Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus introduces the Sermon on the Mount as the Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus reveals the Beatitudes as the mindset of kingdom citizens. This teaching contrasts worldly values with the mind of Christ. The message calls believers to live what they hear. The kingdom is demonstrated, not just spoken. Disciples are formed, not part of the crowds. The call is to enter, obey, and live the kingdom now.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 4:23, Matthew 5:3, Luke 6:12–13, Matthew 5:10, Matthew 5:19, Mark 3:13–14, Matthew 5:20, Matthew 6:10, 1 John 3:12–13, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 7:21, John 15:19, Matthew 5:11–12, Matthew 5:21–22, Jude 1:15, Matthew 5:27-28, Matthew 5:31–32, Luke 6:17, Matthew 5:33–34, Matthew 5:38–39, Revelation 2:9, Matthew 5:43–44, Matthew 7:12, Romans 14:17, Matthew 7:13–14, Matthew 6:33, 2 Corinthians 7:9–10, Matthew 4:23–24, Matthew 4:25, Luke 6:17, Matthew 5:1–2, Luke 6:20, Matthew 5:1, Matthew 5:17–18, Revelation 3:16–17, Matthew 5:4, 1 John 3:7–9, Ezekiel 9:4, Daniel 9:3–4, Daniel 9:20, Matthew 5:5, Psalm 2:8, Revelation 5:10, Matthew 5:6, Matthew 5:7, Revelation 22:4, Matthew 5:8, Revelation 21:9, Matthew 5:9, Matthew 3:17, Romans 8:14, Galatians 4:1, Galatians 4:3, Matthew 5:10, Galatians 4:7, Matthew 10:22–23, Matthew 24:9,
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew chapter 5 begins the Sermon on the Mount, which covers Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. There is so much here that we cannot possibly cover Chapter 5, or do it justice in a single study. The Sermon on the Mount is a study within itself.
The Sermon on the Mount is foundational, deep, and packed with truth. My goal is not to cover everything. What I am after is hearing what God is saying to us. I want to know what He is saying to this fellowship today. I am not trying to present the complete picture of the church world. However, I am listening for what the Lord is saying to us.
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
We will begin with a brief summary of the sermon. We will then examine the introduction in verses 1 and 2. Most of today’s focus will be on the Beatitudes. These are the blessed attitudes of the citizens of the kingdom.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
In the Beatitudes, we see the mind of Christ. We see how He thinks and how His program works throughout the sermon. Right away, we also see a contrast. There is a clear paradox between the kingdom citizen and the worldly citizen. The values are completely different.
The Sermon on the Mount has often been called the Constitution of the Kingdom of God. If that is true, then the Beatitudes are the preamble. They explain what we will find in the Constitution itself. We will eventually end with the teaching on salt and light. Israel was meant to be salt and light, but failed. The question I want us to face is this: how are we doing today as salt and light?
We know the book of Matthew was written to the Jews. That is clear. However, the next question is: who is the Jew today? Spiritually speaking, we are. That places us in direct parallel with these teachings. What Jesus said to natural Israel, He also says to spiritual Israel.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
When He warned them, He was also warning us. Even though these words were spoken to the natural Jew nearly two thousand years ago, they are still written for us today. We must come to grips with that if we are going to hear what God is saying to us now.
Think about this. When Jesus began preaching this message, did He have a theme? Did He have a title for what He was preaching? If He did, it would have been the Gospel of the kingdom. That was His central message.
Matthew 4:23
Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 4:23 makes that clear. It states that Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He was teaching in their synagogues. He was preaching the gospel of the kingdom. That sets the tone for everything we are about to study.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
As we move forward in this study, you will begin to see something obvious. The gospel is a gospel of demonstration. It is not just words. It is meant to be lived out and shown.
That is why I say the Gospel of the Kingdom was His theme and His title. This phrase is repeated eight times throughout the Sermon on the Mount. One example is found in Matthew 5:3, where He says,
Matthew 5:3
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Note,“theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The repetition shows us precisely what He was emphasizing.
We see it again in Matthew 5:10.
Matthew 5:10
10“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
In 5.19, he says the least in the kingdom of heaven and great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19
19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
In 5.20, He says, In no case enters the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20
20 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
In 6:10, Thy kingdom come.
Matthew 6:10
10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
In 6:33, seek ye first the kingdom of God.
Matthew 6:33
33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
And in 7:21 everyone that saith unto me Lord Lord shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 7:21
21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
The kingdom of heaven is His theme. His message is an invitation to enter the kingdom of heaven. He begins there, and He ends there. He tells us that some people will hear His words but will not do them. Others will hear and build their house on the rock. Still, there will be those who hear and never move in what He says.
What He is doing throughout this message is building people up. He is calling them to action. His purpose is to move people into the kingdom of God, not just to inform them.
