Class Lesson September 9, 2012

Hey Gang,


Last week we began a new series on "What it Means to Follow Jesus." This series of lessons is taken from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. There are some people who profess to follow Jesus but live lives that look no different from unbelievers. And there are others that follow Jesus to find spiritual comfort and satisfaction, but not to be spiritually transformed and radically obedient. As believers, we need a clear understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. Following Jesus or being a disciple is more than being religious; it is being in a right relationship with Him. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus presented a clear description of discipleship, what it means to follow Him.

Luke 9: Are you really sure that you want to follow Jesus?

Radical - David Platt 

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What are your expectations as a customer in a restaurant, a fan of a sports team, a voter and taxpayer, a parent of grown kids, a spouse, or how about yourself? Do you tend to think that your expectations of other people are too low or too high? How do you feel you don’t meet people’s expectations?

• Sometimes it’s hard for others to measure up to our expectations and for us to measure up to theirs. 
• Adults easily fall into the trap of gauging moral goodness by the actions of others. “Well, at least I don’t do what so-and-so does.” Jesus does not measure our lives against others but against God’s character.
• Likewise adults can easily fall into the trap of interpreting what it means to follow Jesus Christ through the lens of personal preferences or religious traditions. Only God can define what it means to follow Him.

Last week we studied what Jesus said His followers should look like - Jesus taught the basics of the Beattitudes.  Remember:

1. Attitude: Poor in spirit, mourn, gentle, righteous
2. Character: Mercy, pure in heart, peacemaker, persecuted
3. Influence: Salt & Light

Jesus introduced the importance of attitude before character - a change must occur on the inside before a change could occur on the outside. Don't just wash the outside of the cup.

This week He raises the bar with some high expectations for you and me - if, we are going to follow Him. Jesus pointed out that just addressing our sinful actions isn’t good enough; we must dig deeper and make sure that we measure up to His standards in our hearts. Before you feel overwhelmed, remember that Jesus Himself will equip you to do so.

We continue this week with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

• His audience – the disciples and perhaps some from the nearby crowd – lived in a culture dominated by the religious elite. The religious elite included scribes and Pharisees. They held great power over people and taught that strict self-righteousness was the way to gain God’s favor.

I. AFFIRM SCRIPTURE’S AUTHORITY – MATTHEW 5:17-19

Christ Fulfills the Law

17 “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Could it be that Jesus’ words in 5:1-16 (last week’s lesson) made people afraid that He wanted to do away with the Old Testament Scriptures?

• Several Old Testament passages reveal Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; 52:13-53:12; Jeremiah 33:14-18; Micah 5:1-5; Mal. 4:2-3).
• Jesus persistently countered with truth the Pharisees’ additions and legalistic interpretations of the Law (Matt. 9:14-17; 12:1-8, 9-13).
• Jesus’ teachings contrasted so greatly with the religious leaders that some may have been worried He was advocating a religion that completely disregarded the Law and Prophets.

How would you answer the question, “Because we’re saved by grace, are we expected to keep the Law?”

• Does your answer begin with, “Yeah, but or No, but?” both yes and no require a bit of qualifying and explaining.
• A good approach is to begin with Jesus’ statements in 5:17-19.
• Jesus warned not to assume He had come to destroy the Law or the Prophets (meaning the Old Testament Scriptures). Evidently some did assume Jesus was throwing out the Law.
• Jesus did persistently violate legalistic, inferred, man-made rules. Jesus did ignore traditional washing rituals (not required in Scripture) that emphasized outward rather than inward cleansing (Mark 7:1-16). But Jesus kept God’s rules.
• Both Old and New Testaments show God’s expectations.
• Discern the principles behind God’s commands; then apply.
• Jesus affirmed that Scripture has authority for life. We can trust it to be our guide no matter how difficult our circumstances become.

4 ways to understand the Beattitudes:

1. They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conduct for all believers.
2. They contrast kingdom values (what is eternal) with worldly values (what is temporary).
3. They contrast the superficial "faith" of the Pharisees with the real faith Christ wants.
4. They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom.

Why do some prefer the New Testament over the Old Testament? What does Jesus’ teaching in 5:17-19 imply about our approach to the Old Testament? Should we understand the Old Testament as much as the New Testament?

• If Jesus affirmed the eternal value of the Old Testament, then so should we.
• Do you know of any popular beliefs about God and Jesus that are not actually true according to Scripture? Holy sounding views such as “God helps those who help themselves” can become accepted, though not in Scripture. What are the dangers of building life around non-biblical principles?

How would you complete this sentence: It’s worth it to live according to Scripture because ___________________________.

• It’s withstood the test of time.
• It will be there until the end.
• Jesus affirms it.

How can we inadvertently teach others to break “one of the least of these commandments?” What is Jesus’ purpose with this warning (5:19)? What value does the Old Testament have to a believer’s life?

