Sermon on the Mount Study guide 2023

 

A Personal Study Guide

“The Sermon on the Mount is the nearest thing to a manifesto that Jesus ever uttered, for it is His own description of what He wanted His followers to be and to do.”    -John Stott – Christian pastor and author

“We have too many men of science, too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.”    -General Omar M. Bradley, of the U.S. army

“The basis for the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount is not what works, but rather who God is.”      -Stanley Hauerwas – Professor and Theologian

"Most people are willing to take the Sermon on the Mount as a flag to sail under, but few will use it as a rudder by which to steer."    - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. - American physician, poet

“When your country and mine shall get together on the teachings laid down by Christ in this Sermon on the Mount, we shall have solved the problems not only of our countries but those of the whole world”   -Mohandas Ghandi – India’s leader of non-violent independence

Lesson 1: Matthew Chapter 5:1-16

What does it mean to be a “blessed” person?

How would you be able to tell if another person has led a “blessed life”?

Bible Study

Read Matthew 5:1-16

1. Make a list of all the “Blessed ones” in this passage. (Define any words that you might not know).

Blessed are . . . Definition For they . . . Grade

vs. 3

vs. 4

vs 5

vs 6

vs 7

vs 8

vs 9

2. Think about each “blessed” characteristic. Are they characteristics that you would expect to be called blessed?

3. What are the rewards of these blessed people? (again, define unknown words)

4. What do you think the “Kingdom of Heaven” is?

5. Why does Jesus call people with these characteristics “blessed”? (for help look at verse 12).

6. What is the affect on the world by these blessed ones? (see vs. 13-16)

7. Why does Jesus begin His sermon this way? What does he want his followers to be?

8. Go back to your list of “Blesseds” and give yourself a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) on each one. What is your GPA?

9. If you want to be blessed what should you do now?

For Personal Prayer Time as you go to bed tonight: How would you like your life to affect the people in your life?

Lesson 2: Matthew Chapter 5:17-48

Make a list of 10 rules that you think a religious person should obey or do. Try to come up with only 10.

Which rules do you personally obey? Which are the hardest?

Background

The Jewish people had a list of 10 commandments that they must obey. Read Exodus 20 below and circle each commandment.

20:1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Continued on next page

Bible Study

Read Matthew 5:17-48

1. 6 times Jesus begins a thought with “you have heard that it was said” (or “it has been said” or “it was said”). In each of these he is referring to a commandment. Make a list of the commandments that Jesus addresses. What does Jesus do with that commandment?

Vs. 21-26

Vs. 27-30

Vs. 31-32

Vs. 33-37

Vs. 38-42

Vs. 43-47

2. In each case how are you challenged by Jesus’ saying “But I say to you ..” Why does Jesus say “But I say to you .”

3. Look back at verses 17-20. (it might help to read it again). How is Jesus “Fulfilling” the law? Is it now easier or more difficult to obey the law?

4. Like yesterday, grade yourself in each of the 6 sections (but I say to you) above. What is your GPA in obedience? Be honest.

5. What does all this tell us about Jesus and His requirements of us?

6. Verse 20 and 47 are very challenging. What is your response to them? Is there any hope? How does this make you feel?

7. Go back and read the first beatitude (Chapter 5 vs. 3).How does this verse help you with question #6?

8. We have two challenges: Jesus challenges us with what it really takes to obey the law AND it is an important condition to be poor in spirit. How will these two help you in your journey to know, love, and obey God?

Pray to God to help you apply what you have learned today.

Lesson 3: Matthew 6:1-18

In the first lesson Jesus taught us who is blessed and what the blessed life should look like.

In the second lesson Jesus addressed the requirements of obedience.

Today Jesus talks about what “righteous” people should do for “acts of righteousness”.

What are things that “holy” people do?

Do you practice any of these? Write down how you practice “acts of righteousness”

Bible Study

Read Matthew 6:1-18

1. What are the three “acts of righteousness” that Jesus lists here?

2. What is your experience with each of them?

3. What are the contrasting motivations that Jesus lists for doing “acts of righteousness”?

4. How does Jesus say we should give? Does he say we should give to the needy?

5. How does Jesus say we should pray?

6. How does Jesus say we should Fast? Do you fast or have you ever fasted?

7. Why would these three “acts of righteousness” be important for “holy people”?

8. How will these “acts of Righteousness” help you become more like the “blessed ones” in chapter five?

9. Which one would you like to start to practice? How will you do that? Make a list how you will practice each act of Righteousness.

10. Why does Jesus teach more about Forgiveness after the prayer (vs. 14-15). What does this have to do with prayer or acts of Righteousness? How will living with unforgiving hearts affect our prayers?

