BLESSED!
“Introduction to the Beatitudes”
Pastor Brandon Hovey | 06.09.2013

1 Now, when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up to a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him 2 and he began to teach them. 3”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in haven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:1-12

Context

• Jesus was at the beginning of his ministry traveling around northern Israel “teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among people there.” (4:23) And, “large crowds followed him.” (4:25)

•  The beatitudes are part of a sermon Jesus preached to his disciples on a hillside in Galilee. They summarized for us the essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Blessing is the “approval of God” on the life of a Jesus follower. It refers to the smile of God and the roaring applause of heaven for those who joyfully advance Christ’s kingdom of heaven.

Where Does Real Blessing Come From?

1.  Blessing Comes Through Kingdom Living

•   P: Blessing comes through living in God’s upside-down, counter-cultural kingdom, where everything works in reverse. The beatitudes, the eight wisdom sayings of Matthew 5, describe how life is lived in the Kingdom of Heaven and give us a pathway to spiritual growth.  This growth starts with our NEED for God (first four beatitudes) and continues with our FRUIT for God (last four beatitudes).

•   Questions:  Why is the Kingdom of Heaven so hard for people to live in? How are starting (or can you start) each day by depending on God? What kind of spiritual fruit would you like to see in your life this summer?

2.    Blessing Comes Through Following Jesus

•   P: Jesus is the embodiment of the beatitudes and he shows us how to live a blessed life. Everything Jesus says, he does. (e.g. Jesus was poor in spirit, meek, a peacemaker, persecuted, etc.)

•   Questions:  How can you cultivate a Jesus-centered life this summer? What spiritual disciplines are part (or could be part) of your weekly rhythm with God? (for ideas see http://www.renovare.org//formation/practical-strategy/)