BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

Who is living the good life? According to Jesus, it’s not who you’d expect. In the first part of this gospel, Matthew establishes a pattern of flipping things upside down. For instance, a king born in a manger or Jesus fleeing to Egypt, symbolic of slavery and death, for protection and freedom.

In today’s reading, Jesus continues this motif. He reveals that the glorious, infinitely valuable Kingdom of God is good news for the poor and “not glorious” people, those society often overlooks or belittles.

In the Beatitudes, “blessed” means happy or flourishing—living the good life. These nine sayings fall into three themes: humility, justice, and peace. Where some might say the good life resides in muscles, microphones, and money, Jesus says it belongs to the mournful, meek, and merciful. Instead of belonging to those at the top of society, the Kingdom of God belongs to those who relate rightly with others and live humble lives in pursuit of justice and peace.

Watch today’s video to explore the intricate design of the Sermon on the Mount and how Jesus speaks to every area of life.

Reflection Questions

• What does the upside-down value system of the Beatitudes say about the character of God? According to Jesus, what does it look like to live the good life?
• Jesus says he fulfills the law rather than abolishing it and provides six examples of how his teaching on living rightly fulfills the Torah and the Prophets. What does this communicate about the importance of the Hebrew Bible? What does this tell us about Jesus’ authority?