A summary from 8 weeks of studying ‘The Good Life’

During our 8 weeks studying The Good Life there were a number of seemingly random coincidences… like when our week 3 aligned with Pastor Joe preaching on Humility… or on October 1st when TobyMac released the song and video ‘I’m Sorry,’ or how Pastor Joe preached on the Beatitudes this past Sunday!  I think these were awesome blessings!  As we wrap-up this study and prepare for something new this Wednesday, please watch the video below and then review these bullet points we’ve put together for you.

1. HAPPY ARE THE BEGGARS

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3
Being poor in spirit means you see and accept your spiritual bankruptcy so you can make room for Christ’s treasures.
Happy are those that know they need God.

2. HAPPY ARE THOSE WHO LAMENT

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
Biblical lament means allowing your heart to be broken by the same things that break God’s heart, knowing all the while that God is near the brokenhearted. Lament moves us to action.
God doesn’t waste our pain. It’s as though God takes our pain and uses it to purify us.

3. HAPPY ARE THE HUMBLE

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5
The more we see God’s holiness, the more humble we become. The more we see our sin, the more we appreciate God’s grace, and the more we desire to obey Jesus.
Being humble doesn’t mean thinking less of ourselves, it means thinking of ourselves less.

4. HAPPY ARE THE HUNGRY & THIRSTY

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6
Jesus took a common human feeling and connected it to God’s kingdom. In the ancient world, food and water weren’t as abundant as they are now. To thirst and hunger for righteousness was to love God with all your being and to love your neighbor the way you love yourself.  The King of Heaven gives you His righteousness so you can express it to the world around you.
God doesn’t need our ability; He just wants our availability.

5. HAPPY ARE THE MERCIFUL

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7
Mercy is God presenting Himself to us in the midst of our mess. We only know Jesus is merciful because He pursues us. When we were lying helpless in a ditch, He didn’t yell down and say, “Here’s a ladder—climb up!”
Jesus jumped into the pit with us, put us on His back, and carried us out of the ditch.

6. HAPPY ARE THE GOD-SEERS

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
The higher our view of God, the more we’ll praise and obey Him because of who He is and what He has accomplished for us, not what we think He can give us.
Jesus became like us, so we can become like Him. When this happens we’re able to see God for Who He is. This is the good life!

7. HAPPY ARE THE PEACEMAKERS

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
Peace isn’t passive. Being peaceful is a fleeting state of mind. Peacemaking is an active, God-given pursuit. It’s the intentional act of God in Christ reconciling us to Himself through the cross and enabling us to extend peace to others.
Making peace is hard, happy gospel work.

8. HAPPY ARE THE PERSECUTED

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12
In God’s sovereign goodness, He’ll take persecution and use it to teach us how to rely on Him to provide. While it may be unsettling to think of persecution bringing happiness, God often reveals His redemptive plan through persecution.  Jesus endured persecution without lying, insulting, or sinning in return. He trusted God and loved His persecutors. He prayed for them even as they were killing Him. Through the Holy Spirit’s power, we can do the same.
When we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, we’re not only pointing them to the gospel of Christ, but we’re also administering divine healing into our souls and spreading God’s grace to others.