Author Apostle McKinnon
The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ most important and intriguing biblical teaching. In this profound message Jesus is teaching his disciples how to live in the kingdom.
The Sermon on the Mount covers three chapters, and it’s all about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. The term kingdom of heaven is used interchangeably with the kingdom of God.
As Christians, if we’re going to enter God’s kingdom and enjoy a prosperous, blessed, happy, and blissful life, we must abide by the standards, rules and teachings Jesus himself taught. There is no exception to the rules, standards, and teachings that Jesus taught if we desire to live an abundant life. John 10:10
Kingdom living leads to an abundant, prosperous, wealthy, and happy life in heaven or the coming kingdom. Even in the midst of a world where we’re experiencing trials, tribulations, suffering, hatred, hardship, persecution, and injustice, the kingdom will provide us with peace, rest, tranquility, blessings, and happiness. The kingdom will afford us the opportunity to experience a blissful life.
Living in the kingdom means living under the rule, reign, and authority of God’s government in which Jesus Christ is the King and governor who rules fairly and righteously over his subjects or citizens. To live in God’s kingdom and to be blessed with a blissful life, we, as believers, must have God’s attitude or character traits as a way of life.
Let’s look at God’s character trait of being poor in spirit, which will truly identify us as children of his kingdom. Matthew 5:3
To be blessed means to be fortunate, prosperous, and happy. Yes, living a life of bliss is experiencing the happiness of the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed or happy is the poor in spirit. Poor in spirit refers to those not having enough economic wealth and prosperity and lack much of the world’s goods and material possession in this present age. However, they will have an abundance in the kingdom of heaven.
It is wonderful to know that Jesus shall remember the state of poverty of the poor and disenfranchised in his kingdom. The universal system reverses in the kingdom, and the first shall be last, and the last first. Matthew 20:16
Some of those who are now rich in this life with an abundance of the world’s wealth, prosperity, and material goods will be poor in the kingdom. It is extremely hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Mark 10:21
The rich must adopt Christ’s attitude and become poor in spirit which refers to having an attitude of humility and recognize that he is not better than and above the poor. He can use his wealth and resources to perform acts of charity; then he can enter the kingdom of heaven and have treasures.
The kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is geared towards the poor. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom to the poor. Luke 4:18, James 2:5
The purpose of the kingdom now in this present age is to be a financial blessing to those that are poor in spirit.
Also, the poor in spirit means being spiritually bankrupt and having to depend totally upon God for everything we need in life.
Let’s think about the above statement for a brief minute and honestly ask ourselves the question. Do I really totally depend upon God for the least to the greatest of needs and things in my every waking moments of life?
Also, to be poor in spirit means being absent of pride. Pride is trusting in one’s own strength or ability to accomplish things in life instead of relying on God.
Pride is arrogance and self-reflection where one trusts in his own abilities, strengths, talents, knowledge, social background, education, and wisdom to accomplish things in life. Pride is the absence of truly acknowledging and depending on God, but having trust in oneself, others, or material things. Pride means to serve false or idol gods.
Prideful individuals place their focus or attention on themselves and what they can accomplish. However, the poor in spirit focus their attention and needs upon God’s grace for everything. James 4:6, 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
To live a blissful kingdom life, one must totally rely on God’s strength and ability to accomplish everything in life instead of relying on one’s own strengths, talents, and ability.
When we rely upon our own strength, we become the kings and lords of our own lives, instead of allowing Jesus Christ to be the king and Lord of our lives.
Jesus requires total submission so that he may become the Lord of our lives. Lordship means total submission and relinquishing everything we are and possess unto Jesus and saying, “Not my will, but thy will be done.” Jesus, being the Son of God, was totally submitted to the Father’s will in every way and aspect of life.
John 5:19, Luke 22:42
This could be a great challenge for many because we have been raised and trained in life to be self-sufficient. We have been taught to depend upon our parents as children, and depend upon ourselves once we are adults.
However, the kingdom way of living is the total opposite; the older we become the more our dependency should be upon God. Therefore, blessed, happy, fortunate, prosperous, and blissful are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The kingdom of heaven is awarded now and in the future to those that are spiritually bankrupt; they depend on God for everything because their lives no longer belong to themselves but totally to Jesus Christ.
The Lord wants us to enter into his kingdom and enjoy a blissful life and presently taste the good word of God along with experiencing the powers of the world to come in this present age and later in heaven or the kingdom of God.
🧐 Question 1. Are you truly spiritually bankrupt?
🧐 Question 2. Share with the group two areas of life wherein you need to depend on God’s strength and ability more.
🧐 Question 3. If you depend upon your own strength and abilities to accomplish things in life, will it bring true happiness? Explain your answer to the group.
🧐 Question 4. Starting as of today plan not to do anything on your own accord, but rely on God and accept his plan, guidance, help, input, instructions, and decision making in every area of your life.
