May 11, 2025

Grow Up!

Check Your Attitude!

Elder Michael West                       

This Week’s Teaching:

Scripture: Matthew 5: 1-12

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.  He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Theme: Life in the Kingdom of Heaven begins now, marked by an upside-down ethic of humility, mercy, and righteousness.

Notes: Jesus begins His public teaching ministry not with commands, but with blessings. This is not a list of moral achievements but a declaration of the kinds of people who are truly blessed — not in worldly terms, but in the eyes of God. And centrally, these blessings reveal who belongs to the Kingdom of Heaven — mentioned in both the first and last beatitude, emphasizing this as the unifying theme.

Scripture: Matthew 7: 24-27

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Notes: Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a parable of contrast — the only two kinds of people in the Kingdom framework: Those who hear and obey (true disciples), and those who hear but ignore (false disciples).  The wise person’s life withstands the same storm that destroys the foolish person’s. The difference isn’t the intensity of the storm, but the integrity of the foundation. This is Kingdom resilience — a life rooted in God's unshakable truth, not religious sentiment.

Discussion/Take-Away Questions:

1. Which of these Beatitudes most challenges your current mindset?

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2. How does the original Greek text offer additional insights into the 

    Beatitudes?

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3. What areas of your life are you building on sand — seeking stability 

    in unstable things?

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4. Are you mistaking religious activity (e.g., listening to sermons) for 

    obedience?

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5. How can you strengthen your spiritual foundation starting this week?

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