True Greatness: Embodying God's Love and Righteousness

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the concepts of greatness and righteousness. Jesus challenges our conventional understanding of greatness, suggesting that true greatness is not found in worldly achievements or status but in the pursuit of God's kingdom and the embodiment of His love. The kingdom of God, once accessible primarily through cultural Israel, is now open to all, inviting everyone to experience God's presence and friendship. This shift signifies a transformation in how we understand and live out God's laws, moving from a focus on external adherence to an internal transformation of the heart.

Jesus emphasizes that the kingdom of God is not a distant reality but a present one, urging us to live in it fully. This kingdom is characterized by authentic love, joy, and peace, which surpass the superficial righteousness of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to the law, yet Jesus points out that true righteousness is not about performing religious duties but about genuine love for God and others. This love is not merely an emotion but an active goodwill that transforms our thoughts, desires, and actions.

The call to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees is not a call to do more religious activities but to become the kind of person who naturally embodies God's love and goodness. This transformation begins within, as our thoughts and desires align with God's will. Jesus uses vivid imagery to illustrate this, comparing our inner life to a cup that must be clean on the inside, not just the outside. As we pursue this inner transformation, we become vessels of God's kingdom, overflowing with His love and grace.

Key Takeaways:

- True greatness, according to Jesus, is not about worldly achievements but about embodying God's love and living in His kingdom. This greatness is accessible to everyone, regardless of status or wealth. [02:06]

- The kingdom of God is present here and now, inviting us to live fully in it. This requires a shift from external religious practices to an internal transformation of the heart, characterized by love, joy, and peace. [03:29]

- Righteousness, in Jesus' view, is authentic love for God and others. It is not about performing religious duties but about genuine goodwill that transforms our thoughts, desires, and actions. [06:27]

- The call to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees is a call to inner transformation. We must become the kind of person who naturally embodies God's love and goodness, rather than merely adhering to religious rules. [08:27]

- Our inner life, like a cup, must be clean on the inside. As we align our thoughts and desires with God's will, we become vessels of His kingdom, overflowing with His love and grace. [09:11]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - The Desire for Greatness
[00:28] - Jesus' Teachings on the Kingdom
[00:46] - Fulfillment of the Law
[01:14] - Opening the Kingdom to All
[01:41] - Changes in the Law
[02:06] - True Human Greatness
[03:16] - The Kingdom of Heaven
[04:03] - The Already-Not-Yet Kingdom
[05:02] - Surpassing Righteousness
[06:14] - Authentic Love as Righteousness
[07:17] - Inner Transformation
[08:12] - The Difference Between Jesus and Pharisees
[09:11] - The Overflowing Cup
[10:23] - A Prayer for Greatness in God's Eyes
[11:22] - Engage and Connect

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Matthew 5:19-20
- Genesis 12:2-3 (Allusion to God's promise to Abraham)
- Matthew 23:25-26 (Reference to the imagery of the cup)

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Observation Questions:

1. In Matthew 5:19-20, what does Jesus say about those who set aside the least of the commands and those who practice and teach them?
2. How does the sermon describe the shift in access to the kingdom of God from cultural Israel to a more inclusive invitation? [01:28]
3. What imagery does Jesus use to describe the importance of inner transformation, and how is this illustrated in the sermon? [09:11]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "true greatness" as described in the sermon differ from the world's view of greatness? [02:33]
2. What does it mean for the kingdom of God to be "already here but not yet fully here," and how does this affect a believer's daily life? [03:29]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that righteousness is more about internal transformation than external adherence to religious practices? [08:27]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you are more focused on external religious practices rather than internal transformation? How can you shift your focus? [08:27]
2. The sermon mentions that true greatness is accessible to everyone, regardless of status or wealth. How can you pursue this kind of greatness in your daily life? [02:06]
3. Consider the imagery of the cup being clean on the inside. What steps can you take this week to ensure your inner life aligns with God's will? [09:11]
4. How can you actively embody God's love and goodness in your interactions with others this week, especially in challenging situations? [06:27]
5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of authentic love for God and others. Identify one relationship where you can practice this kind of love more intentionally.
6. Reflect on the idea of the kingdom of God being present now. What is one practical way you can live more fully in this reality today? [03:29]
7. The sermon suggests that our inner transformation should lead to an overflow of God's love and grace. How can you be a vessel of this love and grace in your community? [09:11]

Devotional

Day 1: True Greatness Lies in Embodying God's Love
True greatness, as taught by Jesus, is not measured by worldly achievements or status but by embodying God's love and living in His kingdom. This greatness is accessible to everyone, regardless of their social or economic status. Jesus redefines greatness by inviting all to experience God's presence and friendship, emphasizing that the kingdom of God is open to all who seek it. This invitation marks a significant shift from a focus on external accomplishments to an internal transformation that aligns with God's will. By pursuing this path, individuals can experience a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose that transcends worldly measures of success. [02:06]

Matthew 23:11-12 (ESV): "The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you seek recognition or success. How can you shift your focus from seeking worldly greatness to embodying God's love in that area today?


