Kingdom Living Part 2 , Following The Perspectives - RBC Ministries

KINGDOMLIVING PART 2Following ThePerspectives AndPractices Of The King

TTwo mistakes can be madewhen we consider thekingdom of God. We can

think of Christ’s rule on earth onlyin future terms. Or we can lookfor the influence of His power andauthority only in the present.

Joe Stowell, in the followingexcerpt of his book Eternity:Reclaiming A Passion For WhatEndures, shows the importance of embracing both perspectives.He reasons that, according to the wisdom of the Bible, radicalpersonal change requires that we honor the rule of Christ notonly in the world to come, butpresently in the world within.

Mart De Haan

CONTENTS

Kingdom Perspectives And Practices . . . . . . . . . 2

The King’s Declaration . . 3

Six Keys To UnderstandingThe King’s Sermon . . . . . 5

Practicing What He Preached . . . . . . . . . 7

Chart Of Kingdom Perspectives And Practices . . . . . . . . 30

Sneak Preview. . . . . . . . 32

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo: iStockphotoUnless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations taken from the New American StandardBible®. Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The LockmanFoundation. Used by permission.This booklet is based on a portion of Eternity: Reclaiming A Passion For What Endures by JoeStowell, published by Discovery House Publishers, a member of the RBC Ministries family.© 2008 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

HP092 Kingdom Living pt 2 pp.qxp 10/16/08 5:18 PM

KINGDOMPERSPECTIVESAND PRACTICES

MMany heateddiscussions end in the verbal

standoff, “Well, let’s face it, we just have a differentpoint of view.” How is itthat one person can seefishing as the most boringpastime in the world andshopping as the mostthrilling event of aweekend? It’s beyond mostmen’s comprehension. It’s a matter of perspective. Itaffects everything. How welook at life, music, fashion,and friends is determinedby our point of view.

Followers of Christ intune with their inner worldnot only realize that theyhave changed places andembraced a new set ofprinciples but that they also have an entirely newperspective on life—a pointof view that revolutionizes

their way of thinking and acting. Those of us who are committed toexpressing the virtues ofChrist’s kingdom within (seeKingdom Living: EmbracingThe Virtues Of The King HP091) must move towardan eager understanding andadoption of the perspectivesand resultant practices ofthe kingdom experience.

I grew up as a pastor’s kid, sometimesunaffectionately called a“P.K.” I wish I had $5 for every time someonesaid, “Young man”—and I always knew I was introuble when they startedlike that—“you’re thepastor’s son. You should setthe example for the otherchildren.” Quite frankly,although I was happy toaccept all the advantagesand privileges of being thepastor’s son, I had little orno interest in modifying mybehavior to be consistentwith my identity. To “be

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© 2008 RBC Ministries

good” was not what Iwanted to be. I was full offun and mischief like everyother kid, and conformitywas a burden.

As kingdom travelers, if we are not properlyfocused we will share a lotin common with the plightof the P.K. We revel in theperks of the kingdom—significance, security,freedom from ultimatedespair—but often struggle with allegiance

and conformity to theperspectives and practicesof the kingdom. But unlikeburdened pastoral offspring,when we get a grip on thereality of eternity and thesuperiority of the kingdom,particularly in contrast tothe consequences of lifeaccording to this presentworld, living from akingdom point of viewbecomes a privilege, not a problem.

THE KING’SDECLARATIONThe coming of Christbrought the culture of thekingdom into clear focus,particularly in terms of how it is lived out in thispresent world. Nowhere is itclearer than in the book ofMatthew, which, more thanthe other Gospels, featuresthe theme of Christ as King.And nowhere are the detailsof kingdom perspectivesand practices more specificthan in Christ’s Sermon on

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When we get a grip on the

reality of eternityand the superiorityof the kingdom, . . .

living from akingdom point

of view becomes a privilege, not

a problem.



the Mount (Mt. 5–7). The Sermon on the

Mount was, as some havetermed it, the ordinationsermon for the disciples,charting for them thedistinctive nature ofkingdom behavior. From an earth-side point of view,this Sermon is a radicalexpression of the kingdomin contrast to the normalpatterns of life in this darkdomain. One scholar hascalled the Sermon on theMount the “Magna Carta of the Kingdom.”

Unfortunately, manyhave felt that the Sermonon the Mount was Christ’sprophetic statement aboutwhat life will be like in theliteral millennial kingdomwhen He comes to reign onthis earth. And while that iscertainly true, it ignores thefact that the perspectivesand practices portrayed in this Sermon are eternalqualities that emanate fromthe very nature of the King

Himself. It would be a grossdistortion of the eternalnature of righteousness to say that we can ignorethis kingdom point of viewand wait to express thesepractices until He reigns asKing on the earth. He reignsas King within our heartsnow. We, as His subjects,live presently under Hisauthority and gladly submitall we are and have to Him.

To be specific, the Sermon on the Mount delineates 10 lifeperspectives that translate

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The Sermon on theMount forms our

attitude and actionin every area of lifeand expresses anaccurate reflectionof the King whoreigns within.



into clear kingdom practices in our lives. These10 perspectives form ourattitude and action in everyarea of life and express anaccurate reflection of theKing who reigns within. The 10 categories deal with a radically differentperspective on people, a new sense of purpose,and unique perspectives on personal relationships,personal piety, prosperity,inner peace, personalaccountability, prayer,spiritual perception, and the authority of Christ’sproclamation.

