Simply Jesus The Life and Ministry of God s Son Lesson 5 Introduction By now, Jesus had throngs following Him, people seeking Him wherever He traveled, hoping for a word or a personal touch or a miracle to make a difference in their lives. Also among the masses were individuals who were students of the law seeking to find and understand the truth. The time had now come for Jesus to selectively single out twelve men who would be His disciples His apostles. The word disciple means student, or one who is taught by another. The word apostle refers to sent ones those who are divinely sent on a specific mission. The events recorded in Matthew 10 and Luke 6 present a detailed account of the calling and commissioning of the twelve who would be empowered and equipped with divine authority to deliver Jesus message on His behalf. The Gospels frequently show Jesus praying to the Father, particularly before significant events in His ministry. Luke s account (6:12 13), specifically mentions that on one occasion Jesus continued all night in prayer, underscoring the importance of what was about to transpire. Matthew 10:2 4, records for us in familiar order the names of the twelve apostles: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. These He called apart, assembling them on a mountainside, and began to teach them the meaning of sacrificing all to follow Jesus into the kingdom of life! We begin this lesson with an up close look at the Sermon on the Mount Part Two. It is impossible to plumb the depths of this message in its entirety; instead we will examine a few of the more prominent highlights. In it, Jesus expounds on the virtues of the law and man s inability and futility in attempting to live by its standards on his own merit. Jesus purpose in teaching it is to leave sinners with the realization that they are dependent solely on God s grace for salvation. Matthew 7 closes the Sermon on the Mount with a practical application: there are two gates, two ways, two possible destinations, and two groups of people (vv. 13 14). There are also two kinds of trees and two kinds of fruit; two types of builders on two different foundations (vv. 24 28). Jesus spells it out clearly and the choice is ours: one way leads to eternal destruction and one way leads to eternal life! 1
Did you know Mark was a co-worker of the Apostle Paul (in the Book of Acts) and a close companion of Peter. Their relationship is evident from Peter s description of him as Mark my son (1 Peter 5:13). Both men knew the lessons that come from failure, Peter learning them from following Jesus. It was Peter s influence on a young Mark that was instrumental in helping him learn from the difficulties of his youth and in preparing him for the challenges that would face him in the ministry to which God had called him as an adult. Mark wrote his Gospel account in Rome to connect with the Roman Christians in the city. Today s modern reader would conclude that Mark cuts to the chase, beginning with Jesus as an adult who is ready to begin His ministry. He portrays brief, quick events that often emphasize a theme of authority that Jesus was both under authority and in authority. Mark uses this theme effectively to illustrate Jesus power over the circumstances and difficulties people face in life. He portrays Jesus less as a storyteller and more of an activist to allow his audience insight into the person of Jesus and the power of the Gospel message. Open your Bible and lesson each day by beginning with a word of prayer. Up Close ~ The chart below represents a reader s guide to the contents of this week s lesson. The topical teachings and/or events covered are followed by the primary scriptural text as well as the supportive parallel passages. You will be able to receive and grasp a well-rounded picture of the story narrative in the Gospel harmony by reading every passage. However, using the bolded text as your point of reference (your anchor text) will allow you to determine the facts, lessons, and personal applications necessary to formulate your own conclusions. For this week s lesson, read the Sermon on the Mount in its entirety: Matthew 5-6-7. Teaching / Event Scripture Text Parallel Passages Sermon on the Mount: Matt. 5:21 24, Luke 6:27 36, 37 42 Selected topics 31 32, 43 48 Matthew 6:5 15, 19 21, 25 34 Matthew 7:1 6, 12 14, 15 20 *Note: For ease of reference this week the selected verses from the Sermon on the Mount are incorporated into your lesson. 2
First Impressions: Group Discussion Reflect for a moment on the passages you have just read. Respond by recording your first impressions from your initial reading of the text. Be prepared to share one of your impressions with your discussion group. Heartbeat: (Memory Verse) This week choose your own verse from the Sermon on the Mount. (Write out the verse in the spaces below. Practice it each time you open your lesson.) 3
Matthew 5, 6 and 7 NKJV Sermon on the Mount: Selected Topics Matthew 5: 21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca! shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, You fool! shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 31 Furthermore it has been said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. 43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 6: 5 And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Hm. 9 In this manner, therefore pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 4
