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Matthew 5-7
Jesus’ Teaching
Purpose: Introduce the topic and get the group talking.
1. What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever received? If you applied it, how did it shape your life?
Purpose: Observe the passage and interact with the text.
2. Break into three smaller groups and assign each group one chapter to read. Have each group answer the three questions listed below. Then, bring the whole group together and have each group share their observations and insights from their chapter.
• What are the main themes in your chapter?
• What is one thing that was new to you (or new to the group)?
• How do these verses help you understand what it looks like to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom?
Purpose: Connect observations in God’s Word with observations in our world today.
3. What kind of “kingdoms” do people live for today? (e.g., their own life, their job, their political party, their nation, their family, etc.) What is the end result of living for those “kingdoms”?
4. Can you think of someone who lives the kind of life that Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount? What do you notice most about their way of living? What could be the end result or lasting impact of their life?
Purpose: Internalize God’s Word and apply the truth to your personal life.
5. Which of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount hit home and challenge you the most?
6. When Jesus’ teachings seem “impossible” for you to live out and obey, how do you normally respond? (e.g., give up, try harder, seek support from other believers, pray asking for the Spirit’s help, etc.)
Purpose: Spend time listening for God’s direction and guidance as you seek to live out the truths of this passage in your everyday life.
7. Where are you tempted to disregard or ignore the teachings of Jesus? What is the danger of doing that? How have you experienced the consequences of living that way?
8. Spend time praying together. Ask God to reveal one area where He wants you to be obedient and faithful.
9. Share together about what God just revealed to you. Then, spend more praying for one another.
Purpose: Introduce the topic and get the group talking.
1. What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever received? If you applied it, how did it shape your life?
This question is designed to be light and fun in preparing your group to move to a study and discussion of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, the focus of this week’s passage.
Purpose: Observe the passage and interact with the text.
This week, we look at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. This is one of Jesus’ greatest and longest sermons. It is His manifesto on what it looks like to live as a citizen of God’s Kingdom. Since this is such a large section of Scripture, we’re suggesting the following:
2. Break into three smaller groups and assign each group one chapter to read. Have each group answer the three questions listed below. Then, bring the whole group together and have each group share their observations and insights from their chapter.
• What are the main themes in your chapter?
• What is one thing that was new to you (or new to the group)?
• How do these verses help you understand what it looks like to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom?
Ask the smaller groups to spend about 15 minutes in answering the questions. There will be a variety of responses but much of what the Sermon on the Mount teaches is about living as disciples of Jesus in this world. If the group is struggling to identify answers, encourage them to think about these passages in terms of living in God’s Kingdom versus living in the kingdom of the world/current culture.
Purpose: Connect observations in God’s Word with observations in our world today.
3. What kind of “kingdoms” do people live for today? (e.g., their own life, their job, their political party, their nation, their family, etc.) What is the end result of living for those “kingdoms”?
4. Can you think of someone who lives the kind of life that Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount? What do you notice most about their way of living? What could be the end result or lasting impact of their life?
For question 3, encourage the group to stay focused on those outside of their own families or close circle of friends. This isn’t a time to gossip or throw people under the bus. Rather, this question helps us see the opposite worldview from what Jesus is talking about in His sermon. We will look at the outside world and observe what we see when people live according to other kingdoms and kings.
Both questions 3 and 4 ask about “the end result” of living a certain kind of life. Use this prompt to compare/contrast people’s lives that are focused on God’s Kingdom versus living for “lesser” kingdoms. As you get to question 4, it will be helpful to offer some examples of people you know who exemplify the values of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5-7.
Purpose: Internalize God’s Word and apply the truth to your personal life.
5. Which of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount hit home and challenge you the most?
Encourage the group to be open about what they find most challenging about Jesus’ words. Everyone struggles with Jesus’ teaching and it will be helpful for group members to share their personal experiences with each other.
6. When Jesus’ teachings seem “impossible” for you to live out and obey, how do you normally respond? (e.g., give up, try harder, seek support from other believers, pray asking for the Spirit’s help, etc.)
There is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The group will have an opportunity to really talk about putting their faith into practice. Find ways to encourage every member to share and help each other learn how to pursue Jesus together. A large part of this question comes down to faith, choosing to follow and obey Him even when it seems hard. The teachings of Jesus always confront our issues of pride and our desires to be the rulers of our own lives. It takes humility and submission to His Lordship. Ultimately we need the empowerment of the Spirit to help us follow Jesus.
Purpose: Spend time listening for God’s direction and guidance as you seek to live out the truths of this passage in your everyday life.
7. Where are you tempted to disregard or ignore the teachings of Jesus? What is the danger of doing that? How have you experienced the consequences of living that way?
8. Spend time praying together. Ask God to reveal one area where He wants you to be obedient and faithful.
9. Share together about what God just revealed to you. Then, spend more praying for one another.
For question 8, make sure to give a few minutes for people to listen to God. We’d encourage you to play a song or find a way to set a quiet atmosphere for prayer. Then, ask people to share what they sensed God was saying to them. For some, they won’t be ready to share - and that’s ok! Don’t pressure anyone to share. To close, spend some time praying for each other in light of the specific situations that were shared. Spend some time asking God how to pray, and then offer what you sensed Him leading you to pray.
