Page 113 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Sermon on the Mount and the Kingdom

living. He does not link blessing to one’s circumstance or one’s position
in life. He rather speaks of blessing in the midst of persecution, reviling,
and loss. In the Beatitudes, Jesus ties shalom-blessing to the following:

1. One’s spiritual attitude:
a. “The poor in spirit” (or the humble) (v. 3).
b. “Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (v. 6).
2. One’s godly character:
a. “The meek” (v. 5).
b. “The merciful” (v. 7).
c. “The pure in heart” (v. 8).
3. One’s righteous works:
a. “Those who mourn” (v. 4).
b. “The peacemakers” (v. 9).
c. “Those who are persecuted because of righteousness” (v. 10).

Thus, while the kingdom of heaven is a realm of blessing for its
inhabitants, those blessings are dependent upon one’s living out the
ethics and godly requirements of the Kingdom. We should seek blessing
based on the sure promises of God not on the vain pronouncements of
false teachers.

Kingdom Influence

In Matthew 5:13–16, God wants the citizens of His kingdom to be
influencers. They are to be like salt and
light. Just as salt flavors and preserves,
and light warms and reveals, Kingdom
citizens are to affect those around them. Unproductive

Christians are
Unproductive Christians are like salt
that has lost its saltiness or a lamp that like unsavory salt
has been placed under a basket. They are or a hidden torch.
not doing what they were created to do.
Christians who fail to apply the principles
of the Kingdom to their lives become like
unsavory salt or a hidden torch. They are good for nothing and fit only
to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

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