Not unlike the TenCommandments, these 10 perspectives of thekingdom become a meansof managing our innerworld and also measurehow far we have come interms of kingdom behavior.They create, as well, a pointof accountability by whichwe can ultimately give agood report to the King.

SIX KEYS TOUNDERSTANDINGTHE KING’S SERMONBefore we can hope toapply our King’s point ofview, there are six keys that enable us both tounderstand the meaning of the Sermon and theeffective implementation of the perspectives.

First, Christ intendedthat eternity be kept in clearview. If there is no worldbeyond, then little in theSermon makes sense. Forinstance, you can give awaya coat if the possessionsthat truly count are alreadyreserved for you in heaven(Mt. 5:40; 6:19-20). If thereis a better, safer, longer lifebeyond, then the Sermon’sdemands on our lives arereasonable and applicable.

Second, sincerighteousness is thecenterpiece of Christ’s rule,it becomes the highest lawin every deliberation of life.If we are to err in any

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direction, we should leantoward that which advancesrighteousness rather thanthat which would giveground to unrighteousnessin our lives or the lives ofothers. According to theSermon, it would be betterto be personally takenadvantage of than to givecause for another to actunrighteously.

Third, throughout thiskingdom proclamation,Christ views life from thepriority of that which isinternal. In contrast to thereligious environment ofHis day, He moves beyondthe outward scenery to theinner landscape. With theKing, people are like fruit.It’s not how good they lookon the outside; it’s theinside that validates thequality.

Fourth, it’s clear that theSermon values that which is spiritual over that which is material and temporal.Given a choice, the kingdom

perspective always defers to the former. The soul is of greater priority.

Fifth, we mustunderstand and welcomethe tension that is inherentin Christ’s teaching. Christis imposing the standards of a perfectly pure kingdomculture onto a fallen andtreacherous world. If attimes the Sermon seems to contradict this presentworld’s sense of what isreasonable, it’s because this world’s point of view is inevitably in conflict withthe kingdom culture of

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People are likefruit. It’s not howgood they look on the outside;it’s the inside that validates the quality.



Christ. The fault is not with the Sermon but withthe imperfect world. Truewisdom belongs to the King.

The sixth and final keyin applying the perspectivesand practices that aretaught in the Sermon is that we should not expectGod to treat us in ways thatwe are unwilling to treatothers. If we are ruthless,unforgiving, and evil with others, then it ispresumptuous for us to plead with God to bepatient, tolerant, kind, and forgiving with us.

These, then, are the sixgrids through which theSermon must be filtered aswe seek to understand andimplement its teaching.

PRACTICING WHATHE PREACHEDThe Sermon is, in effect, themanual for managing theworld within. The chart“Kingdom Perspectives AndPractices” on pages 30-31

summarizes the 10perspectives and theirresultant practices. Theseguidelines are the essenceof what it means to expresseternity through the dailymanagement of our lives.No one will be able toignore the reality of arighteous, conquering Kingwhen our redeemed worldwithin is governed by thesepractices.

1. Getting People In Perspective (Mt.5:1-12). The first and most famous section of the Sermon on the Mountgives us a clear kingdomperspective on people. Thissection, commonly knownas the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:1-12), creates a dramaticallydifferent picture of who thetruly blessed people are inthis present world.

The world to whichChrist came was not muchdifferent from the worldthrough which we travel.Blessedness, or happiness,

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in this present world isdefined by wealth, power,comfort, good health, andthe capacity to define andrealize our own dreams.Those who achieve thesegoals are marked as thebest and the blessed in thispresent world. Those whonever quite make it are theunimportant, weak, andunfortunate.

But Christ dramaticallyreorients our point of view.He declares that those whoare poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle,those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, themerciful, the pure in heart,the peacemakers, and thosewho are persecuted for thesake of righteousness arethe ones who are trulyblessed.

There’s an interestingtwist to the word Christuses for blessed. It’s theGreek word that means“happy.” The Isle of Cyprus,which was an island with a

great climate, bountifulflowers and fruits, richminerals, and abundantnatural resources, wasknown as “the happyIsle”—no doubt theCaribbean of that day. Theword used here about theblessedness of life is theword that the Greeks usedwhen they spoke of Cyprus.The wealthy had elaboratehomes on the island, andthe poor and estrangedflocked there to providetheir services as servants.These underclass peopleseemed anything butblessed in contrast to thewealthy island residents.

That would not only be true in Cyprus butthroughout the land ofIsrael, where blessednesswas measured by materialand physical prosperity.Those who did not prosperwould reflect a lack ofblessing.

Christ, however, claimsthat from a kingdom point

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of view, those who seem tobe anything but blessed arein reality the blessed ones.Christ specifically noteswhy. Earth-side blessedness

is but a fleeting ecstasy.Then, like fireworks on theFourth of July, it becomesmerely a trace of smoke in the sky—a prelude tosignificant loss on the otherside if we are not found inJesus Christ. But those who suffer loss anddisempowerment in thispresent world have a clearerhope for eternity, where

blessedness is secured for them. In fact, they canmore easily believe in thevalue of what is to comesince there is so little forthem here.

