The G.O.A.T. | Week 3

Matthew 5:31-37

Throughout this series, Pastor Josh has been leading us through Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, considered the best sermon of all time.  It’s considered such a powerful message due to the high standard that Jesus is calling people up to.  A standard that much exceeds that of the Levitical Law. 

This week we address relationships, specifically marriages and commitments.

Pastor Josh points out in 1 Corinthians 7:5 Paul’s call to being “devoted to prayer” and then coming together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (putting out the vibe), but he also talked about how we often may fail in the prayer part of this.

• Why is it so difficult to pray at this point of a strained relationship?  What would prayers of devotion to the relationship sound like?

Deuteronomy 24:1

 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house…

Matthew 5:31

³¹ “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’^[a] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

In the Old Testament we see God divorces Israel.

Jerimiah 3:8-10. ⁸ I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. ⁹ Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. ¹⁰ In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the Lord.

• In Matthew 5:31 we see Jesus specifying adulty as “sexual immorality”, but in Jerimiah 3:8-10, we see God viewing adultery as idolatry.  Could they be one in the same?  Why or why not.

In our Sermon Series “Lost Cause”, both Pastor Josh and Pastor Michael talked about our “one”.  The one person God has placed on our heart to pray for.

• If God is in the business of restoring relationships with His children and bringing them back to covenant faithfulness, is there a relationship God may want you to step in to restoring?  If so, what is a good way to start?  (This isn’t just for marriages.  This could be a friendship, family or work relationships, etc.)

We as image bearers carry a lot of weight and power.  Pastor Lisa brought up how our tongues have the power of life and death.  (Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.)

In Ephesians 4:29 the apostle Paul states ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

• How might the way we speak, specifically in closer relationships, if we practiced Ephesians 4:29?

Leaders:

• Bonus question:  If Adam was called the “first” Adam, why is Jesus called the “second” Adam, and how does that apply to this message of relationships and what God wanted from us from the beginning?

Bonus nuggets…(God is a God of covenant relationships.  After Adam and Eve neglected their faithfulness to God, covenant opportunities were given throughout the Old Testament.  Starting with Noah, and continuing to Abraham, Moses, David, and coming to completion with the New Covenant held faithful by Jesus. “second Adam”)

*Final thought to consider…Could it be that this is the standard God had created for us from the beginning?

The GOAT Week 1 DG

“The Sermon on the Mount”

Things to know before Jesus’ message to the crowd:

• Sermons used to be for the religious elite in the synagogue, however, the religious elite are not being addressed in the Sermon on the Mount. He is addressing the common person.
• It’s not meant to be an aspiration to be all categories that Jesus mentions. It’s more about “if you find yourself” in the midst of one of these conditions, then God is closer to you than you think.

(vv 3&4) Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (“Poor” can be inadequacy, hardship, poverty, etc. Most of the crowd lived in a state of poverty and they could identify with that.)

How were these words of Jesus a comfort to the people who were in mourning or “poor” in spirit?

***For Leaders – It was easy to feel in the first century that if I am feeling inadequate, going through hardship & poverty that God has distanced himself from me. Jesus is telling them that is not true and they are truly blessed for God is closer than they think. Jesus is leaning into Isa 61:1-2. “…too comfort all who mourn…” Jesus is saying he is the messianic fulfillment of this text and he is the one who can unlock comfort in your life.

(v 5) Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. (“Meekness” can be a state of powerlessness or inability to forward one’s own cause.)

How were the words of Jesus a comfort to those who felt they had no control over their lives?

***For Leaders – Jesus was speaking to an “occupied” people who were heavily taxed by Rome. Religious leaders were not always compassionate to the occupied people that they were leading. Power was usually about possession and position and the common person had neither. Jesus was telling them in his kingdom you end up receiving everything. You get the whole earth! This was in stark contrast to the current earthly kingdom that gives them nothing.

(v 6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Speaking in terms of Pastor Josh’s example of seeing his daughter get hit by a car. His response came from a deep hunger from within to pray a faith-filled prayer for his daughter in that moment. Have you had a moment in your life when your response was a faith-filled prayer when you faced a tremendous physical need? Share with the group.

(vv 7-9) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

How do we sound like the first century Jews sometimes in our approach to God?

***For Leaders – There was a religious elite back then and these verse put the people on equal footing with them. While they common people may not have shared the same responsibilities as the religious leaders, they were able to bring traits that Jesus explained is honoring to God and are hallmarks of His kingdom. Mercy, being pure in heart and a peacemaker were just a few. Jesus was saying that these are attributes that you could bring to the kingdom…and it’s enough.