June 22, 2025
Assigned Scripture
Luke 18:9-14
9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Matthew 5:3
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Group Response
Following the weekly gathering, you’re invited to respond to the service by engaging in group discussion.
Who are the most holy among us? It’s not always who we think it is and despite our intentions to become more holy, we have learned habits that move us in the opposite direction. What are those habits? And how do we unlearn them?
Discussion Questions
1. What is “poor on spirit?” How is it different from, say, low self-esteem or from a timid personality? Was Jesus poor in spirit when he cleansed the temple or called religious leaders “sons of hell?” Explain.
2. What is it about American culture today that makes “poor in spirit” so hard to practice?
3. What things might you need to learn or unlearn in order to live like the poor in spirit?
4. Think of someone you know who is poor in spirit. How does that person exemplify “the kingdom of heaven?” Where do you see traces of heaven in the way that they live?