February 10: “God is the King” by Dr. Sharon Lee

Matthew 5:3-12

This short passage is the beginning of the sermon on the mount that Jesus preached to many followers who were interested in His message. He begins with what scholars have called the Beatitudes. These are short, memorable verses that describe God’s kingdom. Many people have commented that these rules for living seem to be the exact opposite of what might be considered worldly wisdom. How can you inherit the earth if you are humble? How can you be powerful if you are meek? Jesus often turned human understanding upside down to make a point.

His kingdom is different from any earthly kingdom anybody had ever seen, and He wanted to draw attention to those differences.

There are two specific beatitudes that refer to the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God’s kingdom is almost the opposite of what we think about the way nations or kingdoms are managed here on Earth. Jesus turned the world upside down. He turned human thinking upside down as well.

The term poor in spirit is not the same as poverty from a financial perspective. People who are poor in spirit recognize their absolute poverty before God. They have no power on their own and must ask God for help. I have no power in my own spirit – but with God’s spirit living in me, I become part of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Persecution often is associated with oppression as we discussed yesterday, but not in God’s kingdom. Per- secution for the sake of righteousness has a much different outcome than oppression on Earth. Those who are persecuted because of their willingness to stand for what is right and good will be vital members of the Kingdom of Heaven.

A short study of God’s kingdom this week has revealed to us that while it is difficult to comprehend in human terms, we can have confidence that it exists. The kingdom of God is a system of government ruled by God the Father. The power to rule the world and the authority to judge all people has been given to Jesus Christ by the Father, who is sitting on His heavenly throne. We have absolute confidence that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father and will one day bring His heavenly rule to Earth.

As we study other forms of human government this week, we should rest in the knowledge that God created a form of government that is above any human politics. God is the king who judges fairly, rules justly, and leads powerfully. God reigns over all things, He promised a kingdom that would bless all people, and we receive membership in the kingdom by repentance and belief. Our king welcomes all into His kingdom – He loves everyone, He cares about the oppressed, He wants us to represent His kingdom with love and devotion to Him alone.

How will understanding more about the Kingdom of God change your behavior this week? What do you want to do differently in your life when you consider King Jesus?

Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that You are our King. We pray that Your kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.