The Commands of Christ
Repent

MATTHEW 7:1-5


“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

  • Read 1 Corinthians 5:12 alongside this passage. Who are we to judge?
  • What is the goal of judging?
  • What's an example of judging hypocritically in todays context?

Matthew 18:15-17


“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

  • How often do we bypass talking directly to the person who wronged us, and head towards gossip with other unrelated people?
  • Have you ever used this method of resolving conflict? How far did it go?

Matthew 5:34, 37


But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

  • What is a modern day example of "making an oath"?
  • Has this changed in your life since you've followed Christ?

Matthew 5:27-30


“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

  • This writing style is hyperbole, but how serious is Jesus' tone of stopping your lust and sin?
  • Do we need to stop sinning to avoid hell?

Matthew 7:6


“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

  • What is a modern example of profaning or trampeling on the beauty of the gospel? In other words, when should you not share the gospel?
Follow Me

Matthew 7:13-14


“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

  • Why is the gate described as "narrow"? Is it hard to be a Christ follower? How is it easy and how is it hard?
  • How many will find Jesus and be saved?

Luke 22:19-20


And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

  • Why is it important to celebrate communion?

Matthew 6:33


But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

  • How hard is it to seek first?
  • When was the last time you assesed the order of your priorities?

Matthew 28:18-20


And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

  • Have you made a disciple? What does that look like? What should we teach them?
  • Where should we make disciples?
  • How will we accomplish this?

Mark 16:15


And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

  • What does it look like to "proclaim the gospel"?
  • Where shuold we proclaim?

Matthew 22:21


... Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

  • What things belong to our government?
  • What things belong to God?
  • Do you feel an attitude of submition to God and Government?

Matthew 11:28


Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

  • If following Christ is difficult, how can He give us rest?
  • Have you truly experienced rest from religion?
Love

Matthew 22:37-38


And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.

  • How important is this command to God? How important is this command to us?
  • What specifically does it mean to love with all our heart, soul, and mind?

Matthew 22:39


And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

  • How much do we love ourselves?
  • Have you experienced love like this? Have you extended love like this? Really think about this one and how you can be creative in loving like this.

Matthew 5:46-48


For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

  • How does perfect love differ from ordinary love?
  • Who are some people in your life that don't love you back? How can you love them?
  • Who sets this example for perfect love?

Matthew 7:12


“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

  • Who takes the first step in this command?
  • Have you noticed this behavior in your life? What are some creative ways you can work this into your lifestyle?
  • Has anyone exemplified this for you? How did it impact you?

Matthew 18:21-22


Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

  • What does Jesus mean by 77 times?
  • Is it ok not to forgive someone?
  • In this example, who commited the sin against Peter?

Matthew 5:39-41


But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

  • Has anyone taken from you? What was your reaction?
  • Why should we go the extra mile?

Matthew 5:42


Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

  • How often do you encounter beggars? What's your typical reaction?
  • Is money the only thing we should give to others in need?
  • Why is it so hard for us to lend to others? What are we refusing to lend? God has been so generous to us, how can we be more generous to others?

Luke 14:12-14


He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

  • Do you know anyone who is poor or can't repay you? If not, how can we invite them?
  • What principal is Jesus trying to instill in us?
  • Until we embrace our mutual brokenness, our work with low-income people is likely to do more harm than good. I sometimes unintentionally reduce poor people to objects that I use to fulfill my own need to accomplish something. I am not okay, and you are not okay. But Jesus can fix us both.
    - Steve Corbett

Matthew 5:16


In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

  • What does it mean to shine your light?
  • What's our motive for doing good works?
Pray

Matthew 9:37-38


Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

  • Have you prayed this?
  • Who provides the laborers? Who's harvest is it?
  • Why do you think Jesus would look at the crowds around him, with all their deep needs, and then turn to his disciples and tell them to pray for themselves? The answer is humbling. When Jesus looked at the harassed and helpless multitudes, apparently his concern was not that the lost would not come to the Father. Instead his concern was that his followers would not go to the lost.
    - David Platt

Matthew 5:44-46


But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

  • Really try to think about this for a minute. How radical is this concept?!
  • Have you intentionally tried to love an enemy? Examine the resistance you have in your heart. You could start today in prayer.
Be On Guard

Matthew 9:37-38


Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

  • How often should we pray against temptation?
  • What is God's role in this? Who's strength?
  • What are some temptations you regularly pray against?

luke 12:15


And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

  • How hard is it to live this out for someone in our culture? What are some difficulties we face?
  • Are there certain environments that cause you to covet? Certain friends?
  • How hard is it to believe that possessions don't give us abundant life?

Matthew 7:15-16


“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

  • Have you encountered a false prophet?
  • What's significant about the sheep's clothing?
  • What kind of fruit do false prophets have?

Matthew 6:25-34


“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

  • Why shouldn't we be anxious? What is our belief of God when we worry?
  • If God has given us the gift of his son, would he not provide for our daily needs?
  • What are your top three things you're anxious about?

Matthew 10:28


And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

  • Is it ok to fear God?
  • Do fear man or danger more than you fear God?