The Beatitudes: Living at Home in the Kingdom (2)
The Kingdom of GOD • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 49:14
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· 23 viewsIn this series, we are looking at what it means to be citizens in the Kingdom of GOD. We take a look at how we should live and how we partner with the FATHER in HIS reign. This week we take a look into the details of the Sermon on the Mount as we continue with the second triad of beatitudes, focusing on verse 7.
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Announce text: Matthew 5:1-16
Key Text: Matthew 5:1-16
Review
Review of Hebrew blessing
Review of first triad
Review first beatitude in first triad, v.6
Last week, we began exploring the second triad of Jesus’ Beatitudes, focusing on Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” We unpacked how Jesus redefines the good life, identifying those who crave God’s Kingdom righteousness as truly blessed. Here are three key truths we discussed about living as Kingdom citizens.
First, hungering for righteousness is a deep, painful craving for God’s justice. Jesus uses the metaphor of hunger and thirst to describe an intense longing, like the British, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers in 1917, trudging through the desert to reach Sheria’s wells, parched and desperate yet disciplined to ensure all received water. This craving reflects the powerless and grieving of the first triad (Matthew 5:3–5). It’s an irritating yearning for tzedekah—right relationships with God and others—where justice (mishpat) lifts the oppressed, as Jeremiah 22:3 commands.
Second, righteousness is both a gift of faith and a call to action. Abraham’s story (Genesis 15:6) showed us that God credits righteousness to those who trust Him, even when powerless, like Abraham’s inability to have children. Yet, his faith led to action, obeying God’s call to offer Isaac (Genesis 22:1–18). Romans 4:5 declares that God justifies the undeserving through faith, but Jesus warns against a “golden parachute” faith (Matthew 6:1). Righteousness isn’t just personal holiness; it’s doing right by others, as the Good Samaritan did, fostering mutuality in community.
Third, satisfaction comes through trusting God and pursuing justice together. Jesus promises we’ll be filled (chortazō), like a Thanksgiving feast, both now in His presence and fully in His Kingdom, as Job’s restoration foreshadows (Job 42:10). This hunger grieves us, like Matthew 5:4’s mourners, when we see injustice—locally through ministries like Love INC or globally via Samaritan’s Purse. We’re called to partner with God, rejecting apathy to restore shalom by sharing resources and elevating the marginalized.
Last week challenged us to ask: Where are we hungry for God’s justice? In our families, workplaces, or world? That God-given agitation pushes us to trust Him and act justly. As we move to Matthew 5:7 this week, let’s carry this hunger forward, seeking to live as God’s image-bearers who crave and create righteousness, anchored in the hope of His satisfying Kingdom.
Announce text again: Matthew 5:1-16
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the hillside, and sat down. His disciples came to him.
2 He took a deep breath, and began his teaching:
3 “How good is life for the powerless, because theirs is the kingdom of the skies.
4 “How good is life for those who grieve, because they will be comforted.
5 “How good is life for the unimportant, because they will inherit the land.
6 “How good is life for people who hunger and thirst for God’s justice! You’re going to be satisfied.
7 “How good is life for the merciful! You’ll receive mercy yourselves.
8 “How good is life for the pure in heart! You will see God.
9 “How good is life for the peacemakers! You’ll be called God’s children.
10 “How good is life for people who are persecuted because of God’s saving plan! The kingdom of heaven belongs to you.
11 “How good is life for you, when people slander you and persecute you, and say all kinds of wicked things about you falsely because of me!
12 Celebrate and rejoice: there’s a great reward for you in heaven. That’s how they persecuted the prophets who went before you.”
13 “You’re the salt of the earth! But if the salt becomes tasteless, how is it going to get salty again? It’s no good for anything. You might as well throw it out and walk all over it.
14 “You’re the light of the world! A city can’t be hidden if it’s on top of a hill.
15 People don’t light a lamp and put it under a bucket; they put it on a lampstand. Then it gives light to everybody in the house.
16 That’s how you must shine your light in front of people! Then they will see what wonderful things you do, and they’ll give glory to your father in heaven.
16 That’s how you must shine your light in front of people! Then they will see what wonderful things you do, and they’ll give glory to your father in heaven.
23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
24 “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
25 “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.
26 “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’
27 “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’
29 “So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’
30 “But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.
31 “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.
32 “Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
33 ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’
34 “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.
35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
Prayer for added blessing to the reading of the Word
Message
Message
Years after the death of President Calvin Coolidge, this story came to light. In the early days of his presidency, Coolidge awoke one morning in his hotel room to find a cat burglar going through his pockets. Coolidge spoke up, asking the burglar not to take his watch chain because it contained an engraved charm he wanted to keep. Coolidge then engaged the thief in quiet conversation and discovered he was a college student who had no money to pay his hotel bill or buy a ticket back to campus. Coolidge counted $32 out of his wallet -- which he had also persuaded the dazed young man to give back! -- declared it to be a loan, and advised the young man to leave the way he had come so as to avoid the Secret Service! (Yes, the loan was paid back.)
