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Read Matthew 5: 1-12 \\u2013 The Beatitudes.

What does the word\\xa0\\u201cbeatitude\\u201d\\xa0mean?

Are The Beatitudes consistent with what the world understands as blessings? If not, in what ways are they different?

A common thread throughout The Beatitudes is humility. Can you see that? Why is humility so important?

Chandler says,\\xa0\\u201cBeatitudes are pronouncements of blessing \\u2013 objective realities \\u2013 and not commands that we\\u2019re called to rigidly obey. They\\u2019re not acts of obedience that we must manufacture ourselves, but they are an ethic that Jesus is working into us.\\u201d\\xa0What does this mean to you? Is this how you\\u2019ve always understood The Beatitudes, or is this different?

Chandler describes the first beatitude as an invitation\\xa0\\u201cinto the presence of Jesus...to confess your weakness, to confess your need and receive the kingdom. All that\\u2019s required of us is to simply come to Jesus.\\u201d\\xa0Do you agree? Why/why not?

This week\\u2019s study describes\\xa0poor in spirit\\xa0as being (1) at the end of yourself, (2) coming to God with empty hands, and (3) having nothing left in the tank. Chandler paraphrases the first beatitude by saying,\\xa0\\u201cBlessed are they who know they can\\u2019t do it on their own.\\u201d\\xa0What does this mean to you?

Matthew bookends The Beatitudes by saying\\xa0\\u201ctheirs is the kingdom of heaven\\u201d\\xa0in verses 3 and 10. What does he mean by kingdom of heaven? Are these the attributes you expected of those who receive the kingdom of heaven?

Can you see how The Beatitudes speak of God\\u2019s blessings regardless of life circumstances? How does that make you feel?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and loving God, help us to truly understand these beautiful blessings you offer each and every one of us. As we study these beatitudes, these blessings, over the next eight weeks, help us to remember that you are working to transform us and instill these characteristics within us. Help us to surrender our lives completely over to you, and allow your Holy Spirit to do this transformative work within us. We confess that we can\\u2019t do this work on our own, but we know you can and we trust that you will, if we let you. Thank you, Lord, for being patient with us when we try to do things our own way through our own power. Grant us the humility to confess our need for you. Lord, we love you, we need you, we trust you and we believe in you.

In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayers. Amen.