March 1, 2016
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-9
1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them. He said:
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.
Questions for Reflection:
Jesus begins this incredible sermon with a list of what it looks like when you are living out the Kingdom. The passage of the Sermon on the Mount is commonly known as the Beatitudes. This comes from the Latin translation of the Bible where the word “blessed” is translated as beati. New Testament scholar Michael Wilkins says the idea “is a state of existence in relationship to God in which a person is ‘blessed’ from God’s perspective even when he or she doesn’t feel happy or isn’t presently experiencing good fortune.”
As you look through the qualities that Jesus says are blessed, which strikes you as the hardest to understand? For many years, I struggled with the idea of meekness. For a long time I thought that meekness was really just another word for weakness, but that is not the case. What does meekness really mean? The word has roots to the idea of taming a wild animal. It was similar to the concept of bridled horse, strength under control. Is there an area that you find difficult to understand? Perhaps you should take a moment and explore deeper what Jesus is actually teaching.
Jesus was instructing his disciples not just so they could possess knowledge around this subject. His true hope was that his teaching would lead to life transformation. Understanding and mental assent is not enough. At some point, we have to live it out. Wilkins writes, “We must speak the truth of the gospel for people to know it, but we are called to live the truth of the gospel for people to see that it is real.” How are you living out this gospel message in your life? How have you seen God use you to show his love in your family? your workplace? your everyday interactions with others?