“The poor in spirit” arethose whose hearts arefixed on the prosperity thatthe King provides eternally.Since they have confidencein Christ and Him alone,theirs is the kingdom ofheaven.

“Those who mourn” areconfident that throughouteternity they will know thecomfort of God. That iscertainly superior to agriefless life here and aneternity of mourning.

“The gentle” here arethose who respond in graceand forgiveness to theiroffenders. They are thosewho do not use their powerfor revenge against theirenemies. They arevulnerable and suffermeasures of loss. Yet theywill inherit possessions that

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Earth-sideblessedness is buta fleeting ecstasy.

Then, like fireworkson the Fourth ofJuly, it becomes

merely a trace ofsmoke in the sky.



cannot be taken from them.As Christ said, “They shallinherit the earth” (v.5).

In a world where peoplehunger and thirst to satisfytheir lusts with evil, Christsays it is those whopassionately pursuerighteousness who willultimately find satisfaction.

“The merciful” will find mercy with God.

In a world that

celebrates the capacity tomanipulate life in sinfulways, Christ elevates thosewho by contrast are “purein heart” (motives), for, asHe points out, they shallknow intimacy with God.

In contrast to those who use intimidation anddisruption to gain selfishends, Christ said that thosewho live to make peace (“thepeacemakers”) are knownthroughout eternity as sonsof God, since God Himself is the ultimate peacemaker.

Those who have definedtheir lives by the virtues ofthe kingdom and sufferedpersecution from a world that hates the principles of paradise will remainunshaken because heavenwill be eternally theirs.

As Christ concludes this section, He reminds us that “those who havebeen persecuted for the sakeof righteousness” (v.10) willhave a “reward in heaven”that is “great” (v.12).

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In a world where people

hunger and thirstto satisfy their lusts with evil,

Christ says it is those who

passionately pursuerighteousness who

will ultimately find satisfaction.



The practices that growout of this unique eternalperspective on people aremany. But let’s look at two.

First, this perspectiveradically alters how I lookat others. It changes me interms of who I admire andseek to emulate. In thisworld it’s easy to admire the powerful and to followin their way. But a kingdomperson looks at peopledifferently. The people Iadmire around me are thosewho have honor in kingdomterms. They become objects of my respect andaffirmation. Those who aretruly blessed become anobject of my embrace, notan embarrassment.

Second, this perspectivedrives me to value above all else righteousness,mercy, purity, peace, andperseverance.

I am now aware thatfocusing my passions onrighteousness will preparemy heart to know the

satisfaction of therighteousness that willcharacterize and dominateall of eternity. I will developpatterns of righteous livinghere. And, in fact, I willavoid the regret that comesfrom unrighteousness,which actually erodesfulfillment.

Knowing that God isdetermined to show mercytoward those who aremerciful encourages me topractice mercy in all myrelationships.

Understanding thisperspective on life shouldmotivate me to be pure in heart, which means that as a kingdom person I measure my motives bythe righteous standards of the kingdom.

As a kingdom person,my view of life will be topursue peace and promotepeace in my relationshipsso that I might reflect thatcharacter of my King,peacemaking Jesus.

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And if I ammisunderstood, maligned,or marginalized—physicallyor mentally persecutedbecause I am fullycommitted to the virtues and practices of righteousness thataccurately reflect my placein the kingdom—then I willnot be shaken. I have theconfidence that though theymay take everything fromme here, the kingdom ofheaven will ultimately bemine.

These perspectives on life obviously make adramatic difference in thepractice of my life.

2. Purpose In Life(Mt. 5:13-20). Thesecond perspective thatradically alters our practicein life as a kingdom travelerdeals with a reviseddefinition of the purpose of life. Christ goes on in HisSermon (vv.13-16) to relatethat we are to live as saltand light in this world. Salt

functions as a flavoringagent. It seems evident that Christ is saying thatour practice in this presentworld needs to deepen andbring richer, truer taste tolife. From the context, weare to do this by living out the principles of thekingdom. In a sense, livingout the uniqueness ofkingdom virtues andperspectives enhances anotherwise tasteless world.

Salt has a preservingelement as well. DuringJesus’ day, many of thesoldiers received part oftheir pay in salt, a valuablecommodity that wouldpreserve their food fromspoiling. As salt preservedmeat, so kingdom peopleare to preserve truth bypromoting the principles of righteousness.

When we manage ourworld within in a way thatexpresses the kingdompractices of righteousness,we function as a preservative

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in this present world.Through a righteouspresence in bothproclamation and practice,we help to preserve thesanity and safety that onlycomes when a society livesrighteously. The salt of ourrighteousness preserves anotherwise decaying worldthrough parents who reargodly children, employerswho apply biblical ethicstoward their employees,voters who support righteouscauses, and citizens who cryout against violence andinjustice.

