Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham NOTES from Matthew 5:1-10
WHAT DOES IT SAY? THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE.
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word, a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read, and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
(1) Seeing the multitudes, He went on a mountain, when seated, disciples came to Him.
(2) He opened His mouth and taught them
(3) Blessed are poor in spirit, theirs: kingdom of heaven
(4) Blessed are those mourn, they SHALL be comforted
(5) Blessed are meek, they SHALL inherit the earth
(6) Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, they SHALL be filled
(7) Blessed are merciful, they SHALL obtain mercy
(8) Blessed are pure in heart: they see God
(9) Blessed are peacemakers: called sons of God
(10) Blessed are persecuted for righteousness; theirs is kingdom of Heaven
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS.
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow?
(1) Jesus has things to say to us. He wants us to go where He is. It will take time & effort.
(2) Jesus is not silent. Jesus, because of compassion speaks the Truth & teaches those willing to listen & follow Him.
(3) Desperation is a blessing, it drives us to Jesus
(4) Brokenness drives us to Jesus. Jesus will comfort the broken hearted. The world gives the illusion of peace, able to bring outward peace for a period of time, but no relief for the inward peace we strive to obtain.
(5) Meek: Strength under control. It’s not about our “rights” to a status, position or power; our inheritance is sure. (Jesus, compelled by compassion for us, is the picture of strength under control from His start in the manger to the Garden of Gethsemane through to His death on the cross.)
(6) The hunger and thirst of the world is always for more: money, status, power and stuff which never satisfies, it leaves us empty in the end. Our hunger and thirst is actually designed in us by God to drive us to Jesus who came to satisfy what we were created to need: To know God, walk with God and need God. Contentment is only found in Jesus.
(7) Mercy: undeserved favor of kindness. Mercy and forgiveness which is so easy for us to accept cost the agony of the cross for Jesus. Mercy becomes essential for us to extend to others in the light of the cross.
(8) Pure heart: a heart “free from foreign elements”. A pure heart, one that is undivided, wholly devoted to Jesus, walks with Jesus, has a personal relationship with Jesus, therefore has the ability to see Jesus in everything…. whether joyful or mournful, good or bad, easy or hard pressed. How cool is that? That is obviously an ability given by God. Jesus is compelled for one pure focus: being the Righteous Sacrifice our sin demands.
(9) Jesus came as the Son of God to bring PEACE between God and man. Blessed are those who introduce others to the gospel of peace through Jesus.
(10) We will be hung out to dry because we follow Jesus, doing and standing for the right thing. Don’t be surprised, expect it. It will be ok. We serve a God who knows what is happening. Hold on.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME NOW? APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
*Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
(1) Are you spending time with God on a regular basis? Who or what is keeping you from God’s Word?
(2) Are you listening to what God has to say to you? Where is God leading you? Are you willing to follow?
(3) When has desperation driven you to Jesus? Have you ever looked at desperation in life as a blessing from a compassionate God who desires nothing more than for you to run to Him and need Him?
(4) Where and to whom have you sought peace only to be let down? Are you broken by the turmoil of life and in need of a Prince of Peace?
(5) Have you thought meekness = weakness? Have you thought that if you don’t “work” the system, climb the ladder, throw others under the bus, toot your own horn, you will never achieve what you were meant to achieve? Will you allow God to promote you or demote you knowing regardless, your inheritance at the top is sure? When have you shown godly “Strength under control”?
(6) What are you looking for? Can your life be summed up by the old U-2 song, “I still haven’t found, what I’m looking for”? Will you allow your search to lead you to the one True God who you were created to walk with, know and need? What do you really hunger and thirst for? A status? A job? A spouse? A child? A bank account? Power? A technological gadget? When have you received exactly what you wanted only to be let down afterwards? Do you really want to be satisfied? Will you come to Jesus?
(7) Once you and I truly realize what it cost, how can we not extend mercy to others? Are you quick to be merciful or dole out justice?
(8) When was your heart so wholly focused on Jesus and undivided, that even when things were coming down around you, you had peace, confidence and the ability to see God? Have you thanked Jesus for having that pure undivided heart for you?
(9) Are you introducing others to the Prince of Peace who died to make peace attainable?
(10) When have you seen or experienced someone doing the right thing, only to be mocked and penalized for it? Has anyone ever assigned evil motives to something that was meant only to show the compassion of Christ? Were you surprised by it or did you expect it? Who better to understand the injustice of life than Jesus who experienced this to a level you will never have to?
LIVE IT OUT!
The Christian life begins at a very needy desperate point because it drives home OUR NEED for a Savior. When everything falls and we lose it all, we realize that beneath the rubble of all this world has to offer, when Jesus is all we have, we realize Jesus is all we need. Satisfaction is found in a personal relationship with the God who created us to walk with Him, know Him and need Him.
COMPASSION. Jesus has a pleading compassion for His creation. we should have the same.
SPEND MORE TIME LISTENING TO WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY TO ME.
Homework: LUKE 5:27-32
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!