Jesus Challenge:
If we are truly living as Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount we will be a powerful witness into our community. Think about how you can be a witness at work, in your family, at a sporting event etc. How can you help one another to be a witness to the non-Christians in these various aspects of your life? Make a list of things that you could do to help one another and seek to put them into action this week.
Read: Matthew 5:17-48
So many Christians today place a very low value on God's law. At best those who think little of God's law might ignore it in the hope that it will just go away. At worst they actively teach that Christians should totally disregard it. Jesus doesn't leave room for either of these positions about the law. In fact, Jesus has a very high view of the law. Verse 17 says "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Jesus goes on in this section to describe a way of life for His followers which does not lessen the requirements of the law, but increase them.
Followers of Jesus are to live totally differently from the world around them, in a way which is far more radical than the law was for the Jews. Rather than just not murder, followers of Jesus are not to be angry with one another. Rather than just not commit adultery, Jesus' followers are not even to lust after another man's wife. The list goes on: followers of Jesus are to treat marriage with the utmost respect, followers of Jesus are to keep their word, to respond to attack with generosity and to not only love one another, but love each other.
Notice something about all of these commands Jesus gives. Jesus is moving from external action to real heart change. Of course Jesus doesn't want His people to murder, but He really wants real heart change which will result in them not even being angry at each other. Rather than take revenge Jesus wants His followers to respond with kindness and grace from the heart. Those who follow Jesus are to be different from the world even in their hearts.
Take a moment to read over Jesus commands and to think about your own heart. Do you get angry with other believers? Do you lust after women or men who aren't your spouse? Do you value marriage? Do you keep your word? Do you respond with generosity and grace in the face of attack? Do you even love your enemies? Pray that God would reveal to you where you fall short of His standard. Confess those things to Him and pray that He would continue to change your heart to be more like Him.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the believers in Nigeria who face terrible and harsh persecution by the government. Praise God for the bore hole which was able to be built for a Christian community there. Pray that God would give them courage and boldness to preach the word of God and that they would be encouraged and strengthened in their faith.
¥ Pray for the youth at your church. Pray that God would grow them in their passion and their love for Him and that they would seek to live their lives for Him. Pray that God would increase the youth in your church and that the congregation would be able to reach many young people with the love of Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Look again at how Jesus' followers are to live in Matthew 5:21-48. Which of these commands do you find the most challenging to keep?
2. How can you encourage and help one another to live according to Christ's teaching in these areas?
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