Jesus Knows Heaven - Matthew 5:1-12

 

Matthew 5:1-12 NIV

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus Knows Heaven

So, here we have it; the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus shows his disciples how to live. Jesus teaches us to live, not by rules, but by a change of heart. Jesus sets before His disciples’ impossible standards to meet through our own works and efforts. Yet, Jesus gives His disciples the power to live up to these standards, by turning this world upside down, in His grace and love. So, if you desire to follow Jesus, hear His words and commands.

Here, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives His disciples a New Law. And this New Law is for those who inherit the Kingdom of God. Think about that… A New Law… for those who inherit. To inherit something, we don’t deserve it, or have worked for it. To inherit is to receive something free of any personal cost to ourselves.

Here in this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reinterprets the Old Law and offers a New Law. This is, in a way a contrast of the Future against the Present. And in this presentation of the New Law, we see the character of Jesus disciples taught of those who inherit the Kingdom. This teaching of Jesus’ is opposed to the world’s standards.

You must see and understand this, Jesus knows heaven. Jesus knows and teaches how life in heaven is infinitely greater than the earthly life with which we all are familiar with.  Jesus knows heaven and Jesus knows that to His disciples, heaven is a blessing. Jesus knows heaven and He knows that heaven is a true, loving gift from God to all mankind. Yes, Jesus knows heaven.

Jesus knows heaven is to be Christian life. And here Jesus teaches His disciples the heaven He knows. Heaven is blessings against the opposites of worldly life, where people rule over people. In heaven, this is not so, people do NOT rule over people. There is no need of this. You see, Jesus knows heaven.

Jesus teachings on the Sermon on the Mount are like laser lights in the darkness of this sinful world. And because Jesus knows heaven, He knows that only He can fulfill all of these directions and New Law, that He is now teaching His disciples.

So, let’s look at Jesus’ directions, best we can.

The location that Jesus gives His sermon to His disciples is on a mountain. How many times does God teach, and preach, and direct and lead from a mountain? Recall how God gave Moses the Law on a mountain. The Law was gifts to us, given to Moses while Moses was alone with God. And how could we fail to mention Jesus’ transfiguration before a few of His disciples on a mountain. And then, Jesus gives His disciples His last command on a mountain.

Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Wow! Those mountains! Thin places throughout time, when God seems and is so ever close to all those he loves. Don’t forget the mountains as you read and reflect on Scripture in your daily time.

Remember, Jesus knows heaven. Listen to Jesus. For Jesus’ teaching is what will happen as the rule of heaven is brought to earth.

Huh? Jesus knows heaven, and the Father sent Jesus to earth to show all mankind the way to heaven. Yes, the way to heaven is through Jesus. Jesus knows heaven after all, so listen to Him!

Here, on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are descriptions of those who receive God’s promises. These people, you and me, and neighbor, are people who hand on to God in pure and simple trust. We can do nothing else!

Jesus expects His teachings to be put into practice. These Beatitudes are clear and concise instructions. Yet, we also learn here, that the righteousness of Jesus is so much more than anything we could do or accomplish on our own and with our own efforts.

Disciples, here, in these teachings, aren’t call to perfection. Rather, Jesus calls us to reformation. There’s that word and work from last week. Yes, a word and work that God does on all His disciples.  For Jesus’ disciples are reformed day after day through daily baptism of burial of our sins to forgiveness through Jesus, as the Holy Spirit is poured out on us richly because of God’s grace and love through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension. Remember? Jesus knows heaven!

The way to heaven is through heaven. What? Yes, Jesus comes down. Jesus pulls us into heaven, into Himself. From heaven to heaven. That’s the life of Jesus. God comes to us from heaven in Jesus, Jesus saves us from sin and death, through becoming our sin, and defeating the power of that sin in His death and resurrection. AND--- Jesus ascends back to heaven till the time that He WILL come again to take us with Him in our own resurrection. You see… Jesus knows heaven.

And here in Jesus’ teaching on the Sermon on the Mount we learn of “Blessing.” The blessings Jesus speaks of here are the highest stage of happiness. How happy!

Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes is kind of like a poem. Just look at the form in which it is recorded in text. The first stanza is the rule of heaven. Jesus rights the wrongs to bring justice.

Why? God has not given up on us. Look at the first four…

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

These are NOT rewards, rather they are reversals.

Then we have the second stanza…

⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

These are rewards for disciples that join Jesus in the comforting work for the suffering people of this world.

To break each “blessed” down takes a lifetime of each disciple.

Jesus knows heaven and He can sure teach heaven.

The way to heaven is through Jesus.

In the darkness of our mourning, we see the Light of Jesus in the heavens. Even if we think of mourning our sinfulness or our neighbors’ sins against us, we turn to see how Jesus forgives and likewise are taught here to forgive our neighbor.

What about the meek? The “meek” don’t seek pride, rather, the “meek” are happy to follow God.

And if we thirst for Jesus, that is where Joy is found. Why? Because as we thirst for Jesus, we no longer concentrate on ourselves. Our gaze is now on Jesus. So, all through life, as we gaze on Jesus, be sure that we “Point to Jesus.”

How about mercy and sacrifice? As we are aware of our own sins, we don’t have the time to judge our neighbor in their sins.

Oh, and the pure in heart. Purity led by the Holy Spirit consumes the heart and very being of each disciple. The Holy Spirit consumes us from baptism on and into eternity with a lifetime of gifts to use in the call of God in our lives. For in this life, we will see God! How great is that now and in eternity!

Remember that in your baptism, you were marked with the cross of Christ forever!

Revelation 22:4 NIV

⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Face to face! Wow!

And so, now, we have peace. This is a peace that Jesus brings to mankind from God in love. A peace for God and neighbor.

The rule of God WILL come through Jesus, and peace, righteousness and mercy, WILL be realized.

These are the Real “Sons of God,” the Hebrews in the Old Testament and the People of God’s creation. That’s the creation that God has always and will always, love and care for, “Sons of God,” in Jesus disciples throughout time.

Yet, Jesus warns us as well.

As Jesus’ disciples, we expect to become one with those people in the poetic first stanza of reversals.

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

All of this teaching of Jesus, in the Sermon of the Mount, is radical teaching to this sinful world. As we, Jesus’ disciples, live out our lives, walking in this teaching, we can expect worldly pushback and persecution. But you know what? That’s Okay! The outcome of it all is eternity with God. And the reward is unmeasurable salvation. Salvation out of size from any works we could muster up ourselves.

Rest assured, God, the Lamb, is at the Center of it all. We see Jesus as God and praise God together with ALL the Saints… today… tomorrow… and forever! – Thanks be to God!

How could I NOT leave you with this YouTube Music Video

For All the Saints