Blessed: Matthew 5:1-2

Trinity Sunday

There are no shortage of ideas of what it means to live a ‘good life.’ In a series of teaching known as the Beatitudes, Jesus is inviting people into a way of living that will not only produce true flourishing in the here and now, but also in the age to come. This Sunday, we begin a series in which we will deeply explore each blessing of these endlessly rich statements of Jesus.

Respond:

• Eugene Peterson warns that crowds are more dangerous than drugs. Jesus says “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

  • Reflect on your deepest desires - Are they shaped by the seemingly universal values of the ‘crowd’: greed, ego, lust etc or are they shaped by the person and characteristics of Jesus?

• In Matthew, Jesus’ public teaching included his disciples and a wider crowd as the audience. Jesus’ teaching was an invitation for everyone present, for those who had ears to hear they were invited to move from the ‘crowd’ to a follower of Jesus.

  • In what ways is the Holy Spirit inviting you to move from crowd to disciple? From slavery to sabbath? From self-centeredness to humility etc.?