May 5
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT PART 3
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
-Matthew 5:3 states, … for theirs is the kingdom of heaven … SOUNDS GREAT! So … What is this Kingdom
of heaven?
-Matthew refers to it as the Kingdom of heaven, while the other Gospel writers ( Mark, Luke, and John ) refer to it as
the Kingdom of God. The term "Kingdom of heaven" tells us where this Kingdom is from, and the term "Kingdom of God" tells
us Who is in charge of the Kingdom. In other words, the Kingdom is from heaven ( the heavens, or heavenly realm ), and it
is ruled by God. It is the heavenly Kingdom of ( belonging to ) God!
-Let us try to define this Kingdom that is from heaven, is ruled by God, and belongs to the poor in spirit. The apostle
Paul CLEARLY DEFINES IT for us in Romans 14:17. It states, … FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS … RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE,
AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT … The Kingdom, in essence, is God’s sovereign rule and reign within the hearts and
lives of His children. The first work of the Spirit of God is to convince us that we are spiritually bankrupt in and of ourselves.
His next work is to assure us that He loves and forgives us, even in our present fallen state. Finally, He wants us to possess
the present reality of His Kingdom.
-The Kingdom work of the Father is a deep and internal work. It is like major surgery, in which the Father removes our
cancerous nature, and then writes His laws on our hearts and lives. The Kingdom of God is not a location that you go to after
you die, but rather, it is the realm in which God rules and reigns. THAT REALM IS YOU!!! Remember … THE KINGDOM
OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU ( Luke 17:21 )!!!
-The key to apprehending the Kingdom of God in the here-and-now is in recognizing our spiritual poverty. Those who see
themselves as WRETCHED outside of God are the very ones that God calls RIGHTEOUS. Let us press into the Kingdom of God. It
is the Father’s GOOD PLEASURE …
-TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM!-
( Luke 12:32 )