11. Take some time to pray the Lord’s prayer – SLOWLY and Thoughtfully.

Lesson 4: Matthew 6:19-34

So many of us in this world spend a lot of energy on trying to gain nice things – possessions.

So many of us in this world worry about money and food and many many other things.

What do you worry most about?

Read Matthew 6:19-34

1. Make a list of the things the Jesus says “Do not” do.

2. What is our main motivation for storing up treasures on earth?

3. Make a list of the things we should do instead (Jesus tells us!)?

4. Go through the list of things you should do and grade yourself. What are things you should work on?

5. How does storing up treasures on earth relate to worry? Which are we tempted to do the most?

6. What should we seek first? Why?

7. What do you learn about God in this section?

8. Take some time to praise God for what he offers us.

Lesson 5: Matthew 7:1-12

Judging. Nobody likes it when we judge them. We don’t like it when we are judged.

What do you think it means to Judge someone?

Can we ever judge people?

Read Matthew Chapter 7:1-6

1. Jesus continues with another “Do Not” phrase. What should we not do? Why?

2. What should we do instead?

3. Why is self inspection (taking the plank out of our own eye) an important first step?

4. Are we suppose to never confront people when they do wrong? Look closely at vs. 5.

5. What does verse 6 have to do with judging people? (what happens when you try to help a sinning fellow Jesus follower and they don’t accept it?)

6. Take a look back at the “You have heard it was said” statements in Matthew 5:21-48. Do you have some planks to take out of your eye?

7. Take some time to pray about the planks in your eyes. Take some time to pray for your friends who you believe have planks in their eyes too, BUT only after you look at yourself.

Read Matthew 7:7-11

1. What encouragement does Jesus give to those who pray?

2. What three words does Jesus use? How are they similar and how are they different?

3. According to the passage, why should we believe God will respond?

4. What is the difference between God acting like a “genie” (superstitious prayer) and God acting like a father?

5. How can “ask, seek, and knock” relate to correcting (judging) a fellow believer?

6. What are the things you need to “ask, seek, and knock” for in prayer.

7. How does verse 12 sum up the whole sermon on the mount so far?

8. Take some time to pray to your Good and Holy Father.

Lesson 6: Matthew 7:13-29

Bible Study

Read Matthew Chapter 7:13-28

1. How does Jesus describe journey to following Him? (note: there are two types of gates and two types of roads).

2. Why is the “road to life” small and the “road to destruction” wide? What is Jesus then saying about the journey of the “blessed” person?

3. What warnings does he give that a seeker of God my face along the way?

4. How will we detect “false Prophets’?

5. In vs. 21-23 Jesus talks about some who will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Why will some not enter the Kingdom of heaven?

6. How do we do the will of “of my father who is in heaven? (according to the Sermon on the Mount?

7. Look at the “Blessed are . . .” at the beginning of our studies (Chapter 5). Who does Jesus say will receive (enter) the Kingdom of Heaven? Here in chapter 7 what does Jesus add to the list to “get in”. What difference does that make?

8. Jesus ends His whole sermon with the story of two types of builders (wise and foolish). What is the solid foundation that the wise builder built on? In spiritual terms what is that Rock?

9. What are “foundations” we humans tend to build our house (or hopes) on?

10. What would it take for you to build on that Rock or to enter into the narrow gate?

11. Extra: on the next two pages are some ways to help you use the teaching of the sermon on the mount to be a wise builder and not a foolish builder.

Take some time to pray about your journey to Jesus.

Sermon on the Mount Application: Wise and Foolish Builders

Passage	Wise Action	Foolish Action
Matthew 5:1-12
Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 5:17-48
Matthew 6:1-18
Matthew 6:19-34
Matthew 7:1-5
Matthew 7:6
Matthew 7:7-12
Matthew 7:13-14
Matthew 7:15-23

Sermon on the Mount Application: Beatitudes Wise and Foolish

Beatitude	Wise Action	Foolish Action
Vs. 3: Blessed are the poor in Spirit
Vs. 4: Blessed are those who mourn
Vs. 5: Blessed are the meek
Vs. 6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Righteousness
Vs 7: Blessed are the merciful
Vs. 8: Blessed are the pure in heart
Vs. 9: Blessed are the peacemakers
Vs. 10: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of Righteousness

To Study more in the sermon on the mount:

1. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount by John Stott (IVP Publisher)

2. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard (Harper Publisher)

International Student Christian Association

www.iscanwa.net

www.facebook.com/groups/iscanwa

Tuesdays at 6:30 PM

89 South Duncan Avenue