I want you to understand this next point clearly. When we examine the attitudes of the kingdom citizen, we immediately encounter a challenge. These are not necessarily the attitudes of the average Christian. Jesus says we are blessed when men revile us and persecute us for His name’s sake. He tells us to rejoice and be exceedingly glad. That raises an honest question. Is that really the attitude of most of the Christian world today?
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 5:11–12
11 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
As we progress through this material, you will see that I am discussing a kingdom mentality. This is how kingdom people are meant to think. This is the mind of Christ. When we focus on the Beatitudes, the contrast becomes very clear. The mind of Christ stands in direct opposition to the way the world thinks.
The title of His message was the gospel of the kingdom. The first section is what we will focus on today. It concerns the kingdom’s citizens. This appears in Matthew 5:3-16. These verses describe the attitudes, or the blessed attitudes, of the kingdom citizen. They show what it means to be blessed. They also explain the kingdom’s citizens’ relationship to the world.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
In this teaching, the citizen of the kingdom is described as the light of the world and the salt of the earth. That description is not focused on the label of being a Christian. It explains how a kingdom citizen lives and functions in the world.
You will see a clear distinction between a kingdom mentality and what is often called a Christian mentality today. In reality, there should be no difference at all. Yet we all know there is one, whether we like to admit it or not. That is what I want us to see today. I want us to face that difference honestly and understand what Jesus is really calling us to.
The Righteousness of the Kingdom
The righteousness of the kingdom. That section runs from Matthew 5:17 through Matthew 7:21 and constitutes the most considerable portion of the sermon. This part describes the high standards of life that the King demands. These are the standards that come with entering the kingdom of God.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Here is the key issue. Jesus is not looking at what we say we are. He is not measuring us by our positive confession. He is looking at how we live. There is a demand placed on our actions. Entering the kingdom is not optional or based on preference. This is what you do when you enter into the kingdom of God.
Throughout the sermon, Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard it was said, but I say unto you.” I have those statements listed because He uses them several times.
Matthew 5:21–22
“You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill…”
Matthew 5:27–28
“You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery…”
Matthew 5:31–32
“It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement…”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 5:33–34
“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself…”
Matthew 5:38–39
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth…”
Matthew 5:43–44
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy…”
When He says this, He is not changing Scripture. He is not altering the Old Testament. He is revealing the deeper truth of what was already written, and He is showing us what the Scripture truly means. We are free from the law. That is true. Yet as we move through this sermon, you will see that Jesus teaches the same Scriptures found in the Old Testament. He does not discard them. He brings their true meaning to light. The law was never meant to bind us. When properly understood, it is intended to make us free.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Jesus repeats, “You have heard it was said, but I say unto you,” to show that righteousness was already present in the Old Testament. The problem was not the Scripture. The problem was that it had been mistranslated, misinterpreted, and misapplied by the teachers of that time. Jesus takes those same Scriptures and reveals their true life and meaning.
He never changes a single verse. He deepens it and clarifies it. In fact, He makes the standard even higher. Under the Old Testament, adultery was defined by the act. Under Jesus’ teaching, even the thought is addressed.
Matthew 5:27–28
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
When you really listen to what Jesus taught, you discover something surprising. The New Testament standard is more demanding than the Old Testament standard.
The essence of righteousness is to love God above all. This is what we’re studying: the righteousness of the kingdom. And that’s the majority of the Sermon on the Mount. But the essence of righteousness is this love God above all. And you’ll find we’ll find that mostly in chapter six.
In Chapter 6 we will study how a man cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). You must love God. You’ll either hate the one and love the other, or you’ll despise the one and hate the other. You can’t serve two masters. We must seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
When we get to chapter seven, Jesus brings it all together. He says that whatever you want others to do to you, you are to do the same to them. He tells us that this fulfills the law and the prophets.
Jesus gives us His version of the kingdom of God/heaven. He is summarizing righteousness in simple terms. Righteousness is not complicated. It begins with loving God above everything else. It is then lived out by treating others the way you want to be treated. That is the heart of righteousness.
Matthew 7:12
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
Entering the Kingdom of God
We are about to move into the Beatitudes, and we will get to that in just a moment. Before we do, I want us to stop and think about something seriously. What if we truly prayed, “Forgive me my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me” (Matthew 6:12)? What if we honestly prayed, “God, do to me the way I do to others”? That changes things for me. It forces us to think differently.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
If we really believed God would answer that prayer exactly as prayed, it would straighten us out quickly. Saying, “Do to me, God, what I do to others,” brings a sobering clarity to how we live.
Matthew 7:13-14 focus on the beginning. They speak of the straight gate and the narrow way. That is where entering the kingdom starts.
