SERMON | Matthew 5:1-12 | "The Kingdom of God: For Anyone on the Right Path" by Rev. Joseph Sanford at Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin, Indiana

SERMON | Matthew 5:1-12 | "The Kingdom of God: For Anyone on the Right Path" by Rev. Joseph Sanford at Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin, IndianaLiving more and more into the Kingdom of God means living less and less in every other kingdom.Those who are allegiant to other kingdoms will see you as a traitor…as un-allegiant.Experiencing this kind of response from disciples of other kingdoms should encourage us to know that we are actually becoming less allegiant to other kingdoms and, therefore, more allegiant to God’s Kingdom.People telling us we are not acting other-kingdom enough should be a joy to us.And when people go from just telling you to actively working against you…Spreading rumors…Attacking you verbally or even physically…Making life harder for you…You can have joy in your heart that you are walking the path of God’s messengers. This is how Jesus begins his sermon.This is the character of God’s will…God’s Reign…God’s Kingdom among us.This Kingdom of God among us doesn’t look like other kingdoms EVEN WHEN those other kingdoms claim to belong to God.You can misuse God’s name all you want in some vain effort to build up credibility and a sense of self-righteousness all you want…but it doesn’t take much to simply open your eyes—to pay attention to those who are poor in spirit…to those who mourn…to those who are gentle…to those who long for things to be fair, equitable, and just…to those who show mercy…who aren’t caught up in the wrong things…who live their lives bringing healing and wholeness.Friends, if we want to be on the right path to the Kingdom of Heaven among us…we must first place our hope and trust in the Kingdom revealed by Jesus.And just like the crowds around Jesus had to understand, let us understand… God’s blessing doesn’t look like what we define as blessing. They thought their high priests, great leaders, kings, governors, and Caesars were blessed by God to be in their positions.Don’t be fooled by these “blessings” of the world.God will not bring the world back to right through the people who are “blessed” in systems of corruption and terror.Furthermore, to be on the right path in the Kingdom among us,You don’t have to be a pastor…You don’t have to have gone to church for years…You don’t have to have read the Bible (although it certainly helps)…You don’t have to have the answers—in fact, maybe poor in spirit starts with admitting we do NOT have all the answers.Anyone can journey toward the Kingdom among us.Anyone can seek to find the right path.That’s why were here, friends.To not only follow Jesus, but to embody the character of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven so that others may see a whole different kind of Kingdom…a different kind of reality…a different kind of character. (SET APART)It’s so TEMPTING to respond to the world in kind.It’s easy to become angry and cynical.It’s easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and say things about other human beings that are simply terrible things to say.It’s easy to stoop down to the level of terrorizers and become terrorizers ourselves…It’s easy to forget that all other people are human beings JUST…LIKE…US.These different groups from Jesus day (Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Essenes) were only driving people apart and in conflict with each other—this is NOT the kingdom!!The world has seen enough of other kingdoms—enough division. Haven’t we?We’ve spent far too long living in other kingdoms.Let’s follow Jesus…a trust his way of humility, grace, and love a little more today…giving more of ourselves until we are able to give all of ourselves.That by following Him, we may go from being hopeless to having hope…to becoming hope.It’s possible, friends, because Jesus can lead us there.Do you believe in this hope?Do you believe in him enough to follow?Anyone can follow him.Anyone can be on the right path.…and this Good News is a blessing indeed.