Jesus’ Call to Kingdom Living

Two Sermons, One Kingdom

On the Hill and the Plain

Christ’s Kingdom Manifesto

Beatitudes and Beyond

The Kingdom Ethics of Jesus

A Study of Jesus’ Greatest Teachings

The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain

The comparison between the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain has fascinated scholars and theologians for centuries. These two sermons, found respectively in Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6:17-49, contain many similar teachings yet differ in structure, emphasis, and setting. Understanding these differences sheds light on the unique theological aims of the Gospel writers and offers deeper insights into Jesus’ message for His followers.

1. The Context and Setting

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount from a hillside, symbolizing a new Moses delivering a new law. William Barclay notes that Matthew, writing primarily for a Jewish audience, deliberately frames Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophets. The mountain setting evokes Sinai, where Moses received the law, underscoring the continuity between the old covenant and the new.

By contrast, Luke presents the sermon in a more level place, often called the Sermon on the Plain. Alexander Maclaren points out that this setting emphasizes Jesus’ accessibility to all people, not just those who might ascend to a lofty mountain. N.T. Wright concurs, suggesting that Luke’s version reflects a more inclusive, down-to-earth portrayal of the kingdom of God, focusing on practical, immediate issues faced by ordinary people.

John Stott highlights the symbolic significance of both settings: the mountain suggests transcendence—God revealing His new covenant—while the plain suggests immanence—God meeting His people in their everyday struggles.

2. Similarities in Content

Both sermons contain core teachings about the kingdom of God, including:

• The Beatitudes

• Loving one’s enemies

• Judging others rightly

• The importance of bearing good fruit

Eugene Peterson, in The Message, paraphrases these teachings to highlight their radical call to counter-cultural living. His rendering of Matthew 5:3—“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope”—captures the essence of Jesus’ invitation to humility and dependence on God.

Stott emphasizes that both sermons present a vision of life under God’s rule that is radically different from the prevailing cultural norms. He writes, “The Sermon is a manifesto for discipleship, calling us to live distinctively as salt and light in a decaying and dark world.”

3. Differences in Emphasis

The Beatitudes

One significant difference lies in the way the Beatitudes are presented:

• Matthew includes eight Beatitudes, beginning with “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3).

• Luke includes four Beatitudes and contrasts them with four corresponding woes (Luke 6:20-26).

Luke’s Beatitudes are more direct, focusing on literal poverty and hunger. N.T. Wright observes that Luke’s version emphasizes Jesus’ concern for the marginalized and reflects the theme of reversal—God exalting the lowly and humbling the proud. Luke’s corresponding woes (“Woe to you who are rich…”) underscore the temporal nature of wealth and power.

In contrast, Matthew’s Beatitudes are more spiritualized. Barclay notes that Matthew’s “poor in spirit” refers to those who recognize their spiritual need and utter dependence on God. This broader application makes Matthew’s version more universally applicable, transcending socio-economic conditions.

Ethical Teaching

Both sermons include ethical teachings about love for enemies, judging others, and building a life on a solid foundation. However, Luke’s version is shorter and more concise, emphasizing immediate, practical obedience. Matthew, in contrast, expands on these teachings, providing a fuller exposition of kingdom ethics.

4. Theological Implications

The differences in emphasis reflect the distinct theological aims of the Gospel writers:

• Matthew, writing for a Jewish audience, emphasizes Jesus as the new Moses and the fulfillment of the law and prophets.

• Luke, writing for a broader Gentile audience, emphasizes Jesus’ compassion for the marginalized and His challenge to social and economic injustices.

Maclaren highlights that both sermons ultimately call for a radical reorientation of life around the values of the kingdom of God. Whether on a mountain or a plain, Jesus calls His followers to live as citizens of God’s kingdom, embodying its values in a world that often runs contrary to them.

5. Key Themes and Practical Applications

Kingdom Values

Both sermons emphasize the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom, where the poor, meek, and persecuted are blessed, and love triumphs over hatred. Eugene Peterson urges readers to reflect on how radically different Jesus’ vision of life is from the world’s values.