Matthew 7:13–14
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Then Matthew 7:15-20 deals with progress along the way. In this section, Jesus warns against false prophets/teachers. As we move forward in the kingdom of heaven, we will encounter false prophets and false ministries. That should not surprise us. Jesus specifies how to recognize them. We will know them by their fruit.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 7:21-23 addresses the sayers contrasted with the doers. And that’s where he’s talking about, and he says everybody that comes to me and says Lord, Lord shall not enter into the kingdom of God. You see, it’s not what you say, it’s what you do.
Matthew 7:24-27 talks about the hearers contrasted with the doers. Those are the people who hear the word; they might go build a house, but they’re gonna build it on the sand. But those who really listen to him and really do what he says, they’re gonna build their house, but that house will stand.
That section focuses on entering into the kingdom of God. One thing stands out to me about the sermon Jesus delivered. Notably, there was no altar call. He did not bring people forward or walk anyone down the Roman road. At no point did He tell them to pray after Him. Instead, Jesus issued an explicit command. He told them to enter the kingdom of God and to seek first the kingdom and His righteousness. When that happens, everything else is added.
Matthew 6:33
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
There was no altar call in this sermon. I have had people question me for not having one at every service. I will not do that every time. Jesus never did. We often use altar calls to initiate a person’s coming to Christ, but His emphasis was different. He said to walk in it. What matters is not what we say. What matters is what we do.
Matthew 5:1-2 forms the introduction. You need to understand that the title of this sermon is the gospel of the kingdom of God. That theme was already established before Jesus ever spoke on the mountain.
Matthew 4:23 makes that clear.
Matthew 4:23–24
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
And his fame went throughout all Syria: they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Now notice what happens.
Matthew 4:25
“And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.”
We talked about this last time. The multitudes were not coming to find another church. They came because the gospel was a gospel of demonstration. It was not just a deep or good word. Jesus was flowing in the gifts of the Spirit. People could see the kingdom of God in action. That is what people continue to seek today.
Luke gives additional details. The correct reference is Luke 6:12. Luke tells us that Jesus spent the entire night in prayer. The next morning, He called twelve disciples and ordained them as apostles. Subsequently, they entered a healing ministry, and then Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Luke 6:12–13
“And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”
Luke 6:17
And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
Matthew 5:1–2
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,”
Jesus Focuses on the Disciples
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
In Mark 3 13 he went up into a mountain and he ordained twelve. That was the twelve that he got a hold of here. And the multitude came up together again but he got these twelve in the mountain and he gave them this message.
Mark 3:13–14
“And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,”
In Luke 6:17 and 20, a great multitude came, and he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said.
Luke 6:17
“And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Luke 6:20
“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.”
(NASB) Luke 6:20
“And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say,
‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.’”
Now the NASB translation says, “And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say…”
Jesus did not jump up and preach this message without preparation. He spent time in prayer. He demonstrated the kingdom first, and then He preached it. As we continue through this gospel, we will see that demonstration clearly. We will see healings, miracles, and deliverance. All of that matters. Right now, though, I want us to focus on the teaching behind it. I want us to see the mentality Jesus had that produced this kind of ministry.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
That is what we are praying for. We are asking God to give us this same mentality. We do not want to be hearers and speakers only, but doers of the Word. Our desire is that people can come here and receive the gospel of the kingdom, which is a gospel of demonstration. We want the crowds to come. We want the multitudes to come. To see that happen, we must demonstrate the gospel we keep talking about.
The Gospel of the Kingdom Is Demonstration
The gospel of the kingdom of God is a gospel of demonstration. Any other gospel is not the gospel Jesus preached. Matthew introduces a subject and then expands on it. Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7 expand what was stated in Matthew 4:23. Jesus went about teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. He was first a teacher, then a preacher. What came out of Him was what was already in Him. He announced the message, demonstrated it, and then explained it through the Sermon on the Mount.
That is what I want us to see. We have already announced the message we proclaim. Now it is time to demonstrate that message. When that happens, the crowds will come, and then we can explain the kingdom to them. Jesus spoke to multitudes and invited them to become citizens in His kingdom.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
I trust that you are familiar with the Beatitudes and the teaching on salt and light. If you do not, I encourage you to read them at home. The multitudes came because this was a gospel of demonstration. They were not looking for another church or another preacher. They found something that worked. When people find something that works, they bring others with them.
Crowds Versus Disciples
Both the multitudes and the disciples came to Him. Many translations render them as “crowds” rather than “multitudes”. Jesus was sympathetic to the crowds. He fed them when they were hungry, and He healed them when they were sick. He taught them when they would listen. His heart was moved toward them.
Yet the primary focus of His ministry was not the crowds. It was the disciples. Matthew 5:1-2 states that the disciples came to Him and He taught them. The crowds came for the demonstration. They wanted to see what was happening. The disciples were the ones who received the message.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 5:1-2
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Luke 6:20“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.”
