1)Listen to Podcast here
2)GG Questions 03/18/2018
Seeking First: Not to Abolish, but to Fulfill
Matthew 5:21-32
1. Close Reading: After praying for God to enlighten your mind, read through Matthew 5:21-32 a couple times, slowly. Look for these three things: LIGHTBULB – something that shines from the passage, draws your attention; QUESTION MARK – something difficult to understand; ARROW – a personal application. Share the results of your study with your group.
2. Righteous Anger?: James 1:20 says “the anger OF MAN does not produce the righteousness of God.” What about the anger of God? Did Jesus get angry (John 2:13-17; Mark 3:1-5)? Did Paul (Gal. 3:1)? What makes anger sinful or righteous? Consider Cain as a case study (Gen. 4:4-8; James 4:1-2; 1 John 3:11-15).
3. Flee!: Jesus suggests some bold strategies for dealing with lust – tear out your (metaphorical) eye and cut off your (metaphorical) hand! What strategies did these Bible characters take (or not take) in combating lust: Joseph (Gen. 36:6-13), Samson (Judg. 14:1-3), Job (Job 31:1), David (2 Sam. 11:1-5), Timothy (2 Tim. 2:22)? In our media-saturated society, you don’t have to go looking for lust – lust comes looking for you! Have you thought about your approach to resist this onslaught in today’s highly sexualized culture?
4. Original Intent: In Matthew 19, the Pharisees wanted to talk about divorce, but Jesus wanted to talk about marriage. What do Matthew 19:1-9 and Malachi 2:13-16 teach about God’s participation in the wedding ceremony? Have you experienced difficult seasons in your marriage (or the marriage of your parents or friends)? How should God’s faithfulness to His unfaithful bride (Hosea 1:2-3; 2:14-20), the church (Eph. 5:25-27), motivate us to love as He loves us?