Righteousness

John Stott stresses the centrality of righteousness in both sermons, noting that Jesus redefines righteousness not as external adherence to the law but as an inward transformation of the heart. He writes, “The Sermon on the Mount is not about superficial morality but about a deep, heartfelt pursuit of God’s will.”

Obedience

Both sermons conclude with a call to action: to hear Jesus’ words and put them into practice. In Matthew, this is illustrated by the parable of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-27), while Luke uses a similar parable (Luke 6:46-49) to emphasize the importance of obedience.

Alexander Maclaren writes, “It is not enough to admire the beauty of Christ’s words; we must act on them, building our lives on the rock of His teaching.”

6. Living Out the Sermon Today

For modern Christians, the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain remain foundational texts for discipleship. They challenge believers to:

• Live humbly and dependently on God.

• Love enemies and show mercy to all.

• Pursue righteousness not for show, but from a transformed heart.

• Build lives on the solid foundation of Jesus’ teachings.

N.T. Wright emphasizes that these sermons call us to live as signs of God’s coming kingdom in the present world, demonstrating through our lives what it means to belong to Christ.

John Stott concludes, “The Sermon is not a charter for an ideal world, but a call to live in the real world as followers of the King. It offers a blueprint for countercultural living that testifies to the reality of God’s kingdom breaking into our world.”

Conclusion

While the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain differ in presentation and emphasis, they share a common goal: to call Jesus’ followers to a radical way of life grounded in love, humility, and obedience. As William Barclay writes, “The Christian life is the life of the hill and the plain, the life of vision and the life of action, the life with God and the life for others.”

Both sermons remain as relevant today as when Jesus first spoke them, challenging believers to embody the values of God’s kingdom in a world that desperately needs His light.

Soli Deo Gloria

Peacemaker - Mediator

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Jesus on the cross is a powerful image of one trying to make peace with God and man. 

Mathew 5:9 

In a world that mocked, beat and crucified Jesus, He looked up to heaven and pleaded with God the Father to forgive his oppressors. (Luke 23:34). “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”:. Wasn’t this an appeal of a son to a father? Wasn’t this an appeal from a child to a parent? A peacemaker and a child of God. The sacrifice of Christ’s death on the cross, has made an irrevocable agreement with the Father and Son where all of mankind can make peace with God, being justified by faith (Romans 5:1). 

 As we survey the brutality of the act of Christ hanging from the cross, we realize the frailty of the human mind. We can kill with our hands and save a life with the same hands. We can love some humans and hate some others. We can love someone today and hate them equally tomorrow. Do you think God forgave Judas and the mob who crucified Christ? Do you think God forgave those who were standing around and mocking him? 

 Can we think of a more suitable mediator who loves God our Father and all of God’s children? Could God find a greater mediator than His only begotten son? Is there anyone who can come to Christ, and say that He doesn’t know what it means to suffer? Is there anyone who can come to Jesus and say He doesn’t know what it means to be poor and needy? 

 Formerly the high priest entered the holy of holies with the blood of a sacrificial lamb as atonement for the sins of the children of Israel. With the coming of Christ his sacrifice is viewed as the once and for all final sacrifice by God. Previously an earthly priest used to stand as mediator between God and his people for their sins, but now we have an everlasting high priest who is constantly pleading on our behalf with the father. (Hebrews 9:24-28) The role of Christ is seen as that of a mediator and high priest, who brings about peace between God and Man. (1 Timothy 2:5)

Pure in Heart

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 

Matthew 5: 8

Jesus one day put a child in his lap, and said, “Unless you become like a child, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” A child’s heart is the embodiment of innocence. A child's heart needs to be loved and to love in turn. The child finds it easy to trust, obey, and love. A child’s heart is rarely weighed down with sorrow, hatred, anger, or jealousy. Do you still remember the innocent thoughts and feelings you had as a child? Have your thoughts matured for the better?

