Lesson 10:
Conclusion to the Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1-12 [1]
Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat
down, his disciples came to him. [2] He opened his mouth and taught
them, saying, [3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the Kingdom of Heaven. [4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they
shall be comforted. [5] Blessed are the gentle, for they shall
inherit the earth. [6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, for they shall be filled. [7] Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called children of God. [10] Blessed are those who have
been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom
of Heaven. [11] “Blessed are you when people reproach you,
persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my
sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward
in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
BEATITUDE
[L. beatitudo] 1.
Blessedness; felicity of the highest kind; consummate bliss; used of
the joys of heaven. 2. The declaration of blessedness made by our
Savior to particular virtues.
"beatitude."
Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.
2014. http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/beatitude
(1 July 2014).
The main
points for this lesson:
The beatitudes are
from God, spoken by Christ Jesus (John 12:49). In the beatitudes,
Jesus teaches us the path to true happiness and blessedness. In the
beatitudes, we can know God's path for us to find eternal happiness
and blessedness.
The world offers
many paths to happiness in this life: pride and riches; laughter, fun
and pleasure; power and violence; evil desire (or desire for evil
things); revenge; love for the world and the things in it; anger,
malice, slander, and seeking your own things first; following the
crowd. Satan and the world tell us that such paths will lead to
happiness. It is not true. The happiness found in those ways will not
last, and it is mixed with and followed by guilt, and the damage and
destruction that comes from sin, in this life and the next.
Happiness and
Blessedness in this life. This life is full of labor, sorrow and
trouble. In the midst of that, Jesus points out the path in which is
also found happiness and blessedness. As we become more like the
people described in the beatitudes, we will find God's comfort in the
midst of sadness, we will find satisfaction in the midst of
disappointment and an empty world. The Bible provides no examples of
those who walked this path and were sorry they did, no examples of
those who found it a miserable path. Learning to read or learning to
play the piano takes time. You must practice and work hard, and you
need constant help from your teacher. Eventually, you do learn to
read or play the piano. If you choose to follow Jesus, to walk on the
narrow path he showed us, it will take time to become poor in spirit,
to be a person who mourns, who is meek, etc. You must practice, and
work hard, and you must seek constant help from our heavenly Teacher
to strengthen you and guide you on his paths for his name's sake.
He
who was meek and merciful and humble delights to teach willing
students (disciples) how to be meek, merciful and humble, in heart
and in action.
Happiness and
Blessedness in the next life. The day of judgment is coming. Whether
through death or the Lord's return, we shall all stand before God on
the great and terrible judgment day. Many theories have been put
forward regarding how to do well on the judgment day. Jesus, the Son
of God, shows us plainly the right path to follow today, that it may
go well with us in that Day. Do you want to hear the great Judge say
to you, “Enter the kingdom prepared for you”? Then you must be
poor in spirit. Do you want God to wipe away your tears and give you
joy? Then you must learn to mourn now for sin in yourself and others.
Do you want the Judge to grant you authority to rule? Then you must
be meek. Do you want to be satisfied with your life when it is
examined by the all-seeing Judge? Then hunger and thirst for
righteousness today. Do you want to receive mercy at the judgment
seat? Then show mercy to others. Do you want to see God's face
smiling upon you? Then guard your heart and keep it pure, loving God
alone. Do you want to hear the almighty Judge kindly call you his
son? Then be a peacemaker in this life. Do you want to hear the
eternal God say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant,”
and “Enter the kingdom prepared for you”? Then patiently and
gladly endure persecution for righteousness sake. How blessed (and
happy) will such men and women be who, having walked this path now,
will hear those words then (Psalm 89:15-16).
Jesus
was not teaching a path of salvation that was separate from himself.
No man can say to God, “You own me.” We are eternally lost
without Jesus Christ, his blood, and his power with in us. The poor
in spirit understand this first and best. The God who tells us that
no man can boast, also tells us that there is a narrow path that
leads to life. May the Lord grant us grace to trust and obey.
Suggestions:
Open each lesson with prayer for the
teacher and the students and this class time.
Read Matthew
5:1-12 with the children.
Review the
beatitudes with the children. Ask them to explain the meaning of
beatitude. What does the word mean and why do we call these words of
Jesus the “beatitudes”? Ask the children to name in order the
beatitudes. You can make a game of it, perhaps by dividing the
children into two groups. Ask them to give the meaning of each
beatitude as they name it. You can also ask them to name a story that
relates to each beatitude.
Talk with the
children about happiness. What are ways people say can make you
happy? What does Jesus say is the way to be happy? When will that
happiness come? As you discuss this with the children, see if they
can answer these questions first.
Close the lesson with prayer related to
the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's Prayer together.
Stories:
Matthew 5:1-12
– The Beatitudes.
As this is a
review, we do not have any additional stories. As time and occasion
permits, it may be helpful to ask the children to recall stories from
the previous lessons that relate to each of the beatitudes as you
review them.
Other
Verses:
Luke 6:20-30 [20] He lifted up
his eyes to his disciples, and said, “Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the Kingdom of God. [21] Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will
laugh. [22] Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they
shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the
Son of Man’s sake. [23] Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for
behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the
same thing to the prophets. [24] “But woe to you who are rich! For
you have received your consolation. [25] Woe to you, you who are full
now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will
mourn and weep. [26] Woe, when men speak well of you, for their
fathers did the same thing to the false prophets. [27] “But I tell
you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28]
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. [29]
To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from
him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. [30]
Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away
your goods to give them back again.
John 12:47-50 [47] If anyone
listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him.
For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] He who
rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him.
The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day. [49]
For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a
commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. [50] I know
that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I
speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.”
Psalm 89:15-16 [15] Blessed are
the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your
presence, Yahweh. [16] In your name they rejoice all day. In your
righteousness, they are exalted.
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