March 31 = Life of Christ #064 Jesus Teaches About Asking, Looking, Knocking (Matthew 7:7-12)

Jesus Teaches About Asking, Looking, Knocking - Seeking Grace
Matthew 7:7-12


"Golden Rule"

March 30 = Life of Christ #063 Jesus Teaches About Judging Others (Matthew 7:1-6; Luke 6:37-42)

Jesus Teaches About Judging Others - Hypocritical Judging
Matthew 7:1-5
Luke 6:37-42

Other Resources:

Heaven Matthew 7

• God is ... What do we learn about God?
• We are ... What do we learn about people?
• What activities does Jesus condemn and commend (Luke 6:37-38)? What does the promise (v. 38) mean in this context?
• Does Luke 6:37 say that we must love others before God will love us? Why or why not?
• What’s the point of this parable (Luke 6:39-40) in this context?
• What is the point of the speck and the plank?
• How does the tree and its fruit (Luke 6:43-45) help you recognize a “kingdom person”? How does this relate to (vv 37-42)
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
• In light of this three-fold passage (Luke 6:41-45), how would you recommend approaching people who need help or correction?
• What quality of fruit would your acquaintances say you are producing: Grade A-1? So-so? Wormy? Why? What would Jesus need to do to make it good?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Inappropriate Concern
Matthew 7:6

• God is ... What do we learn about God?
• We are ... What do we learn about people?
• 
  
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
• 
  
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

March 29 = Life of Christ #062 Jesus Teaches About Worry (Matthew 6:25-34)

Jesus Teaches About Worry - Avoiding Anxiety
Matthew 6:25-24

Jesus says, Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. There is abundant Life in My Presence today.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  —Philippians 3:13-14 

More Resources:

 https://youtu.be/W9-TfuUhOD0

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed the upside-down nature of God's kingdom. Life in His kingdom means having our lives ordered by a different set of priorities and principles.

Document for DBS

Series: King Jesus “Submitting to the Reign of Christ”

The circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus do not seem consistent with that of royalty, and the kingdom he described does not sound like an empire of politics and power. Perhaps Jesus is a different kind of king and his kingdom is not of this world. What does it mean to let King Jesus reign in your life?

Title: “Seek First” (Matthew 6:25-34)

Bookmark: Click Here

Opening Thoughts: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed the upside-down nature of God's kingdom. Life in His kingdom means having our lives ordered by a different set of priorities and principles.

v  Recipes for this time of year.

o   Jesus gives the recipe for Kingdom Living.

o   Pineapple upside-down cake or the DQ Blizzard

·         This helps us understand the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God.

v  Matthew 5:38-45 NIV - "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

v  Matthew 6:19-20 NIV - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

v  “Yeah, but…”

o   Matthew 5:21 NIV - "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'

o   Matthew 5:27 NIV - "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

o   Matthew 5:31 NIV - "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'

o   Matthew 5:33 NIV - "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.'

o   Matthew 5:38 NIV - "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'

o   Matthew 5:43 NIV - "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"

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Text: Matthew 6:25-34

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 

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Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

v  Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

v  God’s Recipe:

o   The first thing is …Matthew 6:33

v  World’s Recipe:

o   Material Success & Physical Comfort

§  Matthew 6:25-26, 31-32

§  Matthew 6:27, 34 is God’s challenge.

v  God’s Recipe:

o   Be attitudes

§  Matthew 5:3, 10 NIV - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ... Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

§  Matthew 6:10, 33 NIV - your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ... But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

v  Philippians 4:11b, 12b-13 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. … I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

==============================

Digging Questions:

·         How will you respond to God “As King Jesus”? What transformative move needs to be made?

·         What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

·         What is God calling us (me and you individually) to do?