The Setting of the Sermon on the Mount
Luke 6:20 says that Jesus lifted up His eyes on His disciples and said, “Blessed be you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” The NASB says that He gazed upon His disciples. That wording is essential. He was focused on them.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
What I want you to hear is this. When you are a disciple, Jesus is putting something into you. He will minister to the multitudes and the crowds. His deeper work, though, is done in His disciples. It was not the crowds who turned the world upside down. It was the disciples. That is still His purpose.
Disciples Change the World
We are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. A disciple is a follower and a learner. That is what we are doing. We want Him to put something into us so that we can turn the world upside down. That is why this matters.
What we want is a church full of disciples. On Sunday mornings, we may have a crowd. At other times, we have disciples. That distinction is important. The crowds come to receive sympathy, to have needs met, to be fed, healed, delivered, and taught. There is nothing wrong with that. We were all once a part of the crowd.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
The difference is in who truly hears. The crowds are present and hear, but the disciples hear and do. Multitudes may come, but disciples change the world. It will be disciples who turn Lafayette upside down, not crowds. That truth still stands today.
Matthew 5:1
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:”
The Mountain Jesus Ascended
The NAS Bible says the mountain. The amplified Bible says the mountain. That word there is a definite article. It means the mountain. And what I want you to get here is as a contrast of this mountain that Jesus went up into and the mountain that Moses went up into, okay, Horeb or Sinai.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
And on Sinai, the mountain Moses ascended, he received the Old Testament commandments. But Jesus gave the New Testament. Moses ascended Sinai and received. But Jesus ascended into “Zion,” as it were, and gave it. We have it because we have it directly, not from an intercessor or anyone else in between. We got it straight from the King.
Is the Sermon on the Mount Livable Today?
Some people say that this sermon is impossible; we’re unable to live it today. And they are the modern agers. They claim that Jesus did not intend this sermon for the church today. They argue that the precepts and principles are unlivable in today’s society.
And they’re right, I guess, if we allow our children to learn safe sex, and if we allow our children to have abortions, and encourage abortions, if we encourage pornography. But I want you to know that Jesus didn’t say this is for this time that I live in, i.e., this generation in which I live. That’s not what Jesus said.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
He did say this. Heaven and earth can pass away, but not one jot or one tittle will ever change the words I speak. What I want us to see is that this is as livable today as it was then. Saying this is not for today is a humanistic lie of autonomous man. Jesus said in Matthew 5 17 and 18 till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:17–18
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
The Sermon Applies Now as Then
Now, as well as then, the church is the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). Now, as well as then, anger, hatred, and murder are all wrong, and all reap their individual reward (Matthew 5:21-22). Today, as well as then, adultery begins in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28).
There is another extreme I want to address. Some people say that all we need is the Sermon on the Mount. They like it because Jesus does not mention the blood or teach the atonement in that sermon. To them, salvation becomes a matter of moral behavior. If they live by Matthew 5, 6, and 7, they believe they are good enough to go to heaven. That is not true. You cannot be saved without the blood.
Jesus absolutely teaches the blood, even though it is not the focus of this sermon. Ignoring that truth is dangerous. These same people often reject theology from Acts, the Epistles, Revelation, and especially the Old Testament. They say we are free from the law, so they dismiss it. Without the Old Testament, though, you will never understand the New. Salvation is not about being a good moral person. We must come through the blood.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Rejecting Selective Christianity
I have used two extremes to make a point. Some say this teaching was not meant for today. Others say it is all we need today. Both views are wrong. We cannot pick and choose Scripture. We are in covenant. That means we are in agreement with all of the New Testament, not just the parts we like.
Now back to the Beatitudes and the citizens of the kingdom. I have discussed the crowds again, but I want to clarify a point. Disciples come out of the crowds. Kingdom citizens come from the crowds. I am not dismissing the crowds at all.
What I want to show in the Beatitudes is this. These attitudes define a kingdom person. This is the mind of Christ. This is how the mind of Christ thinks and teaches us to think. Note that I am not saying “Christian.” I am talking about a kingdom person. What follows is a complete reversal of how things are typically evaluated.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
The Meaning of Blessed
The word blessed means supremely blessed, fortunate, and well off. I will explain how the Amplified expands on that in a moment, as it significantly magnifies the meaning. According to Jesus, you are blessed when you are poor, when you mourn, when you are meek, when you hunger, when you are merciful, when you are pure, when you are a peacemaker, and when you are persecuted.
There is even a double blessing connected to persecution. You may list either eight or nine attitudes, but I retain eight because the last one entails two blessings. That one stands out to me because persecution is what I experience the most.
