2.4.8 1.19.2025 Matthew 5.1-16 Identity and Impact
Mathew: Proclaiming the Kingdom, Building the Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Start:
Entice: This church is an embassy. It is a physical place where our band of disciples “this Church” gathers to go about our Kingdom business. It is not the whole Church, but the whole can be seen and experienced in us. We live and serve in a fallen, hostile world. Empire declares its expectations—but most people are so empire-focused that advertising is largely unnecessary. Into this environment
God with us
God with us
Comes to declare different expectations,
to engage in a different kind of commerce,
to extend God’s own imperial, redeeming grace.
Engage: We are here now, and we have been given a mission. To fulfill that mission as it unfolds throughout the NT, we begin by examining how God with us provides us with “diplomatic credentials”—that is our identity and impact.
Expand: Matthew 5 has no parables, but understanding how broadly the term can be applied is helpful. The language of Jesus was “parabolic”. He used comparison, word-picture, and images. Jesus speaks abstractly—we pour the concrete. Such as Blessed are ____. When the blank is a partial picture that you and I must finish.
People were attracted to Jesus but vv 1-2 indicate more than mere fondness. To be among His disciples is to get a glimpse of His kingdom vision and to risk transformation.
Excite: So, He does not pull any punches. Even when it may not seem that way, Jesus is always challenging the demands of Empire with the expectations of Kingdom.
Explore:
God with us challenges and changes the values system of our culture.
God with us challenges and changes the values system of our culture.
Expand: Our text examines this process of change…As we might expect it begins with
Body of Sermon:
1 Personal Renewal.
1 Personal Renewal.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
1.1 Experience Kingdom Status.
1.1 Experience Kingdom Status.
Blessed
1.2 Exhibit Kingdom Focus.
1.2 Exhibit Kingdom Focus.
Seeing,
inheriting,
being comforted,
longing for righteousness,
showing mercy,
making peace,
pure hearted,
being opposed.
1.3 Extend Kingdom Wholeness.
1.3 Extend Kingdom Wholeness.
Internal & External.
Personal & Communal.
Spiritual & Physical
Eternal & Immediate.
I know I repeat myself. That is intentional, please indulge me once again—one of the balancing acts of a disciple is undergoing personal transformation without it becoming selfish, indulgent navel gazing.
Real renewal has both consequences and expectations.
First, the consequences of change…are often uncomfortable Jesus is honest about
2 Public Resistance.
2 Public Resistance.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
2.1 Identifying with Jesus.
2.1 Identifying with Jesus.
2.2 Included in His purposes.
2.2 Included in His purposes.
Just like the prophets!
Empire has an investment in controlling the status quo!
The Lordship of Jesus, the power of the risen Christ invalidates “normal” assumptions about how the world operates. The prophets were persecuted, and Jesus was crucified because they were threats. If you are fully invested in the Kingdom, you will feel the pushback.
A final change in this process is
3 Practical Responsibility
3 Practical Responsibility
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
God with us did not do as many miracles as He could. He did not use Cherubim or other angelic beings to proclaim he gospel. When He spoke the words, we study today He knew the cross was coming and that the power of resurrection would be channeled into us! We are held responsible for Kingdom expansion! To that end we are
3.1 Empowered.
3.1 Empowered.
Salty salt, “lighty” light.
3.2 Employed.
3.2 Employed.
Appropriate time, place, design.
3.3 Engaged.
3.3 Engaged.
When we are engaged in Kingdom living,
God gets the glory,
the renown,
and the praise.
Shut Down
Most of us “practice” our religion, pursue wisdom, or try and be a good person—for solely personal reasons. Kingdom living envisions an environment in which we
bring glory to God who blesses us. Living in pursuit of blessing cuts us off from the true source of blessing.
From the beginning Jesus wants prospective disciples to know that Kingdom living is not like being a subject of any early empire. Kingdom motivations are transformative but resisted. Kingdom outcomes require each of us to be salt distributers and light bringers in our own little part of the world. We must be as invested as Jesus, who some months after these words were spoken would go to the cross.
Jesus has made us not only learners but ambassadors.
We have work to do. Stay bright—stay salty.