19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 7: 1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck from your eye, and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother s eye. 6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the prophets. 13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Scripture from the New King James Bible, 1980 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.) 5
Part One: Matthew 5:21 24 Jesus refers in these verses to anger that is without a righteous cause. In speaking of righteous anger, the Bible states that it always has the glory of God as its focus. It is never personal or selfish. For example, anger because God s name is being blasphemed is righteous anger. But the moment that anger becomes self-motivated for personal purposes, it is no longer righteous. When left unguarded and unchecked, anger always inflames other passions that can lead all the way to murder. 1. What is the lesson in verses 21 24 regarding anger toward others? a. What if someone is angry with you? What are you instructed to do? Why? b. Anger that is allowed to remain in the heart can lead to hatred and bitterness. Think about some of the long term effects that can result and note them below. Matthew 5:31 32 God s heart on the matter of marriage is that it consists of one man one woman one flesh. It amounts to a holy covenant that is honored in God s eyes. The religious leaders of Jesus day asked why Moses commanded that a certificate of divorce be issued? Jesus responded that it was due to the hardness of their hearts that Moses conceded, but divorce was never God s will. Jesus taught that it was not a matter of paperwork but rather a matter of the heart. 2. What was the only stipulation allowable for divorce? Please know that adultery and divorce are both forgivable sins, and God loves giving out mercy when there is genuine repentance. Don t allow the world to squeeze you into its way of thinking turn to God and let Him help you work things through. Matthew 5:43 48 The religious leaders had twisted and perverted God s law to fit their own agenda. Jesus began to set the record straight by teaching what God s Word intended to accomplish in people s hearts. 3. Record the lesson in these verses, considering the ultimate effect God wanted to achieve in your heart. His desired will is to bring you to the end of yourself and the beginning of dependence upon Him. 6
Part Two: Matthew 6:5 15 So often our prayers fall just short of heaven s door because our understanding of prayer s purpose is wrong. God isn t moved by public piety from those who try to flaunt their spirituality. Man may look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. The type of prayer God longs for is that which focuses on Him and His will. 1. How does Jesus say we are not to pray? a. Jesus gave this model of prayer to the disciples after they had watched Him pray. Their initial request was, Lord, teach us to pray. He responded with the model that has become known simply as the Lord s prayer. List the elements in vv. 9 13. b. What do you perceive in these verses about the relationship between God the Father and you, His child? Matthew 6:19 21 In the context of these few verses, Jesus gives an important illustration of how our relationship with Him should affect the way we live. The word treasure here speaks of that which is valuable to you. 2. What reason does Jesus give for not laying up treasure on earth? a. What is the lesson for those who will lay up (invest) their treasure in heaven? b. There is nothing wrong with having riches as long as your riches don t have you! Why do you think this is? Matthew 6:25 34 Within these 10 verses, Jesus emphasizes the essentials of life that we cannot do without: eating, drinking, and clothing. The essence of the lesson here is summed up in four little words: Therefore do not worry. Why? Because worry and worship cannot occupy the human heart at the same time; they cannot co-exist, one will automatically exclude the other. God knows what you need even before you ask Him! 3. Worry is a matter stemming from the anxiety of the mind due to a lack of peace and contentment what you think you need, what you think you should have, or what you 7
wish you could have. How does Jesus refer to His worried followers? What does He say will help to build your faith so you don t worry? Part Three: Matthew 7:1 6 In these few verses, using a stern warning, Jesus would have His followers consider how to view the people around them. 1. Since we too easily judge others without having all the facts, what standard of measurement is mentioned? a. We are warned about judging someone else s motives to make ourselves feel better. This is a snare because we often have a poor view of everyone else and a distorted view of ourselves. We may even tend to think our sins look better alongside the sins of others. What do we have to do before we can help anyone else? The dogs and swine Jesus refers to were not pets, rather dirty and dangerous animals to be avoided. The point is if there comes a time when you are sharing the Lord with someone who repeatedly responds with