A Complete Reversal of Worldly Values
This teaching is a complete reversal of the prevailing worldview. The world says you must be rich, carefree, proud, attractive, ruthless, unchaste, compromising, and favored. Jesus brings a fundamentally different message. He shows up and tells people they will be persecuted. That kind of message does not fit the world’s system.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Something has clearly been misstated in our thinking. This truth deeply affected me as I studied it. The Jewish mindset had been programmed to believe that poverty, mourning, meekness, hunger, mercy, purity, peacemaking, and persecution meant God was displeased. That same mentality still exists today. Many believe that if life is not easy and comfortable, they must be missing it with God.
Jesus came and corrected that thinking. He taught that God is not concerned with outward conditions. What matters to Him is the inward condition of the heart.
Jesus is not saying He wants us poor, mourning, meek, or hungry in the natural sense. He is dealing with the inner person. His focus is on the condition of the heart, not outward circumstances.
Jesus Reverses False Teaching
What I want you to see is that Jesus completely reversed what the world and the teachers of His day were saying. Even today, some teachers claim that if you fit the list Jesus calls blessed, you are missing it with God. That is not what Jesus taught.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Imagine how the people first hearing this must have reacted. They had been taught that the truly blessed were the rich, the joyful, the proud, the attractive, the powerful, the unchaste, the compromising, and the favored. Jesus said the opposite. His words sounded paradoxical and even absurd to human thinking. This was a total reversal of how blessing had always been evaluated.
The Jewish mindset believed that suffering, including persecution, meant God was displeased. If someone was persecuted, they thought that person had missed God. Jesus completely overturned that belief. He showed that suffering and persecution were not signs of failure but part of God’s work within us.
Everyone wants to be an overcomer. Victory sounds wonderful. Being more than a conqueror is exciting. None of that happens, though, unless there is something to overcome, a battle to fight, or something to conquer. That is precisely what Jesus taught.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
The Kingdom Message Includes Persecution
Right in the middle of this teaching is a clear statement. Any message that claims we do not experience persecution and tribulation is not the gospel of the kingdom Jesus preached. This kingdom mentality is not always identical to what is commonly called a Christian mentality. A person can believe in Jesus and still reject the idea of persecution.
These statements Jesus made are called the Beatitudes. They are structured in three parts. First, each one begins with the phrase, “Blessed are you.” Second, each Beatitude describes a specific characteristic, such as meekness. Third, each one provides a reason for the characteristic’s blessing, such as inheriting the earth.
The Amplified Bible expands the term “blessed” in a powerful way.
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
It describes it as happy, enviable, and spiritually prosperous. It speaks of possessing the happiness that comes from experiencing God’s favor. That blessing is rooted in grace and remains true regardless of outward conditions.
Beatitude One — Poor in Spirit
With that foundation laid, we come to the first Beatitude.
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The world thinks oppositely. We are not talking about the outward person. You can be wealthy, admired, and successful in the eyes of the world and still be miserable inside. That contrast is vital to understand.
Jesus completely reverses worldly thinking. When He says, “Blessed are the poor,” He is speaking spiritually. He is talking about being poor in spirit. That poverty is inward, not external.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
The Greek term for “poor” is explained. It refers to a beggar or a pauper. Vine says it describes someone who is poverty-stricken. That definition matters because Jesus is describing a posture of the heart. What He is saying is this. The first step into the kingdom of God is recognizing spiritual need. It is coming as one who desires, begs, and longs for spiritual things. A person enters the kingdom acknowledging spiritual poverty.
Entering the Fullness of the Kingdom
Of course, we must have Jesus Christ and His blood. That is foundational. What I am emphasizing here, though, is going deeper into the fullness of the kingdom. To walk in the kingdom, you begin to hunger for spiritual things. You start begging for spiritual gifts. You long for spiritual fruit.
This is the real difference between the kingdom and the world. Kingdom people seek spiritual things more than natural things. They are not driven by fear of material needs. Their pursuit is spiritual rather than worldly.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
That mindset is entirely the opposite of prevailing thinking. The world wants everything natural, immediate, and monetary. Spiritual things only become interesting when a crisis hits. That contrast demonstrates how distinct the kingdom mentality is.
I am not saying material things are wrong. They are not. That is not how you enter the kingdom. Entry comes through being poor in spirit.
Heaven’s Evaluation of Richness
Revelation 3:16–17 gives a clear example. A church claimed it was rich. Jesus told them they were actually wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. That shows how different heaven’s evaluation is from the world’s.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Revelation 3:16–17
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
That example comes from the church of Laodicea. They believed they were rich, but Jesus said He would spew them out of His mouth.
There was another church with a very different evaluation. That was the church of Smyrna, as seen in Revelation 2:9.
