Missy Armstrong

So many people struggle with there, purpose in life. I know I did for years. I kept thinking , why am here, or What am I supposed to do? Life has a purpose. Most people, including myself, couldn’t see the purpose because we lived for ourselves and our own happiness. The first thing you have to see is that this is not your life. This is God’s life through you.

Matthew 6:16–24

Fasting

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Put the things that are most important first! Even food is less important than God. To fast is when a person chooses not to eat for a time and to use the time they would eating in prayer). To fast (go without food) was normal in the life of early Jews. The right attitude, while a person fasts, is the important thing. To fast can show our determination. We are going to put first the most important things. To fast can help us too. We can see what is most important in our lives. These things will happen if we fast with the right attitude.

The Jews had two types of fast (times when they did not eat). There were the public fasts. These were times when everyone fasted. For example, there was the Day of Atonement. (Leviticus 16.) They would all fast at a time when very bad things were happening to the nation too. Also, there were private fasts. ( Mark 2:18 and Luke 18:12.) These were for moral and religious discipline. In this passage, Jesus taught that a Christian must be sincere. He or she must not fast so that all will know about it. It must be private. (Compare verses 17–18 with verses 3–4, 6.)

There is another way to understand Jesus’ words. He may be calling us to control ourselves. We can become so busy with things that we forget God. These things could be right. But it is sometimes good for a Christian to quit them. He or she may need to think only about spiritual things. To fast could help him or her to do this.

The most important things in life (verses 19–24)

People can put religious custom first in their lives. The custom could then become more important than a relationship with God. In verses 9–34, Jesus spoke about two other dangers. The first is in verses 19–24. Believers (Christians) call it ‘being worldly’. This is when things and people have first place in a life. Spiritual things then become secondary. The next danger is in verses 25–34. It is the danger of worry. Both of these dangers are a result. They come when there is a lack of trust or faith. They come when there is sin in his or her life.

Some people take this passage as we should not prepare for the future. But read these passages. Jesus is thinking about a person’s attitudes. A poor person can think too much about worldly things, just as much as a rich man can be a real disciple.

Some people want the things in this world. They do not live their lives for God. Jesus said that people like this are wrong. He said that they were foolish. Treasures in this world wear out. (Treasures are anything that a person values much.) And, a person cannot take them into the next life either. A Christian should be preparing for that future life. He or she should be storing treasures in heaven.

All people want the things that they believe to be important. This is what should control their lives. In the ancient world, a slave had no rights. He or she was the property of a master. All the time, that slave had to do what the master wanted. It was impossible to have two masters. The same thing is true when we live for God. This was what Jesus said. You have to choose.

When people in the Bible fasted (they chose not to eat for a time). There are many reasons to fast for early Jews:

·    Repentance. (Read Leviticus 16:29–34; 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7–11; Deuteronomy 9:18; 1 Kings 21:27; Nehemiah 9; Daniel 9:3–4; Jonah 3:5.)

·    An illness. (2 Samuel 12:15–23.)

·    Defeat in war. (Judges 20:26.)

·    The death of someone that you love. ( 1 Samuel 31:13; 1 Chronicles 10:11–12; 2 Samuel 1:12.)

·    The arrival of sad news. (Nehemiah 1:3–4.)

·    Trouble as a punishment from God. (Joel 1:14; 2:12–15.)

·    Terrible danger from an enemy. (2 Chronicles 20:3; Esther 4:3; 9:31.)

Questions

1. What are God’s ambitions for you? Are you following them? Is discipline important? What do you think about it?

2. What are God’s ambitions for your church? What are those of your group? Are both ambitions the same?

3. What place should ‘fasts’ have in today’s church? What might they include, in addition to not eating? Give reasons for these things.

Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have to fight Satan. Jesus himself gave us an example or template to work from. If Bible Study is bread and nourishment, then prayer is the water. It keep our soul hydrated.

