Matthew 5:1-12

Click Here to read Matthew 5:1-12. verses.

• What one word or idea stood out to you and why?
• What do you think Jesus is teaching about the Kingdom of God/Heaven?
• What does it mean to be blessed? It means that good things are happening to you. 
• What does it mean to be poor in spirit? A simple way to say it is that people are very sad. There is a lot more to it, but that is a simple way to say it. 
• What does persecution mean? It is like being bullied. 
• Why do you think Jesus is saying that it is good when people are sad or being bullied?

Watch this video from TED-Ed on YouTube: Muscle Growth

How would everybody look if we sat on the couch all day and watched movies and ate ice cream? Would our muscles be big or small? Would our home be dirty or clean? Would we have lots of friends or very few friends? The Kingdom of God is a lot like that. If everyone in the Kingdom of God had big houses, lots of money and didn’t need to work, then we would not depend on God and our faith, or our belief in God, would not grow. 

n the same way, if everyone outside of the Kingdom of God had big houses, lots of money and didn’t need to work, they would be less likely to feel like they need God. They would not have a chance for their faith muscles to grow. The things that make us sad or the bullies that bother us are allowed to help us grow bigger faith muscles. These experiences should make us seek to God. More importantly, hard challenges are in our lives so the Kingdom of God can grow bigger and stronger, too.