Matthew 5:27-37 | Love, Lust, and Liberation of the Heart | Sermon on the Mount

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Life Group Guide QUESTIONS

SERMON OUTLINE

WHAT JESUS’ SERMON IS NOT…

• Jesus’ sermon is not a list of _____________________ into His kingdom, nor are they ____________ for good behavior. 

JESUS’ REVOLUTION REVISITED

• Jesus has come to liberate His people from ____________, and to lead us home to God. He has come to reclaim our ____________, and to teach us how to be citizens in His kingdom.

ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

• Adultery is not just about who we’ve been ____________, but where we have allowed our ____________ and ____________ to go for our own self-gratification.

• Oath-breaking is not just about ____________, but is about ____________, distorting, or bedazzling the truth for selfish gain. 

TAKING IT HOME

• Put on the love of God. You can’t simply ____________ lust & self-gratification. It must be ____________ with ________________________! 

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

1.        Think about someone you deeply trust.  What is it about them, that makes them so trustworthy?

2.        In which area of life do you find it easy to be a person of integrity? Where is it difficult?

QUICK REVIEW

1.        Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything that particularly caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

2.        Pastor Justion noted how we tend to struggle with moral superiority on one side, crushing shame on the other, and how the gospel dismantles both. When you struggle spiritually, do you tend more toward performing (looking better than you are) or withdrawing and/or shame (feeling too broken to come close to God)? How does the good news of Jesus confront and heal both instincts?

READ SCRIPTURE

Matthew 5:27-37

1.        How does this passage highlight God’s presence in our world?

2.        What does this passage say about our broken human condition?

3.        How does this passage call me to make change in my life?

DIGGING DEEPER

1.        READ Matthew 5:27-30. Sin is not just actions, but motives that begin in our hearts. Things like lust, deception, and broken promises reveal disordered desires that need healing, not just restraint.  What are some of the patterns and commitments you have made, to live as Jesus has invited you?

• READ 1 Corinthians 10:23-24, Philippians 2:3-4. A central theme in the Sermon on the Mount is living in right relationship with God and others. How do you make the distinction between elevating the needs of others, and fulfilling your own personal desires?

2.        READ Matthew 5:31-32. Mutual integrity and faithfulness are necessary traits for not just marriage alone, but for how we maintain and build relationships with anyone. How does Jesus’ teaching here invite deeper responsibility for how our choices affect our marriages, and other relationships?

• READ Genesis 2:21-24. God’s intent for marriage is a lifelong commitment. How is this different than a contract?

3.        READ Matthew 5:33-37. Jesus calls His followers to such integrity that oaths become unnecessary. How does living with such integrity simplify your relationships? What are some personal practices you use to help you have integrity (to help your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no”)?

• READ Matthew 12:33-35. Scripture consistently affirms that words reveal the condition of our heart – what we love, fear, trust, or treasure.  In this past week, what would people in your orbit have seen and experienced in you? What might this reveal about your heart?

TAKING IT HOME

READ Psalm 139:23-24, Proverbs 20:5, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18. God reveals what is in our hearts so His Spirit can renew our desires and reshape our love for Him. What needs to happen for you to hear what God sees in your heart? What might He be inviting you to notice right now? How can our faith community help you discern His work?

PERSONAL REFLECTION

READ James 1:13-15, 1 John 1:7-9. Temptation often starts with desire, but not every desire is sinful, as many are God-given, however, fulfilling any desire may lead you to sin.  As that happens, we must repent, and the first step in that direction is naming our true and honest desires, and how we sought to fulfill them.  What desires most often guide your decisions and actions throughout your days? What patterns do you need to alter in order to not travel down those slippery slopes?