Matthew 6:5–15

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Many religious people think that prayer is like magic or fairy dust. So, the more that they pray, the more it will work. Because of this belief, some people use things to help them. They may use prayer wheels. They may count little stones that are on a string. People can even use The Lord’s Prayer like this. (Note: This is the prayer that Jesus taught.) It is easy just to repeat the words. But this is not real prayer. Other people try to impress God. So, they use special words.

But we should really mean what we pray. Jesus emphasized that. People sometimes think that they must repeat the same words continuously. Then they can be sure that God knows their needs. But this is not necessary. The God to whom we pray loves us. He is always ready to answer our prayers. Often, people just do not ask!

He gave us a form of prayer. Then he gave us an example to follow. It is a short prayer. But, it is a complete prayer. It includes everything. It is called The Lord’s Prayer.

·    Our Father

The word that Jesus used for ‘Father’ here is important. It was the word ‘Abba’, it is the most familiar form of the word. A child uses it to his father. It points to the fact that God is near to us. It shows that he loves and cares about his children. They are part of his family. The Bible speaks about God as the Father of all people.

·    in heaven

This is to remind us that we are entering into God’s throne room and we need to approach with humility. God is the ruler who has all authority and power. This should cause the us to realize our place. There should be great respect.

The rest of Jesus’ prayer includes 7 requests. There are 3 for God’s *glory (honor). Then, there are 4 for our personal needs.

·    hallowed be your name.

In the Bible, the ‘name’ of a person is special. It refers to all that he or she is like. To give ‘honor’ includes humble trust. So, the person wants all people to give honor to God. This includes the person who makes the request. Praise God for all you have, all He has done and all He will do.

·   your kingdom to come.

We ask God to establish the authority over our own life. We want God to establish His salvation in all his people. We also asks that this is to happen soon.

A Christian should want God to establish his kingdom now. But, there is more in this request. It includes the future ages too. Every Christian will meet God some day. God will complete all his promises. A believer should desire this time very much. Then, ‘He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death. Nobody will be sad. So, nobody will cry. There will be no more pain.’ ( Revelation 21:4.) Each believer should desire the great time that is coming.

·    on earth as it is in heaven .

In heaven, the angels worship God. They praise him. They are ready to do his will. This request is that people on earth should do the same. They should always obey God. They should obey him completely. They should obey him gladly. They should obey him immediately. This is what always happens in heaven.

·    Give us today our daily bread .

God cares about the daily things that we need. He cares about them just as much as he cares about big problems. The word ‘bread’ refers to things that are necessary in life. God is not thinking of extra things that we do not need.

·    And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors. .

Jesus knows that everyone needs God to forgive him or her. This is because of failure and sin. In this prayer we are asking for God’s mercy. We fail daily. So, every christian must make this request, daily. Christians must forgive other people. Someone may refuse to do this. If so, he or she cannot know that God has forgiven him or her.

·    And lead us not into temptation,

(This is the word for when someone tempts us. That person tries to make us think or do something wrong. We feel the urge or desire for it too.) Temptation itself is not a sin. But it tests us about how strong we are. And it tests us about how loyal we are. It tests whether we can serve God too.

·     but deliver us from the evil one.

Read 4:1–11. There is always some danger in temptation. This is because it comes from the devil. So, a Christian should try to avoid it as much as possible. Temptation begins in the mind. So the Christian will refuse to look at or think about something that is wrong. This was what Jesus taught.

Some versions of the Bible include some more words.

·    The kingdom, the power and the glory are yours for ever; Amen

(‘For ever’ means for all of time, and after time ends.) It seems that these words were not in the book of Matthew at first. It was usual for the Jews to end a prayer with words of worship. Then they started to use Jesus’ prayer. They probably added these words at that time. They seem to come from some passages in 1 Chronicles 29:11; Nehemiah 9:5 and Psalms 145–150.

This prayer is complete. It includes everything.

