Kingdom Mindedness

I. Their Inward Conflict (v3-6): They Recognize their Spiritual Void (v3); They Feel Remorse for their Sin (v4); They Demonstrate Reverence unto God (v5); Their Righteousness is Filled by Christ (v6)

II. Their Outward Charity (v7-9): They have Pity for Others (v7); They are Pure in their Actions (v8); They are Peacemakers between Man and God (v9)

III. The Inevitable Cost (v10-12): Righteousness Brings Persecution (v10a-11); Persecution Brings Rewards (v10b-12a); Persecution has Good Company (v12b)

17. The Salt of the Earth (Mat. 5:13)

I. The Preamble (Mat. 5:1-12): To the Saved, Sanctified Servants; A Singular Agent

II. Purposes for Salt: Makes things Palatable; Preserving Agent; Provides Nutrients and Nourishment to the Body; Protects Travelers

III. Pictures of Salt: Used in Judgment (Jg. 9:45; Gen. 19:26); Used as a Remedy (2Ki. 2:19-22)

IV. The Production of Salt: Hewn from the Dead Sea; Separated for Good

V. A Precaution Given: If it Loses Taste, it Loses Purpose

18. The Light of the World (Mat. 5:14-16)

I. The Facts of Light: It Requires a Source; It’s Supplied by the Saviour; There’s a Singular Reflection; It’s a Simple Premise

II. The Function of Light: Rebukes Darkness; Repels Darkness; Reveals Dangers

III. The Focus of the Light (v15-16): To Give Illumination; To Give Instruction; To Identify the Source

19. The Correct View of the Law by Christ (Mat. 5:17-48)

I. The Satisfaction of the Law: Is Fulfilled in Christ (v17-18); Is not to be Forsaken nor Forgotten by Christians (v19-20)

II. The Strengthening of the Law: In our Displeasure (5:21-26); In our Desires / Deviancy (5:27-32); In our Declarations (5:33-37); In our Distain (5:38-48)

III. A Summary of Christ’s Teachings on the Law: Christ Has Satisfied the Law for Us; We are Subject to a Higher Standard; We should Live More Righteous, not Less

20. Standards to Pursue - pt.1 (Mat. 6:1-18)

I. Secretive Philanthropy (v1-4); The Manner we Give Reveals Our Priorities: Secret = Pleasing God and Blessing Men; Openly = Gaining Admiration from Men; The Manner we Give Reveals our Rewards; Either the Blessings of God or Praise of Men

II. A Sincere and Submissive Prayer Life (v5-15): Hypocrites & Heathens Pray (v5;7) And We’re to be Different (v8); Principles Include: God First & Kingdom Focused (v9-10); Our Need, Our Debt & Dependence Remembered (v11-13)

III. Subdue the Flesh (v16-18); The Purpose of Fasting; The Expectation of Fasting (v16-17); The Power in Fasting (v18)

20. Standards to Pursue - pt.2 (Mat. 6:19-34)

I. Seek Heavenly Treasures (v19-24): The Fragility of Earthly Treasures (v19); The Finality of Heavenly Treasures (v20); Treasures Demand Focus (v21); You Must Choose Your Master (v24)

II. Submit Yourselves to God (v25-34): Important Observations (v25); See the Illustrations (v26; 28; 30); Understand your Limitations (v27); Trust God for your Provision (v30-32); The Key is Prioritization (v33)

Introduction

The title of today's message is Kingdom Mindedness.

Now the LORD has covered much ground in this message. But as He’s drawing this message to a close, this passage here is a treasure trove of wisdom.

In it we have what is the mind of one whose mind is not on the temporal things of this world, but on things eternal.

Church the Bible says : Colossians 3:1–2 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

We’re told to in 2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Church we need to have a Kingdom mind!

