INITIATION:
The first portion of Jesus' sermon, commonly known as the Beatitudes, describes how we experience God's blessings. Believers who continue to grow more like Jesus gradually develop attitudes and spiritual fruit (see Galatians 5:22-23) that allow them to enjoy the blessings God freely gives.
BIBLE TEXT: Matthew 5:1-48
SUBJECT:
THE GOD - BLESSED LIFE
MEMORY VERSE:
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (MATTHEW 5:6 KJV).
CENTRAL TRUTH:
God blesses those who hear, believe, and obey Him.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Surely! every student at the end will be able to:
- ldentify the path to a blessed life.
- Learn how to apply the principles of the Law to their personal lives.
- Seek to be people of character.
MAIN DISCOURSE:
1. LIVE WITH GOD'S FAVOUR:
A. Obedient and Blessed - Matthew 5:1-12
The Sermon on the Mount holds the same significance in the new covenant as the Law did in the old covenant. Specifically, the Beatitudes parallel the Ten Commandments-down to the detail of being delivered on a mountaintop. In Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus identified eight Kingdom principles that result in the blessings of God. Many of these principles run counter to the world's philosophy, but God wants His people to be different inside and out!
1. God blesses the "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3, KJV; "those who are poor and realize their need for him," NLT). Poor does not refer to socioeconomic status here, but the realisation that we are utterly destitute with no righteousness of our own. We can inherit the kingdom of heaven only because of God's grace.
2. "God blesses those who mourn" (Matthew 5:4, NLT). While it is true God comforts us in our emotional grief, the kind of mourning Jesus describes comes from grief over sin in our own lives and in the fallen world.
3. God blesses the "meek" (Matthew 5:5, KJV; "humble," NLT). Jesus quoted Psalm 37:11 here, and indeed the entire psalm provides a commentary on the concept of meekness. The only individuals in Scripture described as "meek" are Moses (Numbers 12:3) and Jesus himself (Matthew 11:29; 21:5, KJV), indicating that meekness in no way implies weakness, but rather, strength under control.
4. "God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice" (Matthew 5:6, NLT; "righteousness," KJV). The Greek word for in "righteousness" implies a divine justness that comes from God alone. Recognising His holiness causes a deep longing in our souls for the kind of righteousness only available through Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).
5. "God blesses those who are merciful" (Matthew 5:7, NLT). When we recognise the mercy God has lavished on us, we in turn are to grant mercy to those who have wronged us and continue to receive God's mercy ourselves. Jesus will expand on this cycle of forgiveness later in His sermon (see 6:14-15).
6. "God blesses those whose hearts are pure" (Matthew 5:8, NLT). The religious leaders of Jesus' time placed heavy emphasis on outward purity and cleanliness, but Jesus wants our outward behaviour to reflect the purity deep within us that results from His work in our lives. Following Him with that kind of integrity means we will one day enjoy the blessing of seeing God face-to-face.
7. "God blesses those who work for peace" (Matthew 5:9, NLT; "peacemakers," KJV). As believers. we are called to help others find the peace with God that we have found: "God has given us the task of reconciling people to him" (2 Corinthians 5:18, NLT). When we fulfil this role, the world will recognize we are God's children.
8. "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right" (Matthew 5:10, NLT). Persecution and blessing may see incompatible. However, living according to God's principles puts us in direct conflict with those who live according to the standards of the world. Being persecuted for Jesus' sake should not cause depression or anxiety. Instead we should rejoice when we remember God's promised blessings here on the Earth and in heaven. Not only were the Old Testament prophets persecuted for righteous living, but so were the apostles. After being interrogated, flogged, and threatened, Peter and "the apostles left the high council
rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus" (Acts 5:41, NLT).
Jesus ended this section of the Beatitudes by warning His followers that they would be mocked, persecuted falsely, (Matthew 5:11) because they chose to follow Him. And He added, "Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven" (verse 12. NLT), He reminded the audience that they would be in good company, as the ancient prophets were treated
similarly.
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Questions For Application
How have you observed the principles of the Beatitudes played out in your life or someone else's life?
How should we prepare for persecution as Christians?
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B. Salt and Light - Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus declared His followers to be "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13). In the first century, salt was a vital commodity used to flavour and preserve food. Salt was so important, in fact, that it was used as Currency. Likewise, those who faithfully serve God are extremely valuable to society. Jesus contrasts the worth of salt when used correctly with its total worthlessness when it is not fulfilling its purpose. Depending on how we live our lives, we can be valuable or worthless-both to our society and God's kingdom. The choice is ours.
Jesus then declared His followers to be "the light of the world" (verse 14). Not only can light be clearly seen, but it illuminates other things as well. When believers' "good deeds shine out for all to see" (verse 16, NLT), those living in darkness notice the contrast between their lives and the God- blessed lives of those who follow Him. Jesus says when people see His followers shine, they will praise God. We must never attempt to hide our light but instead hold it high for everyone to see.
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Questions For Application
In what practical ways can your church be both salt and light in your community?
How can you personally be a light that glorifies God?
