The Gospel Project: Disciples are Blessed

Intro Option 1: Salt or Sugar

Ask for a few student volunteers.

Give each student a spoon full of sugar and a spoon full of salt

Invite students to look at each spoon and see if they can determine which is sugar and which is salt.

After a few minutes, allow students to taste from each spoon to see if they were correct.

Sugar and salt taste nothing alike and have different purposes.

Like salt, followers of Jesus are called to be different.

Main Point: Disciples are called to reveal God’s glory with their lives.

Jesus’s disciples are blessed.

Matthew 5:3–12 (ESV)

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Most famous sermon

Kingdom living on earth

Citizens representing their King

Upside-down living

“Jesus identified kingdom servants as those who, by outward circumstances, were to be most pitied, but who, according to present and future reality, were to be most envied.”

Ambassadors in a fallen world

Big Question: How can I be a light when I am surrounded by darkness?

In your school, family, and friend group, it can be really hard to be a light. It can be difficult to make the choice to stand out and seek holiness when the people around you aren’t living godly lives. But we are called to shine and remain faithful to God regardless of how much darkness surrounds us. Our lives-our words, actions, and desires-should reflect Jesus, no matter what type of people we are around. When we remain true to what God has called us to do in His Word, we fulfill Jesus’s command to be the salt and light of the world. The people in our lives need to see us seeking to bring God glory in all circumstances They need to see an authentic relationship.

Ask: How might the Biblical meaning of being blessed differ from the world’s meaning? Which of these verses do you identify with most and why?

We think blessed = material possessions

Jesus explains what it means to be truly blessed

“Matthew stresses the blessedness of freedom from the tyranny of outward things, living under the rule of Heaven rather than the rule of earthly goods.”

Blessed = God’s kingdom

Ask: How is it possible for us to be truly blessed even in difficult life situations?

Circumstances don’t = blessed

Eternal hope and glory = joy

“Rejoice and be glad”

“Our modern idea of ‘happiness’ is a diluted version of the joy implied by the term Jesus used. Our idea of happiness is a dependence on circumstances. Instead, God’s happiness or joy is dependent on the assurance of God’s blessing (sometimes present, often future), not on current circumstances, and it abides deep and undisturbable within the believer.”

Place in kingdom on earth and in Heaven

Transition Statement: Jesus’s disciples are not only blessed; they are the salt of the earth.

Main Point: Disciples are called to reveal God’s glory with their lives.

Jesus’s disciples are blessed.

Jesus’s disciples are the salt of the earth

Matthew 5:13 (ESV)

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

For us, salt = adding flavor

But in Jesus’ time used for preserving food (preventing and killing bacteria)

Prevented starvation, especially in shortage

“We may think of salt primarily as a spice giving flavor; but given the amount of salt needed to preserve meat without refrigeration, it is not likely that many ancient Jews considered salt primarily as enhancing taste. ‘Loses its saltiness’ reads more literally ‘is defiled.’ This is not the scientifically impossible notion of salt becoming flavorless but rather the common problem in the ancient world of salt being mixed with various impute substances and therefore becoming worthless as a preservative.”

Agents of purity and authenticity in a sinful world

“Salt was important in the ancient world because it kept food from spoiling. Like food, society needs an antidote for its corruption. The disciples are to be this antidote.”

Involves pointing out sin

Ask: How can believers humbly point out sin and corruption?

Bringing about change

Ripple effect

Can’t be silent

Can’t condemn

Offering hope

Against the grain; ineffectiveness in current Christianity

Ask: Why has current Christianity accepted the belief that it’s okay to be ineffective disciples? How can we fight this idea in our lives?

Accepted the lie

Content with casual faith

But called to bold and life-changing faith

Ineffective first disciples = not knowing Jesus today

For all believers

Transition Statement: Jesus’s disciples aren’t just called to be salt; they are called to be light as well.

Main Point: Disciples are called to reveal God’s glory with their lives.

Jesus’s disciples are blessed.

Jesus’s disciples are the salt of the earth

Jesus’s disciples are the light of this world

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Being scared of the dark

Light = guide

Illuminates path

Sense of safety

Shows the truth

We are light = we are Christ’s vessels

We shine a light on truth so others can see Him.

Ask: What is the difference between light and dark? What does this show you about our purpose?

Darkness = absence of light

Our purpose: shine brightly and make truth visible through lifestyle

Living differently

“The disciple who is visibly different from other men will have an effect on them. But the aim of his good works is not to parade his own virtue, but to direct attention to the God who inspired them.”

Driving out spiritual darkness

But sometimes we dim our light

“It is the nature of a kingdom servant to be light int he world. Any believer who fails to function as light is going against his nature as God’s new creation. The believer has no light inherent in himself. The believers light is a reflected light. Believers are to make certain that nothing comes between them and their source of light (2 Cor. 3:18; Phil 2:13-16).”

Ask: What are some practical ways you can stop dimming your light?

Live like citizens of Heaven

Peer pressure

Read your Bible

Be kind

Use appropriate language

Befriend ignored people

Keep true purpose in front of your mind = make a difference.

Christ Connection

God promised Abraham one of his descendants would bring blessing to all the peoples on earth (see Gen. 12:3). Jesus is the promised Messiah who blessed the world by giving His life to provide forgiveness of sins. All who trust in Him are called out from the darkness into the light.

Head: In which areas of your life do you struggle to believe you are “blessed,” as Jesus described in Matthew 5:3-12? How can you change your thinking about your circumstances?

Hard to focus on Jesus instead of circumstances

Tough life situations = feels like God has abandoned us

But we are His children = eternally secure

Difficult situations, but salvation is sure, and we have a place in His kingdom.

Heart: How have you allowed earthly desires and material possessions to distract you from your purpose as a disciple?

Tempted to focus on...

Being popular

Dating the right person

Having the best possessions

Being the best at sport or other activity

We think these matter most

Non sinful things becoming sinful as they become distract us from reflecting His glory

Hands: Have you given off the appearance of being a disciple but struggled to live it out so others know? How can you change this?

Easy to show up and not apply

Easy to follow at camp but then come home and not follow through

Giving the world a false understanding of Jesus

Things to help us be effective disciples:

Getting in God’s word

Seeking accountability

Praying

Modeling godly mentors

The Bottom Line: Live as disciples