It includes references to:

·          God’s glory (the first 3 requests)

·          things that we need (the last 4 requests)

·          physical needs (request 4)

·          spiritual needs (requests 5, 6 and 7)

·          present, past and future needs (requests 4, 5 and 6)

·          other people’s needs. (Notice the words ‘our’ and ‘us’.)

Jesus included all of these things in 7 brief requests. This is a perfect model for our prayers.

1. Think about the times when you pray like this prayer. Do you really want God to answer you? If God does answer your requests, what changes will need to happen?

2. Think about public prayer in our churches. It is easy just to repeat prayers together. Or, it can be just one person’s prayer?

3. The people of a church should make a difference in the world. Prayer should be the way to do this. But only a few people go to meetings that are for prayer. Why does this happen?

Marriage and divorce are hard topics to talk about. However, Jesus, spells it out in scripture what is right and what is wrong. Right sexual behavior begins in the mind and heart. But it shows in a marriage that lasts.

Matthew 5:27-32 New International Version (NIV)

Adultery

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Divorce

³¹ “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Adultery in the mind (verses 27–30)

These verses show how we should understand the Old Testament laws. They show the real meaning of ‘righteousness’. (This means to be right. It means to do what is right too.)

Jesus said words from Exodus 20:14. The Jews thought that it applied only to the act of adultery. Jesus explained God’s words. He was not speaking about a look that admires. He was not speaking about our natural sexual natures. God gave them to us. Jesus was not speaking about the sudden thought that enters the mind. Satan tempts us. But, what we do with it is important. The child of God should stop that thought quickly.

But, Jesus was speaking about something. It is the deliberate look of desire (when we mean to do it). Read verse 28. This describes the thoughts and actions of a man. That man is not innocent!

Read verses 28–29. A person may choose to imagine sexual sin. Jesus showed that that is a sin. These thoughts are a serious matter. The person must refuse them completely. We must not do exactly what Jesus says here. He does not want this. If he did, he would have mentioned both hands and both eyes! But, Jesus had a purpose for what He said. It was this. The eyes are the main parts of the body for sinful sexual desires. The hands are the main parts of the body for action. We must have discipline in both desires and actions.

Marriage is for life (verses 31–32)

This is another example that Jesus gave. He was referring to the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. He considered their attitudes to divorce. Jesus said words from the law that they used. This was in Deuteronomy 24:1–4.

The Bible deals with the subject of divorce. It deals with the subject of remarriage too. We should read the main passages about them first. Then, we will be able to understand Jesus’ words. The passages are: Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Matthew 5:31–32; 19:3–9; 1 Corinthians 7:12–16.

1. People usually say, ‘Deuteronomy 24 permits divorce but it does not encourage it.’ In fact the Old Testament never did approve of divorce. But Jesus replaced the Old Testament teaching. He gave a new standard. Now, there is only one reason for divorce. It is adultery.

1 Corinthians 7 does not mention the word ‘divorce’. So, some people suggest that it refers to something else. It is when a couple separate from each other. This may take place when one partner leaves the other partner. In the *NT, there is only one time when there can be a remarriage. This is when one partner dies.

2. Paul does not use the word ‘divorce’ in 1 Corinthians 7. But, he does use language that clearly refers to it. People do not want to act against Jesus’ words. So, they have an explanation. Jesus was speaking about marriage that was between believers. Paul was thinking about another kind of marriage. This marriage was between a believer and someone who was not a believer. So, believers cannot divorce except for two reasons. First, they can divorce for adultery. Second, they can divorce if the non-Christian partner leaves them.

3. Perhaps this is the best explanation. Jesus was not trying to replace the law about divorce. But he was trying to answer a question. The Jews often asked it. They asked: ‘What are the reasons for divorce in the Law?’ But Jesus did not give a direct answer. He said that they were asking the wrong question. They should not be arguing about the reasons for divorce. They should ask something else first. They should ask: ‘What does the Old Testament teach about marriage?’ Jesus emphasized the ideal for marriage. The relationship can end only when one partner dies.

