Please turn to the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 5. Matthew, the fifth chapter. We will begin with the first verse: Matthew 5:1.
And seeing the crowds, He went up into the mountain;
and having sat down, His disciples came to Him;
and having opened His mouth, He taught them, saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
Blessed they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed the merciful, for they shall find mercy.
Blessed the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed they who are persecuted on account of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
Blessed are ye when they may reproach and persecute you, and say every wicked thing against you, lying, for My sake. Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have become insipid, wherewith shall it be salted? It is no longer fit for anything but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot by men.
Ye are the light of the world: a city situated on the top of a mountain cannot be hid.
Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lampstand, and it shines for all who are in the house.
Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works and glorify your Father, Who is in the heavens.
And then Matthew 5:48:
Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 6:1:
Take heed not to do your righteousness before men, to be seen of them; otherwise, ye have no reward with your Father Who is in the heavens.
And Matthew 6:33:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 7:21:
Not every one who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he that does the will of My Father Who is in the heavens.
Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied through Thy name, and through Thy name cast out demons, and through Thy name done many works of power?
And then will I avow unto them, I never knew you. Depart from Me, workers of lawlessness.
Whoever therefore hears these My words, and does them, I will liken him to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock; and the rain came down, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and fell upon that house, and it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.
And every one who hears these My words, and does not do them, he shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; and the rain came down, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and its fall was great.
May we just look to the Lord.
Our Father, we have read Thy Word. And now we ask Thee, by Thy Holy Spirit, to breathe upon Thy Word and make it living and operative in each of our lives. And to Thee be all the praise and glory, in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
We mentioned last night that the kingdom aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ must be recovered at the end of this age. It is because we are told in Matthew 24 that the gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the habitable part of the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.
Dear brothers and sisters, we are living in a very difficult time. As we find in the book of Hebrews, the Lord says that one day not only the earth will be shaken, but one day even the heavens will be shaken. All that can be shaken will be taken away. Why? Because the unshakable kingdom is coming.
I believe that every one of us senses it very deeply in our hearts, that we are in the days of great shakings. We find shakings everywhere. Not only in the physical world, but even in the spiritual realm, we find great shakings happening.
Is there a witness for the nations that there is a kingdom that cannot be shaken?
The church is entrusted with this testimony. We are to preach the gospel of the kingdom as a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.
Is there such a witness today? When everything is being shaken, when people find themselves puzzled, confused, frightened, tangled, terrified, do we have a testimony to give to the world that there is a kingdom that cannot be shaken?
It is more than just a matter of preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Yes, the gospel of the kingdom must be preached. We must tell the world that the kingdoms of this age, the kingdoms of this world, are shakable. But we believe that there is a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and it is coming.
But it is more than just preaching; it is to be a witness. And how can it be a witness unless it is something that has been wrought into our very being? In other words, the gospel of the kingdom is not only something to be preached, but it is something to be demonstrated, that the world may see in us that there is a glorious kingdom coming. It will give them hope, and it will be a witness and a testimony to the nations.
And when that testimony and witness is there, the end shall come.
You know, sometimes I wonder why it is that the end seems to be approaching and yet receding. Why is it that the coming of the Lord is so near, and yet it is so far? I wonder whether it is because the gospel of the kingdom has not been preached as it should; whether it is because the gospel of the kingdom is not a witness to all the nations; whether it is because God’s people are not really living in the reality of this unshakable kingdom.
Put it another way: this unshakable kingdom is still in the making. It has not been ready yet, and because of that, the end is delayed.
Dear brothers and sisters, if we can see this in that light, I do believe that it will give us serious thought, and we should be before the Lord. Before the kingdom of God shall appear upon this earth in openness, it has to be a reality in the spiritual realm. And this is our responsibility.
Before we go into what we would like to share this morning, I think probably there is some clarification that needs to be done. And that is: what is the difference, or is there any difference, between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the heavens?
Now, in the Scripture, you will find that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the heavens sometimes are used interchangeably. You may find in Matthew the term the kingdom of the heavens, and then in the same relationship, or the same incident, you may find in the other Gospels the kingdom of God.
So, dear friends, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the heavens can be used interchangeably. And yet, at other times, you will find they cannot be used interchangeably.
