The Sermon on the Mount – Rules to Live By
Categories: Gospel of Matthew The Beatitudes
The "Be Attitudes" are all about being honest and sincere. These "attitudes" change our character (Beatitudes 1-4) and guide us in getting along with others (Beatitudes 5-8). Beatitudes are the stepping stones to better thinking, better behaving, better healing, and better relationships.
Review
- Who taught them? [JESUS]
- What are beatitudes? [Rules of happiness]
- When were they taught? [1st century AD—about 2000 years ago, but still applicable today]
- Where would you find the Beatitudes? [Matt 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-26]
- Why are they important? [They summarize Jesus' teachings, represented by how he lived and how he healed sin, disease, and death.]
- How are the Beatitudes constructed? [Each has a REQUIREMENT to be met in order to receive the REWARD]
Teaching Each Beatitude
Six commands (some you may not want to discuss in SS depending on the age of your group)
- Words on murder/anger Matt 5:21-26
- Why should we hold anger in check?
- How do we begin to keep our tempers from boiling over?
- What did Jesus ask people to do? [go to the altar and forgive]
- How important is forgiveness to heal anger?
- Forgiveness requires us to do more than give lip-service to "I'm sorry," it is a change of heart.
- How often do we say, "Sorry," and not really mean it?
- In that day, if you threatened to kill someone you could be arrested because your words were the same as deeds.
- How would that work today?
- Would you watch what you said more if you knew you could be arrested for just saying it?
- Words on adultery/lust Matt 5:27-30
- Look at the words and deeds. Jesus said to even think the sin is the same as committing it.
- Could you get arrested for what you're thinking?
- Who might arrest your thinking? Who knows your thoughts?
- Words on divorce Matt 5:31-32
- On the taking of oaths/truthfulness of every word Matt 5:33-37
- What does Jesus mean by letting all our conversations be yea, yea or nay, nay?
- What would that sound like?
- How important is it to know what to say "Yes" to and what to say "No" to?
- Loving one's enemies Matt 5:43-48
- How easy is it to love your enemies?
- Do you have any enemies?
- Why might it be difficult to love them?
- What's our reward for loving our enemies?
- Does God love you and your enemies?
- How do you know that He does? [Matt 5:45]
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