Matthew 5:1–12

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and 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. 

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1–12, NIV)

Thought Questions:

What type of people do we or people we know typically think of when we say: They sure have been blessed? How do the lives of these people compare to what we read here?

Why do we have difficulty assuming the poor or those who mourn should be considered blessed?

Think of a time when you found yourself as one of these people Jesus describes? How would you say you received experienced blessing in those circumstances?

How can you live a life that recognizes and supports these attributes as important and worthy of blessing?