Matthew 5:13-16
Last week, we started into Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We discovered the Beatitudes which are describe the lives of kingdom disciples. We learned that a kingdom of heaven disciple is poor in spirit; mourns over their own sinfulness, is humble; hungry and thirsty for righteousness; is merciful; pure in heart; peacemaking and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. We also learned that we cannot produce these qualities in our own lives by trying really hard. They are more like evidence that the Spirit is at work in our lives. So we can pray that God would grow these in our lives. Our part also includes changed minds and compliant hearts. We repent or change our minds by the power of the Spirit to value what Jesus’ values; not what the Tony Stark character values. We comply with the Spirit’s work in our lives.
But the Sermon on the Mount does not end with Beatitudes. They weren’t given just so we can become good people or so the Holy Spirit can suit and shape us to live in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus expects His disciples to impact the world for the kingdom of heaven. Kingdom disciples don’t just grow for themselves but for the benefit of others. Jesus makes this clear in the next paragraph of this message.
