To Be or Not To Be Attitudes

An Interactive Study of the Beatitudes as recorded in Matthew 5:1-12

Developed for Kappa Phi by Jorja Davis

jorja.davis@gmail.com

Purposes:  To encourage aspiration and adherence to the new standards of the New Covenant as Christ exclaimed them to His disciples.  To encourage reflection and action based on a deeper understanding of the qualities of character evident in Christ-centered, Spirit-filled living as exclaimed by Christ and perceived by Paul.

Background Statement:

Blessedness is not something that we can seek directly; rather it is a by-product of a certain quality of life.  The Beatitudes give us a compendium of those qualities.  We must remember though that the acquisition of these characteristics, while important in living out our faith, is not a means of salvation.  Salvation remains a free gift based on belief not on works of any kind.  However, the Beatitudes are the essence of Christ's teaching to the inner circle of His disciples that they might work intelligently and effectively.  With the attainment of these characteristics, through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will find, with the disciples, true blessedness:  the joyous thrill and radiant gladness of the Christian life.  That joy and gladness, that bliss, is serene and untouchable.  It is independent of all the chances and changes of life, and comes only from walking up the mountainside and sitting at the feet of the Savior to hear from him the triumphant shouts of congratulations for what we are and encouragement for what we are to be.

Gathering Time:

As participants arrive, give each person one or several of the following scriptures to read with instructions to define the word "blessed" on a chalkboard or large piece of paper.  Psalm 1:1;  32:1;  40:4;  41:1;  65:4;  89:15;  112:1;  Isaiah 32:20;  Matthew 11:6;  Luke 6:22;  11:28; 12:37;  John 20:29;  James 1:12;  Revelation 14:13;  19:9;  22:7

The Be Attitudes:

Divide into small groups.  Divide some or all of the 8 Beatitudes among the groups.  Give each group the some or all of the appropriate groupings of scripture to help them choose a word or phrase which best defines the behaviors Christ is asking of His disciples.

v.3     Proverbs 16:19; Isaiah 66:2; Psalm 34:6; Psalm 9:18; Psalm 35:10; Psalm 68:10; Psalm 107:41; Psalm 132:15

v.4     Genesis 37:34; Psalm 51:17; I Samuel 16:1;  Nehemiah 8:9; Ecclesiastes 3:4; Isaiah 3:26; Jeremiah 4:28; Matthew 9:15; Luke 6:25; James 4:9

v.5     Psalm 22:26; Psalm 25:9; Psalm 37:11; Psalm 111:6; Psalm 149:4; Isaiah 29:19; Numbers 12:3; Proverbs 16:32

v.6     Luke 1:53; Isaiah 55:1; Luke 15:17; Romans 10:10; Luke 6:25; Deuteronomy 32:24

v.7     James 2:13;  Matthew 18:35; Matthew 6:12-15;  Genesis 19:16; Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalm 86:5; Proverbs 3:3; Micah 6:8; Luke 6:36

v.8     Psalm 24:4; Proverbs 22:11; Isaiah 1:16 Psalm 19:12; I John 3:3; Jeremiah 4:14; II Timothy 2:21; James 4:8

v.9     Romans 15:33; II Corinthians 13:11; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20;  Proverbs 12:20; Romans 14:19; Mark 9:50 Titus 1:6

v.10-12  I John 3:7; I Peter 4:14; Hebrews 11:32-40; Matthew 5:12; Matthew 6:1; Daniel 12:3; I Corinthians 3:14; Daniel 3:19-25

The Not To Be Attitudes:

Brainstorm words or phrases with the opposite meanings of "blessed" and each of the 8 Be Attitudes.

The Measuring Stick:

Through discussion compare and contrast the 8 Be Attitudes and/or the 8 Not To Be Attitudes with the Rosary of Graces or the Fruits of the Spirit as recorded in Galatians 5:22.

Application: 

Provide paper and envelope or blank card and envelope for each individual.  Each individual should write themselves a letter of encouragement and accountability using the following or similar statements depending on the options used, seal it in the envelope and address the envelope to themselves.  In three months mail the envelops to each individual.

To adhere to Christ's words I

To me "blessed" means

I aspire to a life of blessedness and

The Be Attitude Jesus is congratulating me for

The Be Attitudes are most evident when

The Be Attitude Jesus is encouraging me to work on

I challenge myself to

The Not To Be Attitude Jesus is encouraging me to discard

The Not To Be Attitudes are most evident when

The Fruit(s) of the Spirit

I challenge myself to

Closing Hymn:  The United Methodist Hymnal #585 - This Little Light of Mine

Closing Prayer:  The United Methodist Hymnal #392 - Prayer for a New Heart

Digging Deeper

What do we dig for?

What do we use to dig?

Where do you dig?

Why do we dig?

What would you do if you wanted to go deeper?

What problems might you encounter?

Imagine there is a 20-ton meteorite buried on a 300-foot deep ice shelf. 

Imagine that the core samples have produced fossils.

What do you know about the characteristics of meteors? 

Where do they come from how do they get here? 

What would fossils inside a meteorite mean? 

What would the possible treasure be? 

Would it be worth extracting?  Why?

Ice shelves are over open water; they are fragile; you couldn’t use heavy machinery.

Sometimes we have to be creative and find new ways to dig or to dig deeper.

How would you extract the meteorite?

Read Psalm 51:10-12

            Micah 6:8

            Proverbs 2:4&5

Brother Lawrence was a 17^th century soldier turned monk whose lifelong endeavor was to dwell completely in the presence of God.  “He sought God in the simplicity and the sincerity of his heart….[ He said] ‘…People seek for methods of learning to love God.  They hope to arrive at it by I know not how many different practices; they take much trouble to remain in the presence of God in a quantity of ways.  Is it not much shorter and more direct to do everything for the love of God, to make use of all the labors of one’s state in life to show Him that love, and to maintain His presence within us by this communion of our hearts with His?  There is no finesse about it; one has only to do it generously and simply…. During my work I would always continue to speak to the Lord as though He were right there with me, offering Him my services and thanking Him for His assistance.’…Brother Lawrence called the practice of the presence of God the easiest and shortest way to attain Christian perfection and to be protected from sin.”

From the beginning of time, God has asked for our tithe, our first fruits, our first born all to be set-aside for God.  We have been given many gifts (Matt 25:14-15), God asks us to be good stewards of those gifts (Luke 19:13, 1 Corinthians 4:12).  Accountability is connected to stewardship. (Luke 12:48) Remember that we are God’s treasured possession if we obey Him fully and keep his covenants (Ex 19:5).

Jaime Rickert wrote a song.

Push out into deeper water; Bigger fish are swimming there.

Forgive again; forgive forever.

Blessings are the pearls that only empty hands can hold.

I encourage you to push out into deeper water.  Let go of those things that keep you from digging for the treasures that God has in store for you.  He has told you that you are his treasure, he expects you to give, to forgive, and to be good stewards of the gifts he has given you.  And remember that as you live in the presence of God you will continue empty your hands, so that you can hold the Blessings He has for you.