It begins with Sound Judgments

I. Sound Judgments

Not a Prohibition of Judgment, but an Admonition for Righteous Judgement (v1-2)

Matthew 7:1 is a very familiar verse. Not only do many Christians know it but so do many heathen. Unfortunately it is also a very distorted verse in the eyes of many.

It's often used to defend sin.

It is used to stop the mouths of those who would condemn it.

Many imply that this verse is teaching men not to judge. And that is completely and utterly false.

(Ill.) A man goes to the doctor with a suspicious lump. The doctor examines it and then proceeds to tell him, "I'm sorry sir. Jesus said not to judge. I have no right to tell you if it's cancerous or not."

How silly would that be?

(Ill.) How many of you have gone into a convenience store or a McDonald's and given them a $20 bill or a $50 bill? They reach in and grab that little brown pen and mark on that bill. Do you know what they're doing? They're casting judgment. They are trying to determine whether that is legitimate or fake.

And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that!

You see because you could never be able to distinguish right from wrong unless you exercise judgment.

You could never determine whether that which you are infected with will hurt you or kill you unless you exercise judgment.

You'll never know whether something is real or fake unless you exercise judgment.

Christ most certainly was not prohibiting judgment. He was advocating that we should be judging righteously.

Anyone who would use that verse to try and imply that Jesus was condemning judgment is foolish and they know nothing about the Word of God.

We are to judge with righteous judgment but what does that mean? We must first judge ourselves before we can judge others.

Must First be to Self, then Others (v3-5)

No one wants to be deemed a hypocrite.

Requires Honesty & Humility

Hypocrite (def) an actor under an assumed character

Paul spoke of this hypocritical judgment in Romans 2:1–3 “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?”

We notice a few things in these verses:

The mote vs. the beam

Mote (def) twig - Oftentimes the ones quickest to condemn are the ones with the greatest sin.

We must get the great sin out of our lives before we can continue

The order of removal

Notice Jesus didn’t say not to help your brother, or just his sin - He said “Take care of yours FIRST - THEN you can see clearly to help your brother”

AND I SAID THAT RIGHT - JUDGMENT IS MADE TO HELP, NOT HURT. IT’S MADE TO OPEN EYES TO TRUTH, NOT A TOOL TO DRAW SADISTIC SATISFACTION FROM.

(Ill.) I would never tell a sodomite that what they are doing is sin just to try and offend them - I would tell them that to open their eyes to truth, THAT THEY MIGHT REPENT!

Now, will they be offended - almost 100% of the time. But it’s not the result we’re concerned with here, it’s the intent.

We must first judge self, THEN others

Must Exercise Discernment of Delivery(v6)

Lastly here is a principle that many people don't understand.

Dogs don’t care for Holy things

Pigs don’t know the value of pearls

Nor do many people the things of God. Church, some people just will not hear the Word of God - no matter what reason or wisdom you share.

(Ill.) Close to 1,500 years before Jesus' sermon here on the mount, a man by the name of Moses confronted Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God used Moses through signs and wonders to compel Pharaoh to let his people go. Pharaoh had all the evidence in the world of the truth of the Word of God - YET HE WOULD NOT HEAR.

“The same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay”

The point that I am making, and Jesus made, is that when you understand that the recipient is not open to hearing the Word of God and instead treats it with disdain, then you cease to speak to them for their hearts are hardened.

Remember how Jesus stayed silent before Herod?

Acts 13:46 “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”

Titus 3:10 “A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;”

Proverbs 23:9 “Speak not in the ears of a fool: For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.”

The Word of God is not up for debate. It is for instruction. This is why there is no use in getting into such things as what you see oftentimes online.

We are to exercise Sound Judgments

Sound Judgments

II. Seeking God’s Guidance

This next portion of Scripture can seem as though it is detached from the previous but if we do that and take it out of context, we can interpret this passage of Scripture incorrectly. In fact many people do.

If you take this portion of scripture out of context, you would draw the conclusion that, regardless of what you were asking for or seeking, you would be granted. It turns Jesus into a genie in a bottle.

