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Pt. 1: Intro, 1 & 2

Prompt

Read Intro (pp. 9-12) Part One: Who is Really Blessed? Matthew 5.1-12 Then read #1 & #2 (16-18, 20-22 including 1 Samuel 16.7; Luke 13.22-30, James 2.1-9; 1 Cor. 1.26-31) and answer the following questions.

  1. How does Jesus challenge our understanding of blessing?
  2. In what ways has our collective misunderstanding of the Beatitudes led to a failed witness?
  3. How can Social Media be reclaimed to communicate the ways that Jesus discusses blessing?
  4. How does Paul reinforce Jesus’ message on blessing in 1 Corinthians 1.26-31?

Response

  1. Jesus challenges our understanding of blessing by redefining what it means to be blessed. He says that the poor in spirit are blessed, the meek are blessed, and those who mourn are blessed. These aren’t the people that the world considers to be blessed, but the world values wealth, power, and status. Jesus says that those who are poor in spirit, meek, and mourning are the ones who are truly blessed.
  2. Leading us to focus on material blessings rather than spiritual blessings as well as neglect the poor and marginalized. The Beatitudes call us to bless those who are poor, hungry, and imprisoned. However, we often turn a blind eye to these people. We see them as a burden or a threat, rather than as people who are blessed by God.
  3. We can use social media to share stories of people who are living out the Beatitudes, advocate for the poor and marginalized and to challenge the culture of judgment and self-righteousness.
  4. He points out that God chose the foolish, weak, and lowly things of the world to shame the wise, strong, and powerful. This shows that God's definition of blessing is different from the world's definition, rather than material possessions or status. Its supposed to be about things like humility, meekness, and love.