Kingdom People
Matthew 5:10, 12; Matthew 6:7-8
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Sometimes I feel like picking up the Scripture and saying this is such a fun passage to discuss. But is it really? I think the people experiencing the problems and situations therein would not call this very fun. Here, Jesus is talking of kingdom stuff and what can be taken to the bank. You know, I can take this chapter to the bank. The first ten verses describe the situations that followers of Jesus find themselves in. Just like us, he had, at times, no place to lay his head in Matthew 8:20. Let us look at the I can. Gifts, especially of the spiritual kind, do not come without opposition. You can be sure that this sort of person is not poor in spirit, nor a mourner, nor meek, nor do they hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God. They will not be merciful. They are not pure in heart nor are they peacemakers. These people are those who persecute others; their righteousness does not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees as in Matthew 5:20. We know Jesus had some choice words for such according to Matthew 23:27: whitewashed tombs full of dead men's bones, dirty cups, and saucers with only the outside washed. Why does the inside matter so much? Jesus' kingdom goes beyond the external to touch the eternal.
It is difficult to find words for such between the petty slights of jealous coworkers who have failed to achieve what you have or those who have already and now look down on you. If you were not closer to him, they would not mind the light so much as in John 3:19. Sometimes, this life can feel very unfair and stacked against you, almost like winning is impossible. Look at the turn of the tables here according to Psalm 23:5. The poor in spirit inherit a kingdom. The mourners are comforted. The meek got the earth. Those hungry for Christ's righteousness are full. The merciful have what they so often show others and are rarely shown themselves. The pure hearted see God everywhere they look. Those who make peace in the middle of conflict, even where they are not wanted and do not belong, are called the children. The persecuted for Christ also have a part in the Heavenly kingdom. Do not get upset because things are not working out now. Instead, look up. He "is the same, yesterday, today, and forever" as in Hebrews 13:8. Knowing this, have hope that the situation is already worked out. It is working out. It may yet work out for your good and for his glory.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Let us discuss how we can take the situation. There is a Heavenly treasure to be had here. It is also seen and grasped by faith as in Hebrews 11:1. It is far different from our bank accounts here on earth or the latest but greatest from IKEA. This is not the Porsche or the fancy vacation, although such things are nice. Jesus just is not as concerned about these things as a matter of status as we are. Otherwise, he would not liken our provision to the lilies, the grass of the field, or the birds of the air who are both clothed and fed with every need met to display his greatness in Luke 12:27. See, which of these got man's permission to grow here, grow there, or fly over that way. They do not need it because they have the Heavenly Father's permission by right of the kingdom. Let us not get this twisted. Kingdom work and freedom in Christ does not mean you can do whatever you want.
What would happen if the birds started flying into everyone else's nests or over to their neighbors for the latest gossip? What if all the flowers got together and decided they should all stop growing? What if the grass decided to move to greener pastures or deny they were even grass? What if the birds decided to take up another hobby such as chucking rocks at people's heads as they passed? That sounds like nonsense does it not. Some of us enjoy doing such things and we should not. It is not for no reason that the good book says, what "God has joined together, let not man put asunder" as in Matthew 19:6. These verses make it clear that the source of our provision is God. How often we like to go outside our providence. God makes it clear he provides for such creatures and even for us; there really is not any need to worry or get it twisted. God gives physically and spiritually in a very tangible way. So why then are we ever so very concerned about what we need when there really only has ever been provision. Present the needs to God as suggested in this verse; just know he already has your provision figured. Tell me he does not provide. If you can tell me he does not, I will prove to you he does indeed.