Sermon on the Mount: Part 2

"When we are empty of self and full of God, then we can overflow into the world around us."
- Greg Johnson

Beatitude #3 - Meek. What do you think of when you hear the word "meek"? Meekness is strength under control. Read James 4:6. Being full of self puts you in the opposite direction of God.

Beatitude #4 - Hunger and Thirst for Righteouness. What does it mean to "thirst for righteousness"? Thirsting for Righteousness = dependence, humility, and desperation for God. Read Luke 9:23. This is a daily decision; dying to ourselves, asking to be filled with the spirit, and taking up our cross.

Beatitude #5 - Merciful. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Being merciful means offering compassion, humility, forgiveness, and restoration. The world offers vengeance, payback, and judgment. Read Ephesians 4:32. Give mercy because you have received it already. Give mercy because you could end up in that same state of sin.

Discussion Questions:
1. Who do you know that exemplifies "meekness"?
2. How do dependence, humility, and desperation make for a more compelling story than the story of self?
3. What does it look like when you are filling up with God?
4. Think of a difficult situation you were/are in with another person. Are you offering mercy or are you offering the ways of the world? How can you show mercy and still address the brokenness within a relationship? Is it possible to extend mercy and yet walk away from a relationship?