But, Jesus recognized realities. There was a time to allow divorce. This was when there was adultery. In this case, there could be divorce. The ‘innocent’ partner would not be guilty of sin. This does not mean that there must be divorce after adultery.

But, Jesus did not change the teaching of the Law. This was that divorce is possible for certain reasons. Paul thought this too. He gave the example of one partner who leaves.

Jesus taught that divorce is usually a sin. There should be repentance. Where it is possible, the couple should save their marriage. There is nothing very specific about divorce in the Bible. We must decide if there can be a divorce. We must do this in each situation. But, we must always teach something too. It is this. When a marriage fails, there has been sin.

Questions

1. Am I thinking about some wrong things? Do I enjoy doing this? What could I do to improve things? How does Jesus feel about it?

2. There is always sin in a divorce. So, what does this teach about the state of marriage? What does it teach about deciding to marry?

4. Church leaders often find it hard to deal with divorce. How do they help someone who has had a divorce? How might this passage help them?

There is one defining mark a true disciple of God. It is love for other people. It is love that is completely unselfish and sacrificial. What you do matters. But it is not just actions that matter. Attitudes are important too.

Matthew 5:43–6:4

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees put people into two groups. There were neighbors or friends. But also, there were enemies. These leaders taught that there was a big difference between the groups. The original Law was not like this. Person A might hurt Person B. Then Person B would want to hurt Person A too. The Law taught that love must always win. The teachers and the *Pharisees asked: ‘Who is my neighbor?’ Jesus showed that the question was wrong. The neighbor is anyone who needs help. (Read Luke 10:25–37.)

The New Testament uses several words for ‘love’. There is the love that is between members of a family. There is the love that is between good friends. There is sexual love between a man and a woman. A different word emphasizes this. But Jesus used yet another word for love. This word is defined as God’s love or a sacrificial love. This kind of love will not change whatever people say or do. They may insult us. They may hurt us. But we will not allow ourselves to be bitter against them.

Jesus gave other reasons why a disciple must live in this way. He gave the example of God himself (verse 45). God has a special family love for his children. (Read Genesis 17:21; Psalms 103:17–18 and 147:20.) But he cares about everyone too. (Read Genesis 17:20; Psalm 36:6 and John 3:16.) God expects us to care about everyone too.

Jesus gave another reason (verses 46–47). God meant his laws to make his disciples different. They should not be the same as non-believers. But God’s disciples have a choice. They could choose the same standards as non-Christians. Then, there would be no difference between them. There would be no evidence that they were real disciples.

Jesus began his last example of real ‘righteousness’. (This means to be right. It means to do what is right too.) He said words from Leviticus 19:18.

Verse 48 ends all of Jesus’ teaching in this section. (The section is verses 21–48.) He seemed to refer to two passages in the Old Testament. They are Leviticus 19:2 and Deuteronomy 18:13. He showed that the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were wrong. They thought that these passages referred to actions. They referred only to the deeds that the Bible actually stated. In this chapter, Jesus taught that this was wrong.

Be serious about religion (6:1–4)

First, Jesus dealt with the thoughts of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. This was in chapter 5:21–48. Here, he dealt with their actions. God expected certain things from real*disciples. They had failed to understand this. Their thoughts and their actions both showed it.

There is a general principle in verse 1. Three examples follow:

Good works (verses 2–4). This refers to the care that a disciple should show to other people.

Prayer (verses 5–15). This refers to the worship that a disciple should give to God.

To fast (to go without food, verses 16–18). A disciple should try to stop sinning. This refers to the way that he should do it.

Jesus began by speaking against some people. He spoke about those who brought attention to themselves. They did this by religious actions (verse 1). He spoke against the actions of ‘hypocrites’ (actors). People like this still act in front of people. They do good things for other people to see. They pretend to be religious.

Jesus’ point is a simple one. The Jews were doing the right things. But they were doing them in the wrong way. A real disciple should want only to please God the Father (verse 4). So, a disciple should do good deeds to please God. This attitude will please God. God will bless him or her in this life. God will bless him or her in the next life too.

