdom more important and more valuable than anything in the visible world. It is like the finest pearl in the world, he says—worth selling everything you have to invest in it.
Success in the kingdom of heaven involves a complete reversal of values, as seen in this major address, the Sermon on the Mount. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” Jesus says, and also those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and the persecuted—“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Status in this world does not guarantee status in the kingdom of heaven.
Life Questions
Are you focused on achieving success in the kingdom of this world or in the kingdom of heaven?
Replies
The Preacher was our Lord Jesus, the Prince of preachers, the great Prophet of his church, who came into the world, to be the Light of the world. The prophets and John had done virtuously in preaching, but Christ excelled them all. He is the eternal Wisdom, that lay in the bosom of the Father, before all worlds, and perfectly knew his will (John 1:18); and he is the eternal Word, by whom he has in these last days spoken to us. The many miraculous cures wrought by Christ in Galilee, which we read of in the close of the foregoing chapter, were intended to make way for this sermon, and to dispose people to receive instructions from one in whom there appeared so much of a divine power and goodness; and, probably, this sermon was the summary, or rehearsal, of what he had preached up and down in the synagogues of Galilee. His text was, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Christ begins his sermon with blessings, for he came into the world to bless us (Acts 3:26), as the great High Priest of our profession; as the blessed Melchizedec; as He in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed, Gen. 12:3. He came not only to purchase blessings for us, but to pour out and pronounce blessings on us; and here he does it as one having authority, as one that can command the blessing, even life for evermore, and that is the blessing here again and again promised to the good; his pronouncing them happy makes them so; for those whom he blesses, are blessed indeed. The Old Testament ended with a curse (Mal. 4:6), the gospel begins with a blessing; for hereunto are we called, that we should inherit the blessing. Each of the blessings Christ here pronounces has a double intention: 1. To show who they are that are to be accounted truly happy, and what their characters are. 2. What that is wherein true happiness consists, in the promises made to persons of certain characters, the performance of which will make them happy. Now,
Life Questions
Are you focused on achieving success in the kingdom of this world or in the kingdom of heaven?
Definitely focused on the Kingdom of heaven.
I'm focused on achieving success in the kingdom of heaven
Focused on doing Gods Will and the success of the Kingdom of God....
Inflammatory Word: Jesus
Praise God Im focused on achieving success in the kingdom of heaven.
The word blessed refers to the well-being of those who because of their relationship to Christ and His Word, receive God's kingdom, which includes His love, care, salvation and daily presence you can refer to Matthew 14:19 and Luke 24:50 notes if you have a reference bible. There are certain requirements if we wish to receive the blessings of God's kingdom, we must be guided by the ways and values of God revealed in Scripture and not by the ways and values of the world. The first requirement is to be "poor in spirit". We must recognize that we are not spiritually self-sufficient, we need the Holy Spirit's life, power and sustaining grace in order to inherit the kingdom of God.
Amen yess free will
Chrissy said:
On the Kingdom of heavan of course
We were given a choice (free will) righteous or unrighteous living (the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of this world). I am focused on the success of the kingdom of heaven, the will of God.