1. Is okay to be poor? 2. Read Matt. 5:1-2. What is going on? Who is Jesus talking to? 3. Read Matt. 5:3.

What does it mean to be blessed? Is what Jesus says in vs 3 the opposite of what it means to be blessed? Why? 4. What does it mean to be poor in spirit? 5. Can you think of times when you were spiritually poor? 6. Read Revelation 3:17-22. Compare what Jesus says in Matt 5:3 with what the Apostle John writes in Revelation 3:17. What is the difference between the two verses? 7. What do the Laodiceans say about themselves. What does John write about them ? 8. If the church at Laodicea was going to repair their relationship with Christ, what would they have to do? 9. What promises does Christ give the church? 10. Are these promises still good today?

Introduction 1. Ideal

Virtue - ,

If people act acc. to these ideals, good things will happen. Focuses on our good works instead of Gods grace When we emphasize these ideals, the more we feel guilty, therefore we ignore or avoid the teaching of Christ 2. Compare Isa 61 to Matthew 5 Read Isa 61:1-2 I this a passage about human effort to live up to high ideals? Is it urging us to become poor, prisoners, blind and victims so that God will reward us? Or is it scripture that celebrates that fact that God is acting in his grace to deliver us from our poverty and captivity into Gods reign of deliverance, justice and joy? Isa 61 61.1-2 61.1-2 61.7 61.3 61.11 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.10 Matt 5

It is Gods presence, his deliverance that brings blessedness and joy It is participative grace, grace that we are called to participate in. It is God transforming us and not our human effort to reach high ideals.