Beatitude 8: Following God (Even When It's Hard)
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus' disciples gathered around him, 2 and he taught them: 3 God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! 4 God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort! 5 God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them! 6 God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want! 7 God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy! 8 God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him! 9 God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children! 10 God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven. 11 God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.
Matthew 5:1-12
Memory Verse
Matthew 5:10
10 God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.
Did you know following Jesus isn’t always easy? In Matthew 5:10, Jesus explained that his friends would be persecuted or punished for following him. But they could stay strong because God would give them strength.
Jesus experienced pain, happiness, tears, and laughter like we do; he understands everything we experience. Throughout his time on earth, Jesus was criticized and made fun of by people, including religious leaders. They called him a fake and refused to accept that he was God’s Son. They persecuted him all the way to the cross, where he died and paid the price for the sins of everyone, even those who hurt him. But before the soldiers crucified Jesus, he made a promise to his disciples, and it’s true for anyone who follows him. He promised us a helper: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and helps us follow God, even when it’s hard.
Being a Christian isn’t easy. People will make fun of us, be mean, or even hurt us, and there are many countries in the world where being a Christian is life-threatening. Jesus told us we would face problems because of our faith, but we can stay joyful because Jesus is king over everything. We can pray and ask God to give us the strength to remain faithful to him. God will help us handle whatever challenges we face because he loves us. Remember Jesus' example: to follow God and show God’s love to everyone no matter what. And remember that you’re not alone; Jesus gave you the Holy Spirit to help you.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you that Jesus paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. Please give us courage when people mistreat us because we follow you. We pray for our Christian sisters and brothers who face persecution in many countries. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit in our hearts to help us and for loving us so much. Amen.Related Resources
Areo Keller-Donahue
As soon as Areo could pick up a popsicle stick, she was making puppets and putting on plays that shared her faith with her neighbors. Areo grew up with a strong interest in musical theatre and earned her BFA at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Areo was led to use artistic gifts to share the gospel with young ones, and she became involved in ministry. She has worked in children's ministry at Redeemer Upper West Side and North Way Christian Community and is currently developing a musical live-action series that celebrates faith and fun. Areo and her husband live in Pittsburgh, where they enjoy spending time with their families and adorable cat, Daisy.