Jesus Has Authority - Matthew 7:21-29
Questions for further reflection:
1) What is your foundation?
2) How is it proved that Jesus is authoritative?
3) Have you believed in God's will for you? How is that being shown in your life?
4) How are you hearing the words of Jesus and doing the works of Jesus?
Please give here.
The Christian Life Path - Matthew 7:12-20
Questions for further reflection:
1) Why is the way without Jesus easy and the way with Jesus hard?
2) How do verses 13-14 reveal a tension with sharing the gospel?
3) What good are you being encouraged to do for another?
4) How do you need to remain careful with what you take in?
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Ask, Seek, Knock - Matthew 7:7-11
Questions for further reflection:
1) Why might Jesus be teaching about prayer again?
2) What is encouraging about Jesus telling us to ask, seek, & knock?
3) Do you tend to see your relationship with God as transactional or see God as a genie?
4) What good gifts does the Father want to give us?
5) What in the Sermon on the Mount is God convicting you to be more prayerful about?
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Judge Not? - Matthew 7:1-6
Questions for further reflection:
1) How is judging different from being judgmental?
2) Why is a critical spirit so destructive?
3) What are some ways you can lean into self-evaluation vs. others-evaluation?
4) Why are we still responsible to help our fellow believers with a speck in their eye?
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Jesus and Anxiety - Matthew 6:25-34
Questions for further reflection:
1) What fears keep you up at night? What do you worry about most?
2) What words, phrases, or images in this passage do you find significant? How many times does Jesus say "therefore?"
3) When we worry, what does it reveal about the condition of our heart? What does Jesus say about the person who worries? (vs 30)
4) In what ways will tomorrow need to be different if you take Jesus' words to heart? What are specific things that might change in your life if you trusted God more and worried less?
Please give here.
Two-Timing God - Matthew 6:19-24
Questions for further reflection:
1) What makes it so easy to fall into serving money and laying up treasures on earth instead of heaven?
2) Which tendency do you see more people fall into--worry about money or over-consideration about material possessions?
3) What can we do practically to make God first in our families? Workplaces? Hobbies?
4) How can we create a culture of giving--of having "good eyes"--in our families and church?
Please give here.
We Need God - Matthew 6:7-18
Questions for further reflection:
1) What does it mean for you to come humbly to God?
2) How can you use the Lord's Prayer to guide your own prayer life?
3) Who do you need to forgive?
4) When can you fast and how will that help you hunger for more of God?
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Quiet Goodness - Matthew 6:1-8
Questions for further reflection:
1) How do you need to guard yourself from succumbing to what Jesus is warning?
2) What is the motivation for giving quietly?
3) Why might some fall into repetitive prayers?
4) What will help you better engage your heart and mind in prayer?
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In the Face of Evil - Matthew 5:38-48
Questions for further reflection:
1) How do you see evil around you? Is anything like what Jesus is talking about in this section?
2) What is most challenging for you in vv. 38-42? Why?
3) What are some ways you can love your enemies?
4) Why is it so necessary for you that Jesus exemplifies this love?
Please give here.
Yep & Nope - Matthew 5:31-37
Questions for further reflection:
1) What are some reasons it is hard to do what we say?
2) Why is it easier to run away rather than follow through?
3) In what ways are you challenged to be more truthful?
4) How does the truth of the gospel help you to do what you say?
Please give here.
Two Vices - Matthew 5:21-30
Questions for further reflection:
1) What does your heart show?
2) What are triggers for anger and lust for you?
3) What practical ways can you put up guards in your life so you are less tempted with anger and lust?
4) How does Jesus satisfy you?
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Jesus and the Law - Matthew 5:17-20
Questions for further reflection:
1) What are some implications for you that Jesus didn’t abolish the Old Testament?
2) How are you great in the kingdom of heaven?
3) Why is v. 20 so surprising?
4) Do you tend to gravitate more toward license or legalism? Why?
5) What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the Law and why is that so important for you?
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Salt and Light - Matthew 5:13-16
Questions for further reflection:
1) Where has God put you to help preserve the “earth”?
2) How can you make people thirsty for God?
3) Where can you bring good deeds and gospel words to?
4) What is the ultimate point of all of this? How does that happen?
Please give here.
Beautitudes, pt 2 - Matthew 5:7-12
Questions for further reflection:
1) When have you received mercy? Why is mercy hard to extend?
2) What does it mean to be pure in heart?
3) Where do you need to be a peacemaker?
4) Why will persecution come?
Please give here.
Beautitudes, pt 1 - Matthew 5:1-6
Questions for further reflection:
1) Why is knowing and admitting you are poor in spirit so essential?
2) What sin are your mourning over?
3) What is so difficult about being meek?
4) What are you really hungering and thirsting after?
Please give here.