Throughout all of human history, people have searched for blessings, for “the good life.” In this famous section of the sermon on the mount known as “the beatitudes,” Jesus lays out his vision for the good life and how a person can get in on this blessing.

Discussion Questions

Read James 3:17-18. What is the relationship between this passage and the beatitudes? How does the verbiage of James help us better understand Jesus’ teaching on “the blessed life?”
In your own life, where are you tempted to seek a cultural version of “the good life” instead of Jesus’ vision? What promises of “the good life” are likely to grab your attention?
Which beatitude needs to grow in your life? How can you participate with the work of the Spirit in your life?
How are these beatitudes needed in our broken world? How would these character traits help us in our evangelism?

Prayer Points

Pray that these character attributes would be what mark our lives individually and our church collectively.
Pray that these character attributes would make us better evangelists for the gospel of Jesus.