Page 111 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Sermon on the Mount and the Kingdom

Context of the Sermon

It is important that one understand the context out of which Jesus
preached His Sermon on the Mount. The story begins in Judea with the
arrest of John the Baptist. In response, Jesus withdraws with His disciples
into Galilee (Matthew 4:12). Luke tells us that Jesus entered Galilee in the
power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14). Soon after He arrived, He attended
the synagogue in Nazareth where He announced:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18–19)

Matthew adds that Jesus began to declare publicly, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is near” (4:17). He went around teaching in other
Galilean synagogues and “preaching the good news of the kingdom
and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (v. 23;
compare Luke 4:43).

As news of His miraculous Galilean ministry spread, multitudes
gathered from throughout the region. They brought with them those
who were suffering from pain, demon possession, seizures, and paralysis
“and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24).

Then one day Jesus saw the host of people who had come to witness
His miracles and hear His message. He “went up on a mountainside
and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach
them” (Matthew 5:1–2). What follows is His Sermon on the Mount. In
summary, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was taught in the context of
His proclamation of the kingdom of God and His demonstration of its
mighty kingdom power.

Exemplified in the King

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus discusses five great issues
concerning the Kingdom of God:

• Kingdom blessing
• Kingdom influence
• Kingdom righteousness

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