Purity of Heart is at the top rungs of the ladder where imitation of Christ comes naturally to us. Our hearts, minds and bodies are almost completely controlled by the Holy Spirit. When we show mercy, we sense the mercy of God purify our hearts. As the old hymn goes, “Are you washed in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb.” The disciples on the road to Emmaus sensed a burning in their heart when they were talking with Jesus. Do you sense a burning in your heart where the strongholds of Satan are being burnt down? 

Christ said “I am the light of the world”. Do you sense a bright light of illumination that comes and shows specific areas that need to be dealt with, to brighten our hearts? When our hearts are pure we sense the presence of the Holy Spirit living and moving within our hearts and minds. We can sense the springs of living water flowing out of our hearts making them pure from within. 

When Saul and his band of fanatics were persecuting and stoning to death many Christians, his group narrowed in on Stephen. In Stephen’s last sermon before he died he said, “I can see Jesus standing at the right hand of God”. He was basking under the glory of the love and mercy of Christ. Was Christ standing to receive Stephen into the Kingdom? Stephen when he was being stoned, said, “Lord receive my spirit. Do not hold this sin against them.” An echo of what was heard from the cross. It was the Spirit of Christ in him that made him forgive his persecutors and purity in heart that enabled him to see Christ. 

Do we see the image of God in people around us, irrespective of what race they belong to? Do we see Christ in them regardless of whether they are rich or poor? Do we see God working through people and situations leading us through the path he has set for us? We need lenses of love, which allow us to see only the good in people and filter out the bad, just like a good pair of sunglasses filters the harmful ultraviolet rays. When our lives are centered on Christ all that is impure and harmful will have no place in our hearts.

Mercy

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 

Mathew 5: 7 

 Jacob doted on his son Joseph. He was the eldest child of his beloved wife Rachel. But this made his other sons very jealous of the excessive attention that Joseph received. Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors and gave many other special privileges. Joseph as a child had been blessed with the ability to have prophetic dreams. He must have had a very special relationship with God. His father may have seen this ability in him and realized from the start that he was an extraordinary child. When Joseph spoke of his dreams his father listened and so did his brothers. His brothers were greatly offended by his dreams. His dreams portrayed Joseph as their ruler in front of whom they all, including his parents, bowed. This sparked off seething rage among his brothers. They were ready to kill him, instead they sold him to slave traders who were on their way to Egypt.

 Joseph went through many years of darkness imprisoned and betrayed by those very close to him – first by his brothers, and later in Egypt by Potiphar’s household where he was a slave. In prison he met the baker and the cup bearer of Pharaoh and correctly interpreted their dreams. When the cup bearer returned to Pharaoh, he forgot about Joseph, but remembered him eventually when Pharaoh had dreams that no one could interpret. Pharaoh was so impressed by Joseph that he made him his right hand man. All of Egypt now bowed before Joseph. Yet when he faced his brothers who begged for food to live, he forgave them. He said that what they meant to do as evil, God used to preserve them all. 

 Joseph saw the hand of God working through tragedy to preserve the future of the children of Israel. It was Joseph’s love for his brothers, despite all they had done to him, that overwhelmed him. He burst into tears from the sheer joy of seeing them, and restored a relationship that had been torn apart by so much hatred and jealousy. Joseph’s mercy and his brothers’ repentance united them together as a family again. 

Here we see this beatitude being fully manifested in the lives of the father's of the tribes of Israel. When we find ourselves in powerful positions, do we use them to lash out at all who betrayed our confidence or ignored us? Or do we use our power to foster a stronger relationship of trust, love, and understanding with those around us? Could Joseph have ever seen himself thousands of years later on a Broadway stage or a huge Disney production? Yet his story today is one of the most popular shows on the power of mercy. Do we have a real life story that can be preserved for many generations? 

 The image of Christ on the cross saying “Father forgive them”, is a very powerful image of one who is merciful. Under extreme torturous conditions he could beg God to forgive. Blessed are those who are forgiving of one another. It is this unconditional love displayed through Jesus’ words of forgiveness and mercy that we are challenged to live by as Christians. It is the sacrifice made by Christ that is found pleasing in God’s sight. When we completely surrender to God’s will in our lives, we can view through the lens of love that which is done with evil intent. Often it is one harsh word, one wrong deed, one lost moment that cause relationships to be permanently broken. 

