Matthew 5 - A new era

It's New Year's Eve.... a time for looking back on the past year. How has your year been? Have you come up with any resolutions? Are there things you want to do differently in 2010?

As I've been reading through Matthew chapter 5 I've been struck by how good this chapter is for the start of a new year. It's interesting that when Jesus preached it He was ushering in a new era!

Jesus' message was spoken to people used to John's command for personal change, 'Repent! The kingdom of heaven is near!' - to people oppressed by Roman rule, surrounded by secular influences. There were others in the crowd that day. Pharisees were listening; those who had turned a relationship with God into a quest for perfection. Jesus' message was also to those who weren't even there on that mountain but instead were far off in the desert, living in poverty and self denial in order to gain God's approval. Each group had a skewed idea of God's intentions for life. In His message Jesus gave them a picture of the way things should be: of life in God's Kingdom.

Can you imagine them sitting there hearing this: "Blessed are the poor in spirit ... blessed are the mourners... blessed are the meek." As He spoke I wonder if they thought, "How can this be true? How can the down trodden be blessed? Isn't that the reward of the successful, the hard workers, the rich, the lucky?"

Jesus' message turned their perspective of life on its head. He continued His message reorienting their mind saying: 21 "You have heard that it was said ... 22 But I tell you that ..."

Murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, revenge, love - all redefined in this new era. No more being out for yourself, instead an attitude of giving, of forgiveness, of extravagant love.

But more than a message of 'resolutions' Jesus' sermon was given to reveal to people that this new Kingdom was already in effect! The Kingdom of Heaven - something we can experience now as we realize it is available through God. A Kingdom not developed by man but by believing and living with God's perspective.

Helmut Theilicke explains it like this:

"Instead of fostering the illusion that we can bring about a new world situation and a new future by a radical exertion of the will, the Sermon on the Mount says to us: the future has been given to you, the air is full of promises,... because this future has already begun we can live in it; we are not longer absorbed by the present moment and the old monotonous routine of workdays and Sundays. In the name of that future we can afford to be radical. It does not say: you MUST begin a new life! As if we could do such a thing anyhow! What it says is: something has happened in the province of life and you must allow it to give its signal to you."

Jesus happened in the "province of life" - Jesus came! His life, death and resurrection ushered in our salvation and His Kingdom.

The invitation today, as it was on the mountain, is to live as citizens of the Kingdom!

As citizens of this new Kingdom we can experience spiritual 'blessedness' as we live with God as our focus, with Him as our priority! At the beginning of this year we can realize we are not really just living in this sin filled, uncertain world, but rather we are living in God's world, under His rule, in His presence!

And as we live like citizens of God's Kingdom we become light and salt for the world who do not realize this Kingdom even exists. Jesus put it like this:

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Happy New Year co-citizens of God's Kingdom! Shine on! :)