Today in the Word, October 8, 1992.
The beatitudes are 9 sayings of JESUS in which HE is reframing what the good life is. We are going to continue digging into the Greek and Hebrew words underlying our English translation of what JESUS is saying in our text, as we begin looking at the second triad covered in vv.6-8.
Here is the second triad in context in a blended paraphrased translation from the BibleProject and the NTFE version:
6 “How good is life for people who hunger and thirst for God’s justice! You’re going to be satisfied.
7 “How good is life for the merciful! You’ll receive mercy yourselves.
8 “How good is life for the pure in heart! You will see God.
So, where the first triad was a look at the unexpected places or states of being that JESUS identified as a state of blessedness, in the second triad JESUS is identifying the type of people GOD is forming - those who live in the KINGdom.
So, we’re looking at three essential qualities or three characteristics of one at home in the KINGdom, and we’re going to look at the second one today. So, three essential qualities of a citizen of heaven:
Crave KINGdom Righteousness.
Manifest Mercy Magnificently.
Today, we are going to look at v.7:
7 “How good is life for the merciful! You’ll receive mercy yourselves.
There are three KINGdom truths about this word mercy that I want to share with you today:
Mercy means fervent forgiveness, not vengeance.
One of the most important themes in the Bible and in JESUS’ teachings is the theme of forgiveness. In fact, JESUS gave a parable on the topic of forgiveness. This might be familiar to most of you - if you want to turn there, it is found in Matthew 18:21-35. We’re going to touch on this briefly, because there’s more we need to get into this morning, but beginning in v.21:
21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Now, I don’t know if Peter was familiar with biblical numerology or not, but being an Israelite, he certainly was in touch with symbolism and meaning in his culture. Maybe he knew 7 is the LORD’s number, so it’s possible he was trying to get on the LORD’s good side, right? “How many times do I need to forgive? Seven times? He probably was thinking he was going to score some brownie points here - I mean, after all, we only have one other cheek to offer someone who hits the first, right? … Okay, maybe there are a couple more, but those are reserved for a more traditional form of parental discipline (finger in collar, too hot gesture). But whatever Peter’s motives, he was probably feeling pretty good about himself with his answer, right?
JESUS bursts Peter’s bubble and responds with what, at first glance, seems like a rather random number: seventy times seven. Actually, it’s not even an answer - it’s an equation. Apparently, JESUS is testing Peter’s math skills - his multiplication tables - while laying on him a spiritual nugget of tie-together truth.
Ok, all kidding aside … Many translations interpret that number differently. Some use the phrase “seventy times seven.” Others use “seventy-seven.” Regardless of the number reference, JESUS’ response was a tie-together to a Bible character in Genesis named, Lamech. In Genesis 4, we find a brief introduction to Lamech, who was a descendant of Cain.
Now, what do we remember about Cain from our previous study in this series? Remember, he was the one who didn’t listen to GOD’s instructions on offerings, and his offering was rejected while his brother Abel’s was accepted. It made Cain very angry, and GOD visited Cain to warn him about his anger. Remember the verse?
7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Of course, Cain didn’t repent, let alone get control of his anger, and his anger escalated to a rage that created the environment for murder. Cain kills his brother Abel. GOD again confronts Cain, Cain tries to hide his guilt, but GOD knows and pronounces judgement on Cain for his actions. Cain cries that GOD’s punishment is too much, so GOD marks Cain to notify would-be avengers not to kill Cain. If they do, v.15 tells us what the consequences would be for the avenger:
15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.
Later, Lamech a three-time great-grandson of Cain, marries two wives. Not much more is told to us other than he had two sons, and at some point, Lamech also takes human life.
23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me;
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
An interesting note here for you literary nerds is that this is the first instance of poetry in the Hebrew Bible. The poem uses parallelism - a literary technique of stating the same concept two different ways in parallel lines. This is done twice here: “Adah and Zillah” is paralleled with “wives of Lamech”, while “Listen to my voice” is paralleled with “Give heed to my speech.”
This poem highlights the generational history of violence - Cain’s unfortunate legacy - and Lamech’s arrogance in thinking his act of killing is justified. How often do you and I justify our own actions? Perhaps, they aren’t physical actions, but remember the words of JESUS that we also looked at in this series - which I’m sure will come up again - when HE restated the true meaning behind the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill?”
21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’
22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court ...
JESUS links (or ties together) the idea that unresolved anger - bitterness, resentment, hatred - is the same as breaking the commandment against murder! You’re subject to the same judgement!