Day 2: The Present Reality of God's Kingdom
The kingdom of God is not a distant future promise but a present reality that invites us to live fully within it. This requires a shift from external religious practices to an internal transformation characterized by love, joy, and peace. Jesus teaches that the kingdom is accessible here and now, urging us to embrace it by aligning our hearts with God's will. This transformation involves moving beyond mere adherence to religious rituals and embracing a life that reflects God's love and grace in every aspect. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of life that God intends for us, marked by authentic relationships and a deep sense of peace. [03:29]

Luke 17:20-21 (ESV): "Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'"

Reflection: Identify one way you can live out the reality of God's kingdom in your daily routine. How can you bring love, joy, and peace into your interactions today?


Day 3: Authentic Love as True Righteousness
Righteousness, according to Jesus, is not about performing religious duties but about genuine love for God and others. This love is not merely an emotion but an active goodwill that transforms our thoughts, desires, and actions. Jesus challenges the superficial righteousness of the Pharisees, emphasizing that true righteousness comes from a heart aligned with God's love. This transformation involves cultivating a deep, authentic love that naturally flows into our interactions with others, reflecting God's character in all we do. By embracing this understanding of righteousness, we can experience a more profound connection with God and those around us. [06:27]

1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: Think of a specific relationship where you can demonstrate authentic love today. What practical steps can you take to show genuine goodwill and kindness in that relationship?


Day 4: Surpassing the Righteousness of the Pharisees
The call to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees is a call to inner transformation. Jesus invites us to become the kind of person who naturally embodies God's love and goodness, rather than merely adhering to religious rules. This transformation begins within, as our thoughts and desires align with God's will. By focusing on internal change, we can become vessels of God's kingdom, overflowing with His love and grace. This process involves examining our hearts and allowing God's Spirit to guide us toward a life that reflects His character in every aspect. [08:27]

Matthew 5:20 (ESV): "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you tend to focus on external appearances. How can you invite God to transform your heart in that area today?


Day 5: The Clean Cup: Inner Transformation
Our inner life, like a cup, must be clean on the inside. As we align our thoughts and desires with God's will, we become vessels of His kingdom, overflowing with His love and grace. Jesus uses this vivid imagery to illustrate the importance of inner transformation, emphasizing that true change begins within. By focusing on the condition of our hearts, we can experience a deeper connection with God and a more authentic expression of His love in our lives. This transformation involves a continual process of self-examination and surrender to God's will, allowing His Spirit to guide us toward a life that reflects His character. [09:11]

Psalm 51:10 (ESV): "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

Reflection: Consider an area of your inner life that needs cleansing. What steps can you take today to invite God's transformative power into that area?

