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The Story of the World (and Us) Part 4b: The Sermon on the Mount

What did Jesus say?

A. Luke 4:14-21 (p. 1093 NIrV)

The prophet Isaiah was looking forward to the coming of someone special (see Part 3b or p. 739 NIrV).

a. Who would be “on” that person?

b. What would be the Spirit of the Lord help this person do?

c. What is “the year when he will set his people free” mean? —vs. 19

After Jesus read about that special person, what does he say (vs. 21)?

What does he mean by that?

B. Matthew 5-7 (p. 1032 NIrV)

Matthew 5:1-16 Jesus tells us who are blessed, how to become blessed. Recall that all the nations were to be blessed through Abraham (see Part 3a).

a. What does the word “blessed” mean? How is it different from “happy?”

b. Who are blessed according to Jesus? —vs.3-11

c. Would our cultures call these types of people blessed?

d. What does “salt of the earth” mean? —vs. 13

e. How can a group of people be the salt of the earth?

f. What does being “the light of the world” mean?

g. How can we be the light of the world?

h. Is this the same as being a blessing to the nations as Abraham was called to be?

Matthew 5:21-26 Relationships between one another

a. Jesus reaffirms the “salty” commandment that we must not kill one another.

What “salt” does he add to that commandment?

b. Instead of killing one another, what “light” should we shine on our relationships with other people? —vs. 23-26

(Can we do that?)

Matthew 5:27-32 Relationships between husbands and wives

a. Jesus affirms the “salty” commandment against adultery.
- What “salt” does he add to that commandment?
- What does this mean for us as followers of Jesus?
b. Is Jesus serious about poking our eyes out?
What might he mean?

c. What does Jesus say about divorce? —vs. 31-32
Matthew 5:33-37 Honesty and oaths
a. How does Jesus want us to speak?

Matthew 5:38-48 Relationship with our enemies
a. What does “_Eye must be put out for an eye, and tooth knocked out for tooth_” mean?

b. What does Jesus say in contrast to that?
- Negatively —vs. 39: Do not _______________________
- Instead: —vs. 39-41
  
  1. ___________________________
  
  2. ___________________________
  
  3. ___________________________
Matthew 6 Spiritual activities necessary for living as followers of Jesus

a. What are “good works?” —Matthew 6:1

Why doesn’t Jesus want us to put them on display for everyone to see?

b. What does Jesus expect his followers to do in order to stay “salted” and to shine with the light of the world?

Three things:
1. Jesus says: When you ___________________. —6:2
  
  a. What relationship is looked at here?
  
  b. What should we not do when we give to others?
  
  c. Why not?
2. Jesus says: When you ___________. —6:5
  
  a. What relationship is looked at here?
  
  b. What should we not do when we talk with God?
  
  c. Why not?
  
  d. What we should include in our prayers?
  - How is God addressed? —6:9
    
    What does that mean?
  - What three things are asked of God? —6:9-10
    
    1. ____________________________
    
    2. ____________________________
    
    3. ____________________________
  - What three things should we ask for ourselves? —6:11-13
    
    1. ________________________________
    
    2. ________________________________
    
    3. _________________________________
3. Jesus says: When you _________ —vs. 16
  
  a. What does fasting mean?
  
  b. Why do people fast?
  
  c. What relationship is looked at here?
  
  d. What should we not do when we fast?
  
  e. Why not?
Matthew 6:19—7:27 Attitudes and behaviors expected from Jesus’ followers:
a. Matthew 6:19-24
1. What are “riches in heaven?”
2. Is Jesus correct in saying “Your heart will be where your riches are?”
3. What does Jesus mean by our having good and bad eyes?
4. Is Jesus correct when he says: “You cannot serve God and money at the same time?
b. Matthew 6:25-34
1. Jesus sees that we are worried about what things?
2. Should we be worried about them?
3. Why not? —vs. 32
4. What should we be “worried” about? —vs. 33
5. What is Jesus concerned about here?
c. Matthew 7:1-6
1. What does Jesus mean by telling us not to judge other people?
2. What danger does Jesus see in our judging other people?
d. Matthew 7:7-12
1. How can we possible do all that Jesus tells us to do? —vs. 7
  
  a) ___________________________________________
  
  b) ____________________________________________
  
  c) ___________________________________________
2. What is Jesus’ promise when we do them?
  
  a) _____________________________
  
  b) _____________________________
  
  c) _____________________________
e. Matthew 7:13-27 The choice is ours
1. What does “enter God’s kingdom through the narrow gate” mean?
2. What do the “large gate” and the “wide road ” refer to?
3. What does Jesus warn us about in verses 15-20?
4. What does Jesus warn us about in verses 21-23?
5. How does Jesus picture our lives when we listen to what he has said and put his words into practice? —vs. 24-27
6. What does he mean by that?

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The Story of the World (and Us) Part 4b: The Sermon on the Mount

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