Beatitudes Intro
Read prior to meeting, silently in your group or out loud together followed by discussion questions:
“Jesus was going all over Galilee, teaching them in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Then the news about Him spread through Syria. So they brought to Him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pain, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to teach them.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 4:23-5:10
Throughout Scripture, we read of many instances that tell of Jesus having compassion on people: humans just like you and I. After a season of traveling all over the countryside, teaching, preaching, and healing the wounded and broken, the Lord comes to another place of deep compassion for the crowds and His disciples: the Sermon on the Mount. Many people followed Jesus for temporal and physical healing, but what Jesus offers was a radical and eternal entrance into new life. After providing physical healing for the crowds, Jesus pauses to preach the Good News that His kingdom ushers in an alternate way of living.
This semester we will be studying a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes: a list of “blessings” that Jesus talks about. “What is a beatitude?”, you might ask. In the original text, “blessed” is actually translated as “oh how blessed is the one”... who embraces and IS these things. Beatitudes are a way of life, not simply isolated action, but rather, an attitude that is both embraced and embodied, which then translates to action in everyday life. All of the beatitudes are completely counter-cultural and go against the grain of what our society tells us is truth. To some, these words will be words of life and encouragement and for some, these words will be ones that deeply convict. And to ALL, these words are invitations to live in the BEST way: a life of hope in the midst of tragedy, a life of joy in the midst of sorrow, a life where surrender is considered strength, and a life walking with our Heavenly Father as we practice His coming kingdom. Will you accept the invitation?
Discussion questions:
Before reading this excerpt - what was your prior understanding of the Beatitudes?
What are your initial thoughts after reading this excerpt?
Do these words excite or scare you? Why?
Which one of the beatitudes makes the most sense to you? Which one is confusing? Why?