We are called to live as people of influence in the world, by nature of our relationship with Jesus we are salt and we are light but we must live as so. As we love Edinburgh, how can we be people who live out of the influence that Jesus speaks of here?

Introduction to the series. Jesus is laying out a whole new Kingdom, a whole new rule. In the Kingdom of God, all those who would’ve been counted out are counted in (the poor, the sad, the powerless etc) and as we follow Jesus we are called to live radically different lives (mercifully, in purity, as peacemakers etc). The Beatitudes are subversive and revolutionary as much today as they were then. God is doing a number on our character, this opener from Jesus should excite and motivate us as much as it challenges and provokes.