Revelation 2:9
“I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
We can be a church that is rich in natural and material things and still be poor, naked, miserable, wretched, and blind in God’s eyes. That kind of condition brings rejection. On the other hand, we can be poor in the natural and rich in the spiritual. That is what it means to be rich in Him.
This is the meaning behind “blessed are the poor.” The key issue is what we are seeking. When spiritual things become our highest pursuit, everything changes. Nothing satisfies like spiritual reality. Once that understanding comes, we realize something important. The kingdom of heaven is ours now, not something reserved for the future.
Many churches teach that the kingdom of God is distant. They say it will come one day after everything is destroyed. That idea does not fit what Jesus taught. The kingdom is present.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
The kingdom belongs to those who admit spiritual poverty. It belongs to those who hunger for spiritual things above all else. That hunger looks like begging and seeking. It is being a pauper in relation to spiritual reality.
That is how I live. I attend seminars, and I ask people to lay hands on me. I stay close to those who are more mature in the Lord so I can receive from them, and I pursue spiritual things intentionally. The kingdom is real and present. It is not mystical or distant. Luke 17:20-21 states that the kingdom of God is within us.
Romans 14 17 says,
Romans 14:17
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Matthew 13 makes it clear that the kingdom is present. Those passages all point to the reality that the kingdom “IS,” not something delayed.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Beatitude Two — Mourning
The second Beatitude says,
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
This is not about natural mourning. It is not tied to loss or human sorrow. Jesus is speaking about spiritual mourning. In the kingdom of God, there are two kinds of mourning. The first is mourning over sin. This includes personal sin, whether past or present. This kind of mourning should be part of a believer’s life. A child of God cannot continue living in sin. Scripture supports that truth if it needs to be shown.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
1 John 3:7–9
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
And in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, sorrow works repentance to salvation.
2 Corinthians 7:9–10
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
If there is no sorrow over the sin you are living in, then repentance is not taking place. Repentance involves a genuine grieving over sin.
Mourning Over National Sin
There is a second kind of mourning, and this is the one I would like to examine in greater detail. It involves mourning over national sin and the sins of the ungodly. My foundation for this comes from Jude 15.
Jude 1:15
“To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
Ezekiel 9:4 speaks about the mark of the Lord. That mark is placed on people who belong to the kingdom. These are the ones who sigh and cry over the abominations in the land. Their grief is not personal sorrow. It is a spiritual mourning over the sin around them.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Ezekiel 9:4
“And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”
Crying Over the Abominations of the Land
I have to ask the hard questions. Is abortion an abomination? Is pornography an abomination? Are humanistic theologies an abomination when they deny God as Creator? Homosexuality is called an abomination as well. What a nation must do, and what kingdom people are meant to do, is sigh and cry over the abominations in the land. That is what mourning looks like.
I mourn when millions of babies never get to live. I grieve when diseases like AIDS destroy countless lives. Those realities should move us deeply. They are not statistics. They represent a nation’s brokenness.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
I wanted to spend time reading Daniel 9:1–20. I did read it, and it brought me to tears. You can find it in Daniel chapter 9. That prayer shows the heart of a kingdom person. A kingdom mentality causes us to mourn over national sin. It stirs sorrow and holy grief over the abominations in the land. That is the spirit behind Daniel’s prayer, which truly begins around verse 3.
Daniel 9:3-4
“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:”
“And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;”
Intercession for Personal and National Sin
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Who does he keep the covenant with? Keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his commandments. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly, and all of that talks about the abominations of the nation.
Look at Daniel 9:20.
Daniel 9:20
“And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;”
Daniel’s prayer reveals the essence of proper mourning. While he was still speaking and praying, Gabriel came to him. What matters most is what Daniel was praying about. He was confessing his own sin and the sin of his people, Israel. He was interceding for himself and for the nation. That is who he mourned for, and that is what we are called to mourn over as well.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Beatitude Three — Meekness
Meekness is the next attitude, and I want to be clear about it.
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Meekness is not weakness. Vine defines it as strength under control. It is power that is restrained, not passivity. Jesus was meek and yet walked in authority. Moses was the meekest man on earth and still carried great power and judgment. Those examples demonstrate that meekness and power are mutually constitutive.
My understanding of meekness is selflessness. When I stop protecting myself and stop being occupied with self, meekness becomes possible. As long as I stay defensive, I cannot be meek. Over the past two years, I have experienced this in a way I never had before. I have learned to confront hostility without retaliating. That experience taught me that meekness is strength, not surrender.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Meekness is also not spinelessness. Hendrickson explains that it is not yielding to every pressure. It is a submission while being provoked. It is choosing to suffer rather than to harm. A meek person leaves everything in God’s hands. Jesus is not building a weak church. He is building a powerful one. He said the gates of hell would not prevail against it. That describes an army, not a passive people (Matthew 16:18).
