paraMOUNT Sermon Guide

paraMOUNT: Jesus, Our Great Physician Sermon Series Discussion Guide

Download the sermon guide to print here.

In this powerful sermon, Carl Gulley teaches from the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He challenges us to view these teachings not as burdensome commands but as invitations to experience God’s kingdom here and now.  The message illustrates how God’s blessings can reach even those who feel unblessed or unblessable — reminding us that the kingdom of heaven is accessible to all who submit to Christ’s loving rule.

This sermon emphasizes:

• The Beatitudes are not commands but vision statements of life in God’s kingdom.
• Jesus’ audience included the sick, afflicted and those in great need.
• Being “poor in spirit” means recognizing our spiritual bankruptcy and helplessness.
• God’s kingdom is accessible to all who submit to Christ, even those who feel unblessed.
• The Beatitudes offer a guided tour of how to access God’s presence in challenging circumstances.
• Our relief comes from seeking Jesus and His kingdom, not from seeking relief itself.
• God offers personalized blessings to comfort and guide us in our specific situations.

Key Scriptures:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:3 (NASB1995)

“When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying — quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard” Matthew 7:28-29 (MSG)

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him” Matthew 5:1 (NASB1995)

Table Questions:

These are questions based on the scripture and sermon to help you put the teaching into practice. They can be used in discipleship, Lifegroup, as a family or with whoever is around your table this summer:

1. How have you typically understood the Beatitudes in the past? Did the sermon challenge or change your perspective?
2. Can you relate to feeling “unblessed” or “unblessable” in any area of your life? How does Jesus’ message speak to that feeling?
3. Carl mentioned that the audience for the Sermon on the Mount included many who were sick afflicted or in great need. How does this context impact your understanding of Jesus’ words?
4. What does it mean to you to be “poor in spirit”? How have you experienced this in your own life?
5. How can we practice accessing God’s kingdom in the midst of challenging circumstances?
6. Carl emphasized that our relief comes from seeking Jesus and His kingdom rather than seeking relief itself. What might this look like in practical terms?
7. How does the story of CJ Gomez illustrate the transformative power of God’s kingdom? Can you think of similar examples from your own life or the lives of others?
8. Which of the Beatitudes resonates most strongly with you right now? Why?
9. How can we support and encourage one another to live in the reality of God’s kingdom blessings even when our circumstances feel unblessed?
10. What’s one specific way you can practice living out the truths of the Beatitudes this week?