 Christ is calling all who are in need of mercy to come to him, and he will forgive and be merciful. As Christians, our biggest stumbling block is self-righteousness. Do we see Christ as God of mercy? Do we see mercy in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we look at our neighbors with a sense of self righteousness or with unconditional love? When we are merciful we will find mercy in Christ. Just as Christ was merciful we learn to be merciful.

Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 

Mathew 5:6

 The image of hunger is one of a lion that has been starving for many days and will stop at nothing to get its prey, or the deer that pants for streams of water after being chased by a starving lion. Jesus was saying that those who passionately hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled. What are some of the thoughts on righteousness in the Bible? 

Christ is our righteousness. It is through him that we have access to our Father in heaven. In Psalm 1, the righteous delight in obeying and meditating on the laws of the Lord. It further says that the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the ways of the wicked will eventually lead them away from Him. To give generously to the poor is considered as righteousness (2Corinthians 9:9). Righteousness is living a life that is holy and pleasing in the sight of God. Abraham had faith in God and this was considered as righteousness. It was his simple trust in God. 

 In Luke 4:1-4 we learn that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit when he returned from the Jordan, where he ate nothing for 40 days. He must have been ravenously hungry when the devil asked him to turn the stone to bread and eat. But Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone. Did he mean that though we need bread to live, we also need the fruits of the Holy Spirit? 

 The deer that drinks from the cool streams of water after being pursued by his predator, finds rest and comfort in the streams. Do we not find ourselves in similar situations in life, when we are under tremendous pressure from different directions and finally reach a point where we have really dried up inside? Do you at times feel the desperate need to escape and spend time alone? Christ tried his best to balance time spent with the people, his disciples, and with God. 

 The righteous are described in Psalm 1 as trees planted by streams of water. Are our lives drinking from these streams of the living word of God and feeding off His life giving bread? To be filled is to be assured of the presence of God and to find the comfort that all our needs have been met. Peace and joy comes from knowing that we doing all we can to lead a righteous life through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are comforted in the assurance that God provides for all our needs. To be filled with righteousness is to have the absolute knowledge that it can never be taken away from us.

The Meek

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 

Mathew 5:5 (KJV)

 Jesus was saying that blessed are those who are humble, gentle and considerate. When Christ was on trial he was meek. He did not try and justify himself, because he was convinced that this was the path he had to take. Yet he bravely admitted that he was the King of the Jews. How many of us will be able to make a stand for our faith in Christ under such heavy pressure? He bravely faced the might of the most powerful nation of the day knowing fully well that he was staring straight at a death sentence. 

 Meekness is not a sign of weakness or cowardice but one of absolute trust in God’s control in all situations. Christ knew that it was God’s will that he would have to accept the verdict with courage. Nevertheless he knew that his fight was not against the people of that time. It was against the principalities and powers of darkness. It was against the very forces that held the keys to hell. It was a fight against death itself (Hebrews 2:14). It was a spiritual warfare of monstrous magnitude that was beyond human comprehension. It was a fight that even if the whole world united they could not take on by themselves. When Jesus resurrected on the third day he was victorious over death. 

 Meekness is to never to doubt the hand of God that is at work in all of creation. Job refused to believe his friends and wife when they told him that God had abandoned him. He stood fast to his faith. Even though he lost everything he still had the confidence to say that, “I know my redeemer lives.” To be confident that God does not let anything happen to us that he feels we cannot endure. It is to have the strength and courage to accept whatever happens in our lives as the will of God. To shift the focal point from our lives to God and His work for the furtherance of His kingdom. In the final analysis Job came out of period of suffering with a more profound understanding of God and more blessed than he had been in his earlier life. 

