Key Thought: The sermon on the mount gives us the basic principles that govern God’s kingdom and a guide to our mindset and actions.

The Sermon on the Mount April 9 – 15, 2016

1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 5:11-16.

Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com

a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. Why does Jesus use salt and light to describe how we ought to live our lives?
c. Personal Application : How do we internalize the beatitudes into our lives that bring happiness and fulfillment? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “Are we supposed to rejoice and be glad when people persecute us? We should not be glad to be persecuted. Shouldn’t we pray and act not to be persecuted?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Matthew 5:20.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. What does Jesus mean by stating that we can’t enter heaven without a high standard of righteousness?
c. Personal Application : Do you feel more like you have victory over sin, or more like sin has victory over you? Is either the right attitude to have? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your friends states, “How can anyone enter the kingdom if we have to be more righteous than the religious leaders of Jesus’ day?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

3. Have a volunteer read Matthew 5:48.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What is perfection? How can Jesus tell us to be perfect like God?
c. Personal Application: How do we strive for perfection? How do we gain victory over sin? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your neighbors states, “I think perfection is more of an inward change from selfishness to selflessness more than actions or words or works that people may do as the “right thing”. Isn’t loving others from a pure heart perfection? But how do we keep that on a daily basis?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read James 2:10,11.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. The Ten Commandments are a wall of protection around us. One broken link opens a hole and the house is spoiled and the wall crumbles. What is our role in keeping that wall solid and strong and unbroken?
c. Personal Application: Can a person be a Sabbath-keeper and yet not be keeping the law? Do we focus so much on Sabbath-keeping that we forget the spiritual nature of the other nine at times? Or does focusing on the Sabbath help us understand and keep the other nine? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148). MH p. 149.

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