JESUS ties together the story of Lamech, the Ten Commandments, and the sin of unresolved anger (unforgiveness) in these two verses.
Then HE ties together the story of Lamech in HIS response to Peter while setting up the famous parable of the guy who’s massive debt was forgiven him.
Now, JESUS does not mean Peter only needs to forgive someone 77 times (or 490 times, if you want to view that as a multiplication problem), and then the next time they offend you, all bets are off - let ‘em have it! Noooo! Or as my wife likes to say, “Noooooooo-ah!” No, no, no. The implication of JESUS’ words to Peter is that just as passionately out-of-control as Lamech was in his rage, we need to be just as fervent in our forgiveness of those who hurt us. That is the upside down nature of the KINGdom of GOD! Turn that rage of passion from anger to love and forgiveness - the way JESUS loves and forgives us of our trespasses!
In the parable on forgiveness, you have this guy who was forgiven a massive debt - some scholars liken it to a year’s worth of wages. So, his debt is forgiven. Then, a little while later, he runs into a guy who owes him money, but he doesn’t forgive as he himself was forgiven. Instead, the man who was forgiven a very large debt has the guy who owes him money throw into prison. When his lord hears of his actions, the lord has him brought back and asks why he didn’t show mercy to his fellow slave, as the lord had shown him. The wicked man is then thrown into prison, after all.
The word for mercy in this parable is the same word used in v.6 of the Beatitudes. Yet, in the parable, the word carries a very specific nuance in that it is used to forgive someone who has wronged you or owes you. And when you look at the concluding verse in the parable, it’s not just that we should forgive, rather, if we don’t forgive, we will not be forgiven - we will be in danger of hell.
34 “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.
35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
So, mercy in the gospel of Matthew is about the fact that wrong has been done, and forgiveness is required.
There is no future for the human race without forgiveness.
— Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Where things get interesting is when you look at the Greek word for mercy in v.6 and the parable we just looked at, we discover this is the word ...
Greek word eleos
translation: pity, compassion
definition: mercy
This leads us to the second KINGdom truth about this word mercy:
Mercy means fervent forgiveness, not vengeance.
Eleos reflects GOD’s loyal, generous love.
What’s fascinating about this word is how it ties-together with another Hebrew word that we’ve briefly discussed in the past, the Hebrew word khesed. This is another one of those words that is difficult to translate. It’s because it is actually combination of meanings encapsulated into one word. It’s speaks to YHWH’s love, generosity, and loyalty.
Hebrew word khesed
translation: mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness
definition: loyal love, a promise-keeping loyalty motivated by deep personal care
When Greek translators of the Hebrew Bible translated this word - loyalty - into the Septuagint, they most commonly used the word, eleos, the same word for our English word mercy. So, there is an alternate meaning that begs the question: was JESUS merely talking about forgiveness, or is it a weightier meaning of the word that includes with it the Hebrew meaning of the word, khesed?
So, the word eleos appears a lot in the Gospel of Matthew in the loaded form including the concept of khesed. Many of these instances involve healing - people who are in a desperate way calling out to JESUS.
30 And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
33 They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.”
34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
Then, again in ...
22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.”
Now, if someone were to say to us, “have mercy,” we might think along the lines that they did something wrong, and they’re asking for forgiveness.
mom playing cards: mercy, mercy, mercy!
Yet, here, is a Canaanite woman - not an Israelite - asking for JESUS to show her kindness by restoring her health. Dr. Tim Mackie likens it this way, “… you don’t know me, and you don’t owe me … treat me like a family member that you’re going above and beyond [for].”
There are three KINGdom truths about this word mercy that I want to share with you today:
Mercy means fervent forgiveness, not vengeance.
Eleos reflects GOD’s loyal, generous love.
Kingdom mercy treats others like cherished family.
When we think about the first beatitude in this second triad - righteousness - we have within our social circles those people we are called to do right by - our neighbors, for example. Then, there are our family members and very close friends, who we not only want to do right by, but we want to go the extra mile for - those we’re loyal to and show enormous amounts of love and grace to.
It’s this kind of love towards other people (tie together: love your neighbor as yourself ...) that is the ultimate goal and purpose for which we were created! And this very quickly blends into JESUS’ commands to love using the Greek word, agapē.
Greek word agapē
translation: love, benevolence, good will, esteem, love-feasts
definition: love, goodwill
So, the eleos and the khesed combined meanings is about this familial bond, which is what is so amazing in the context of the Canaanite woman who approaches JESUS and asks for HIM to show her khesed.
In Psalm 136, the word khesed appears more in this passage than any other section of Scripture. I remember a time when my good friend, who many of you are familiar with - Chad Seabright - preached a message on this passage. This passage is a reminder of YHWH’s great gift of mercy - loving kindness, khesed - as viewed through the history of creation, GOD choosing Israel, forgiving and freeing them from slavery, leading them to the Promised Land, and rescuing them from their enemies, even though they didn’t deserve it. It is YHWH’s covenantal, loyal love.