disrespect, you then need to make a judgment call whether to continue to reach out or to wait for another time. God will help you make that decision. Matthew 7:12 14 2. Verse 12 is a lesson in how to treat others. Christians often refer to it as the Golden Rule. Put this verse in your own words. Toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus seems to ask, What path will you choose? Which gate will you walk through? In His sovereignty, God always allows people to make their own choices. Here Jesus speaks about a simple choice: there is only one way to heaven and it comes by way of Him. Will you choose it? a. What does Jesus say about the wide gate? b. What about the narrow gate? Matthew 7:15 20 Jesus closes the last portion of the Sermon on the Mount with a strong word of warning to beware of anyone who points to a path or gate other than the one leading to Him. The word beware is specific, meaning to be on guard or put up a fence because harm is very close. It 8
is a reference to false prophets that invade the church with the intention of leading some members of the flock astray. 3. How will these individuals disguise themselves? What are they really? a. How will you be able to recognize them? What is the best way to avoid them? Take a closer look: Salt and Light As a Christian, each day of your life will be one of influence that will result in you either drawing people closer to God or pushing further away those would potentially believe in Him. It is a sobering responsibility to realize who it is we represent. It is a role we must not only accept but embrace. Ultimately, we are accountable to God for the way we handle the opportunities to make Him known. Our words and our behavior definitely make a difference! Tucked into the instruction of the Sermon on the Mount are some wonderful verses that illustrate what our role is in the world. The first is found in Matthew 5:13, You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Salt is everywhere but most of us take ordinary salt for granted. Not so the people of Jesus day; for them it was considered a valuable commodity. In fact, it was the most important thing you could have when it came to preserving food. Its use slowed down the spoiling or rotting of food. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt rather than gold. This is where the phrase, She s worth her weight in salt comes from. Interestingly, the root word in the Greek for salary is salt! 1. Your life and your influence are salt in today s world. God wants to use you to tell the world about Christ. Have you ever walked into a room and noticed how your presence changed the conversation? Think about what kind of a preserving influence you are having in your part of the world. Please share your thoughts. In addition to being a preservative, salt also produces flavor and promotes thirst. Imagine eating such foods as eggs, vegetables, or salsa without salt. Most of us would rather pick up a salt shaker and use it liberally on certain foods. They just taste better when it s added. Logically, if God has transformed your life, the effect of His Word working in you brings out the goodness in you. Salt makes life a little more enjoyable and it produces a thirst in others to know Him. Lastly, salt is also a healing agent. It is an ouch factor that brings with it the sting of conviction, which may hurt initially for a time but not forever. The truth may sting at first but when once it is yielded to, it is followed by the healing of repentance. 9
2. Look up Colossians 4:6; what did the Apostle Paul say about salt and its result? Jesus said, If the salt loses its flavor, what good is it? If the people around you aren t affected by your godly influence or attracted to the Lord because of the evidence of His goodness in your life, then something is wrong. If people don t long to taste what you have, maybe it s time to ask God why? Because when you make Jesus known, people listen up and take notice and lives are changed! That leads to the other verses in Matthew 5 where Jesus again talks about the believer s influence (14 16). You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. How brightly is your light shining? Jesus told Nicodemus, Men love the darkness more than the light. Sometimes people don t want to hear the good news you share with them, but the Gospel is only good news if people first hear the bad news that they are a sinner in need of a Savior. 3. Are you making it easier for others to find their way to the Light by drawing them to Jesus? If not, why not? What s stopping you? The purpose of light is to expose sin and provide direction to God. If you re a believer who s never let your light shine, it doesn t help anyone else who is still in darkness. Your prayer needs to be, Lord, use me as salt and light to glorify You! 10
Behold & Be Transformed What did you see as you beheld God s Son? How does beholding (looking upon) Him, motivate you to change your thoughts, habit, attitude, speech or actions? Pause... What is the most significant lesson you have learned this week? Ponder... How will you put it into practice? Pray... Write out your prayer and be specific. 2012 Janis J. Vance, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. 11
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