Kingdom subjects liveout this kingdom purpose as lights in the darkness.Our “light” is the impactthat our good works (v.16)have on this dark domain.Good works are not justnice Boy Scout types ofthings. While good worksmay at times be nice, andwhile they may involvehelping an elderly personacross the street, they are

deeper and more significantthan that. In Scripture, goodworks are the result of anon-negotiated commitmentto righteousness. They arethe outcomes of a life fullysubmitted to the authorityof the King.

Since Christ the King isunquestionably good andcan be nothing but good,when I submit myself toHim, only that which isgood emanates from myheart and life.

Christ indicates that our good works cut likebeams of light through thedarkness of the world inwhich we live. Like citiesset on a hill, we cannot

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Our “light” is the impact that our good works

have on this dark domain.



help but be noticed. And aspeople see us, even thoughthey may not want to listento us, these good worksbecome so compelling in contrast to the despairing results of theirunrighteousness that theywill at the least admit thatthere is something uniqueabout our lives. As verse 16notes, in many cases theytoo will come to seek andknow the King and glorifyHim with us.

In his book ImprovingYour Serve, pastor andauthor Chuck Swindoll tells the following story:

Shortly after World War II came to a close,Europe began picking upthe pieces. Much of theOld Country had beenravaged by war and wasin ruins. Perhaps thesaddest sight of all wasthat of little orphanedchildren starving in thestreets of those war-torncities.

Early one chillymorning, an Americansoldier was making hisway back to the barracksin London. As he turnedthe corner in his Jeep, hespotted a little lad withhis nose pressed to thewindow of a pastry shop. Inside, the cookwas kneading dough for a fresh batch ofdoughnuts. The hungryboy stared in silence,watching every move.The soldier pulled his Jeep to the curb,stopped, got out, andwalked quietly over towhere the little fellowwas standing. Throughthe steamed-up windowhe could see the mouth-watering morsels as theywere being pulled fromthe oven, piping hot. The boy salivated andreleased a slight groan as he watched the cookplace them onto theglass-enclosed counter

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ever so carefully. The soldier’s heart

went out to the namelessorphan as he stoodbeside him.

“Son, would you likesome of those?”

The boy was startled.“Oh, yeah . . . I

would!” The American

stepped inside andbought a dozen, putthem in a bag, andwalked back to wherethe lad was standing in the foggy cold of theLondon morning. Hesmiled, held out the bag, and said simply,“Here you are.”

As he turned to walkaway, he felt a tug on hiscoat. He looked backand heard the child askquietly, “Mister, are youGod?” (pp.52-53).Like that GI, we’re never

more like Jesus than whenwe submit to righteousimpulses and do what is

good and right. That’s whatlight in darkness means.When we are fully devotedto the King, our light andgood works ultimately willconquer the darkness.

3. PersonalRelationships (Mt. 5:21-48). The third aspect of a kingdomperspective deals withpersonal relationships—particularly those difficultand challenging ones.Initially, since it mustgovern all our relationalinitiatives, righteousness is at the very heart of thekingdom. We avoidanything that elicits actions or responses thatare unrighteous, even whenthat choice causes us tosuffer loss and violateswhat we think are our rightsand privileges. Avoiding all appearances ofunrighteousness is what is truly right for the kingdom person.

It’s important to note 15



as well that this intriguingsegment of the Sermon isclearly focused on thatwhich is eternal. Christnotes that we can beconformed to righteousnessin our actions whiledestructive attitudes remain within us. Becauseof these destructiveattitudes, we are guilty.

The Jews in Christ’sday had so structured theirsystem of religious ethicsthat measurements forrighteousness were merelyexternal. This enabled aperson to appear upright on the outside but remain

relationally corrupt on theinside.

This, in fact, is exactlywhy Jesus accused thereligious leaders of being“whitewashed tombs” (Mt.23:27). To the Jews of thatday, anything having to do with death was defiled.Touching a grave during thefeast days, when Jews wererequired to be ceremoniallypure, would be onedisqualifying defilement, forexample. So the Phariseeswould whitewash the tombsaround Jerusalem, causingthem to stand out so thatpeople could avoid even the slightest unintentionalcontact with the defilinginfluence. This backgroundadds tremendous weight toChrist’s accusation of thePharisees’ externally cleanposture. In reality they were deeply defiled anddisqualified because ofwhat was on the inside.

Keeping that in mind,Christ compels us to avoid

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We can beconformed torighteousness in our actions

while destructiveattitudes remain

within us.



any relational action thatencourages unrighteousnessand to make sure ourattitude on the inside isright in every personalrelationship. Christ clearlydelineates several scenariosthat lead us to kingdomexpressions in our personalrelationships.

Everyone knows that if you hate your brother tothe extent that you kill him,you are guilty of murder.What we rarely admit,however, is that if we hateto that extent, we are guiltyas well. Christ goes on tosay that if this anger leadsus to speak words that killanother’s reputation andmurder that person’s senseof worth, then that toomakes us liable forjudgment (vv.21-22).

Kingdom behavior dealswith our anger by lettingGod deal with our enemies.Instead of harboring angerand seeking revenge withspiteful words, we pursue

righteousness in ourrelationships, even withthose who have offended usand caused us to feel angry.