Questions

1. Think about the teaching in 5:21–48. In these verses, we see spiritual things to check in our lives. What are they?

2. ‘See how these Christians love each other.’ Is this what non-Christians think about you and people in your church? If not, what is the reason for this?

3. Do it ‘secretly’ (6:34). ‘Let your light shine’ (5:16). These two verses seem to be opposite in meaning. How can they both be true?

Matthew 5:33–42

³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ ³⁴ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷ All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Eye for Eye

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Jesus continued to give examples. He referred to a popular teaching of the Jews (verse 33). He gave a short account of some Old Testament passages. Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2 and Deuteronomy 23:21. He did not agree with the Jewish religious leaders. They taught the opposite of what the Law intended. Jesus referred to the law about oaths. Only some oaths were important. But, Christians should not use oaths at all when they speak. When they say ‘yes’, they should mean ‘yes’. When they say ‘no’ they should mean ‘no’.

When you do more than you need to do

Read verse 38. Jesus again said words from Jewish tradition. They were short accounts of some passages in the Old Testament. These were Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. The short accounts were right, but the Jews had not understood them in the right way.

These Old Testament instructions were for the law courts. The laws gave principles. They were there to help judges to make decisions. There were two reasons for this.

First, the law should control sinful desires. Someone has hurt you. So, you want to hurt that person. You have suffered. So, you want that person to suffer too.

Second, the law removes punishment from personal feelings. It puts the responsibility with the court of law.

But, the Jews increased the principle of the Law. It became a guide for personal behavior. They could use it to give excuses for their evil desires. They thought that someone had done bad things to them. So, they would use the court to do bad things to that person.

There is a big contrast in verses 39–42. Jesus showed how people should apply the Law. He referred to a blow on the cheek. This was a very bad thing to do in ancient Israel. It is never right to punish another person for a personal wrong.

But we must understand Jesus’ words in the right way. Someone might say, ‘A man should never say anything to those who behave badly.’ It could seem that Jesus meant that. But he did not mean that. It is important that people should be fair to everybody. The rights of other people are important too. So, people may defend themselves. But the disciple must stay holy. A disciple should accept it when someone does bad things to him or her. That is, if it only affects him or her. His or her love can then change attitudes.

In Jesus’ day, the Romans were in power. They could force Jews to do things. And Jews could not refuse to obey their commands. This practice was not popular. And it might not be convenient. The Pharisees would obey. But they would show that they were unhappy about it. Jesus said that this must not be the standard for disciples. They must do their duties in a cheerful way. They must be generous in the way that they do the duties too.

There are people who really need help. This teaches what the disciple’s reaction should be to them. The disciple should help them all that he can.

Let us think about whether Christians should always refuse to fight.

We must look at Jesus’ words that are in the Bible. We must understand his words as the Bible describes them. We can see that Jesus was not speaking about national events. So, Jesus was not teaching that we must always refuse to fight in wars. He was not saying that we must not oppose evil.

Jesus was teaching about our behavior with other people. We must not have bad attitudes. So, people may hurt us. But we must not want to hurt them. We should have an attitude of love.

Christians and oaths

Some people think that they should never say oaths in a court of law. They use Jesus’ words here (verses 33–37). But, this is wrong. Their understanding of Jesus’ words is not right.

The Old Testament allowed oaths. In fact, it demanded them in certain situations. The Old Testament describes holy men and women who said oaths. (Read Genesis 14:22–24; 21:23–24; 24:3, 9; 26:31; 28:20, 22; 31:53; 47:31; 50:5; Joshua 9:15; Judges 21:5; Ruth 1:16–18; 2 Samuel 15:21; 1 Kings 18:10; 2 Chronicles 15:14–15. ) God says an oath in the Bible. (Read Genesis 22:16; 26:3; Psalm 89:3, 49; 110:4; 132:11; Jeremiah 11:5.) The High Priest gave Jesus a command. He told Jesus that he must answer. So, Jesus answered as if it was an oath. (Read Matthew 26:63–64.) Paul said oaths too. (Read 2 Corinthians 1:23 and Galatians 1:20.)

