It is a Way of Life
Trey Little | 14-Feb-10
"It is a way of Life"
Welcome back to Super Sunday!!! I know, you may be confused by such a statement because you are thinking that last week was "Super Sunday." In fact, you are correct--it was super to watch the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl.
But I would like to suggest that today is also Super Sunday. Think about it--isn't it super to have an entire day devoted to love? Look at the person on either side of you and say: "I love you--you are SUPER!"
Isn't that wonderful--and to think you could have a super Sunday every day of the week--and you don't even need queso and chips!
Turn with me to Matthew 5: 1-12 and let's hear the teaching of Jesus and how His love for us may be played out in our daily lives.
I think the number was in the neighborhood of over 100 million people that tuned into the Super Bowl game last Sunday night. Incredible to consider how that many people--myself included--were willing to set aside almost 4 hours of their evening to stare at a television screen. Even more amazing is to think that most of us considered watching the Super Bowl to be entertainment!
But how many of you watched the show that followed?
"Undercover Boss"--that was the name of the show. Did any of you watch it?
Larry O'Donnell--President and COO of Waste Management--a 13 billion dollar company--was the featured "undercover boss." The premise of the show was that he would go into the field and find out first-hand what it takes to actually work at entry-level positions with his company and see how some of the corporate policies that he and his executive team have put into play affect people all the way down the ladder.
As we wrap up our study of the Kingdom--it occurred to me that we would be remiss if we didn't consider the importance of going out into the field and finding out first-hand what it takes to actually work!
You see--if the Kingdom is both now and forevermore--then by all means we must find out first hand what it takes to actually work in our lives. In a sense we must reevaluate the entry levels we must take as we continue to step out into this world we have been called to live within. Because if you think about it--wherever it is the we enter the world--in our homes, at work, at school, at the store, at lunch, driving, serving--wherever we enter--we enter with the opportunity to make known the Kingdom.
And I think Jesus lays it out beautifully for us in the opening statements of His powerful Sermon on the Mount. Many of you know these first 12 verses of Matthew 5 as The Beatitudes. BE-ATITUDES--ATITUDES that should BE in all disciples of Jesus Christ.
It is safe to say that Jesus was going against the grain a little bit when He preached the Sermon on the Mount. But I also believe that Jesus was the original "Undercover Boss." He, of all people, knew what the Kingdom was all about; He knew what it took to LIVE the Kingdom; The Kingdom was His life and His LIFE ushered in the Kingdom for all of us.
The question is: "Is the Kingdom a way of life for you and me?"
Are we truly ready to live "counter culturally?" Are we ready to live according to the policies set out by the One who we truly work for? Are we ready to view being a disciple of Jesus Christ as so much more than a job? Are we ready to examine our hearts and discern who our BOSS really is?
As James Montgomery Boice puts it: "Left to ourselves, our natural Beatitudes would go something like this: Blessed are the rich, for they have it all and have it all now; blessed are the happy, for they are content with themselves and don't need others; blessed are the arrogant, for people defer to them; blessed are those who fight for the good things in life, for they will get them; blessed are the sophisticated, for they will have a good time" (James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, p. 74).
However, Jesus teaches His disciples that Kingdom living is different.
One author said this about the Beatitudes: "The Beatitudes do not describe separate types of Christian character. Rather, they set forth qualities and experiences that are combined in the ideal character (New International Bible Dictionary).
William Barclay put it this way. "The Beatitudes, in effect, say, "O the bliss of being a Christian! O the joy of following Christ! O the sheer happiness of knowing Jesus Christ as Master, Savior and Lord!"
The happiness that comes from the Beatitudes is not by chance; the blessedness of the Christian is eternal; it is unshakable; it is Kingdom; it is now; it is a way of life.
Kingdom living takes a different route. Kingdom living does not fit the worlds standards. Kingdom living is to be poor in Spirit; to humbly depend totally upon God for help. To recognize that He is leading and we are following--to live in such a way that we are inwardly "bankrupt" without the Lord.
Kingdom living is to mourn; to be filled with deep regret and repentance for our sinful ways. Kingdom living is to be meek; to live a life of humble service to God and others. Now listen, meekness is not weakness; meekness is not the opposite of strength, it is the opposite of pride. Kingdom living is to hunger and thirst for righteousness; to long for the ability to live out every day of our lives in conformity to God's will and to thirst for the Living Water for our souls. To recognize that there is only one fountain that can quench our thirst and only one body that can nourish our souls.
Kingdom living is to be merciful; "mercy-full;" to have compassion for one another. Kingdom living is to have a pure heart; to strive to keep the good in and the bad out; to be purified by God's grace in Jesus Christ. To be a people of integrity and committed to a personal relationship with the Lord. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. Kingdom living is to be a peacemaker; to work towards reconciliation and wholeness.
Kingdom living is to rejoice and be glad when people insult us, persecute us, and falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of our relationship with Jesus Christ--CRAZY--RIGHT?
Bible scholar Dale Bruner said, "To read the Sermon on the Mount is to discover what it means to be Jesus' disciples; to read it with faith is to receive the power to be Jesus' disciples."
So, "Do we want to BE Jesus' disciples?"
Consider this: What if He showed up at our office, or home, or school tomorrow--what would He uncover?
Friends, I pray we will uncover our hearts and allow the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ to equip us to go out into the field and actually LIVE out The Kingdom that is within us.
You see, I am convinced that the Kingdom is a way of life--a way that begins with love--face to face; heart to heart; people reaching people. That kind of attitude has the potential to make any day SUPER.