The Last Supper byLeonardo da Vinci is one of the great Renaissancemasterpieces. During thetime da Vinci was paintinghis masterwork, hereportedly became incensedwith a certain man. Histemper flared, and helashed out with bitterwords.

Returning to his work, he attempted to brush somedelicate lines on the face of Jesus. But he was sodistraught that he couldn’tregain his composure.Unable to continue, hefinally left his tools andwent to look for the manand ask his forgiveness.Only after his apology wasaccepted and he felt rightwith God could the artist go back and complete theface of Christ.

While we don’t know if 17



that story is true, we do know it makes a validpoint: Our relationship withother people affects ourrelationship with God.

Christ goes on to say that people who are trulycommitted to the kingdomdo not worship the Kingwhile they are offendingothers. If we have donesomething offensive, Hecalls us to go immediately to the one we have offended and humbly seek to reconcile (vv.23-24).Once that has happened,we can resume our worship of the King.

If we have so deeplyoffended someone that weare taken to court, and if weare guilty, we are to restorewhat is rightly that person’sbefore going to court and tryto reestablish a righteousrelationship with him or her. As Christ said, “Makefriends quickly with youropponent at law” (v.25).

For husbands and wives,

Jesus gave specificcommands about properrelationships (vv.27-32). It was clear to the Jewish people that if youcommitted adultery, youwere morally guilty beforeGod. Christ now deepenedthe accountability by statingthat if you permit adulterousthoughts to reside in yourheart, then you are alreadyguilty of adultery (v.28). Ifwe are consumed with lust,and the only things thatkeep us from committingadultery are the lack ofopportunity or the fear of getting caught, we areadulterous (v.28). A personwho fantasizes aboutimmorality, even though he or she never finds anopportunity, is neitherrighteous nor guiltless.

In regard to moralcompromise in relationships,Christ stresses theimportance of righteousnesswhen He states that if oureyes or hands cause us to

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sin, then we would be betteroff if we blinded ourselves orcut off our hands so that oursouls would be safe (vv.29-30). Christ could not havemade a stronger statementabout the value of righteousliving. Kingdom people areto value righteousness andspiritual well-being morethan sight, dexterity, oranything else in this world.

In relating to ourspouses, Christ calls us tofaithfulness and loyalty.Jewish law permitted themen to indiscriminatelydivorce their wives. Thisplaced women in great

jeopardy. To supportthemselves in that society,most women who wereexpelled from marriage hadtwo options: remarriage orsexual promiscuity. When aman divorced his wife, heplaced her in jeopardy ofremarriage, which in God’seyes was adulterous, sincethe divorce was invalid inthe first place. In extremecases, women were drivento the streets as prostitutes.The only permission thatChrist granted for puttingaway a wife was hercontinual unchastebehavior. Other than that,Christ called righteous mento protect, patiently livewith, and love their wives.

Christ also addressed the believer’s behavior incontractual arrangements(vv.33-37). The Jews ofChrist’s day had a customof sealing agreements bymaking an oath againstheaven, Jerusalem, or even,as strange as it seems,

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Kingdom peoplevalue righteousnessand spiritual well-being more thansight, dexterity,or anything else

in this world.



swearing by their own head (v.36). Christ calls us to be true to our wordwithout appealing toauthorities beyondourselves. Kingdom people are to speak theirword and then be faithful to it, regardless of theimplications. To a kingdomperson, a promise is acritical thing and carries the integrity of the one who has spoken it.

In relating to those whoset themselves against us,Christ speaks about theimportance of defusing evilin the midst of unrighteous

circumstances (vv.39-48). He notes that while ournormal response when we are wronged is revenge, a kingdom person wouldrather be slapped twice than to return evil byslapping the person back.And if someone sues us forour shirt in court, then weshould offer that person our coat. If someone forcesus to go a mile, then weshould offer to go anadditional mile.

While each of theseresponses seems to be anunreasonable reaction, thealternative would be gristfor deepening hostilities.Kingdom people are tovalue peace more thanfighting back. They value a relationship more than ashirt. And they are willingto go out of their way tobenefit another person. This is revolutionarykingdom behavior.

Soon after the doorsopened to the former Soviet

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To a kingdomperson, a promise

is a critical thing and carries

the integrity of the one who has spoken it.



Union, the educationalleaders in Russia invited US Christian organizationsto come and show the Jesusfilm to teachers and trainthem in values and ethicscurriculums based on theWord of God. A massivegroup of Christianorganizations pooled theirresources under the nameof CoMission in order toaccept this invitation. Thisgave them opportunities toevangelize teachers, placethem in Bible studies, andplant churches.

For 2 1⁄2 years, more thana thousand believers fromthe US gave a year of theirlives to participate in thisproject until the RussianOrthodox Church began topressure the government tokeep these “evangelists”—who had come, in theirwords, “under the guise ofeducation”—out of theschools.

In a gesture of goodwill,CoMission had supplied the

educational ministry withduplicating machines, sinceupgraded equipment was so scarce during that time.When the edict came fromthe Ministry of Educationthat the schools would nolonger be open to the workof CoMission, the verymachines CoMission had donated were used to duplicate that edict.Halfway through theprocess, the ministry ran out of paper. SinceCoMission had oftensupplied them not only with the equipment butwith reams of paper as well,the ministry asked if theycould get more paper.

