Principles of the Kingdom (Matthew 5 - P12)

Matthew presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the "Law".  What law?  The word, "law" can refer to three different things:  it could be the Pentateuch - the first 5 books of scripture penned by Moses, or it could refer to the Ten Commandments, that moral code for the Jews given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai, or it could mean the scribal law, which was the detailed law that had evolved through the centuries by rabbis.  The Jews in Jesus' day would have heard the word ... and thought scribal law.  Jesus teaches that he is the fulfillment of God's law ... but not the scribal law. 

In the verses we are considering today, Jesus points out ways in which the scribal law has actually abused God's law.  If we are to be citizens in the kingdom of God, we must consider the principles of that kingdom ... the laws of that kingdom. 

Read Matthew 5: 17 - 48 ... noticing particularly verse 20.

Jesus selects a few categories to drive home his point.

• There is the issue of murder.  Jesus says, in his kingdom, one must take the behavior all the way down to its root ... and deal with the root.  That heart anger, that simmering fire, must be dealt with ... it matters!
• There is the ever prevalent issue of adultery and divorce.  Jesus says, in his kingdom, one must take those outward behaviors all the down to their root ... and deal with the root.  It is the lust in the heart, the imaginings of the mind that must be dealt with ... it matters! 
• There is the issue of honest speech.  He is not talking about swearing in these verses.  He is addresses our tendency to use manipulative speech ... to be less than honest in our communications.  The root of such speech is dishonesty, and a citizen in his kingdom must be an honest person.  It matters!
• There is the issue of love - how we deal with people.  Jesus takes it past the easy part - how we treat people we like ... all the way to those whom we consider enemies, and perhaps rightfully so.  In the kingdom of God, a citizen loves even THOSE people.  It matters!

And Jesus closes these comments with an amazing conclusion:  "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (verse 48)  What?!  The word translated "perfect" is a Greek word that means complete, mature, something perfectly fitted for its task (like a Phillips screwdriver is perfect for certain screws)  That is the path toward righteousness... the kind of righteousness that surpassed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.  Their form of righteousness was anchored in the meticulous adherence to a list of behaviors.  Righteousness in the kingdom of God is anchored in the person of Jesus and our own hearts.  Where are you?

So - let's do a heart-check today.  Prayerfully consider the following questions.  I will, too!

1. What makes you angry and how do you deal with it?
2. Do you feed your anger or defuse it?
3. How do you guard your heart and mind from sexual impurity?
4. What books do you know you can't read?  What movies do you know to stay away from?
5. Do you try to manipulate people with your speech?  Either to make yourself look better or to get your way? 
6. Is your word dependable?
7. How do you extend yourself for the benefit and the good of others?
8. Are there people in your life that you have trouble caring about?
9. How are you choosing to love them?  What are you doing proactively?

And now ... after such a list of questions ... we are sent to prayer:

          Our Lord, we lay ourselves out before you today, longing to be good citizens of
          your kingdom.  And we confess our tendency to enjoy rule keeping more that
         we enjoy heart transformation.  We confess the pride in that and ask that you
         cleanse us yet again.  Do the work of perfecting our fickle, self-centered hearts
         as we choose to submit ourselves to you ... and to your kingship.