Now this is connected and so what you have is this:

Jesus has spoken about

Judging righteously

Self-examination

Being able to discern when & what to speak

So how do we know how to do this properly? Seek the face of God! Pray and ask God for guidance. But to navigate this, effort & dependence is Required

Dependence & Effort is Required (v7)

Three things the LORD mentions:

Ask - what do we see? Dependence

When we are asking God for wisdom & discernment, we are depending on His providence. Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

(Ill.) When my children were small, it delighted my heart for my children to depend on me. It made me mad when they acted like they didn’t need me.

Do you think God is that much different?

James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Seek & Knock - what do we see? Effort

Many Christians would be far better equipped to navigate Judging Righteously, self-examination & discernment in speaking if we’d seek wisdom in the Word of God!

Psalm 119:98–100 “Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: For thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep thy precepts.”

Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple.”

We see that Dependence & Effort is Required

Success is Assured (v8)

“For EVERY ONE…” - church, if you want wisdom & discernment in dealing with the troubles of life, you can have it! This is what Christ is guaranteeing!

Success is Assured

A Telling Comparison (v9-11)

Consider for a few moments what he's saying. He says “Look at you - you know how to care for your children. How much more does God?”

(Ill.) Over the years, my children have come to me for advice. They sought something in their daddy and desired to know what I thought on a matter. Guess how many times I intentionally led them astray? That's not to say that my advice was ever perfect but that speaks to my fallibility, not my desire.

Now if you take not only that desire but increase it infinitely and then couple that with a God who is infallible, what do you get? Perfect Guidance!

A Telling Comparison

Sound Judgments; Seeking God’s Guidance

III. A “Self” Centered Attitude

This is what’s known as the “Golden” Rule

Notice once again the “Therefore”. This is the culmination of the preceeding verses. Let’s tie it together:

Judge Righteously

Self-examination

Discern when and what to speak

Ask & Seek God’s Wisdom on the situation

Then put yourself in the situation and treat others how you’d want to be treated.

Now don’t get thrown by the title of this point: it’s not as it seems.

When we think of ‘self-centeredness’ we think of what’s antithetical to Christianity. We don’t think of humility, we think of pride. That’s not what I’m getting at.

But in order to do as Christ has commanded, we must think about ourselves in a sense.

Consider Yourself

In ANY and EVERY situation that we encounter with others, we must first consider ourselves.

We must consider how we feel, think, act or react to what we would consider doing. We must put ourselves in the situation.

This takes us from a place of superiority / authority, to one of vulnerability.

We become the condemned instead of the condemner.

When we do this, we approach any given situation with greater consideration and compassion for others. CHURCH AND THAT’S ONE THING MISSING FROM OUR SOCIETY IS COMPASSION!

(Ill.) Imagine for a moment what our society would look like if everyone behaved this way?

Consider the harmony in mankind.

We’d get back to being able to disagree without being disagreeable

The pharmacy industry would about go bankrupt because there’d be little need for nerve & anxiety pills

It’s such an impactful principle, yet truly simple.

You consider yourself, then apply it to others

Apply it to Others

As I said, it’s simple - but oh, so powerful.

We think “But it will never happen” - well, I can’t make someone else’s decisions - but I can make mine!

We must be like Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

I may not be able to change the world, but I can change the world around me!

Consider yourself, then apply it to others - and this fulfills God’s Word!

Thereby Fulfilling the Word of God

Jesus was asked what the greatest law was. His response is this: Matthew 22:37–40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

What we're speaking about here is the effect of this.

For if you Love the LORD like that, you’ll consider yourself and apply it to others

IV. Behold the Choice

V. Beware of False Guides

VI. Beware False Assurance

Are you Secure in the Kingdom?

VII. Be Mindful of Your Foundation

Are you Secure in the Kingdom?

Conclusion

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