Sermon on the Mount (Part 3)

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Sermon on the Mount (Part 3)

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

1.      Kingdom on the Earth

·        His chosen nation is promised a kingdom on earth. God promised a specific piece of land that would mark where He would set up his kingdom on earth (Genesis 13:15, Deuteronomy 34:4, Psalm 37:22, Matthew 5:5,Isaiah 2:2-4).

·        The kingdom will rule the world with the Messiah as King.

·        A Messiah was promised to Israel that would lead the nation into world dominion and power (Daniel 2:44-45, Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 23:5).

2.      Earthly Kingdom People

·        Israel is created as God’s chosen people. God created the nation Israel to have a privileged status before Him as a peculiar people (Genesis 12:2, Exodus 19:5,Rom 3:1-2)

·        Israel will be the channel of blessing to the Gentile nations. Through their worldwide influence, and access to God, Israel would be the channel of God’s blessing to Gentile nations (Genesis 12:3, 22:18, Zechariah 8:20-23, Isaiah 60:3, Matt 5:16) .        Righteousness comes through God’s covenants.

·        God gave the Old Covenant as a token that Israel would be a nation that followed after God. The New Covenant would replace the old as the method of attaining righteousness and entrance into the kingdom (Deuteronomy 6:25, Ezekiel 36:24-27, Matthew 5:20, John 14:21, 1 John 3:7-10).

·        Israel will live through tribulation before entering the kingdom. With the divine protection of God, Israel would be able to live through the time of His wrath poured out on earth. They would be refined as silver and come out prepared to enter the kingdom on Earth (Daniel 9:24, Zechariah 13:9, Mark 13:13, 1 Peter 4:17).

3.      Kingdom on Earth vs Heavenly Places

·        Kingdom of heaven is not you in heavenly places – Ephesians 2:6

·        The church is not a kingdom or a nation – Matthew 21:43, Galatians 3:28

·        You do not enter the church, you are the church – Matthew 5:19,20 vs. 1 Corinthians 3:16

·        The kingdom is dominion / rule; church is a body – Matthew 19:28, Ephesians 5:30

·        Kingdom is the subject of prophecy – Psalm 103:19

·        The church is the subject of the mystery – Ephesians 2:15, Col 1:15-27

·        The kingdom come will be on the earth, church in heaven – Acts 1:6, 11, Colossians 3:2

·        The kingdom has earthly components, the church does not – Colossians 2:10, 20

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