• Try not to get wrapped up in whether you fall into the “least of these commands” category; instead, focus on why God gave a particular rule and how to follow it with heart. Each point in the Law matters.
• Explain that “the kingdom of heaven” is made up of those who have been saved by Jesus. It includes when and where God works.
• Refusal to know and practice the Bible causes me to miss the best God has to offer. My disobedient behavior also blocks others’ blessings and brings them pain.
• Be known for truthfulness rather than deception, forgiveness rather than retaliation, love rather than hate.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.






II. RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY – MATTHEW 5:20, 48

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.


Who were the scribes and Pharisees?

Understand who the scribes and Pharisees were: They were the experts in religious law.



1. Scribes – copied and preserved the Law for future generations. They were also teachers of the Law. In Jesus’ day, they interpreted the Law when there was a debate about someone breaking it. Scribes were often Pharisees, but you didn’t have to be a Pharisee to be a scribe.

2. Pharisees – literally meant “separated ones” because they kept their distance from disobedient people, pagan practices, or anything else they thought would distract their study of the Law. That doesn’t sound so bad, but they apparently did so with wrong attitudes. (last week’s “Choose Right Attitudes” poor in spirit, mournful, gentle and hunger and thirst for righteousness) The Pharisees developed an oral tradition that took their own interpretations of God’s Law and made those interpretations just as important as the Law.



Jesus says that unless your righteousness is better than the scribes and Pharisees – you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

• Who is the most moral, upright person you have ever known? What was it about that person’s life that made them so admirable? What makes a person’s righteousness genuine rather than like that of the Pharisees?
• Jesus was illustrating that He Himself is the standard – not the religious people around us.

Then Jesus raises the bar when He says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”



Why would Jesus call us to be perfect as God is perfect? How is this possible?

• Most people tend to give up when they feel the standard is impossible (Samples: students who struggle in school or kids of parents with unrealistic expectations). But this standard is meant to energize and empower us.
• Distinguish how to call on God’s power rather than try to reach Jesus’ standards on our own.
• Remember that the purpose of the Beattitudes began with an inner change to produce an outward character.

Why is it futile to follow God’s laws outwardly without letting God change your heart?





III. GO BEYOND SUPERFICIALITY – MATTHEW 5:21-22, 27-28, 31-34a, 38-39, 43-44

1. 21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool!’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You moron!’ will be subject to hellfire. (Murder Begins in the Heart)
2. 27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Adultery in the Heart)
3. 31 “It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. 32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Divorce Practices Censured)
4. 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; (Tell the Truth)
5. 38 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Go the Second Mile)
6. 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, (Love Your Enemies)

Jesus gives six examples here that show righteousness goes beyond what people can see. Jesus is pointing out here again that what we choose inside affects what happens outside.



How do these verses extend Jesus’ comments in 5:20 about being better than the scribes and Pharisees? How did Jesus contrast God’s law with the scribes’ and Pharisees’ incorrect interpretation and practice?

• Jesus exposed the superficial view of God’s law practiced by the scribes and Pharisees.
• In all six examples, Jesus showed that obeying the letter of the law is not enough. Hidden sins like anger, lust, grudges, and arrogance are just as serious as the ones people can see.

Why do we tend to consider outward sin (outbursts, murder, adultery, lying) to be worse than hidden sin (anger, lust, grudges, arrogance)? What happens when we begin to ignore sin in our hearts that others cannot see?


Conclusion:


1. Jesus did not just give a long list of rules to follow.

2. He showed the heart of each command.

3. Jesus calls for righteous living in all areas of our lives, not just actions, but motives and thoughts.

4. It is only through Jesus’ power that we can control anger, take captive impure thoughts, be faithful to spouses, be people of integrity, forgive when offended, pray for our persecutors.



Jesus shattered the self-righteous approach and the religious framework of the culture. He exposed the weaknesses of the mindset that assumes it knows what God thinks and how to obey Him. Who are we to interpret God’s standard? Our job is to obey God, and to let Him show us how.

• How good is good enough? You might avoid the big sins, but what about sins of the heart? Can your righteousness be better than the most morally upright person you know? Why compare yourself to people when you can always find someone stronger or weaker than you are?
• Can you be perfect just like God? You can’t be God, but you can be the complete person He designed you to be. This happens only through His Spirit.
• Outside religiosity won’t do it. Only changes of the heart will work. We’ll never find or give joy unless we match our lives to Jesus’ expectations. Self-righteousness is a fruitless and frustrating pursuit. But God-empowered righteousness is a delightful journey. From Genesis to Revelation are examples of people who chose to match their lives to God’s standard. They weren’t perfect but they were on a sacred journey.

God is more concerned with who I am than what I do!

Prayer of Commitment

Lord Jesus, I want to be Your disciple and I want the blessing that comes from following You. However, Lord, the demands You make are high. I cannot do it on my own. Praise Your Name, I don’t have to. Give me Your grace to be more like You. Amen

This is not an easy lesson this week and it does require your prayer to grasp what Jesus wants you to know and understand. I pray that the Holy Spirit will enable me to teach this lesson in God's grace and glory! 

See you on Sunday - remember Room 211. 

In His Love, 

David & Susan