 Meekness is to be unsure of oneself, but sure of God's power. When God asked Moses to lead the people of Israel he was so unsure. Moses must have thought of the power and might of Pharaoh and of the Egyptian nation and wondered how he could come up against such a mighty force. When God assured him that he would go with him, to guide him and lead him he was strengthened and his confidence was renewed. In the eyes of God he was the right man for the job because of his absolute faith in the power of God. Once he agreed to do the task, he became an instrument through which God could bring freedom for the children of Israel from the Egyptian iron rule. Moses did not raise a sword against Pharaoh – it was God who waged the war. It was through the elements of nature and His creatures that God overcame Pharaoh and the might of the Egyptians. It was Moses’ willingness to surrender completely to God, and to be used by Him in the struggle for freedom from Egyptian rule. It was a long struggle, but through the grace of God Moses was able to overcome all obstacles and yet continue to be humble in the sight of men and God. 

 It is only when we come as clay to the potter’s house and ask to be molded into vessels for service in his kingdom, can God really start working on us (Ephesians 2:10). Until we are willing to come, it is hard for Him to use us. This is what it means to be meek, to be willing to be transformed into a new creation by God, to be willing to do his will under any circumstance. When I go back to visit the town I grew up in, the faces and many of the buildings are all new to me, but the sun, moon, starlit sky, mountains, hills, valleys, rivers and lakes are all the same. We have lost nothing but rejoice in all that the earth has to offer us. Meekness is refocusing our aspirations from those that the world values to those that God values; learning to enjoy God’s creation as opposed to man’s creation; realizing that people can take all that we own, but the mountains and valleys, the rivers and all of nature, will always be there.

They that mourn

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 

Mathew 5:4 (KJV)

Jesus says there are many who are mournful and sad. He says such people are more likely to reach out for God than those who are carefree and cheerful. God is listening. People mourn because of the way things have become. Many of us no longer want to live godly lives but clamor after things that draw us away from living in harmony with God. It is disheartening that the world’s priorities are not the same as God’s. Some people mourn when they are unable to do anything worthwhile for God, because they don’t have the means to do so, or the situation is such that they have been prevented from doing so. They feel that they are like prisoners in a world that has slowly fallen away into evil ways. 

 In our fast paced world how many of us have the time to mourn? When we hear of families dealing with horrors like drug addiction, alcoholism, divorce, eating disorders, child pornography, prostitution, kidnapping and sexual molestation of children, gun violence, murder, rape, and imprisonment we usually like to avoid them. We feel uncomfortable in their presence. These are things we don’t want to deal with, so we live in our own glass house and try to breathe the air that is within our own little worlds. Scarcely do we realize that there is a rage that is building up that if left unnoticed, our own little ceilings will come caving in, and we may be the next victim. 

A word of caution – beware of what you mourn for. Is it an Ivy League school, a fancy job, a mansion, a brand new sports car?

In New Orleans before the advent of lent, the city goes into a week of celebration till Ash Wednesday. To think that a festival that is associated with Christian traditions is today one wild party of excess in over eating, display of wealth, alcohol, and sexual depravity. Can we deliberately go into overdrive mode in celebration of our sinful nature and then come to God in repentance?

 Our God is a God of love and embraces all who mourn (Isaiah 57:18-19). Isaiah magnifies the grace and mercy of God. God has seen the ways of the people but instead of letting them destroy themselves, he heals them as a physician would and blesses them with peace. God brings us near to Him through the blood of the cross (Ephesians 2:16-17). Through Christ all people have become part of the family of God. The consolation we receive fills us with joy.

Another reason why we mourn is when we see those dear to us under tremendous suffering – physical, mental, or spiritual. One of the biggest causes of mourning is when a relationship is broken because of death or other circumstances. We cry for those relationships that should have been there. Christ comforts those who mourn. He says if we mourn we will be comforted. When his dear friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept. 

When Jesus thought about the persecution of the prophets in Jerusalem he lamented. Peter wept bitterly when he betrayed Jesus. He had denied any association with him. Was his mourning one of repentance? Do you repent with mourning? Have you found yourself in a similar situation? Those who come to God cry out to God because neither they nor their neighbor are able to keep this relationship with Him intact. We need help from God. 