So, something is clear. God does not forbid all oaths. Jesus was teaching that it is important to be wise about oaths. People must always be serious when they use oaths. People should never use them because they want to be like non-Christians. They should never use them to swear against God. They should never use them to wish bad things for other people. Probably, oaths are never right in ordinary conversation.

Think about a person who makes an oath. He or she is going before God’s court. He or she is going before the Judge of all things. So, Jesus is teaching that truth is the standard of the Bible. People should always be able to believe what we say. We must never add to the truth. We must never take away from the truth when we speak. Promises should be promises.

Questions

1. Should a Christian ever tell lies? Is there any situation when it might be right?

2.Think about a certain situation. Someone has hurt you. You want to hurt that person in return. What should you do? Someone may say: ‘I can never forgive him for what he has done.’ How would you help the person who says that?

3. Members of the Church should be willing to give in to other members. How can they show this? There is a principle in verse 39. Jesus spoke about someone who hits you on one side of your face. Jesus said that you should let that person hit the other side of your face too! How much should a Christian be like this? Think about an example. A thief steals some important equipment from the church. Should the people of the church forgive him? Should they call the police? Or, should they do both these things?

Many people want to skim over this section because it hits home. Being able to ask forgiveness and seek peace with an adversary is a vital part of a christian life. Confronting someone that is angry at you is a scary situation.

Matthew 5:21–26

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus repeated Exodus 20:13. But he added that the teachers of the Law had added to God’s Law. They added: ‘ anyone who murders will be subject to judgment ’ Jesus said that they were wrong to do this. Jesus used His authority as the Son of God. The Jews were not used to this. Their teachers of the Law and the Pharisees never did this. They always repeated other people’s opinions.

The Law forbade murder. This principle is in Genesis 9:1–7. This teaches that only God has rights over life. So, when anyone takes another life, he goes against God.

In Genesis 9:1–7 there is another idea. God made men and women in God’s image. This fact gives great worth to every human being. So, to murder someone spoils God’s image. Two things are wrong. First, someone may behave as if another person’s life is not important.(Calling them Raca) This is wrong. Also, it is wrong if anyone denies a person’s worth.(you Fool)

Jesus also spoke about the other person as a ‘brother’. He chose to use this word. He had a reason for doing this. A good family looks after its own members. God expects all people to look after each other. Anything less is not to obey God.

Ceremony must not be instead of actions

Notice Jesus’ words in verses 23–26. This is hard for us to understand. Some people may have thought that religious ceremonies were most important. Their quality of life was less important. But Jesus said that this is not what God wants.

Jesus gave an example. Someone was offering the correct gift. He wanted God to accept him. So, he did what God ordered. But, he suddenly remembered someone who was angry with him. Jesus said that he must leave his gift. First, he must go to that person. He must try to make peace with him. Then, he could offer his gift. Otherwise, his gift was of no use at all.

Notice what Jesus did not say. It was not: ‘If you are angry with a brother’. Jesus did not say something else. It was not: ‘If your brother has a good reason to be angry with you’. There might be no good reason for it. But, Jesus still wanted him to try. He must try to make things right between them. If he did not, God would not accept his gift.

Jesus’ words show us something important. It is about anything that the Bible tells us not to do. Our thoughts must be good as well as our actions.

Jesus explained something in verses 25 and 26. It is urgent to become friends again. Jesus gave the reason for this. If the person does nothing, the relationship could get worse.

The standards are high in these verses. We may never achieve them perfectly in this life. But, we must try. The most important thing in life is to obey Jesus. Of course, he will help us. But we must ask him.

Jesus’ words in 5:18 still agree with the Law. He showed this in the rest of the chapter. Jesus wants people to use the basic principles of the Law. He does not demand that people follow the extras added on by man.

