Big Idea: Jesus calls us to a countercultural life of humility, mercy, and righteousness that reflects the heart of God’s Kingdom. To Embrace Kingdom Values: 1. Start With Surrendering Your Heart To God Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:1-6 (NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:7-10 (NIV) As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. Psalm 42:1 (NIV) Daily surrender—Start each day acknowledging your need for God. 2. Embrace God’s Values To Shape How You Treat Others Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Matthew 5:7-9 (NIV) With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:6-8 (NIV) Treat people with grace & mercy. 3. Trust The Cost Is Worth It Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12 (NIV) "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19 (NIV) You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings–what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (NIV) Living for God’s Kingdom will bring opposition. Are you willing to let go of the things that offend God? To Embrace Kingdom Values, I Will: Surrender my heart to God daily. Live with mercy, purity, and peace in relationships. Stay faithful even when following Jesus is hard. [This is only a guide – select the points you want to discuss.] Opening Prayer: “Lord, thank You for showing us the values of Your Kingdom. Open our hearts today to understand and apply these truths in our lives. Help us to reflect Your love, humility, and mercy to the world around us. Amen.” Big Idea: Jesus calls us to a countercultural life of humility, mercy, and righteousness that reflects the heart of God’s Kingdom. Icebreaker: If you could live in any kingdom or country in history, which would it be and why? What do you think makes a kingdom great? To Embrace Kingdom Values: 1. Start With Surrendering Your Heart To God Read: Matthew 5:1-6 What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? How does humility help us grow in faith? How can mourning over sin (in our own lives and in the world) deepen our relationship with God? What does it look like in daily life to hunger and thirst for righteousness? 🛠 Application: This week, take a moment each morning to surrender your heart to God and ask Him to help you live by His values. 2. Embrace God’s Values To Shape How We Treat Others Read: Matthew 5:7-9 How do you define mercy? Can you share a time when someone showed you mercy? What does it mean to be pure in heart? How does a pure heart change how we treat others? Being a peacemaker goes beyond avoiding conflict. How can we actively bring peace in our relationships, workplace, and church? 🛠 Application: Identify one person this week that you can show mercy or peace to in a practical way (forgiving, reconciling, serving, etc.). 3. Trust The Cost Is Worth It Read Matthew 5:10-12 Have you ever faced pushback or resistance for standing firm in your faith? How did you respond? Why do you think Jesus calls persecution a blessing? How can focusing on our heavenly reward help us stay strong when faith is costly? 🛠 Application: This week, pray for someone who is facing challenges because of their faith. If you’re facing challenges yourself, ask God for strength and boldness. Final Reflection & Challenge: Jesus calls us to live by a different set of values than the world. Which Beatitude stood out to you the most today? Why? What’s one step you can take this week to live out Kingdom values in your home, workplace, or community? Challenge: Pick one Beatitude to focus on this week. Write it down, pray about it daily, and take action. Closing Prayer: “Father, thank You for calling us to something greater than the world’s standards. Help us to live with humility, mercy, and righteousness. Strengthen us to remain faithful, even when following You is difficult. May our lives reflect the values of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”