The King and the Kingdom

"Red baggers"... That's what they're called here at the University of Central Missouri. It's a term that is far less derogatory and politically incorrect than it sounds. Our school colors are red and black. So, when a new or prospective student is touring the campus, he or she receives a red, plastic bag with some informational material inside. Thus they earn, from current students and faculty, the title "red-bagger". It denotes their newness to campus or their limited understanding of the college. They're in the process of learning how a new organization operates and what it would be like to experience life in a brand-new environment.

When it comes to living in God's kingdom, we are all, more or less, "red-baggers". Whether we've been a follower of Jesus for years or we've just recently become curious about His life and teachings, we still need direction in our faith. We still need orientation. Every freshman in college understands the necessity of orientation. Before you can settle in and make yourself at home, you need someone to guide you as you explore and discover how living in this new environment would shape your life on a practical level. My prayer is that, as we walk through this devotional series, the words of Jesus will be your guide and your orientation to life in God's kingdom.

Matthew writes his gospel account of Jesus' life and ministry in such a way that makes one thing clear: Jesus is the long-awaited King ("Christ" or "Messiah") who has come to establish and reign over God's kingdom. The good news of the gospel is that we've received our acceptance letter into God's kingdom through the sacrificial death of King Jesus. If we choose to respond to that invitation, we become citizens of God's kingdom. Perhaps, this is all language you've heard before. But what does it actually mean for you on a practical level? How does being a citizen in this ambiguous and currently invisible kingdom impact how you live day to day?

That's what the Sermon on the Mount is all about! Matthew helps his readers see that Jesus is a King preparing to launch an eternal kingdom that will outlast every human institution (even the University of Central Missouri). So, early in His ministry, as a large crowd listens in, Jesus walks His disciples through a verbal orientation to the kingdom of God. Jesus shows his disciples, then and now, how recognizing Him as King revolutionizes every facet of their lives. When we recognize Jesus as King, it transforms what we value, how we understand our purpose, how we navigate and view conflict, sexual desire, marriage, revenge, prayer, money, worry, wisdom and so much more.

Group Discussion

• Icebreaker: If you could live in any other nation or kingdom at any point in history, which would you choose? Why?
• How natural is it for you to think of Jesus as your king?
• How natural is it for you to think of yourself as a citizen of God's kingdom?
• On a scale from 1-10, How much overlap would you honestly guess there currently is between your faith and your day-to-day life? (1 = they are completely compartmentalized and they don't overlap at all. 10 = they are completely intertwined.)
• As you skim through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew ch. 5-7), which section or topic interests you the most? Which section or topic intimidates you the most?

Additional Resources

Here are a few resources that I found helpful in preparing for this plan that might help you dig even deeper into these powerful words of Jesus:

• The Bible Project Podcast
• The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the New Testament
• The Chronological Life of Christ