Quotes

"Jesus has already said don't think I've come to abolish the law prophets I've have not come to abolish but to fulfill them that is one of the most staggering things anybody has ever said everything in the Old Testament all of those uh promises was pointing to me and in particular when God came to Abraham a long time ago and said you will be blessed and you will be a blessing and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you and now Jesus has come and this he planned this he's opening the doors wide open up until this time the kingdom of God God's presence and friendship was something that pretty much you had to enter into cultural Israel to access but now Jus going to throw the gates wide open and that means there's going to be some changes in terms of uh particularly civil law because it's not going to be restricted to One Nation anymore or ceremonial law sacrifices are not going to need be needed anymore once Jesus gives the ultimate sacrifice circumcision and so so there's going to be some shifts but they're not arbitrary they fit exactly with the fact that Jesus has come to fulfill that promise now the blessing is going everywhere and the law that God gave remains his great gift to people and a picture of what true human greatness like is like and that's why Jesus goes on to say uh therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven it's a good thing to want to be great but our world puts greatness in one C category we're not far off from the Super Bowl as I'm recording this and what's actually getting ritten about probably the most is the question will Taylor Swift make it from her concert in Japan the night before and arrive at the Super Bowl and will she and her boyfriend you know be seing because to be the greatest pop star in the world and an NFL football player that's kind of looks pretty great in our eyes and and what Jesus is saying is actually ultimate greatness is available to the most obscure and the poorest and most humble person in the world blessed blessed blessed blessed so be greatly encouraged by that and he actually wants you to pursue that kind of greatness but we do that by becoming the right kind of person uh I'll say one other word about this people sometimes wonder when it comes to the kingdom of heaven he's talking about it quite a lot in this passage uh as you may know that when Jesus came he brought the kingdom he said now the kingdom is at hand and it's and yet everything wasn't perfect yet so it's already here but it's not yet fully here and folks Wonder um how much is it not yet here is it just like only half here and if it's only half year should I just try half try to live in it so I not get my hopes up too much um the clearest writing on this already not yet Dynamic that I have ever read was written by Taylor Swift in her book The Divine conspir iracy and uh she says one thing that may mislead us about the meaning of at hand in Jesus basic message is the fact that other kingdoms are still present on Earth along with the kingdom of the heavens they too are at hand this is The Human Condition persons other than God such as you or I are still allowed on Earth to have a say that's contrary to his will a kingdom of darkness is here certainly all of this God still permits and the lack of human unity and intelligent love under God not only leaves us at the mercy of man-made disasters War famine oppression uh but also with many so-called natural evils uh such as disease scarcity weather related disasters that we are prevented from dealing with successfully so um the reality is Jesus lived fully in the kingdom of God God can't be half present he's not that kind of a person if he's present he's fully present we don't yet know how far it's possible for a human being to live into that Kingdom um so then Jesus goes on to give what's really really Central to this passage um uh I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven now I used to think that this is pretty bad news as like um man those guys were so righteous might remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector where the Pharisee says I fast twice a week and I give a tithe on everything I've got they would often memorize you know the entire Old Testament it's like so I got to do more than that or else I don't get to go to heaven that is not the point um two real Central Concepts we want to keep in mind as we're working through here when Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of Heaven entering the kingdom of heaven he is not talking about who gets to or doesn't get to go to heaven after you die God knows and we can trust him with that the Kingdom of Heaven is here right now and what he's saying about the Pharisees is not these people are people with a lot of righteousness what was righteousness to Jesus and very often uh we forget this in religious circles including in churches righteousness to Jesus if you got to choose one word to summarize it would be love two words authen IC love genuine love love for God love for other people Good Will that is in action and then along with that joy and along with that peace now how did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law do when it came to love not well at all um our constant temptation is to substitute devotional practices for love when it comes to understanding righteousness so what Jesus is saying is not you know unless you do a lot more practices than the scribes and Pharisees do you're out of luck when it comes to Heaven um he's talking about righteousness and righteousness simply is the kingdom of God at work in me at work in my mind so it's not that God has to keep anybody out of him and it's not artificial or um external to living to live in the kingdom of God is to have God's will be done in my mind so it's like um if you can't read I mean if you can't if you don't know the ABCs you can't read or if you don't know how to swim you can't play water poool nobody has to keep you from doing it you just can't do it I had an argument back when I was in college with my friend Mark Nelson who's a brilliant philosopher way way way smarter than me and he was trying to make some point and I just didn't get it couldn't see it disagreed with it and he tried probably three or four times to explain it it's like no I don't think so and finally he just said well you you can't hand a football off to a man with no arms and you know that that's the deal it's not that somebody's made a rule against it if you want to hand off a football somebody got to have arms to receive it that's the idea here in order to live in the Kingdom of Heaven I must want that Kingdom to come inside me and here's the key difference between Jesus and the Pharisees the religious leaders of his day that will be unpacking in the days to come they defined good primarily in terms of outward actions make sure you don't do bad things and make sure that you do good things and Jesus said no you will never you will never be transformed if that's your aim you will never keep the law by trying to keep the law you must aim at becoming the kind of person who naturally does what is good and who just naturally would not do what is wrong because what's been changed is the inside of you those thoughts and feelings and desires and perceptions that are going on all the time that's changed and he uses images like uh Matthew 23 where he accuses these religious lead you clean the outside of the cup but you don't pay any attention to the inside of the cup now that's that's the mind that's our thoughts that's our is what what do I want to do what would I do if I could get away with it unless your righteousness your genuine goodness exceeds um one of my favorite pictures of this he uses a word or the words in the text there is a Greek word periso Paul loved it a lot it was a word of abundance or overflowing it was a extravagantly generous kind of a word when uh our youngest was a little guy maybe 5 years old he really wanted to pour the milk himself so got a cup out asked his mom the carton's a gallon it's real full she was like this is not going to end well but okay go ahead and he poured it and just dumped it out really fast it filled up to the top of the cup so full that it actually crowned at the top of the cup didn't spill it drop and we all cheered and then he took that cup and Whirled it around to the side and of course half the content Spilled Out what is inside you will spill out as you go through the day so today ask God God would you make me great in your eyes would you help me to keep directing my desire for greatness towards humility and generosity and goodness and kindness and God would you give me that surpassing righteousness would you give me more joy and more love and more peace and then I'm living in the kingdom of God make it a golden rule day if you like hearing John talk about The Sermon on the Mount we've got a whole series on that so go ahead and subscribe to make sure you don't miss any future episodes in that series you can also go back and catch up on any episodes that you may have missed now if you're interested in the email or the text alert that goes along with each episode you can let us know at becom new.com ssubscribe and we'll make sure that you get those if you want to help us spread the word about become new the best way to do it is just to watch like and comment each video that we put out so we would love to hear your thoughts if you want to chime in in the comments that would help us and we'd love to engage with you there lastly if you've got a prayer request there's a group of us who meet each weekday to pray for viewers just like yourself you can send us your prayer request to the number 855 888 0444 and we would love to pray for you we'll catch you next time" [00:00:56]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?