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Living in Community

Month 5| week 4: CONNECT

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WELCOME!

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Know Your Neighbor

Let’s Play!

Know Your Neighbor

Materials Needed: Small strips of paper, bowl

Game Preparation: As students arrive, instruct them to write down their names on small paper strips and place them in a bowl.

Explain that today’s game will test just how closely the group has grown together. Instruct the students to find a partner. Once everyone has a partner, they will each grab one random name from the bowl. Students will then have the opportunity to ask up to three questions about the person on their partner’s paper, that DO NOT pertain to their appearance, in an effort to guess who they are.

The game concludes when everyone has figured out whose name is on their partner’s paper or after they run out of questions.

Question Examples:

“Do they play basketball?”

“Do they ride the bus to school?”

“Do they watch old anime?”

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Digging deeper

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In this game, what made it easy or hard to guess the name on the slip?

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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.” �

Matthew 5:1-5

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.”

(Matthew 5:1-5)

We’re only a few verses into this snapshot of what believers will look like, and already Jesus has shown that his ways for life are the opposite of what people expect. Jesus’ words are as radical today as they were then. Jesus says that the poor are wealthy in the things of the spirit. In God’s Kingdom, everyone who mourns will experience comfort. The overlooked and meek, they will be the ones who inherit everything.

The world tells us that money, strength, popularity, and success are the keys to happiness. If we listen to what others are saying, being meek or not pushing ourselves forward is a recipe to be stepped on and overlooked. Jesus turns everything upside down when he insists meekness is the key to inheriting the earth. Jesus continues,

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“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.” �

Matthew 5:6-9

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“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.”

Matthew 5:7-12

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What is the relationship between being persecuted for what you believe and how God will reward you?

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He has shown you, O mortal, 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 6:8

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What examples of this way of life have you seen displayed?

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So what…

How does Jesus’ description of how his followers are to act affect your life today?

Tool time

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Have you ever had someone respond to you in anger when you made a decision based on your faith?

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How are you contributing to a community of faith that lives out Micah 6:8?

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Key idea

Jesus taught us a new and radical way to interact with

the world.

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Let’s pray

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Thanks

See you next time!