WELCOME ICEBREAKER

What was your highlight of the past week?

WORSHIP

Psalm 100:2
Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.

WORD

Read Matthew 5:1-11

Meekness can be described as strength under control or power controlled by love. Here in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus declares that those who are meek will inherit the earth. Meekness is a great characteristic to have in responding to the everyday challenges in life.

• Read Philippians 2:3-5. As a group discuss how you can apply meekness in the way you treat those who serve you. How can we be understanding not demanding?

• Read Luke 6:37, 38 and Romans 14:1. We are often quick to judge those who haven’t met our expectations, don’t have our standards or disappoint us. The one thing that angered Jesus most were self-righteous people who were always judging others. How can we respond with meekness to those who disappoint us?

• Read Proverbs 15:1 and James 3:16, 17.  The fact is we can’t please everyone. There are those who will disagree with us. How we handle those who irritate, contradict and second-guess us is a test of maturity. Meekness is being tender without surrendering our convictions. Discuss how you apply the characteristic of meekness to those who disagree with you.

• Read James 1:19 and Proverbs 13:18, 20:5. Meekness has a teachable spirit. It is open to new ideas and doesn’t get uptight and defensive over a constructive suggestion. Discuss how being teachable and meekness are related. What questions would you ask to draw understanding out from another person?

• Read Romans 12:17, 21 and Proverbs 16:32. When someone hurts us it is a great test of meekness. Discuss how we should not respond when someone hurts us. When you say, "You make me mad!" you are admitting that they are controlling your emotions. The moment that you start retaliating, start seeking revenge, start trying to get even, you give up control of your life. You are no longer in control. You are reacting, not acting. That's a position of weakness. Discuss how God gives us strength by His Spirit to handle the hurts in life.

WORK

Pray for the mission team to Uganda and for the children’s urban camp happening next week.