The earthboundresponse for the people in charge of that aspect of CoMission’s ministrywould have been to laughin their faces, since theMinistry of Education hadso ungraciously pulled upthe welcome mat. But, likegood kingdom people, these

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CoMission kingdomtravelers in Moscow asked how much paper they wanted and thensupplied sufficient paper to finish the project.

It won the hearts ofthose Russians who by nochoice of their own wereserving notice to theschools of their land. HadCoMission denied them thepaper, they would havebeen just like everyone else in this present world.Going the extra miledefused the tension in ahostile environment andkept Russian hearts open to the much moresignificant issue of thegospel of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the mostchallenging earth-siderelational responses comein verses 43-48. Christ saysthat while the commonconsensus is “You shalllove your neighbor and hateyour enemy” (which wasstreet talk in their day for

“I don’t get mad, I just geteven”), we are instead tolove our enemies and prayfor those who persecute us,because in that way webecome like our Father inheaven.

These perspectives onkingdom relational behaviorcome into clear view when we recall that the centerpiece of the kingdom is righteousness that is in conflict with a fallenenvironment. In other words,the kingdom is measured bywhat’s going on inside us,and what is spiritually right is of greater value than what may seem to us to bepersonally or physically right.

4. Personal Piety(Mt. 6:1-18). Afterspeaking about kingdomways to relate to fellowhumans, Christ goes on tolay out how we are to relateto our Father in heaven.This is the fourth kingdomperspective, personal piety(6:1-18). This perspective

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stands in contrast to thepublic religious abuse thatwas practiced in that day.This was noted in the factthat people carried outreligious practices for theirown gain.

The three areas thatChrist particularly speaks to are giving, praying, andfasting. It’s interesting thatChrist’s label for peoplewho give, pray, and fast in order to be noticed and publicly affirmed is hypocrite (vv.2,5,16).Hypocrites are peoplewhose lives contradict thevery essence of what they say they believe.

Religious practice bynature has its focus outsideof and beyond ourselves.We practice faith activitieson behalf of God. When we say we are serving God,but our intent is to serveourselves, we qualify ashypocrites. Doing God’swork for our advantage robsGod of the glory due Him.

The result of servingourselves while appearingto serve heaven is that welose our eternal rewardsince we have rewardedourselves here on earth.

Giving is to be done insecret with no thought ofpersonal gain (v.4). And we are to pray in secret,trusting that our Father willhear us and help us (v.6).

Christ then instructs Hisdisciples in what we knowas the Lord’s Prayer (vv.9-13), which takes our focusbeyond ourselves to theFather’s glory and then toour fundamental needs of

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When we say we are servingGod, but our

intent is to serveourselves,we qualify

as hypocrites.



bread, forgiveness, andsafety from the treachery ofthe evil one. It’s importanthere to note that the closingfocus of this prayer affirmsthat the kingdom is God’s,and that the power andglory are His as well.

And just in case we don’twant to pray, “forgive usour debts, as we also haveforgiven our debtors” (v.12),Christ reminds us that if weare unwilling to forgivethose who have offendedus, how do we expect to askHim to forgive us? (v.15).

When we fast, we’re not to do it so that otherswill notice how spiritual weare by our gaunt and frailappearance. Becausefasting is a personal thingbetween us and our Father,we are not to make itobvious to those around us that we are fasting. It’ssomething that only Godneeds to know (vv.16-18).

Subjects of the kingdom value the

intimate relationship theyhave with their King andpractice piety for His gloryand not their own.

5. Prosperity (Mt. 6:19-24). Few thingsjeopardize the Christian lifemore than the promise ofprosperity. Kingdom livinggives us a new perspectiveon prosperity (6:19-24). It’s impossible for us askingdom adherents todedicate ourselves tomoney and at the sametime to dedicate ourselvesto God.

Christ points out that thefolly of dedicating ourselvesto money is that earth-sidetreasure is susceptible todamage and demise.Radical changes ineconomy, personal crises,forays into speculativeinvestments—all can createsudden loss. If we are notcareful, we might build our security on theaccumulation of theseslippery assets.

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On the other hand,Christ teaches that kingdompeople use their prosperityto stack up treasures inheaven, where the gain ispermanent and of greatervalue.

On this issue, Christ notes that if theperspectives of this fallenworld dictate our view of prosperity, then thedarkness within is deep—really deep indeed (v.23). Its ramifications touchevery area of our lives. The pursuit of money formoney’s sake damagesfamily relationships andcreates pride when wesucceed and despair when we fail.

6. Peace (Mt. 6:25-34). As we shift our focuson financial prosperity toeternal treasures, we mayexperience anxiety as weconsider how best toprovide for our needs. Atthis point in the Sermon,Christ turns kingdom hearts

toward His peace. Hereminds us that our Fatherin heaven obviously caresthat our needs are met.Christ points to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field that Godwonderfully cares for, andthen He calls us to seekfirst the things of eternity,assuring us that the Fatherknows our needs. He alsoencourages us to live each day focusing on theadvance of the kingdomwithout worrying about the needs of tomorrow.Kingdom people know thattoday is ours to live for thekingdom, and tomorrowbelongs to the King, whowill provide and care for us when and if tomorrowcomes.