AMEN.
Welcome back to Super Sunday!!! I know, you may be confused by such a statement because you are thinking that last week was "Super Sunday." In fact, you are correct--it was super to watch the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl.
But I would like to suggest that today is also Super Sunday. Think about it--isn't it super to have an entire day devoted to love? Look at the person on either side of you and say: "I love you--you are SUPER!"
Isn't that wonderful--and to think you could have a super Sunday every day of the week--and you don't even need queso and chips!
Turn with me to Matthew 5: 1-12 and let's hear the teaching of Jesus and how His love for us may be played out in our daily lives.
I think the number was in the neighborhood of over 100 million people that tuned into the Super Bowl game last Sunday night. Incredible to consider how that many people--myself included--were willing to set aside almost 4 hours of their evening to stare at a television screen. Even more amazing is to think that most of us considered watching the Super Bowl to be entertainment!
But how many of you watched the show that followed?
"Undercover Boss"--that was the name of the show. Did any of you watch it?
Larry O'Donnell--President and COO of Waste Management--a 13 billion dollar company--was the featured "undercover boss." The premise of the show was that he would go into the field and find out first-hand what it takes to actually work at entry-level positions with his company and see how some of the corporate policies that he and his executive team have put into play affect people all the way down the ladder.
As we wrap up our study of the Kingdom--it occurred to me that we would be remiss if we didn't consider the importance of going out into the field and finding out first-hand what it takes to actually work!
You see--if the Kingdom is both now and forevermore--then by all means we must find out first hand what it takes to actually work in our lives. In a sense we must reevaluate the entry levels we must take as we continue to step out into this world we have been called to live within. Because if you think about it--wherever it is the we enter the world--in our homes, at work, at school, at the store, at lunch, driving, serving--wherever we enter--we enter with the opportunity to make known the Kingdom.
And I think Jesus lays it out beautifully for us in the opening statements of His powerful Sermon on the Mount. Many of you know these first 12 verses of Matthew 5 as The Beatitudes. BE-ATITUDES--ATITUDES that should BE in all disciples of Jesus Christ.
It is safe to say that Jesus was going against the grain a little bit when He preached the Sermon on the Mount. But I also believe that Jesus was the original "Undercover Boss." He, of all people, knew what the Kingdom was all about; He knew what it took to LIVE the Kingdom; The Kingdom was His life and His LIFE ushered in the Kingdom for all of us.
The question is: "Is the Kingdom a way of life for you and me?"
Are we truly ready to live "counter culturally?" Are we ready to live according to the policies set out by the One who we truly work for? Are we ready to view being a disciple of Jesus Christ as so much more than a job? Are we ready to examine our hearts and discern who our BOSS really is?
As James Montgomery Boice puts it: "Left to ourselves, our natural Beatitudes would go something like this: Blessed are the rich, for they have it all and have it all now; blessed are the happy, for they are content with themselves and don't need others; blessed are the arrogant, for people defer to them; blessed are those who fight for the good things in life, for they will get them; blessed are the sophisticated, for they will have a good time" (James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, p. 74).
However, Jesus teaches His disciples that Kingdom living is different.
One author said this about the Beatitudes: "The Beatitudes do not describe separate types of Christian character. Rather, they set forth qualities and experiences that are combined in the ideal character (New International Bible Dictionary).
William Barclay put it this way. "The Beatitudes, in effect, say, "O the bliss of being a Christian! O the joy of following Christ! O the sheer happiness of knowing Jesus Christ as Master, Savior and Lord!"
The happiness that comes from the Beatitudes is not by chance; the blessedness of the Christian is eternal; it is unshakable; it is Kingdom; it is now; it is a way of life.
Kingdom living takes a different route. Kingdom living does not fit the worlds standards. Kingdom living is to be poor in Spirit; to humbly depend totally upon God for help. To recognize that He is leading and we are following--to live in such a way that we are inwardly "bankrupt" without the Lord.
Kingdom living is to mourn; to be filled with deep regret and repentance for our sinful ways. Kingdom living is to be meek; to live a life of humble service to God and others. Now listen, meekness is not weakness; meekness is not the opposite of strength, it is the opposite of pride. Kingdom living is to hunger and thirst for righteousness; to long for the ability to live out every day of our lives in conformity to God's will and to thirst for the Living Water for our souls. To recognize that there is only one fountain that can quench our thirst and only one body that can nourish our souls.
Kingdom living is to be merciful; "mercy-full;" to have compassion for one another. Kingdom living is to have a pure heart; to strive to keep the good in and the bad out; to be purified by God's grace in Jesus Christ. To be a people of integrity and committed to a personal relationship with the Lord. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. Kingdom living is to be a peacemaker; to work towards reconciliation and wholeness.
Kingdom living is to rejoice and be glad when people insult us, persecute us, and falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of our relationship with Jesus Christ--CRAZY--RIGHT?
Bible scholar Dale Bruner said, "To read the Sermon on the Mount is to discover what it means to be Jesus' disciples; to read it with faith is to receive the power to be Jesus' disciples."
So, "Do we want to BE Jesus' disciples?"
Consider this: What if He showed up at our office, or home, or school tomorrow--what would He uncover?
Friends, I pray we will uncover our hearts and allow the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ to equip us to go out into the field and actually LIVE out The Kingdom that is within us.
You see, I am convinced that the Kingdom is a way of life--a way that begins with love--face to face; heart to heart; people reaching people. That kind of attitude has the potential to make any day SUPER.
AMEN.
