As we continue our exploration of the Kingdom of God, let’s look at some of the “hard” words of Jesus as He teaches us about our attitudes in the Kingdom.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.” Matthew 5:10-12 (The Message)

What?  I’m going to be happy when I am persecuted?  That makes no sense!  The key here is the phrase “because of me.”  When our commitment to the Lord is more important to us than family, money, job security, even our very lives, then we have begun to truly grasp the meaning of the Kingdom of God.  Look at what Jesus says in this passage:

“Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.  Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.  A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!  So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, ?I will disown him before my Father in heaven.  Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. ?I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw—
a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:17-42)

These are hard words.  I ask myself, will I ever get to the point where The King and His Kingdom mean more to me than anything else in this life?  I think that when that time comes, that’s when I will be ready to go home to be with the Lord, because that is when I will have fulfilled – finished – if you will, the work He planned for me.

As we continue our study on the “Kingdom” and what it means to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” let’s do a short review.  Last time we looked at the first three of the Beatitudes that Jesus began to teach the multitudes on the Mount.  We looked at meanings of words, i.e. “blessed”, “poor in spirit”, “mourn”, and “meek.”  Today let’s pick up and look at a few more.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” v 6

This verse cuts to the very heart of the matter.  After all, what is the primary goal of all believers?  “Seek first the Kingdom…”  So, a true believer can be described as one who is hungry for spiritual things. (not just spiritual, but the spiritual things of God)  When you talk to people and find out what their desires are, you find out what they are like.  The promise with this verse is that all who are hungry for the things of God, will be filled!  But not everyone can discover this treasure.  Paul puts it this way;

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. ?The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, ?for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, ?because they are spiritually discerned. ?The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject ?to any man’s judgment:” - 1 Cor. 2:13-15

In order to understand spiritual things one must be born of the spirit of God!

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” v7

Jesus is not being legalistic here.  He is espousing the principle of “sewing and reaping.”  Do you want to receive mercy?  Then, begin to show mercy to others.  The catch is this, one cannot show mercy unless he has already received it!  Mercy is not something we earn, it is a free gift of God.  Mercy is the opposite of judgment.  It is getting what we don’t deserve. (See Luke 16:1-13; James 2:13; Prov. 11:17)

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” v8

Jesus is not saying we must be sinless and never have anything bad going on in our heart. (1 John 1:8-9) He is saying we must have the truth within us (Psalm 51:6)  He is talking about a singleness of heart, one that is not divided.  For example, look at David.  He was said to be “a man after God’s own heart.”  Why, because his heart’s desire was to serve the Lord.  When we look a at him we may see a brutal liar, an adulterer, even a murderer.  However, even though he made many, many mistakes and sinned against the Lord, still his heart was undivided.  God saw him as “pure in heart.”  God looks at the heart not the outward appearance.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” v9

Titus 3:3 describes this world at war, Christians have the Gospel of peace on their feet (Eph. 6:1-5), so that wherever they go, they bring peace, This is not “Peace at any price”, for holiness is more important than peace based on sin (See James 3:7; Heb. 12:14). Compromise is not peace, but Christians should not be contentious as they contend for the faith.  The war we are in was started by the Devil and his followers, not by God.  His desire was to set himself up as the “supreme being” of the creation.  He declared war against God and all that He had made.  Jesus came to pay the price for that rebellion and satisfy God’s just and pure nature.  He accomplished that on the cross!  The price has been paid, the “war” has been won, now we participate in extending the “peace” throughout the land so that creation can once again “prosper” under the blessings of God.  This peace is not as the world gives:

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” John 14:26-28

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.” – Isaiah 26:3

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -  Philippians 4:4-7