What is the kingdom of God? What is the kingdom?
You know, when we think of the kingdom, immediately we know that it means reign, dominion, rule. There is the kingdom. Wherever God rules and reigns, there is His kingdom.
The psalmist said in Psalm 90:2:
From eternity to eternity, Thou art God.
Our God is God from eternity to eternity. And because He is the eternal God, therefore His kingdom is the kingdom of all ages, and His dominion is unto all generations. We find that in Psalm 145.
In other words, the kingdom of God is from eternity to eternity. Wherever God reigns, there is His kingdom.
What is the kingdom of the heavens? The kingdom of the heavens means the heavens rule over the earth.
We find this first in Daniel. In Daniel 4, we find it is said, “That you may know that the heavens do rule.”
Now, it is a term that is used especially by Matthew. In the whole Bible, you cannot find this term used other than in Matthew. In the Old Testament, the only place where it is closest to this is what we have just quoted: Daniel 4:26, “The heavens do rule.” It is the meaning of the kingdom of the heavens.
And then the only other place in the New Testament that gives the same thought is in 2 Timothy 4, when Paul said, “The Lord shall preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom”—the kingdom of the heavens.
Aside from these two places in the whole Bible, the kingdom of the heavens is used exclusively by Matthew. Why? It does carry a very special meaning.
The kingdom of the heavens is a section of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is from eternity to eternity. And then, in this from eternity to eternity, there is a part of it, there is a section of it, which is called the kingdom of the heavens.
And because of this, you will find sometimes the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the heavens can be used interchangeably. Why? Because the kingdom of the heavens is part of the kingdom of God. But the kingdom of God is of greater extent than the kingdom of the heavens.
The kingdom of the heavens is especially related to Christ. And because it is related to Christ, it is especially related to the church.
Christ is the One Who comes down from heaven, and yet He is in heaven. Wherever Christ rules, there is His kingdom.
So the kingdom of the heavens actually begins with John the Baptist. You remember our Lord Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and the violent seize upon it.”
In other words, from the days of John the Baptist, when he came to preach and said, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh,” up to the present—that is, to the time when our Lord Jesus was speaking, and to our time—the kingdom of the heavens is here. And it will continue on through this age to the age to come.
Until one day, when everything shall be in subjection to Christ, He will subject all things to God, that God may be all in all. That is in eternity to come. The kingdom of the heavens will have come to a close.
So, dear brothers and sisters, just remember this: the kingdom of the heavens is, in a very special way, related to Christ and to the church.
And this is the gospel of the kingdom that we are interested in. The Gospel according to Matthew is the gospel of the kingdom.
We mentioned already last night that it begins with the coming of the King, the birth of the King. And it continues on with the proclamation of the kingdom. The whole book of Matthew speaks of the King and the kingdom.
And you will find in the Gospel according to Matthew there are three different aspects of the kingdom of the heavens being presented to us. These are the three peaks in the Gospel of Matthew.
One is Matthew 5, 6, and 7. We all know it as the Sermon on the Mount. That is one aspect of the kingdom of the heavens. We call it the spiritual reality of the kingdom.
Then we have the second peak in Matthew 13. We find all these parables, and the parables that our Lord Jesus spoke are the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens. We may call it the outward appearance of the kingdom.
And then the third peak is found in Matthew 24 and 25. Now, all of it is prophecy. We may call it the public manifestation of the kingdom.
And these are the three aspects of the kingdom of the heavens. And I do believe that we need a clear understanding of all these aspects in order to know what the kingdom of the heavens really is, what is its relationship to us, and our part in it.
Now, this morning we will concentrate on the first aspect—that is, Matthew 5, 6, and 7.
Matthew 5, 6, and 7 is what we commonly call the Sermon on the Mount.
There are many different interpretations of the Sermon on the Mount. Some people think that the Sermon on the Mount gives us Christian ethics. Our Lord Jesus gives us Christian ethics. He tells us how we should behave.
It is the highest ethical standard in the whole world. Even people who do not believe the Bible is the Word of God respect Matthew 5, 6, and 7. They will throw away the whole Bible, but they will not throw away Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Why? Because they think it is the highest standard of ethics in this world.
