City Group Guides: The Kingdom Week 1: “The Beautitudes”
1. Setting the Kingdom Vision (10 min)
Before we begin, let’s talk about the aim of this series.
We want to become a Community shaped by the presence and power of the Kingdom—a people whose rhythms of prayer and practice allow the Spirit to cultivate the slow-growing, sweet fruit of intimacy with God.
This series will guide us through the patterns of prayer and formation that help us become Kingdom people, not just talk about the Kingdom. Through these Guides, we’ll practice:
Silent Prayer — learning to rest in the Father’s presence
Incarnational Prayer — learning to live the prayer we pray
Daily Rhythms of Prayer — structuring our days around God’s presence
Before tonight’s guide, let’s start by reflecting together.
Discussion:
When you hear the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven,” what comes to mind?
How have you experienced God shaping your heart through prayer?
What do you hope to see grow in our community as we practice prayer together?
2. Guide Overview: The Way of the Kingdom (2 min)
Matthew 5 begins with Jesus announcing the Kingdom—not to kings or scholars, but to the poor, the meek, the mourners, and the merciful.
It’s a portrait of what happens when ordinary people open themselves to the reign of God. Prayer, then, isn’t just a private spiritual act—it’s how we align ourselves with the values of the Kingdom.
To pray is to say, “Let Your Kingdom come in me, and through me, to the world.”
Tonight, we’ll focus on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–10) and how prayer forms these Kingdom attitudes within us.
3. Kingdom Practice: The Beatitude Prayer (30 min)
We’re going to spend time in reflective prayer through the Beatitudes. Instead of listening for words for others, we’ll listen for what the Spirit wants to form within us.
Step 1: Read the Beatitudes Slowly
(Read Matthew 5:3–10 aloud together.)
As you listen, notice which phrase stands out or stirs something in you.
Step 2: Reflect
Take two minutes of silence and ask the Holy Spirit:
“Where do You want to grow this Kingdom attitude in me?”
“What part of my life resists this?”
Step 3: Share and Pray Together
Invite group members to share which Beatitude caught their attention and why.
As each person shares, the group can pray a short blessing:
“Father, let Your Kingdom come in [name] through humility, mercy, and peace.”
Step 4: Live the Kingdom
After prayer, talk about practical ways these Beatitudes can shape the week:
How can we show mercy where it’s costly?
What might it look like to hunger and thirst for righteousness at work or home?
Where can we be peacemakers—in relationships, community, or inner life?
(Leader note: Keep the tone gentle and spacious. This isn’t about fixing behavior but forming hearts in Kingdom character.)
4. Reflection: Living as Kingdom People (5 min)
Close by reading Matthew 5:14–16:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Discuss briefly:
How might prayer make us a brighter “city on a hill”?
What might it look like for our community to embody the Beatitudes publicly?
Remind everyone: Jesus didn’t start His ministry by giving people tasks—He gave them a vision of who they could become. Every time we pray, we step further into that vision.
5. Exercise for the Week Ahead (3 min)
This week, practice Silent Prayer around one Beatitude.
Choose one (e.g., “Blessed are the merciful”) and sit with it for a few minutes each day. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you:
What does this look like in my life right now?
How is God inviting me to live it out?
Let that word shape your interactions, decisions, and inner world. When we let the Beatitudes take root, we become living expressions of the Kingdom.