Take Away Challenges

·         What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

·         Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

·         What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hashtags #KingJesus #Priorities #Seek #First

Sunday sermon link https://youtu.be/W9-TfuUhOD0

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources:       Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments and resources with some more resources:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A25-34&version=NIV

March 28 = Life of Christ #061 Jesus Teaches About Money (Matthew 6:19-24)

Jesus Teaches About Money - Spiritual Treasures
Matthew 6:19-24

Value of Spiritual Insight
Matthew 6:22,23

Need for Undivided Loyalty
Matthew 6:24

March 25 = Life of Christ #060 Jesus Teaches About Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)

Jesus Teaches About Fasting
Matthew 6:16-18

March 24 = Life of Christ #059 Jesus Teaches About Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15)

Jesus Teaches About Prayer
Matthew 6:5-15

March 23 = Life of Christ #058 Jesus Teaches About Giving to the Needy (Matthew 6:1-4)

Jesus Teaches About Giving to the Needy
Matthew 6:1-4

Other Resources:

Worry Matthew 6

Practicing Radical Generosity (Matthew 6:1-4) #Generosity

March 22 = Life of Christ #057 Jesus Teaches About Loving Enemies (Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 6:27-36)

Jesus Teaches About Revenge - Regarding Retaliation
Matthew 5:38-42

Luke 6:27-31

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• Why has Jesus made a shift in the object of love (Leviticus 19:18)? What specifically are we to do to enemies?
• Since applying verses (Luke 6:29-30) literally could reinforce someone's bad behavior, what is Jesus' point (Luke 6:31, 36)?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How will I
• How does this description of love challenge you?
• How can that be a model for retaliating to someone you find difficult?
• Have you ever shown love to an enemy? How?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Jesus Teaches About Loving Enemies
Matthew 5:43-48
Luke 6:32-36

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• 
  
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How will I
• 
  
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://youtu.be/U0xTmJz4QvU

Document for DBS

Series: Be Different “Making Transformative Moves” Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Title: Different Heart

Bookmark: Click Here

Opening Thoughts: Being different demands that we not conform to the harshness and hatred of the world but rather that we walk with Jesus across enemy lines and demonstrate a heart of genuine love.

v  Love over Hate

o   Shape your heart and keep in balance

o   Kingdom Living

§  Love, good deeds, give

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Text: Luke 6:27-36

Love for Enemies

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

 

1 John 4:7-21

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

 

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Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

v  Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

v  Actions:

o   Love

o   Do Good

o   Give

§  Bless

§  Pray for

o   Keep you heart in balance, equal, and symmetric.

v   

Digging Questions:

·         How will you respond in being different? What transformative move needs to be made?

·         What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

·         What is God calling us to do?

Take Away Challenges

·         What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

·         Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

·         What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hash tags #Give #Generosity #Do Good

Sunday sermon link          https://youtu.be/x4h4fX3pVZ4

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments and resources with some more resources:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A27-36&version=NIV

https://youtu.be/kUV3KoTeXR0

Working Document for DBS

Series Questions Jesus Asked

Title: What Reward Will You Get?

Bookmark: Click Here

Opening Thoughts:

We all have to answer questions.

o   Game: “ Would You Rather?

 

Text: Matthew 5:43-48

 

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

Summarize main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

     Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

Love your neighbor

o   Leviticus 19:18 “ Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself I am the Lord ”

    Enemies   “ Love all that God has chosen and hate all that he has rejected … Love all the sons of light and hate all the sons of darkness. ” -Rule of the Community, Qumran

o   Leviticus 19:33-34 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

    If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?

    Luke 6:32-34 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

  Why?

o   God’s kingdom is a kingdom of inclusion.

o   Loving your enemy embodies the gospel.

    Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

o   Unconditional love reflects the heart of our heavenly Father.

    Luke 6:35-36 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Digging Questions:

    How will you respond to this question Jesus asked?

    What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

    What is God calling us to do?

Take Away Challenges

    What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

    Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

    What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hash tags #Reward #Jesus #enemies

Sunday sermon link                      https://youtu.be/kUV3KoTeXR0

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources:   Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments and resources with some more details:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A43-48&version=NIV