MAKARIOS: THE JESUS MANIFESTO

In a short ten verses Jesus delivered His manifesto to the world... The Beatitudes. His followers wanted to make Him King, but The King of Kings declared a Kingdom not of this world, in words intriguing, counterintuitive, and no doubt shocking to His hearers, as well they are today. Each saintly virtue with its accompanying reward is prefaced by the Greek word makarios: A state of being characterized by being enviably happy and fortunate, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous,  with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace, and experienced regardless of one’s outward conditions and circumstances. But don’t miss the subtle innuendo here; makarios is itself a blessing, so each virtue is graced with makarios in addition to its reward! In a nutshell makarios means to be spiritually prosperous... Possessing the spiritual favor and fullness of God. His followers wanted an earthly kingdom... The Good Life Now. Jesus offered the Best Life Ever... The spiritual favor and fullness of God... a foretaste of Kingdom life in the here and now... The Keys to His eternal Kingdom.

The Apostle Peter admonished saints to diligently exercise their faith adding Virtue, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Christian Love, partaking of the divine nature: “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”, and “you will never stumble.” It is through partaking of Christ’s nature that we become Humble, Mournful, Meek, and Merciful, Peacemakers with a Pure Heart who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness, Sons of God willing to suffer persecution for Righteousness’ sake.

The reality of living in "Makarios", clothed in “Blessed” as a daily way of life, is progressive and transforming... for this is the source of our Salt and Light... And the grace to re-present Christ in our daily environment. These ten statements list the personal attributes of Kingdom people (Matt. 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23) and are worthy of most diligent contemplative meditation.

THE SPIRITUAL FAVOR AND FULLNESS OF GOD

THE KINGDOM: THE HEART OF GOD

The Kingdom is implied in the whole message of Christ and the apostles. The “Good News” is the gospel of the Kingdom (Mk. 1:14; Mt. 4:23; Lk. 4:43; Acts 19:8; Mt. 4:23; Acts 28:23; Acts 19:8; Lk. 9:11; Acts 1:3). The word, the logos of God, is that of the Kingdom (Mt. 13:19), as is the mystery (Mt. 13:11), with healing (Lk. 9:2) and deliverance (Mt. 12:28), the work of the Kingdom accompanying its word. The Kingdom during this age is the invisible realm of the Spirit inhabited by God - literally the King’s domain.  The word Kingdom is used 351 times in the New Testament, just ahead of faith at 302 usages and love at 225 usages, which demonstrates God’s ordering of our understanding: The Kingdom, Faith, and Love! Looking at just a few of these scriptures will demonstrate the importance of God’s Kingdom message and, hopefully, encourage an in-depth study:

The Kingdom of God is not of this world (Jn. 18:36), does not come with observation (Lk. 17:20), is at hand... literally, as close as your hand (Matt. 10:7-8), and is within you (Lk. 17:21). The Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (1 Cor. 4:20). It is given to us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven (Matt. 13:11), for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom (Lk. 12:32). The Kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). And of His (Jesus’) Kingdom there is no end (Lk. 1:33).

Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Flesh and blood (1 Cor. 15:50) and the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9). God promised the Kingdom to those who love Him (James 2:5). Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom... It’s the spirit realm (Jn. 3:3). Become as little children to enter the Kingdom... It takes childlike faith (Matt. 18:3). We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God... It won’t be easy, the enemy will resist (Acts 14:22).

Walk worthy of God who calls you into His own Kingdom (1 Thess. 2:12), for God has delivered us from the powers of darkness and conveyed (transferred) us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love... Our spirit is to dwell in the supernatural Kingdom Realm (Col. 1:13). Your Kingdom come Your will be done... Praying God’s heart: God’s Kingdom and His will are inseparable (Matt. 6:10), for Yours (God) is the Kingdom and the power and the glory (Matt. 6:13). Jesus will give believers the keys of the Kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:19), for all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth Matt. 28:18. And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come. To witness is to re-present Christ in power (Matt. 24:14).

God’s Kingdom marches to a different drumbeat - God’s heart!  God’s Kingdom is *not earthly goals but God’s plans and purposes *not regulated by earthly standards, but God’s divine order *not increasing through ecclesiastical power - the effort of people - but God gives the increase *not observable through observation, but residing within us *not isolated to the future but increasing now. Ever increasing, never ending, God’s mysterious Kingdom is a gift of Grace: Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit.

As blood bought saints living in this prophetic period of grace we have judgment ahead of us and the cross behind us.  Through the greatest event of all time, the cross, we are freed from the enslaving power and effect of sin... Allowed to choose our master.  We need only yield in dependency upon the Holy Spirit and He will release Christ’s life through us. God’s Kingdom comes in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and Heaven is moved by faith... tiny mustard seed faith - for faith is the currency of Heaven.

AND, OF ITS INCREASE THERE IS NO END

FROM FAITH TO KNOW

We exercise our faith in believing God and God demonstrates His faithfulness in our experience. Our faith takes us to a place of knowledge – we no longer need exercise our faith, for now we know. God, who neither has nor needs faith simply knows, and He wants us to know also. Precept by precept and principle by principle He is turning our faith about Him into knowledge of Him. Faith becomes a personal possession through testing: As we experience God’s faithfulness we move from firm persuasion, mentally asserting something is true, to finite knowledge, we simply know it is true, leaving behind our mental vacillations between faith/hope/doubt. Faith provokes experience producing knowledge. In the following passages the Greek word ginosko is translated “know”, which is knowledge gained through experience, specifically knowledge acquired through personal intimate relationship with God.

John speaks: We know that we know God because we are obedient to His word. We know that we are in God because His love is perfected in us. We know that it is the last hour because many antichrists have come. We know all Truth (i.e., all things) because we have the Holy Spirit. We know the righteous are born of God because God is righteous. We know the world does not know us because it did not know Him. We know that we shall be like God because we are His children. We know that God was manifested to take away our sins because He is sinless. We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. We know His love because He laid down His life for us. We know that we are of the Truth because we have compassion on others. We know God abides in us because He has given us the Holy Spirit. We know the Spirit of God because we confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. We know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error because we belong to God. We know we abide in Him and He in us because He has given us His Spirit. We know we are loved by God because God is love. We know we love the children of God because we love God and keep His commandments.  We know we have eternal life because we believe in the name of the Son of God. We know we have the petitions we ask because we ask according to His will. We know whoever is born of God does not habitually sin because the Holy Spirit keeps us and the wicked one does not get a grip on us. We know we belong to God because the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. We know that the Son of God has come because He has given us an understanding that we may know Him.

Jesus speaks: It is given to us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and those who desire to do God’s will, will know the Truth. Paul speaks: We know our old nature was crucified with Christ, that sin and its slavery are done away with. We know the love of Christ, which surpasses our comprehension, we know His bountiful grace, we know the power out-flowing from His resurrection, and we know what is the hope of His calling. James speaks: We know the testing of our faith produces patience and leads to our perfection. Our life in Christ is about discovering who we are in Him. God wants us to know.

AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH

AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE