1. The Heart of the King’s Message Mt 5:13-20

2. The Resolution of Rulership Happy are the poor in spirit because belonging to them is the Kingdom of Heaven.Happy are the poor in spirit because belonging to them is the Kingdom of Heaven. Happy are those who are mourning because they will be comfortedHappy are those who are mourning because they will be comforted Happy are the gentle because they will inherit the earth.Happy are the gentle because they will inherit the earth. Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness because they will be filled.Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness because they will be filled. Happy are the merciful because they will be mercied. Happy are the clean of heart because they will see God. Happy are those who make peace because they will be called sons of God. Happy are those who have been persecuted on account of righteousness because belonging to them is the Kingdom of Heaven.

3. #9: v11-12: YOU 11 μακάριοί ἐ στε ὅ ταν ὀ νειδίσωσιν ὑ μ ᾶ ς κα ὶ διώξωσιν κα ὶ ε ἴ πωσιν π ᾶ ν πονηρ ὸ ν καθ ʼ ὑ μ ῶ ν [ψευδόμενοι] ἕ νεκεν ἐ μο ῦ. 12 χαίρετε κα ὶ ἀ γαλλι ᾶ σθε, ὅ τι ὁ μισθ ὸ ς ὑ μ ῶ ν πολ ὺ ς ἐ ν το ῖ ς ο ὐ ρανο ῖ ς· ο ὕ τως γ ὰ ρ ἐ δίωξαν το ὺ ς προφήτας το ὺ ς πρ ὸ ὑ μ ῶ ν. Happy are YOU when they should revile you and persecute and say all kinds of evil concerning you, being false, on behalf of me. Rejoice and leap for joy because your reward is great in heaven, for in this way they persecuted the prophets before you.

4. Rejoice and Leap for Joy 1.Jesus personalizes the beatitudes to the audience for the first time on the topic of persecution. 2.The specific form persecution will take is verbal abuse, including slander and gossip. 3.The first recorded sin in earthly history is the adversary’s false statements in Gen 3:1. 4.To be attacked by the enemies of God is portrayed as reason to rejoice and exult or leap for joy. 5.These words are for our encouragement under withering attack in the realm of thoughts and communication.

5. 6.We rejoice, going back to the history of God’s self-revelation through human beings. 7.The prophets, for revealing the righteousness of God as related to the Law suffered the enemy’s attacks. 8.Therefore under pressure we find continuity with God’s people across the ages. 9.But these present sufferings cause us to look forward to future blessing in the kingdom as well.

6. How Persecution Motivates Us 1.It tells us we’re getting it right. 2.It reminds us that we’re fighting on the winning side in a war of ideas. 3.It provides a sense of fellowship with all who have represented God in the past: the prophets and the Prophet. –The bearer of God’s testimony has always been rejected by the Kosmos. 4.It reminds us of future reward. 5.It provides another opportunity for us to see God’s deliverance.

7. From Character to Conduct

8. v 13: Salt You (emphatic) you are the salt of the earth But then (now—de advances—next point, deeper into the argument) if the salt should become foolish = insipid (3s aor pass subj mwrainw), by what means will it be made salty [or will it be salted](3s fut pass ind alizw)? For the goal of (ei~) nothing is it capable (3s pres act ind, iscuw) anymore except (ei mh) being thrown out (aor pass participle, neut accus sg, ballw) for the purpose of being trampled underfoot by men.