Hopefully making theology simpler to understand! (2 Corinthians 1:12)

I have started a small group series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). I am sharing my notes in case anyone else wants to use them with their group.

Sermon on the Mount

The Beatitudes: Part 1

Matthew 5:1-2:
Jesus wants to teach the crowds: Who are they? Jewish disciples: People who understand the
Scriptures (at least to a point). Notice from 7:28 the crowds still came along, but this teaching is for His disciples.

What does “blessed” mean? How do you understand it?
The word “blessed” appears 306 times in the ESV Bible (in 288 verses; 302x in 287 vv. in KJV)
Happy (definitely deeper than this), Revered, Content, Worshiped, Made holy, Fortunate, Well-off

Matthew 5:3-12: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3-5
• v. 3: The Poor in spirit = those who realize their own depravity and therefore need for God.
• Jeremiah 17:9; Isaiah 61:1-2; 66:2
• v. 4: Who mourn = Mourning the sin that separates us from God.
• Psalm 51:3-5; James 4:9
• v. 5: The Meek = Meekness is realizing we can do nothing apart from God.
• Mark 10:23-27

What does it look like to live out this blessing?
We see the beginning of repentance. We find contentment in this life knowing that though we are wretched, we find peace in Christ with the hope of eternal life in the age to come.
• Isaiah 61:1-2, 66:2; 2 Corinthians 7:10 – God’s Word reveals The Word, Jesus, who came to show us
He is the Truth. The truth is we are guilty of sin, and it should make us realize our poorness and feel
shame for our sin. Therefore …

• John 16:20-24; Romans 3:10-12 – Because of our sin, we do not seek God. He helps us, and in our
meekness, we see that we need His help to be saved from our sin. Only when we trust Him do we
find our mourning turn to joy.

• Revelation 21:4 – And one glorious day, He will remove all need of mourning when He renews all
things.

• Psalm 35:9-14 – We also lament the sin of others, even when they don’t deserve our love and pity.
(Grace. And a Segway into the next few verses!)