In Psalm 136, one line is repeated over and over and over - “HIS khesed endures forever.” The story is that YHWH didn’t have to, but HE chose to because it’s WHO HE IS.
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;
5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures forever;
6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever;
7 To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever—
8 The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever.
10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures forever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them, For His mercy endures forever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, For His mercy endures forever;
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy endures forever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His mercy endures forever;
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His mercy endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures forever;
18 And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever—
19 Sihon king of the Amorites, For His mercy endures forever;
20 And Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever—
21 And gave their land as a heritage, For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant, For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures forever;
24 And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever;
25 Who gives food to all flesh, For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.
Former Catholic priest, Brennan Manning, calls this kind of love the furious love of GOD.
In one commentary I own, W.D. Davies and Dale Allison summarize the word, eleos, like this:
Eleos connotes the idea of loyalty in a relationship. Hence, it would seem that Matthew was persuaded that while Jesus and his followers, in their acts of mercy and loving-kindness, were demonstrating their loyalty to God, that there were weightier matters of justice and mercy— or eleos— and faith that were neglected by Matthew and Jesus's opponents, namely the Pharisees. Throughout the Gospel of Matthew, this word, mercy, and its connected words, imply that merciful action is the concrete expression of your loyalty to God. And that, what God demands, is not so much activity directed to God, but loving-kindness directed towards other people.
They’re tying together words found in ...
6 For I delight in eleos (loyalty) rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
And doesn’t that make sense? If we are to be imaging GOD - image-bearers - if we’re created in HIS Image, wouldn’t THE ONE WHO sacrificed all to reconcile HIS Creation back to HIMSELF - making us in HIS Image - be more pleased by our surrendering ourselves in acts of generous, furious, loyal love towards another - not just family and close friends, but even our enemies - just as HE did? Wouldn’t HE prefer that to sacrifice? It’s not that HE doesn’t want our sacrifices - those are good and right and necessary, but as Dr. Tim Mackie puts it,
if you're comparing offering a sacrifice versus the opportunity to surrender yourself in an act of generous love towards another, God will say, do that one every time and come offer the sacrifice later.
The good life is for those who live out khesed love, treating others like cherished family with extravagant generosity. Israel didn’t earn this - and neither have we - yet God consistently showed and continues to show steadfast love. Their story is marked by God’s unwavering loyalty. In truth, there’s only one story: God’s enduring love, which shapes Israel’s life and all our lives, forever highlighting this truth.
So, pj … What’s the point?
Conclusion
Conclusion
When President Coolidge caught a young burglar in his hotel room, he didn’t condemn him. Instead, he showed mercy, loaning him $32 to pay his bill and return to college, asking only that he leave quietly. This surprising act of grace mirrors the Kingdom mercy Jesus calls us to in Matthew 5:7: “How good is life for the merciful! You’ll receive mercy yourselves.” Like Coolidge, we’re called to manifest mercy magnificently, transforming lives through forgiveness and love.
Last week, we learned to hunger for God’s righteousness (tzedekah), craving right relationships. Today, we see mercy (eleos, khesed) as the next step—fervent forgiveness, not vengeance, as Jesus taught Peter (Matthew 18:21–22), overturning Lamech’s violent legacy (Genesis 4:24). In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus warns that withholding mercy risks losing God’s forgiveness (Matthew 18:34–35). Like the Canaanite woman pleading for khesed (Matthew 15:22), we receive God’s loyal, generous love—His khesed that endures forever (Psalm 136)—and are called to reflect it. Kingdom mercy means treating everyone, even strangers or enemies, like cherished family, prioritizing loyal love over sacrifice (Hosea 6:6).
This mercy connects to our grief over broken relationships (Matthew 5:4) and restores shalom, as God did for Israel. Where do you need to show mercy today? In a strained family tie, a workplace conflict, or a community need? Don’t cling to bitterness; let God’s khesed flow through you. Join ministries like Love INC to extend mercy locally, or support global efforts like Samaritan’s Purse. As we forgive fervently and love extravagantly, we embody God’s image, trusting His promise that the merciful will receive mercy—now and in His Kingdom. Let’s pray for the Spirit to make us merciful, shaping us into Kingdom citizens who manifest khesed love, confident in God’s enduring grace.
Closing prayer & time of introspection before Communion
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
call ushers forward for Communion
pass out elements
Scripture says:
23 … that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
The Body of CHRIST broken and given for us.
Scripture also says:
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
The Blood of CHRIST: for without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sins.
Benediction
24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’
Scripture records the following words in v.27:
27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.”
So, receive and go with the blessings of YAHWEH!
