Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Peacemaking requires more than keeping the status quo. It’s a deliberate, active pursuit rooted in knowing Jesus, practicing His peace, and seeking purity. When we engage in this process, we become true children of God, reflecting His nature as peacemakers in a world that desperately needs reconciliation. For prayer request, please feel free to contact us at www.globalicc.org/contact To give please click www.globalicc.org/give Cash App $iccglobal Venmo App @iccglobal Subscribe to our weekly podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-christian-church/id1076335656 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mKKhWqCqr7rkXsdsqpgRx?si=1f717cde8a5846c2 Live streaming Copyright License #20714391

Matthew 5:8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. Purity in heart is developed by having a sincere and genuine love for God and others. It's not just about avoiding wrong actions but about cultivating a deep, inward righteousness that reflects the character of Christ. A pure heart seeks to honor God in all things, desires to live according to His will, and is quick to repent when it falls short. Jesus emphasized the importance of heart purity when He said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). This beatitude reveals that purity of heart is essential for experiencing the presence of God. For prayer request, please feel free to contact us at www.globalicc.org/contact To give please click www.globalicc.org/give Cash App $iccglobal Venmo App @iccglobal Subscribe to our weekly podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-christian-church/id1076335656 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mKKhWqCqr7rkXsdsqpgRx?si=1f717cde8a5846c2 Live streaming Copyright License #20714391

Three foundational elements: 1. God’s Desire 2. Paradoxical truth (countercultural message) 3. The Promise “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬ For prayer request, please feel free to contact us at www.globalicc.org/contact To give please click www.globalicc.org/give Cash App $iccglobal Venmo App @iccglobal Subscribe to our weekly podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-christian-church/id1076335656 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mKKhWqCqr7rkXsdsqpgRx?si=1f717cde8a5846c2 Live streaming Copyright License #20714391

Understanding Righteousness:

Biblical righteousness is a multi-faceted concept that involves being in the right relationship with God, others, and oneself according to God's standards. It encompasses moral integrity, justice, and holiness.

Blessed Are the Meek

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

Sermon on the Mount, It is the foundation for Christian living. Everything hinges on this. Jesus begins the Sermon with a blueprint of Christian character and how to be “blessed” by God. The Beatitudes stand as a gateway to the rest of the sermon. We will spend next few weeks of this sermon series meditating on what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to be merciful, to be pure in heart, to be peacemakers, and to be persecuted. May our gracious King lead us into the fullness of life in His radically counter-cultural Kingdom! Note: There are a number of things that need to be noted regarding the beatitudes as a whole. Note that each beatitude has three elements: (1) Each sentence begins with the word “blessed” (makarioi). (2) There is a description of the person to whom this blessing applies. (3) The beatitude ends with the reason or ground why the person is blessed. For prayer request, please feel free to contact us at www.globalicc.org/contact To give please click www.globalicc.org/give Cash App $iccglobal Venmo App @iccglobal Subscribe to our weekly podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-christian-church/id1076335656 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mKKhWqCqr7rkXsdsqpgRx?si=1f717cde8a5846c2 Live streaming Copyright License #20714391

Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Sermon on the Mount, It is the foundation for Christian living. Everything hinges on this.

Jesus begins the Sermon with a blueprint of Christian character and how to be “blessed” by God. The Beatitudes stand as a gateway to the rest of the sermon. We will spend next few weeks of this sermon series meditating on what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to be merciful, to be pure in heart, to be peacemakers, and to be persecuted. May our gracious King lead us into the fullness of life in His radically counter-cultural Kingdom!

Note: There are a number of things that need to be noted regarding the beatitudes as a whole.

Note that each beatitude has three elements:

(1) Each sentence begins with the word “blessed” (makarioi).

(2) There is a description of the person to whom this blessing applies.

(3) The beatitude ends with the reason or ground why the person is blessed.

The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus’ greatest preaching where He describes what the Kingdom of God is like, its culture, and kingdom character. I have found Matthew 5 to 7 very challenging to live by. Let us look at the background before we get into the eight Beatitudes. Matthew is writing largely for a Jewish audience whose hearts longed for a Messiah King thought would overthrow their oppressors. The Jews forgot their “otherness” and consorted with the nations taking on their cultures and even worshiping their Gods. The Sermon on the Mount is a call to return to roots by turning away from the adulteration of the law and returning to true righteous living. In the gospel of Matthew, the kingdom of heaven was a main running motif. Matthew tells his readers that Jesus did come to establish His kingdom but not how they expected. For prayer request, please feel free to contact us at www.globalicc.org/contact To give please click www.globalicc.org/give Cash App $iccglobal Venmo App @iccglobal Subscribe to our weekly podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-christian-church/id1076335656 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mKKhWqCqr7rkXsdsqpgRx?si=1f717cde8a5846c2 Live streaming Copyright License #20714391

Pastor Jaison taught us five valuable steps we need to learn to possess our promises with the help of God. For prayer request, please feel free to contact us at www.myiccglobal.org/contact To give please click www.myiccglobal.org/give Cash App $iccglobal Venmo App @iccglobal Subscribe to our weekly podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-christian-church/id1076335656 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mKKhWqCqr7rkXsdsqpgRx?si=1f717cde8a5846c2 Live streaming Copyright License #20714391