Meekness and Kingdom Authority
A meek person is someone who can receive orders and execute them. That kind of person is not spineless. The Lord is not looking for a weak church. He wants an army that will move against the gates of hell, as Matthew 16:18 declares. At the same time, He does not want a spirit of war toward God. Meekness means being bowed before Him. A meek citizen can receive instruction and direction for battle.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Scripture says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” That promise matters. It is not about inheriting something minor or temporary. God did not create the earth to destroy it. He is not the kind of God who gives an inheritance and then destroys it.
Psalms 2.8 says,
Psalm 2:8
“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”
Revelation 5.10 says that we will rule and reign on the earth.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Revelation 5:10
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Many teach that the earth will be destroyed or handed over to the ungodly. Jesus says something very different. He plainly states that the meek will inherit the earth.
Psalm 2:8 confirms that the earth is our inheritance. Revelation 5:10 tells us we will rule and reign on the earth, not from a distant place in heaven. It would be strange for God to create something beautiful and then destroy it. I choose to believe what Jesus said.
Meekness Does Not Cancel Warfare
The citizens of the kingdom have a meek spirit toward God. At the same time, they carry a warring spirit to possess what God has given them. Meekness does not cancel warfare. It directs it.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
That leads to the next Beatitude in verse 6.
Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
Hunger and thirst are healthy signs. When a person never feels hunger or thirst, something is wrong. That same principle applies spiritually. There must be a hunger and thirst for righteousness. That desire has to be real. If someone does not long to be righteous or to be like God, that person is not living in the kingdom. Church attendance or a Christian label does not change that.
A person can call himself a Christian, attend services, and have his name on a church roll. If there is no pursuit of righteousness, there is a serious problem. Such a condition should concern us.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Those who belong to the kingdom hunger and thirst after the things of God. Jesus drew a clear distinction between performing righteous acts and being righteous. He said that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we will not enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:20). You cannot look to your teachers as your standard. That is not where righteousness is measured.
Jesus later says in chapter six, Take heed how you practice righteousness (Matthew 6:1). He warns us not to do our righteousness before people to be seen by them. The focus is not on appearance but on the heart. Righteousness cannot be something we do just to be seen. It has to be real. It must be inside of us, not performed for others.
We are filled with the things of the Spirit by feeding on the things of the Spirit. That spiritual food sustains, transforms, and sanctifies us. In nature, when we eat, we do not continue to grow indefinitely. In the Spirit, though, it works differently. When we continue to eat spiritually, we grow. I want to be strong and full in the Spirit. I want to be large on the inside, rich and weighty in spiritual life. That kind of fullness only comes one way. It comes through hunger and thirst.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Beatitude Five — Mercy
That brings us to the next Beatitude in verse seven.
Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
There is only one way to obtain mercy. We receive mercy by giving mercy. That principle is clear and unchanging. Forgiveness works the same way. We are forgiven as we forgive others. Jesus taught us to pray this way when He said, “Forgive us our sins, even as we forgive.” Mercy received is tied directly to mercy given.
This truth arose recently in conversation, precisely when I was studying this point. It brought to mind the parable in Matthew 18:23-35. That story is about the unmerciful servant. He received mercy but refused to give it. Because of that, he ended up in prison.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 6.12 says, Forgive us our debts, even as we forgive our debtors. I wrote this earlier, and it continues to challenge me. What if we truly prayed, “Father God, do to me as I do to others”? What if we actually lived that way? Imagine how different things would be if the entire Christian world practiced that truth.
Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 6:14-15. He says that if we do not forgive others their trespasses, our Father will not forgive us. Mercy and forgiveness are inseparably connected.
How will we receive mercy? By giving mercy. You will not receive it unless you give it. That’s a very, very clear attitude. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. That’s the only way you’ll receive mercy.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Beatitude Six — Purity of Heart
Verse eight.
Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Many passages in Scripture speak of a pure heart, as purity is a central theme. The Bible treats purity as something precious and intentional. It uses clear examples such as pure gold, pure silver, and pure incense to demonstrate its value.
That theme extends into the book of Revelation. There we see a city made of pure gold and a pure river flowing through it. When you look closer at Revelation 21:9, you realize something deeper. That pure city and pure river represent a pure people.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Revelation 21:9
“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
I just said a bunch to that. That pure city and that pure river are really the bride. It’s the Lamb’s bride. It’s a pure people. And that’s what purity is always headed for. In Revelation 22:4, these pure people see his face.
Revelation 22:4
“And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”
Those are the only people in the entire Bible who can look upon God. That truth is powerful. I wish we had more time to remain there, but we need to proceed.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Beatitude Seven — Peacemakers
Attitude number seven is found in verse 9.
Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
This verse is poorly understood in the King James Version. Other translations make it clearer. The NAS, Living Bible, Today’s English Version, Revised Version, and the Amplified all use the phrase sons of God. That wording matters. It is not talking about children. It refers to sons, which means mature people. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” He is saying they are mature in God. They are the sons of God.
These are people who work with God. They move with Him and cooperate with what He is doing. They are not spiritual children constantly asking for something. Their posture has changed. Instead of saying, “Daddy, give me,” they say, “Daddy, what can I do?” A son is someone who has grown up spiritually. That understanding is necessary if we are going to grasp what a peacemaker really is.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 3:17
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Romans 8:14
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Galatians 4:1
“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;”
Galatians 4:3
“Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:”
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Galatians 4:7
“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Mature Sons Working With the Father
The sons of God are maturing in the Lord and in spiritual things. They carry honor and dignity and work alongside the Father. He has formed their attitudes, and they serve as His agents on the earth.
When people reach this place in the Lord, they are no longer spiritual children. They stop saying, “Give me, give me.” Their cry becomes, “Let me do.” They ask the Father for assignments and direction. That maturity leads them to be peacemakers.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
A peacemaker is a mature son of God. The Amplified Bible clarifies this by referring to them as makers and maintainers of peace. Making peace requires involvement. It means stepping into conflict to bring resolution. This has nothing to do with being spineless. God does not want a weak church. He wants an army. The church is meant to battle the forces of evil. Our calling is bigger than counting converts. We are here to win our city for the kingdom of God.
That is why the burden is for the city itself. It is not about calling out the church. It is about crying and sighing for Lafayette, Georgia. That is the focus. That is the mission.
We are called to be peacemakers, as Jesus (1 Corinthians 14:33; Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 6:15).
We have compromised. We have allowed a mentality to shape us that says we are going to escape, so the issues of Lafayette do not really matter. The thinking becomes, we are not going to be here anyway, so why engage? That mindset is wrong. Peacemakers are a mighty army. They follow the Prince of Peace, the God of peace, and the gospel of peace. These peacemakers are not passive. They stand against what God hates and count His enemies as enemies.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
A peacemaker is not spineless. Making peace is not the same as avoiding conflict. True peacemaking often requires confrontation. Often, peace comes only through warfare.
Beatitude Eight — Persecution
That leads to verse 10.
Matthew 5:10
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Persecution means to pursue. Vine defines it as “to put to flight or drive away.” The idea behind it is forceful and deliberate. This form of persecution is neither social, racial, economic, nor political. It is rooted in righteousness. It stems from our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Here is what we must understand. The world is meant to hate us. That reaction is not optional or conditional. When we live righteously, opposition is the expected response.
Matthew 10:22-23
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
“But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.”
That statement raises an important question. What does it mean when Jesus says they will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes? Is He talking about His return? That question naturally leads to the cry, “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
What He is referring to is a coming in judgment. This is a revelation coming. It is the Lord coming to judge. That is the meaning of this coming.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
Matthew 24:9
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”
Jesus says that people will be delivered up, afflicted, and even killed. He says all nations will hate us for His name’s sake. That statement is profound and sets the tone for what following Him entails.
I am not trying to frighten anyone, but a recent conversation brought this home to me. Judy and I were talking about life insurance the other day. The bank offers a small amount at no cost, and additional coverage is inexpensive. She told me I really should consider it. I looked at her funny because that is not the kind of message I typically preach. She reminded me that I have been saying stronger things and will likely say even more. She felt it was wise because someone could kill me.
That led us to talk about Randy Adler going overseas. People are praying and fasting for his safety. Nothing has really changed. If we do what we are supposed to do, opposition will come. When we live this message, some people will not like it, and they will know exactly who they are coming after.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
John 15:19
“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
1 John 3:12–13
“Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”
Pausing Before Salt and Light
This is a good place to stop, even though I do not like ending on this note. I wanted to address the teaching on salt and light because it feels more positive. Still, this is where we need to pause and resume next time.
Matthew 5 Part 1: How to Hear the Heart of Jesus
We should not be surprised by opposition. The church is a warring instrument of God. Israel was meant to be a persecuted people and still be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, and a city set on a hill. Jerusalem literally sat on a hill and could not be hidden. They were called to shine, but when salt loses its flavor, it becomes useless.
God shifted the responsibility of light to the church, and Israel was judged. That truth speaks loudly to us today. If you read Daniel’s prayer, you see plagues coming because of national sin. I believe we are seeing the same pattern now. We cannot continue as we are. We are the salt of the earth, the salt of Lafayette, and the light of Lafayette. When salt loses its strength or light is hidden under a basket, it serves no purpose. The world will hate us, even though we would rather be liked.
Matthew 5 Part 1
Matthew 5 Part 1
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