Sunday, April 16th, 2017
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is set early in the Ministry of Jesus as it picks up after he has been baptized by John the Baptist in chapter 3 of and gathered his first disciples in chapter 4. It is the longest piece of teaching from Jesus in the New Testament, and occupies chapters 5, 6 and 7 of the Gospel of Matthew. Here we see Jesus teach on the fundamental elements of His ethics and His kingdom. The Sermon has been one of the most widely read and quoted elements of the of any of the 4 gospel accounts.
Our hope and prayer this Lent season is that through the study and meditation of this text our hearts together would be refreshed and transformed by the Spirit of God as we join with Him in the renewal of our city.
As you read and study together, make sure to work hard at hearing from everyone that has gathered together. Pray for one another and be accountable to applying the word of God to your lives.
General Questions:
- In the resurrection story of the gospels, Jesus first appears to women. Historically, women were not permitted to serve as witnesses in the Jewish framework. Why do you think God chose women as the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus? What does this infer about the way God works?
- What is the significance of the earthquakes occuring at the death and resurrection of Jesus? Is that an important detail in the story?
- Discuss the importance of the Resurrection and how it sets Christianity in motion
For Further Discussion:
- In Matthew 28:1-8, the word “fear” appears 4 times. Once in regards to the guards at the tomb and three times in reference to the women. What do you think the significance is? How often does fear and doubt plague our journey with God preventing us from obedience to His call?
- How can we know the Resurrection happened historically?