I hope all is well in your world today...man was God awesome last night! I am so thankful we serve a God who is alive...always moving and breathing down on us! Thank You Lord Jesus for being our Healer, and thank You for coming in our midst last night and healing some hearts...You are AMAZING and I love You so much!
Summary...
So we are looking at the rest of the Beatitudes today...which one stood out to you most? I have to say one thing I noticed is how each Beatitude went against the "way of the world". Did you notice that? For example...God blesses those who are humble when the world encourages pride...self ambition...it is all about you in the world. Or how about God blesses those who are merciful when the world tells you to hold a grudge as long as you want and not to show mercy! What God is asking of us and expecting us to live out is so different than the way the world lives their lives. My momma often says that in situations that she is not sure what to do in, she asks herself what would the world do and then she does the opposite...gotta love my momma cause she's got it!
Again we must remember what these Beatitudes are for. They are like a code of conduct for us to live out as Christ followers. At the start of the passage it says that Jesus sat down to teach the disciples. In biblical times, when a rabbi would sit down to teach it meant they were serious, what they were teaching was crucial and the teaching deserved full attention. As you read these 8 key things, these 8 Beatitudes, give it your full attention because they are the expectation for you and for me in the way we live our lives.
I think the Beatitude that stood out to me most was verse 7...God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. I don't know about you, but I love the mercy of God and I am forever thankful for it! It is the mercy of God that has changed my life forever...I need His mercy. Yet this passage tells me I will be shown mercy as I give mercy. How good are you at giving mercy? I think a lot of times I am good at pointing out the wrong that people do, but I am not so good at extending them mercy in that moment as Christ would. We must learn to be more grace-filled, allowing for other's faults in life. Check out Ephesians 4:31-32...good stuff for sure!
Questions...
- What Beatitude do you struggle with most and why?
- How different are you from your friends who don't know Jesus? Do you see a difference between God's way and the world's and if so what is the difference? Which way is easier?
- When it comes to mercy, how good are you at showing it to others?
- Verse 10-12, again Jesus does not hide the fact that we will face persecution if we live for His Name. Have you ever been made fun of because of your faith in God? What do these 3 verses mean to you as a follower of Jesus Christ?
Lord Jesus I ask for Your mercy today for myself and my friends. But today Lord help us not only to receive this great gift You have given us, but help us to give it away to others. Help us to be grace-filled even to those who make fun of us and say false things about us. Help us to love them like You have first loved us. Bless my friends as they study You Jesus. Bless our desire as a community to draw closer to You and become better followers of You. Please continue to reveal who You are to us each day that we spend with You! We love You Jesus, remind us today of our GREAT need for You!
In Jesus Name...Amen.
tom
