Kingdom Blessing
The Kingdom Starts in Your Backyard • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 31:33
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· 24 viewsJesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a reminder that the kingdom of heaven comes with blessings; they are blessings which meet God’s people no matter where they are.
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This is the last message in our series about the kingdom of heaven as seen through the gospel of Matthew. Over the past weeks we have looked at many of the parables in Matthew which talk about the kingdom of heaven. It has all aligned with the idea that the kingdom is not only a future-oriented event, but is very much brought into the present by Jesus; and that the kingdom is not only a spiritual realm, but very much takes shape with kingdom glimpses right here and now in our world.
Today we are not looking at a parable of Jesus, but I want us to wrap it up by taking us back towards the beginning of Matthew’s gospel to the first extended teaching of Jesus. The first major discourse of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew begins in chapter 5 with a section that is popularly known as the Sermon on the Mount. And this teaching of Jesus on the mountain side begins with set of sayings popularly known as the beatitudes. Today I want us to read these words with an eye towards what it means for the kingdom of heaven to be made manifest right here in our world today—for the kingdom to exist right in your own backyard.
Matthew 5:1–16 (NIV)
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “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.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
The beatitudes are well known among people who are Christians and who know the Bible. Yet I have also found that many people misunderstand the beatitudes, thereby missing the great and powerful message that Jesus places into these words. Let me spend a little time framing our attention around the beatitudes in ways that are helpful for us to understand what these sayings from Jesus are all about. In order to do that I need to take a little time and talk about something called hermeneutics.
hermeneutics = a method or theory of interpretation
The word hermeneutic simply means a method or theory of interpretation. So, whether we realize it or not, we engage and employ hermeneutics all the time when we approach the Bible, because this ancient collection of writings is something that always needs interpretation in order to make sense. And whether we realize it or not, all of us who read the Bible and seek to interpret its meaning are in fact using some kind of interpretive framework to help guide us towards a greater understanding of scripture.
Let me give an example. Often historical context is something which helps us better understand scripture. Therefore, an examination of historical context is a hermeneutical principle which leads to a more accurate interpretation of scripture. By simply remembering that the Bible is a collection of documents written to an audience several thousand years ago, we come closer to seeing deeper meaning in the Bible. We ask questions about what the stories would have meant and how it would have been understood by those who originally received the words.
are the beatitudes meant to be prescriptive or descriptive?
One of the hermeneutical issues in the beatitudes has to do with trying to interpret the intent of Jesus’ words. Let me put the question to you this way, and then I’ll explain what I mean by this question. Are the beatitudes meant to be prescriptive or descriptive? Now let me explain the difference between those terms.
prescriptive = authoritative command of what should happen
Prescriptive is an authoritative command of what should happen and what should take place. If you have an illness and go see a doctor, sometimes the doctor will write a prescription for you. The prescription is the doctor’s order and authorization of a certain type of treatment for the illness. In this case it usually involves taking some kind of medication at a very specified dosage and for a very specified length of time. The doctor prescribes what medicine, at what dosage, and for what length of time. The intent of the prescription is that the patient is expected to do what the doctor prescribes in order to get better.
list of qualities or characteristics which Jesus is prescribing as necessary in order to receive the blessing
Is that what Jesus is saying in the beatitudes? Is this a list of qualities or characteristics which Jesus is prescribing as necessary in order to receive the blessing which is attached to each one? Are the beatitudes a list of qualities and characteristics we should emulate—or strive to follow as best we can—as though Jesus is commanding his disciples to be like this and live like this? if that is the hermeneutic, then the interpretation of the beatitudes would lead us to an application which would conclude that Jesus is commanding his followers to be people who are, for example, peacemakers or merciful or pure in heart. That all seems to make sense. The message of Jesus is, be a person like this if you want to receive a blessing like that. Jesus is giving a prescriptive instruction of God’s will for how his people are supposed to live.
example: Ten Commandments
To be certain, there are absolutely parts of the bible which work this way. A prime example might be the Ten Commandments. The commandments are very much seen and interpreted as prescriptive instructions for God’s people. It is the intent of the commandments to place before the people a list of qualities, characteristics, and expectations by which the people will live. And those Ten Commandments mostly remain normative for God’s people in the same way yet today. I say mostly because in the gospels Jesus affirmed all the commandments except one. Jesus redefines in the gospels what sabbath rest is supposed to look like. It is no wonder that in the gospels Jesus gets in trouble with the religious leaders so often for breaking what they consider to the commandment of the sabbath. But the rest of the commandments remain as prescriptive—it is the timeless and eternal will of God for his people to live in this way.
descriptive = stating a result or outcome based upon natural circumstances
That would be one way of understanding the beatitudes. But what if instead of being prescriptive Jesus meant for the beatitudes to be descriptive. In other words, Jesus is simply stating a result or outcome based upon natural circumstances that happens to exist regardless of whether or not it is commanded by God. Things that are descriptive are not trying to define authoritative commands or expectations. Rather, descriptions just tell us something about what happens to be the case around us. Think of a play-by-play sports announcer on television. If you watch any sports on television, you know that the broadcasters always provide a person or two who talk through the action taking place in the game. They can give commentary or analysis about what they see the players and teams doing. But sportscasters are not giving commands to the players to do anything in a certain way—they are not the coaches and managers of these players and teams. All they do is watch the game and describe what they see taking place along with some commentary on the results and outcomes of certain kinds of plays and techniques.
