Category Archives: The Kingdom of God

A New Look at the Sermon on the Mount

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In the past, my understanding of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 has been that it was a compilation of sayings or nuggets of wisdom much like the Proverbs. However, when I recently read through the sermon again, I noticed three themes that laid a foundation for Jesus’ message.

However, before we look at the sermon itself, let’s back up a couple of chapters to look at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. From Matthew 3:13 to 4:11, Jesus starts preparing for His ministry. He is baptized by John and is anointed by the Holy Spirit (3:13-17). After this, He is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and fasts for forty days and nights. Following this time of fasting, Satan tempts Him three times, but Jesus overcomes the temptation by remaining faithful to God (4:1-11). Jesus then begins His ministry by preaching the Kingdom of God (4:17) and demonstrating the power of the Kingdom by healing the sick and casting out demons (4:23-25). Immediately large crowds from the entire region began to follow Him, and when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and began to teach them thus bringing us to the Sermon on the Mount.

As I mentioned above, I saw that Jesus’ sermon can be divided into three themes. The first one is found in chapter five. He begins His message by discussing attitudes that people of the Kingdom of God should have. He says that people should consider themselves blessed if they are poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and hungry for righteousness. He even says they should feel blessed if they are persecuted. He then talks about us being the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and having a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees. From here He discusses certain topics such as murder, divorce, and adultery. In each of the topics, He begins by saying “You have heard that it was said…,” and describes the common teaching on that topic. He then adds, “But I tell you…,” and presents a higher standard for each subject mentioned. I imagine the people hearing this sermon were confused because everything He was saying went contrary to human nature and the teachings of their culture.

The key verse which sums up this entire chapter is found at the end in verse forty-eight: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. The word translated perfect means complete, mature, and lacking nothing. When Jesus was baptized by John, He was anointed by the Holy Spirit to reveal the character of God, proclaim the message of the Kingdom, and demonstrate the Kingdom’s power. Everything He said and did went contrary to the culture which amazed the people and upset the leadership. In the same way, we are to be so filled with the Spirit of God that we can also demonstrate the nature and character of God to the world. We are not to follow the world’s standard but instead, we are to live by the higher standard of the Kingdom. We are to be the influencers—the salt of the earth and the light of the world that attracts people to God just as Jesus had been doing.

Chapter six presents the second theme. Jesus teaches that we are not to seek attention or earthly praise when we help the poor or in our times of prayer and fasting. Our focus should not be on building up rewards or accolades here on earth. Instead, our emphasis should be on humbly building the Kingdom of God. Jesus adds that our concern should not be on how much wealth we can accumulate in this world, but on storing up “treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). The key verse in this chapter is verse thirty-three: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (NIV). The principle Jesus presents here also goes against the world’s thinking. He is submitting the idea that we should develop such a passion for the Kingdom of God that the wealth, fame, or treasures this world has to offer are not important to us. He is also advocating that when we put His Kingdom first, we can have the confidence that He will provide for all our needs.

Jesus demonstrated this principle when He faced Satan’s temptation. He was faithful to God and so dedicated to fulfilling the work of the Kingdom that the worldly enticements Satan presented to Him had no effect. The Kingdom of God was first and foremost in His heart, demonstrate and He knew His Father would provide for all He needed (see Matt. 4:1-4).

The third principle is found in Matt. 7:24-27. Here, Jesus is teaching how important it is to build our life upon the Word of God. Throughout this chapter, He talks about making sure our life is in line with God’s Word before we start pointing out the faults of others (7:1-5). He reminds us that we fulfill the Law when we treat others with love and respect (7:12). He also warns us that just saying that we are a follower of Jesus is not enough. We must show it by obeying His Word and demonstrating godly character (7:15-23). It is only when we are committed to the Word of God in our life that will we be able to share the Word with wisdom and power and be able to see the power of God work through us through signs and miracles as Jesus did (Matt. 4:17,23-25). In summary, when Jesus began His ministry, He was anointed by the Holy Spirit and empowered to reveal God and the life of the Kingdom to the world. He was committed to the Father and the work of the Kingdom so that Satan was not able to distract Him with the attractions of the world. And the Word of God was the foundation of all He did (Matt. 5:17-18). These principles are what Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount, and are principles that we, as people of the Kingdom, should be incorporating into our lives. We should make the Word of God the foundation of our life, develop a passion for the Kingdom that overshadows any allurements of the world, and be so filled with the Spirit of God that we live by a standard that is higher than and contrary to the culture of the world. If we do this, we can become the salt of the earth and the light of the world that will draw people to Jesus.

