The Character of Kingdom Citizens. This character is birthed in forgiveness. Luke 7:47, Jesus said, “Whoever is forgiven much, loves much but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” That wasn’t a statement detailing that God forgives this person a little and this person a lot, that is a statement that if you know the depth of your own depravity, then the love of Christ, the forgiveness of your sin, means much much more.

Luke Chapter 7, beginning in verse 36, “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Here’s the catch, was it Simon or the woman that owed the greater debt? Trick question. They both owed the same, the 500, yet only the woman realized it. Notice the characters of these two. Simon, proud, bitter, cruel…the woman, humble, close to Jesus, servant…poor in spirit, mourning, meek…hungry for righteousness…mercy flooding her heart…forgiveness purifying her spirit…offering a costly gift to God and be persecuted for it…she is blessed. Do you see this?

Which are you? Which character do you most resemble? Would you rather sit at dinner with Jesus in your home or would you rather wipe His feet with your tears? Do you realize who you really are underneath all that flesh? You’d be on your face if you did and that would bring about a character of love in your heart…The Character of Kingdom Citizens.

Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 3

• Remember, the hidden code of this statement is not only that these Kingdom citizens are heaven bound but that today their circumstances, their navigational decisions are ordered by and in order with heaven. We talked last week that heaven is not only a place, it is not only the dwelling of God, but it is the seat of order of all things eternal and consummately perfect!

Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 4

• The poor in spirit will have a deep groan…a DNA infused humility about them, why? Because they mourn. They mourn over the fall of man. They mourn over the giving of God’s only Son. They mourn for the lost. They mourn for the carnal Christian. And they mourn because of their own sin…and the only place to run to, the only Person that soothes that pain is Jesus Christ…and therefore they shall be comforted.

Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 5

• The meek, those that are ferociously powerful and yet bring themselves under the discipline of the Father, for His glory and for the sake of His great name…they are approved by God. Confirmed in their heart of hearts by the Holy Spirit Himself…and they will inherit it all. You’ll never, ever, EVAH get the short end of the stick when you choose God over money, over self, over revenge, over pride…

Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 6

• Poor in spirit, a depth of mourning this side of heaven, meek in spirit (just like Jesus), your hunger and thirst will be for righteousness. Maybe today you’re bored with the message. Maybe this week you didn’t have a drive or desire to get into the Word of God, study and pray…Do you know why? “No time. The car broke down. My roof leaked.” Like that commercial about retirement fund planning… Nope. The reason why is that you’re not hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

• April can make a wonderful meal. Sometimes her meals, well most days, they are multiple course meals…because when she asks if you want seconds, the answer is always, “Of course!” HA! Chicken on the grill! Mashed cauliflower with cheese! Mixed greens and lightly seasoned angel hair pasta! But if I just polished off a bag of Doritos or a whole bag of fun sized Snickers…guess what? As good as that meal is…I’m not interested!
• Most of the time folks do want to grow in the Lord. You do want to study your bibles…I want to eat that good meal but I’m already full…full of junk! How do you cut out the junk? A bunch of rules? NO! Poor in spirit. A depth of mourning. Meekness in your life as you press in to Jesus and then…AND THEEEEEEN…man church service begins to be fuel! Bible study is irreplaceable and prayer time is a daily oil change man…the result…blessed! And filled. Col 1:24.

• Jesus says, “Guys. This is what you need to know to go into the world and be as you ought to be…to make disciples and to follow Me. To beast level activate in this life! To soar on wings of eagles, to run and not grow weary, to have life and life abundant! This is Christianity!”

Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 7

• Think of that word “merciful” like this. Blessed are the compassionate…the helpful. That’s a practical literal translation. Blessed are the helpful towards others. Some folks just have the gift of helps. This is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28. These folks are just observant and when there is a gap, when practical help is needed, they just act.

• Ever seen someone with both hands full in front of a closed door. Struggling just to get it open. You have? Did you help them? HA! Maybe you did. Maybe you didn’t. This is the revelation of the gift of helps. Some folks will just stand there and wait for you to get the door open. Others will lunge in front of you to prevent you from even trying.

• The fact is, whether you have the specific gift of helps or not, the Holy Spirit is the Helper Himself and as Christians we need to be alive to this all around us. For some, easy peasy…for others, you’re going to have to start really taking notice. Wives, husbands. If your husband or wife is working a project at home…have you ever just brought him or her a cup of ice water? Gift of helps. Mercy. Employees, when you are working a work product, do you ever think about what your customer is going to do with it and you go ahead and do that as well and deliver not only the product but help to your customer. Gift of helps.

• Blessed are the helpful for you will obtain help. The Holy Spirit loves loves loves this ministry and will fill you up man with His love and power and confirmation. That’s the help you will receive. It is time for Christians to be helpful and less needful!

Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 8

• These things, these blessed statements, they have an immediate and a lasting purification effect on the heart and man a pure heart…beholds God in the details…

Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 9

• Blessed are the peace lovers! Because if you’re not a peace lover you won’t be a peace maker! Fact. And to be called a son or daughter of God…hidden code here…that is to be invited and welcomed in His presence. To share in His inheritance and in His legacy! To bear His name! To drive His car! HA! Dad can I borrow the keys? I love that…do you love peace or are you ok with how they hurt because of your aloofness…? That’s a big question. Man I want to be invited by God into His very inheritance…

Matthew Chapter 5 Verses 10 – 12

• To live for Jesus is to live not for this world. And therefore the world will, in many ways, reject the Christian. Two things here and we close with a thought. First, why would you be persecuted for righteousness sake if in Christianity you’re not expected to live a life of righteousness? You see that is what is being sold in many churches today…that you can live like the world and walk with Jesus. Not true. A righteous approach to life is expected of us…no question the Bible instructs us to walk worthy of the name of Christ.

• Second, the character of kingdom citizens, as we have stepped through them…poor in spirit, a deep groan against evil, meek in heart, hungry for righteousness…all these things…persecution comes, reviling comes…doesn’t feel good…but man we rejoice…it’s a proof to our very spirits of the cross of Christ! Exceedingly glad…circumstance is overcome, man…

• We are blessed. Being forgiven much, and realizing that, we are blessed and here’s our final thought for today…In Matthew 25:34, on that final day, the Day of Judgment, Jesus will issue invitation to the new heaven and to the new earth and the bible says exactly who will receive it…the blessed.   Matthew 25:34, “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world….”