example: wisdom books (Ecclesiastes, Proverbs)
We see example of this in the Bible too—especially in the wisdom literature. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is a good example of descriptive analysis. It is almost as if the wisdom writer in Ecclesiastes is giving a sportscaster play-by-play commentary on all of life. It is a description of what life just happens to be like. And so the writer of Ecclesiastes makes comment that those who happen to pursue riches as the meaning of life seem to all end up with the same meaningless result; those who happen to pursue pleasure as the meaning of life seem to all end up with the same meaningless result; those who happen to pursue fame and notoriety as the meaning of life seem to all end up with the same meaningless result. And by contrast the writer of Ecclesiastes notes that those who happen to pursue godly wisdom as the meaning of life seem to all end up with an admirable and worthwhile result. It is the reason why the wisdom author can write proverbs like this.
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV84)
6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs are descriptive, not prescriptive. It is an observation by the writer on what he generally sees taking place in the world about him.
That would be another way of understanding the beatitudes. That these are not normative commands which give explicit instructions for God’s will, but rather that these are explanations of how God’s blessings work no matter what situation you might find yourself to be in. So, which is it? Are the beatitudes prescriptive or descriptive? It is a worthwhile question because you will find a completely different meaning and application of this passage based on which one you choose. And to make it more difficult, there is not complete consensus among biblical scholars on this question either.
For what it is worth, I am going to give you my take on it and explain the reason why. I choose the second option—that the beatitudes are descriptive, not prescriptive.
some beatitudes do not make sense as commands
mourning, persecution, poor in spirit
Partially, my decision has to do with reasonable logic. Some of these characteristics listed in the beatitudes simply do not make sense as being commands of God’s will. It makes no sense that God would command his people to intentionally be people who seek to mourn. It makes no sense that God would command his people to intentionally seek to be persecuted. It seems confusing that God would command his people to intentionally be poor in spirit. Why would a God who is good and loving and gracious prescribe those things for his people? it simply does not fit with who God is for all the qualities listed in the beatitudes to be things that God commands.
other places in the Bible God does command his people to be peacemakers, merciful, pure in heart
Let me be fair. The whole collection of scripture all taken together is more complicated than that. It is true enough that there are other places in the Bible in which God does very explicitly command for his people to be peacemakers—living at peace with one another. There are other places in the Bible in which God commands his people to show mercy. There are other places in the Bible in which God commands his people to have hearts that are pure. For some of these things, just because it is not a prescriptive command here in Matthew 5 does not automatically eliminate it from ever being a prescriptive command elsewhere in the Bible. All I am saying is that right here in the context of this teaching within this passage, Jesus presents these things as descriptive rather than prescriptive.
Jesus begins his very first lesson for his disciples with a description of how blessing works in the kingdom
beatitudes = description of kingdom blessing
What does that mean then? If the beatitudes are descriptive in nature, then what is the meaning behind this teaching from Jesus? I mentioned that this section in Matthew is the very beginning of the very first teaching of Jesus in this gospel. Jesus begins his very first lesson for his disciples with a description of how blessing works in the kingdom. This description is about kingdom blessing.
the blessing of God’s kingdom can reach me no matter what my life looks like from one day to the next
No matter where it is you happen to find yourself in life, you are not outside the reach of God’s kingdom. No matter what circumstances you may happen to be working through in life, you are not beyond the reach of God’s kingdom. Jesus is telling his followers that the kingdom of God is provided and within reach for all who seek God in faith no matter what life around them happens to look like from one day to the next.
the kingdom of heaven can come to us no matter where we happen to be in life
For those who happen to be riding a wave of great things bringing peace and comfort and support to other people around you, the kingdom of heaven is right there for you. For those who happen to be in a time of great uncertainty, wondering what the next day will bring or what the next step forward looks like, the kingdom of heaven is given for you as well. For those who have an abundant overflow of resources to give and share with those around you, the kingdom of heaven is right there in front of you. For those who can barely find the strength or resources to get through one day at a time, the kingdom of heaven is given for you as well. Jesus is telling us today that the kingdom of heaven can come to us no matter where we happen to be in life. You do not have to get your life to the right place in order to find the kingdom. No. Jesus has come to seek you out and find you right where you happen to be in life, and he brings the kingdom of heaven along with him.
Jesus says this kingdom belongs to you, even if you happen to be pushed to the outside by everyone else
Because of this, you can experience the kingdom, even if you happen to be living through a time that feels poor in spirit. Because of this, you can receive comfort, even if you happen to be living through a time of mourning. Because of this, you can know an inheritance of the kingdom, even if you happen to be in a place of meek lowliness. Because of this, you receive enough grace to be filled, even if you happen to be in a place of hungering and thirsting to see righteousness. Because of this, Jesus says this kingdom belongs to you, even if you happen to be pushed to the outside by everyone else.
being salt and light in this world is to show the way in which I am unconditionally and relentlessly held onto by Jesus no matter what my life looks like
when others see Jesus in my life like that, they see the kingdom
To be salt and light in this world is to live in this world right now as one who embraces and participates in the kingdom of heaven. Being salt and light in this world is to show the way in which we are unconditionally and relentlessly held onto by Jesus. When others see Jesus in your life like that, they see the kingdom. You do not need to go looking for another place in order to find that kingdom; Jesus brings that kingdom right to you right where you are.