Why All The Laws

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When reading the Old Testament, especially the Torah- the five books of Moses, it is easy to get bogged down in all the rules, rituals, and regulations we see. Many of us will look at them as restrictive and outdated. And, since they have no application for our life today, why bother reading them? After all, we are a New Testament church, so the Old Testament laws don’t apply to us, right?

Actually, they do. In fact, the laws of the Old Testament form the foundation of our faith in the New Testament. We need the Old Testament to understand what God is doing in the New Testament, so it is important to have a proper perspective about the Old Testament and why all the laws are there. One of the best places to start is in our understanding of the word Law. When we think of laws, we think of rules that restrict and punish. However, the Jews don’t see it that way. In the Old Testament, the word that is often translated into the word Law in English is the Hebrew word Torah. This word can mean law, but it is more often looked at as direction or instruction.

God did not give Israel His laws (Torah) to restrict them but to instruct them in a way that will allow them to experience His blessings. He was giving them guidelines on how to live in a way that will bring “shalom”: peace, wholeness, and completeness. His purpose was not to place them under legalistic bondage to rules, but instead to help them enjoy the freedom that comes from a relationship with Him. In fact, God’s goal throughout the Bible is reconciliation: to restore everything to the way He originally intended it to be.

God created man to have an intimate relationship with him forever. Sin, however, shattered that relationship, and everything God has done since then has been for the purpose of restoration. Therefore, whenever we read the rules about cleansing, purification, and holiness—especially when we read verses that direct us to be holy as God is holy (Lev. 11:44)—we need to read them with the understanding that following these instructions will help reconcile us back to God and bring “shalom” in our relationship with Him.

We may sometimes feel that God demands that we be holy because He cannot be around anything that is not holy. We might even get the impression that God would somehow be contaminated if anything unclean was to ever enter His presence as though He had an immune deficiency and had to protect Himself in a sterilized environment. However, the truth is, is that God is not requiring us to be holy for His benefit, but for ours. We, as sinful men, cannot enter the presence of a holy God and survive (Ex. 33:20). So, again, God’s instructions on holiness are not to restrict us, but to allow us the freedom to be reconciled to Him and experience shalom in our relationship with Him once again.

The same is true regarding the instructions on how we treat one another. Whenever we read passages such as Leviticus 18-19 that deal with sexual relationships, honoring parents, treating the poor and our neighbors fairly and with respect, and being honest in our business practices, we need to again keep in mind that the reason for all these regulations is to reconcile our relationship with each other. When we put these guidelines into practice, we remove conflict and bring peace to our relationships with others. We also demonstrate to the world the character of God and what it is like to live in His Kingdom.

The regulations regarding the sacrifices are put in place so that, on those occasions when we do sin and our relationship with God or man is broken, we have the means to seek forgiveness and restoration. They are there, again, to reconcile and bring us back to a place of peace in our relationships. The festivals are also intended to help in our relationship with God for they are opportunities to remind us of who God is and how He has provided for our needs. They allow us moments to reflect, refresh, and reconnect with our Lord. All the commandments, then, regarding purity and holiness, the regulations for the sacrifices, and the rituals of the festivals are there to bring reconciliation: to restore our relationships with God and with each other. The goal of them all is to bring shalom: peace and wholeness to our lives and allow us to experience the freedom that comes with living under the blessings of God. Therefore, I would encourage you to not look at the “laws” of God as rules designed to restrict and hold us in bondage. Instead, whenever you read the Old Testament, remember that these “laws” are guidelines that will bring reconciliation and freedom.

