Poor Kings

Introduction

When you think of a Kingdom, what is the image that comes to your mind? Perhaps a palace, a throne, a bejeweled crown? Certainly, a great Kingdom will be represented in the glory and riches of its government. Our parliament building is grand to represent a solid society. A king or queen’s uncomfortably enriched crown gives those who look at it a confidence in the riches of their Kingdom.

In Daniel when Nebuchadnezzer’s vision is interpreted, we see the Kingdoms of the world represented by a statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. Their glory is displayed through riches, strength, military power, wisdom, and art. Who were mightier than the fierce Spartans? Where is there a more glorious sight than the legendary gardens of Babylon? What is more formidable than the insupassible strength of Rome? What has captured the miinds of the wise and produced great thinkers like the Greeks?

But when the Kingdom of God comes, it destoys these temporary wonders and their glory and surpases them exceedingly. So what of the officers and sons of that Kingdom? Should we expect them to be the rich, powerful, wise according to the world, and in everyway elevated? Surprisingly, the answer is no. In fact, the answer is the opposite. While in the OT the favour of God on his people was materialized in the wealth and wisdom of Solomon and the strength of David, the in new covenant we see a rather different picture emerge of the true believer. Not one that is contrary to the OT picture, but one that explained it more clearly.

He Taught Them

Our text begins with Jesus sitting down to teach people about the Kingdom of God.

Because our faith is a true faith, a faith that is not just something to help us cope with life or create a community around, but a faith that accurately follows what is true and real, teaching has a very important role. When our children are still quite young, their education begins. We teach them the basics of walking, talking, behaviour, and when they go to school the hope is they will learn what they need to know to live in this world. As much as phrases like “don’t lecture me” carry a negative tone, we still pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to go to school and have somenoe lecture us. We do this because we value knowledge, and so we value being taught, which is the desemination of knowledge.

Indeed, even the law of the OT is better understood as instruction rather than a cold, impersonal law. Those instruction were given to a people without the indwelling spirit who still lived according to the flesh and thus, like children, operated under the binds of a written societal law rather than being changed in their heart.

Jesus is here to give instruction just as God gave through Moses on Mt Sinai all those years ago. Jesus is bery obviously trying to show himself and the new Moses with the new covenant spoken of by the prophets. His teaching shows his willingness to share the knowledge and instruction of this covenant, like a father to a son, to all who might listen.

But there is some things significantly different about this covenant. While the Old manifested in outward form, the new manifests in inward reality.

Leon Morris

The Gospel according to Matthew 2. The Beatitudes, 5:3–12

It is significant that this sermon begins with beatitudes rather than imperatives. Jesus will go on to make great demands on his followers, but these demands are to be understood in a context of grace

As the Apostle John would say,

John 1:17 ESV

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Grace is not the destruction of the law, rather, in Christ’s own words, the fulfilment of the law. We will talk about that in future weeks, but suffice it to say the coming of Christ and the new covenant of grace brought to completion the original purpose of the law.

Poor Kings

Who are those who inherit this Kingdom? Who are being instructed like a prince by his father the King?

Disciples

Poor in Spirit.

Blessed

Direct translation: happy

Meaning: having God’s favour and blessing. This favour is not a result of a change the poor have made in themselves, but rather this poverty is a result of the gracious blessing of God.

Poor in Spirit

This is meant to seem counter-intuitive. How can the poor inherit a Kingdom?

Not talking about physical poverty, although not completely detached from the idea. It is possible for the rich to be poor in spirit, although it is harder than a camel going through the eye of a needle.

Spiritual poverty, in line with the theme of the new covenant, is an inward poverty. A realization of our utter lack of what we need spiritually and eternally. A back account with big numbers, a large house, cars, investments, and other forms of wealth are about as valuable as a collection of used staples. The poor in spirit are truly poor because they realize the lack of value in earthly things, the great value of heavenly things, and their personal lack of things that are actually worth something.

Leon Morris

The Gospel according to Matthew 2. The Beatitudes, 5:3–12

The poor in spirit in the sense of this beatitude are those who recognize that they are completely and utterly destitute in the realm of the spirit. They recognize their lack of spiritual resources and therefore their complete dependence on God (

Poverty of Spirit is not manifested with a show of entitlement or self-serving works based heavenly reward. Rather, it is those who have come to the realization of their poverty with a humbled heart. They have low views of their accomplishments and high views of God’s righteousness.

Philippians 3:7 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

A true child of the eternal kingdom recognizes two truths: that only eternal riches are of any value, and that they themselves are bankrupt of that currency without the gracious charity of God.

Isaiah 66:2 (ESV)

But this is the one to whom I will look:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit

and trembles at my word.

God does not want his Kingdom filled with people drunk on power, hungry for influence, and greedy for earthly gain. His Kingdom will belong to those humbled by the reality of their own poverty and their desire for the riches that come only as a free gift of God.

Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven

So what does it mean that the Kingdom of God will be theirs?

Does not mean that God will hand over his authority to them.

Does reference their share in the inheritance of Christ, the true heir of the throne of God.

They belong to that Kingdom by nature, even while they live in this world.

They have a share in all the promises of Scripture, Old or new testimant, but they all find their fulfillment in Christ.

Conclusion

Embrace poverty of spirit. Without the grace of God, you are poor.

Faith means to rely on riches not our own.

You place in the Kingdom of God is not due to your riches and spiritual maturity, but because of God’s grace shared to the immeasurably poor.