GG Questions
06/28/2020
Doing Life with Jesus: Sermon on the Mount
Luke 6:20-49
1. Blessings / Woes (6:20-26) : Read Matthew’s beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12) and then those in Luke (Luke 6:20-26).
How are they different? Why did Luke leave “in spirit” off the phrase “blessed are the poor in spirit ”? And how
might the answer to that question affect what it looks like, in Luke’s mind, to live for this world (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16)
versus living for the next world (Matt. 6:19-20, 33; Col. 3:1-2)?
2. Love Your Enemies (6:27-35) : The next section in Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount expounds the
believer’s calling to love his enemies. How does this section naturally follow the beatitudes before it (Luke
6:22-23)? If Luke 6:32-34 describes how the world loves others, whom does Luke 6:35-36 tell us we should
imitate instead in our love for others (cf. Matt. 5:44-45)? Is there an “enemy” in your past or present whom the
Lord called you to love?
3. Anti-Pharisee Polemic (6:36-45) : Each individual section in Luke 6:36-45 is a specific attack on the Pharisees.
Use the following references to see the connections: Judge not, condemn not (Luke 6:37-38 + Luke 18:11).
Blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39-40 + Matt. 15:12-14). Hypocrites (Luke 6:41-42 + Matt. 23:23). Good / bad
fruit (Luke 6:43-45 + Matt. 3:7-10). In each section, how does Jesus not only condemn the self-righteous,
legalistic Pharisees, but also provide a positive alternative to follow?
4. Build Your House on Rock (6:46-49) : Doug Bookman has said, “The key to understanding the Sermon on the
Mount is to imagine Jesus pointing,” specifically, pointing at the Pharisees. What was so vile about the
Pharisees’ religious practice to motivate such an extensive rebuke from Jesus (Matt. 23:4, 13; Ezek. 34:2-4)?
How does Jesus use the conclusion of His sermon to drive His listeners to a choice (Luke 6:46-49; Matt.
7:13-14)? What kind of allegiance-challenging choices do we face as Christians everyday in today’s secular
society?