In Romans 8:19-22 St. Paul says that as Christians we eagerly wait for the day when God will show us who belong to the kingdom of God. He describes it as all of creation groans as in the pains of childbirth. All of us groan because of all the pain and suffering in the world. When we hear of wars and rumors of war, ethnic cleansing, starvation, drought, tsunamis, and earthquakes – the list is endless – we long for a better world. Christ has sent the Holy Spirit so that He can intercede for us with groans for things that we don’t even realize we need. It is through Christ we are comforted by the grace and forgiveness of God. We have the assurance that even those who have died are alive in him. One day we will reunite and be together again. 

 Jesus told Peter that when he had repented he was to strengthen those who were weak. Do we reach out to those who mourn and comfort them? Do we reach out to those who are sad and weak?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus unite us with your love, heal us of our wounds, comfort us with your peace, and fill us with your joy. Amen

Poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit: 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mathew 5:3(KJV)

Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount seems to be a collection of paradoxical statements. The way God expects us to live our lives often seems to contradict the ways of the world. Each beatitude reveals to us how God blesses us for following the spiritual code ingrained in us all. God blesses us to experience God’s love, joy and peace despite our outward circumstances. To be poor in spirit is to be humble, realizing, as we draw closer to God, that we are unable to measure up to the greatness of His Spirit. People who are not poor in spirit are those who feel no need for God, but are often haughty, dominating and proud. In the eyes of the world to be ‘poor’ in anything is frowned upon. They believe that their achievements are a result of their own efforts. In truth it is only Jesus who exemplified this beatitudes in his life (Philippians 2:1-11). Jesus’s coming to earth was the ultimate example of voluntary sacrifice to make oneself poor in spirit, by giving up His glory above to come and live with us and to die for all of us at the hands of some wicked and foolish people. 

There are many who embrace poverty by their free will, like St. Francis and Mother Teresa who have been exceptional examples. Mother Teresa said, “The spiritual poverty of the World is much greater than the physical poverty of our people.” She felt spiritually empowered by the Spirit of a loving nourishing God working in her life and ministry that her own physical needs for riches and glory were of less consequence. The World suffers from loneliness and emptiness which their riches and glory could never satisfy. These saints of God gave up everything, made their spirits poor, and were strengthened by the grace of God that made them remarkable instruments reaching out to the poor and needy. They were able to bring the Spirit of Christ to touch the hearts of the poor and suffering with love and compassion.

When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane he was going through a phase of feeling downcast, and he was desperately seeking comfort in the Spirit of God. But Jesus did not have any problem asking for the prayers of his disciples. He asked his disciples to watch and pray. When Jesus prayed droplets like blood flowed down his face. Was his flesh under great conflict with his spirit that wanted to do the will of God? Was he drained spiritually and physically? How would he have felt spiritually when his disciples fell fast asleep when he felt this tremendous burden upon him? When heavy burdens are laid on our spirits we suddenly realize our poorness in spirit and the need for Jesus to renew and strengthen us. We are poor in Spirit when we realize without Jesus’s death and resurrection we can never be part of the Kingdom of God.

 It is our poorness in spirit that attracts us to our Lord and Savior. John 4:24 clearly says that God is spirit and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. When we approach the Holy Spirit, we realize how spiritually poor we are and we humbly ask for strength to live fruitful spiritual lives. We realize our desperate need for God. We realize we are really in no position to offer God anything, but whatever we receive is a gift from him. In Acts 1:8 the disciples were told to wait until they received the Holy Spirit. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit they would be empowered to be witnesses of God to the ends of the earth. We have become poor in spirit when we realize that without the Holy Spirit we are spiritually poor and incapable of living godly lives. Our poorness in spirit cannot be fully measured by any standards established by people, but only by those set by Christ. 