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2. PRACTICE GOD-PLEASING RIGHTEOUSNESS:
A. The Law's Relevance - Matthew 5:17-20
We could easily mistake Jesus' disdain for the Pharisees' behaviour for a dismissal of the Law itself. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus carefully distinguished between the law of Moses and the self-righteous practices of the Pharisees, valuing the Law so highly that He said if we "ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same"
(Matthew 5:19, NLT), we would be the least in the kingdom of heaven. He was not saying that following the Law was the means by which we enter the kingdom of heaven, but that the Law reflects the kind of life we should live when we are part of His kingdom. The heart of the Law goes far beyond the outward behaviour of rule following.
Jesus' goal was to bring each person into right relationship with God-which was the key ingredient the religious teachers of His day were missing. He would accomplish this better righteousness for us by becoming the ultimate Sacrifice and taking the penalty for our sins (see verse 20; see also John 16:10, NLT),
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Questions For Application
How should we value the Law as we live under the grace God has given us?
In what ways do we sometimes allow legalism to creep into our expectations for ourselves and others?
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B. The Law's Deeper Meaning - Matthew 5:21-30
It is not enough for us to simply avoid murder. Jesus went deeper. He said if we have anger in our hearts toward someone, we are "subject to judgment," just as if we had committed the act of murder (Matthew 5:22, NLT). Anger is a gateway emotion and can lead to bitterness, character assassination, name-Calling, hatred, or even murder itself. Jesus instructed us to mend broken relationships before worshipping God. He told us to lay down our offering, resolve our conflict in person, and only then go back to our act of worship. We can only fulfil the intent of the original commandment by resolving Conflicts and making peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ (verses 23-26).
Jesus turned His attention next to the commandment forbidding adultery. He expands the concept beyond extramarital sex to include lustful looks and thoughts, going so far as to say people should gouge their lustful eyes and cut off their sinful hands. Jesus' use of dramatic hyperbole illustrates the seriousness of the issue. After all, "it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell" (verse 30, NLT).
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Questions For Application
What prevents Christians from confronting and resolving conflict?
What does habitual lust reveal about a person's attitude toward God?
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3. PROVE YOUR FIDELITY TO GOD:
A. Commitment Matters- Matthew 5:31-37
Of all the earthly commitments people make, marriage is the most binding. Although the concept of divorce had entered the lsraelite community because of sin, it was not part of God's plan (see Matthew 19:8). God has not changed His view on divorce. He is the God who "always stands by his covenant-the commitment he made to a thousand generations" (Psalm 105:8, NLT). Because of His love for each individual, He wants husbands and wives to keep their promises to each other and to Him.
Jesus then addressed other kinds of vows. While some vows recorded in the Old Testament were made because of absolute obedience and love for God, others were an attempt to bargain with God.
The Pharisees distinguished between two types of oaths: those taken in the name of God (which were fully binding) and those sworn by created things (which could be withdrawn).
Jesus countered by asserting that every oath involves God, who created heaven and the Earth. Even today, people sometimes use God's name to add weight to their oaths, but Jesus said our word alone should be sufficient. Integrity matters, because our actions reflect on God and His character. We must honour our commitments because of Our position as God's people.
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Questions For Application
Why do you think divorce is so prevalent today, even within the Church?
Share about a time you kept a commitment or failed to do so.
What were the results? What did you learn from the experience ?
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B. Love Matters - Matthew 5:43-48
According to the Old Testament, if someone hurt another person, the offended party could retaliate with the same measure. This system may have deterred crime in the newly formed nation of Israel, but the kingdom of heaven is different. The time of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" (verse 38) had passed. Instead of letting offences control our actions, Jesus taught His followers to use those very offences as means to show love and generosity to the offender.
Jesus also expanded the concept of love to include one's enemies. This was revolutionary teaching. In fact, it still is. Jesus' followers must still be willing to forgive those who hate us and see our "enemies" as God sees them. Jesus himself demonstrated this principle of ultimate love when He came to the Earth to live and die for rebellious humanity (see Romans 5:8). God extends His kindness to everyone, so it is natural for Him to expect His children to do the same.
Jesus challenged His followers to "be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect"
(Matthew 5:48, NLT). The word "perfect" means "full-grown, mature, and complete."
While sinless perfection is unattainable in this life, our single-minded goal should be to show the same kind of love God shows. The sacrificial, unconditional love that sent Jesus to the cross should compel His followers as well.
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Questions For Application
Why do you think it is difficult to "love your enemies" and "pray for those who persecute you" (verse 44, NLT)?
How can you practise seeing all people- whether friends or foes-as God sees them?
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CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP:
Jesus' first recorded sermon explains God's desire to bless His people and establishes the standards for citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. Most if not all of these kingdom principles run counter to our modern culture.
Often, what the world celebrates, Jesus corrects. But the kingdom of heaven is populated by people who are humble, loving, peaceful, and generous. They are people of integrity. They reflect God's heart. They are willing to submit to God's standards regardless of the world's response.
MINISTRY IN ACTION:
Ask God to adjust your attitude so that it reflects the principles Jesus taught.
Identify any interpersonal conflicts and work to resolve them.
Ask God to reveal any ways you are being controlled by past hurts. Forgive the person who hurt you and pray for God to bless him or her.
DISCLAIMER:
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The original production and publication of this extract belong to Sunday School Department of Assemblies of God Nigeria, as shown on the front page. We teach in the church and social media platforms available.
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