Remember Lot’s Wife

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In Luke 17, the Pharisees asked Jesus about the coming of the Kingdom of God (Luke 17:20). Jesus responded by comparing the coming of the Kingdom of God with the days of Noah and Lot—that people will be going about their daily activities when judgment will overtake them suddenly. Then, during His description of the day of the coming of the Kingdom, Jesus admonishes the people to remember Lot’s wife (17:32). Of course, the people Jesus was speaking to knew immediately the story of Lot’s wife, as I’m sure you do as well. It is a very familiar story. But, before we look at the reason for Jesus’ reference to this story, let’s go back to Genesis 19 and review it again.

We know from Genesis 18-19 that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was so grievous that God could not ignore it any longer (18:20; 19:13), and He had no choice but to destroy not only those cities but the entire valley as well (19:24-25). Following His conversation with Abraham, God sent two messengers (probably angels) to the city of Sodom. Once the wickedness of the city became apparent during the night (19:1-11), the messengers told Lot to take his family and leave the city because they were going to destroy it. Then, taking Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand, they led them outside the city and told them to flee to the mountains not looking back or stopping in the valley (19:15-17).

My previous understanding of the action from this point on is that, while Lot and his family were fleeing from Sodom, God began to rain down fire and brimstone upon the cities. And, as they were running away, Lot’s wife turned around to glance at the destruction and turned into a pillar of salt. However, after reading the passage a bit closer, I don’t believe that is exactly how it happened.

I recently noticed that when the messengers took Lot and his family to the edge of the city and urged them to flee, they said, “Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there” (19:22 emphasis mine). Then, in the next two verses, we read that, “The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. THEN the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah…” (emphasis mine). In other words, the destruction did not begin until after Lot and his family arrived safely at their destination.

However, when we get to verse 26 and read, “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”, it becomes a little confusing as to when this actually occurred. There are different viewpoints on this, but my feeling is that Lot’s wife did more than merely glance behind her when she turned into a pillar of salt. The word “looked” in verse 26 is the Hebrew word nabat and it means to behold, gaze, observe, look intently on, or regard with pleasure, favor, or care.

I believe that, as they were fleeing, Lot’s wife, who was following behind Lot and their daughters, began to think back with pleasure on Sodom. Maybe she thought of her other family members or friends and didn’t want to leave them, or wanted to try to convince them to escape with her. Or maybe she remembered something she left behind and wanted to go back to retrieve it. For whatever reason, I believe she returned to Sodom while Lot and his daughters, not realizing that she was not with them, continued to Zoar. Once they arrived at Zoar, God began the destruction, and Lot’s wife was caught in it and became a pillar of salt along with everyone else in the cities. God provided a way of escape from the coming judgment, but Lot’s wife’s heart was still attached to Sodom. She chose the world, and it destroyed her.

This explanation of events fits with Jesus’ reference to Lot’s wife in His description of the coming of the Kingdom of God. In Luke 17:28-33, Jesus compares the coming of the Kingdom of God to God raining fire and brimstone on Sodom. He then says that when the Son of Man comes those who are on the housetop or in the field should not turn back to gather their goods from the house (17:31). He admonishes them to remember Lot’s wife (17:32) and concludes with a warning that if we seek to preserve our life we will lose it, but if we are willing to lose our life, we will keep it (17:33).

The point Jesus is making, and the lesson for us is that if we hold on to our old life, as Lot’s wife did, it will destroy us. Instead, we should be willing to give up our old life and the things of the world so that we might obtain the life of the Kingdom of God. He should be our desire above everything else, and He should be more valuable than anything the world has to offer. This is why the Bible tells us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:29-30).

Therefore, it would be good to develop a daily habit of praying David’s prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps. 139:23-24). Or “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Ps. 51:10-12).  Lord, search our hearts so that there is nothing that is drawing us back to the world and hindering us from fully following you. Help us to set our heart on you so that we desire you above everything else. And help us to remember Lot’s wife!