The Kingdom of God is structured in a way where love, joy, peace, humility and self- sacrifice are glorified. The world glorifies beauty, power, and wealth. But when we come to God in poorness of spirit, in some miraculous way we are able to pass through the eye of the needle easily and enter into the Kingdom of God. Christ has bestowed on us our citizenship in heaven even before we are dead (Philippians 3:20-21). This means the kingdom of God is not just the kingdom of the dead but of the living as well. Jesus our King did not come to establish a physical kingdom on earth but a spiritual kingdom that stretched from earth to heaven. In spirit we are all part of the kingdom of God.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we come to you in faith and humility knowing that it is only by your grace and mercy we can be part fo your Kingdom. We thank you for your love for us and your invitation to be part of your Kingdom. Thank you for blessing us with your presence which fills us with so much of love, joy and peace. Amen.

Close to the Heart of God

A single day in your courts is better than 

A thousand anywhere else! 

I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God 

Than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84:10‬ ‭

Reading : Matthew 5:1-12 

When Jesus started his ministry he was widely popular. His ministry had started gathering a large following. Jesus had healed many people from all kinds of sicknesses. Sick people came to him from all over the country side. Large crowds were following him wherever he went. He traveled throughout Galilee spreading the good news. His message was pretty clear and simple - he was asking the people to repent - turn away from their sins and to turn to God. He told them to have a complete change in their attitude to life. 

 This message is still equally applicable today. Christ wants us to not pursue a lifestyle that will eventually destroy us, but to pursue one that will eventually draw us closer to the heart of God and give us hope, joy and peace with God. He was showing us how to find true happiness through faithful obedience of the heart. Those who draw near to God, God will draw near to them.

 In the midst of this potentially large ministry where Jesus could have become a prosperous and prominent leader, he called his disciples aside and expounded the beatitudes to them. (Mathew 5:1-12) He told them not to be carried away by the ways of the world but as his followers they had a different path to follow. He wants them to be beacons of light in word and deed to his followers. The Beatitudes were Christ’s rules of life to live by for his disciples. He told them that those who were closest to the heart of God were those who were most dependent on God’s will in their lives. 

The word blessed means to be happy. Where do we derive our happiness? Jesus ascribed happiness to people who faced hunger, mourning, rejection, ridicule, falsel accusations, and death because they remained faithful to God and stood for truth, equality and justice. The blessings can also be our attitudes. Paul describes it as our mindset (Be- Attitudes - Philippians 2:5). Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and Mahatma Gandhi are some of the world leaders in our recent past who greatly admired the beatitudes expounded by Jesus and fought for the rights of the poor and downtrodden.They had to pay a heavy price. 

 Jesus’s  views were in many ways countercultural. They challenged the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. He exalted those who were poor in the eyes of the world. The disciples had proved their faith and dependence on Jesus, when they dropped everything they were doing to follow him. They really owned nothing in the world, but had access to everything that God could offer them through Jesus. 

 Some of the early fathers of our faith saw the beatitudes as a ladder. We start with the first beatitude as the lowest rung and start climbing upwards. The beatitudes can be seen as a journey taken step by step. We cannot stake claim to one spiritual attribute here and reject another one there. It is to be viewed as a whole and not dissected into different parts. Initially most of the teachings of Christ did not make sense to the disciples. But after the brutal crucifixion and death of Christ, they started seeing his teachings in the light of his life as a suffering servant and son of God. 

 As Christ’s disciples what are the things we aspire for? What is our hearts desire? What are the comforts that we can’t go without? Do we aspire for wealth, power and prestige more than we do to draw near to the heart of God?

Hymn :

1. There is a place of quiet rest,
   Near to the heart of God;
   A place where sin cannot molest,
   Near to the heart of God.
   • Refrain:
     O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
     Sent from the heart of God;
     Hold us, who wait before Thee,
     Near to the heart of God.
2. There is a place of comfort sweet,
   Near to the heart of God;
   A place where we our Savior meet,
   Near to the heart of God.
3. There is a place of full release,
   Near to the heart of God;
   A place where all is joy and peace,
   Near to the heart of God.

Author of the Hymn - Cleland B. McAfee, 1903