The great preacherCharles H. Spurgeon oncelearned about such peacewhile trying to raise moneyfor poor children in London.He came home to Bristolhoping to collect 300

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pounds to support his workwith London’s homelesschildren. At the end of aweek of meetings, manylives had been changed andhis financial goal had beenreached. That night as hebowed in prayer, Spurgeonseemed to hear a voicesaying, “Give that money to George Mueller” (thefounder of a greatorphanage in England).“Oh, no, Lord,” answeredthe preacher, “I need it formy own dear orphans.”

Yet Spurgeon couldn’tshake the idea that Godwanted him to part with it. Only when he said, “Yes, Lord, I will,” could he find rest.

With great peace hemade his way the nextmorning to Mueller’sorphanage and found thatgreat man of prayer on hisknees. The famous ministerplaced his hand onMueller’s shoulder and said,“George, God has told me

to give you these 300pounds I’ve collected.”

“Oh, my dear brother,”said Mueller, “I’ve just beenasking Him for exactly thatamount.”

The two servants of theLord then wept and rejoicedtogether. When Spurgeonreturned to London, hefound a letter on his deskcontaining 300 guineas.“There,” he cried with joy,“the Lord has returned my300 pounds with 300shillings’ interest!”

Spurgeon learned whatanother generous believeronce said: “I shovel out,and God shovels in, and He has a bigger shovel than I do.”

7.Taking ItPersonally (Mt. 7:1-6).The next perspective onkingdom living focuses onpersonal accountability.Christ calls those who focuson the faults of others (andby comparison feel goodabout themselves) to

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manage their ownresponsibilities. Again, it’s a form of hypocrisywhen we stand in judgmentof others when we ourselvesneed to be judged. Christunderscores that we havethe right to deal with others’faults only when we havedealt with our own. Andthen He adds that we willbe judged by the standardwe set for others.

As I have noted,throughout the Sermonthere is a sense ofreciprocity—we will betreated in the same waythat we treat others. We willreceive mercy to the samedegree that we are merciful.We will be rewarded fromheaven when we rewardheaven with our personalaffections. We will beforgiven as we forgive. Andhere, we will be judged bythe same standard that wejudge others.

After warning us to makesure that we have judged

ourselves before we judgeothers, Christ cautions us tobe careful about whom weseek to purify (vv.4-6). Hestates that some people areincorrigible and beyondremediation of their faults.Like dogs or swine, theydevour the words we offerthem about what is holyand right. If someone is evilto the core, then we shouldkeep that which is holy andprecious to ourselves andnot seek to reprove thatperson with words ofrighteousness.

8. Dependence (Mt. 7:7-12). Kingdompeople have a radicallydifferent perspective aboutwho is in charge. Theyrealize that they are not. In a world whereindependence is consideredstrength, as followers of theKing we do not depend onour own plans, but God’s(7:7-11). Our plans can fail,but God’s plans never do.

Because God is in 27



charge, the kingdomfollower consults Him often. Prayer is the primaryexpression of dependenceon God. We come to Himregularly, as Jesus did, to find both counsel andcomfort. When we makeprayer a priority in our dailylives, we show our trust inGod that He will answerand that His answers willresult in our well-being.

With the confidence that our Father in heaven is even more gracious thanour earthly father, we praywith clear requests, asChrist encourages us.

9. Minority Living(Mt. 7:13-23). Christbrings His kingdom teachingtoward a conclusion byreminding us that ourspiritual perception mustaccurately reflect theauthentic kingdom way andthose who represent it. Thekingdom way is narrow, andthe gate to the kingdom issmall. In reality, the narrow

way leads to life, and fewfind it because they preferthe broad way. He warns us that many false prophetswill seek to mislead anddeter us from the narrowway. But their lack ofspiritual wisdom is revealedby the outcome of theirlives. In fact, false prophetsshould be evaluated by thekingdom principles of thisSermon. He goes on to warnus that not everyone whoclaims that Jesus is Lord istruly a part of the kingdom.

10. Permanence Of The Proclamation(Mt. 7:24-29). Last, KingJesus calls us to build ourlives on the permanence of His proclamation. Theauthority of God’s Word isabsolute. We are called toobey consistently what Hehas taught us. He likensthose who establish theirlives on the perspectives ofthis Sermon to a man whobuilds his house on a firmfoundation. But those who

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hear Christ’s words andrefuse to obey are like aman who, having built hislife on shifting sand, is injeopardy when God’s finaljudgment comes.

hThese, then, are theperspectives and practicesof kingdom life. They aregrounded in the reality of eternity, the priority ofrighteousness, the primacyof the internal, the distincttension of kingdom life in afallen world, the supremacyof the spiritual over thematerial, and the realitythat we can only expectGod to treat us as we treat others.

Christ’s Sermon on the Mount is the manual for managing the kingdomworld within. It is thequintessential expression of what it means to live in light of the world to come under the authority of the King. It is eternity

expressed in our window of history.