Other people think that the Sermon on the Mount gives us the perfect law. The law of Moses, given on Mount Sinai, is not perfect. It is God’s law, but the law is not perfect; it is not perfected because of the weakness of man. But here our Lord Jesus has given us a perfect law. There is nothing better than this.
Some people say the Sermon on the Mount is an ideal. It is something that everybody should aspire to, but you can never arrive at it. It is an ideal.
But then other people disagree and say the Sermon on the Mount must be kept. We must do what the Sermon on the Mount teaches us.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, what is the Sermon on the Mount? What is it in relation to us?
After our Lord Jesus had proclaimed the message of the kingdom, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh,” then He began to call people to be His disciples. A number of disciples were gathered to Him. They heard the call, they repented, they left everything and followed the Lord. They put themselves under the rule of Christ, their King.
Then in Matthew 5, we are told that our Lord Jesus went up to the mountain, to the high place, and His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
First of all, dear brothers and sisters, the Sermon on the Mount is not directed to the world. Even though there were great crowds there, our Lord Jesus did not address Himself to the crowds. He addressed Himself to the disciples.
The Sermon on the Mount is not for the world. The Sermon on the Mount is for the disciples. In other words, if you are a disciple of Christ, then it is for you. If you are not a disciple of Christ, it means nothing to you.
It is not an ethic. It is not a moral standard. It is not something that our Lord Jesus gives to this world as an ideal aspiration. No. The Sermon on the Mount is spoken to the disciples of our Lord Jesus.
Only the disciples can hear such words, because only the disciples are able to enter into the reality of it.
So, dear brothers and sisters, unless we are disciples of Christ, it is more than just a matter of being believers. We believe in the Lord Jesus, and in believing Him, we receive from Him forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and all the blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.
But to be disciples is to give our all to Him, to put ourselves in His hands, and let Him form us, fashion us, work in us, and work upon us. He transforms us and conforms us to His own image. These are disciples, and only to these people is the Sermon on the Mount given.
So, dear brothers and sisters, let us be ready. If we really want to hear the words in Matthew 5, 6, and 7, then first of all we have to put ourselves in the hands of our Lord Jesus, to be His disciples, to be discipled by Him. And this is the Sermon on the Mount.
Number two: the Sermon on the Mount is not a new law.
Sometimes we think that Moses gave us the Ten Commandments, but our Lord Jesus gave us a new law. It is the perfect law. No.
What is a law? Law, commonly understood, is a standard given to us for us to keep. In other words, a law is a demand upon us, that we must try our best and exert our utmost strength to do it. If we do it, we shall live. If we do not, we die. Now, that is law.
Is there anybody who is able to keep the law of Moses? There is not. If no one can keep the law of Moses, can there be anyone who can keep the new law of Christ, which is a hundred times more difficult than the law of Moses?
The law of Moses, in a sense, controls outward conduct. But the new law even controls our intention. If Christ gives a new law to His people, we will be condemned a hundred times over.
No. The Sermon on the Mount is not a new law. The Sermon on the Mount is life. It is a new lifestyle.
The Sermon on the Mount is an impossibility. It is an impossible thing for anyone to keep or to do. And yet, it is possible to keep and to do. Why?
Because there is a life there. If there is not the life of Christ in us, no one can do what the Sermon on the Mount demands. But the Bible says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
It is because we have the life of Christ in us, and this life has a new nature. And if you live according to this new nature, this will be your lifestyle.
It is supernaturally natural. It cannot be natural, but it can be supernaturally natural. If we try to keep the Sermon on the Mount with our fleshly strength, we will all be doomed.
But thank God, we are given the life of the Son. With the life of the Son in us, this is the way that the Son lives. It cannot be any other style. Now, this is the Sermon on the Mount.
Therefore, it is grace; it is not law. If we take the Sermon on the Mount as law, we will be condemned. And I do believe that many Christians, with the best of intentions, find themselves unable to keep the Sermon on the Mount, and they feel condemned.
This is not the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount. On the contrary, the Sermon on the Mount is grace.
Grace works in us, and if we allow grace to work in our lives, this will be the result of it. It will result in glory: Christ in you, the hope of glory.