Use the “KingdomPerspectives And Practices”chart on pages 30-31 as amirror. See your life as it is now through the flow ofthis chart. How well do youperceive and practice lifefrom the King’s point ofview? Then, to apply yourspecific life situations to thelisted perspectives, answerthe following questions:1. How do you score in

kingdom attitudes andactions? (Consider yourspecific attitudes andactions at home andwork.)

2. Is your life characterizedmore by the earth-sideperspectives?

3. Which areas of your life need to betransitioned from thedomain of darkness toreflect the kingdom ofGod’s Son?

4. What can you do tobegin the transition?

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30

Earth-SidePerspectives

Blessedness is inposition, power, wealth,comfort, safety, andacceptance in thisdomain.

Purpose in life is toenhance and advanceself in terms of personalpeace and prosperity.

Relationships are usedfor personal benefit.

Good works are paraded forpersonal glory.

KingdomPerspectives

1. Blessedness is in theassurance of ultimatecomfort, reward, andintimacy in eternity(Mt. 5:1-12).

2. Purpose in life is to advance thecause of our King byfunctioning as flavorpreservatives andlight in a flat, decaying,and dark environment(Mt. 5:13-20).

3. Relationships are to remain pure,blameless, fair to theweak, and forgiving toenemies (Mt. 5:21-48).

4. Personal piety means the focus is on private devotion to God (Mt. 6:1-18).

Kingdom Practices:Attitudes & Actions

• Know that happinessis a long-range reality.

• Honor and affirmthose who are trulyblessed.

• Accept present lot in life in terms of its eternal reward.

• Affirm righteousness.• Actively search for

occasions to createhunger and thirst forGod.

• Actively attempt to stop decay.

• Seek theunquestionably rightway to feel and act in every situation.

• Make my rights orsafety secondary todoing what is right.

• Spend much time inthe quiet and secretdevelopment of myrelationship withGod.

• Meditate on ways to show His glorythrough my life.

KINGDOM PERSPECTIVES AND PRACTICES(from Matthew 5–7)



31

Earth-SidePerspectives

Prosperity comes by what I accumulateand gain.

Life is lived on the edgeof anxiety, fearing thatall could be goneinstantly.

Personal actions areexcused by comparing,blaming, and judgingothers.

Self-sufficient behaviorquestions the goodnessor concern of God.

Life is structured to beas natural, comfortable,and as acceptable to themajority as possible.

Personal drives and desires are theauthority in our lives.

KingdomPerspectives

5.True prosperity comesby contributing toeternity and theadvance of Christ’skingdom (Mt. 6:19-24).

6. Life is lived in peace,knowing that onlyeternal commoditiesare secure and worthpursuing (Mt. 6:25-34).

7. I am accountable forpersonal actionsbefore I can reproveothers (Mt. 7:1-6).

8. God-dependentbehavior, as expressedthrough prayer, relieson the goodness of ourFather (Mt. 7:7-12).

9. Life requires awillingness to enduredifficulties and beingin the minority (Mt. 7:13-23).

10.The King’s Word,the Bible, is theauthority in our lives (Mt. 7:24-29).

Kingdom Practices:Attitudes & Actions

• Seek to advanceeternity with all Ipossess.

• Give my time andenergy to activitiesthat impact eternity.

•Trust God to care for me in His way and in His time.

• Cast all my cares on Him.

• Focus on personalfaults and take stepsto correct them.

• Let prayer rule my life.•Trust God’s loving

responses to meet mybasic needs, regardlessof the outcome.

• Choose to acceptkingdom alternativesthat are out of stepwith the majority.

• Live by the narrow,right way even thoughit brings discomfort.

• Display unquestionedloyalty to the King.

• Obey gladly thedecrees of the King.

KINGDOM PERSPECTIVES AND PRACTICES(from Matthew 5–7)



A SNEAKPREVIEW

TThose who are drivenand defined by theprinciples of Christ’s

kingdom—who managetheir lives in accordancewith kingdom perspectivesand practices—willpenetrate the darkness with the light of eternity.

The kingdom has aculture. Eternity has a style.And those of us who havebeen transferred from thedomain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dearSon have the privilege andthe responsibility to giveour dying world a sneakpreview of the really big show to come. Ourchallenge is to express thetriumph of the kingdomworld within amid thetrouble in this fallen world.

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hThis booklet is excerpted from Eternity: Reclaiming A Passion For WhatEndures by Joe Stowell, which ispublished by Discovery HousePublishers, a member of the RBCMinistries family. Joe served for 18years as the president of MoodyBible Institute. Currently he is thepresident of Cornerstone Universityin Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is alsopartnering with RBC Ministries inradio, writing, and televisionproductions.

If this booklet has been helpful toyou, check out Joe’s ministry onlineat www.getmorestrength.org for hisweekly thought-provoking messagesor his “Daily Strength” devotionals.

Those of us who have been

transferred from thedomain of darkness

into Christ’skingdom have theprivilege and the

responsibility to giveour dying world a sneak preview of the really bigshow to come.



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Kingdom Living Part 2 , Following The Perspectives - RBC Ministries

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