Questions

1. Is there someone who is angry with you? What are you going to do about it?

2. It is very important not to have wrong things between believers. (Note: This does not mean that believers must always agree about everything.) How might the members of your church emphasise this? Think especially about the *Lord’s Supper. You may say: ‘Peace be with you’ at this special meeting. But is that enough?

3. Many non-Christian groups oppose each other. How should Christians try to make peace between them?

Matthew 5:17–20

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly 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. ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

People often discuss this passage. They very often understand it wrongly. It is vital to study it well. Then we can be sure about what it means.

Jesus is explaining how He will fulfill the Law for us. He is showing us how we should understand it. He explains how we can know its meaning.

Jesus said that His teaching agreed with the whole of the Old Testament. But, the teaching of the religious leaders was very different. Jesus said that their teaching did not agree with the Old Testament.

We need to know what the Jews meant by ‘the Law’. It referred to the laws that were in the first 5 books of our Bible. These are Genesis to Deuteronomy. The ‘Prophets’ meant the next group of books. They are the books of Joshua to 2 Kings. (But Jews do not include Ruth in this section.) This group also includes Isaiah to Malachi (but not Daniel). The other books of the Old Testament were called ‘the Writings’.

However, the words ‘Law and Prophets’ usually apply to the whole of the Old Testament. He taught that He would never destroy any of the Old Testament teachings. He said, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.’ He was not adding to them. He was not putting anything in their place. So, Jesus claimed two things. First, the whole of the Old Testament spoke about Him. Second, He completely obeyed all of the Old Testament.

Jesus spoke Aramaic. The Old Testament was in Aramaic and Hebrew. Both these languages have the same alphabet. Jesus spoke about the smallest letter of the alphabet. He also spoke about the smallest part of a letter (verse 18). In this way, Jesus taught that he would not change any of the Old Testament. There has been much discussion on one word. This word is ‘until’ in verse 18. But, the word just emphasizes something that is permanent. Jesus taught that the Old Testament is permanent. It does not change.

Jesus explained the meaning of ‘righteousness’ (to be and to do what is right).

Jesus answered another question. It was, ‘What is real righteousness?’ There were two groups of religious teachers. There were the teachers of the Law (the scribes). Also there were the Pharisees. To them, it was most important to obey all the Old Testament Law. This was what they taught. They wanted to obey all of God’s laws. Jesus knew this. (This explains his words in verse 19.)

But, they did not understand two big things about the Law.

First, it put a lot of weight in ceremonies. To obey God’s Law on the outside of themselves was most important to them. They did not tell people to obey God because they loved Him. This was the reason for what Jesus said in verse 20. Real ‘righteousness’ is greater than the righteousness of these men.

The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees added many rules. This meant that they never noticed great lessons in the Old Testament. Sometimes, they even denied these truths. Jesus discussed this particular bad habit in detail. He did this in verses 21–48.

In these verses, Jesus taught about standards. There was the standard of ‘righteousness’ in the Old Testament. God would accept men and women by this standard only. There was the standard of behavior. God expected this standard from citizens of his kingdom.

Jesus knew that nobody could obey all the Law. (That is, no person except Himself could obey it all.) That was the reason that He became a man. There was a problem with the two groups of religious teachers. They thought that they could do things that would please God. And God would accept them because of what they did. Jesus’ teaching showed that this was not true. Nobody could ever do all that God requires. Nobody could ever obey all God’s laws. But God looks for people who love Him. They ask for His help to obey His Law.

Questions

1. Do you have the same interest as Jesus had in the Old Testament? If you do not, what is the reason for this? Decide to read at least a part of each Old Testament book. Then, write a plan to do this in the next 12 months.

I am writing an ebook that covers many of the Bile stories of the Old Testament. Keep coming back for updates

2. Should our churches teach the laws of the Old Testament? Or, should they teach Jesus’ own way of life and behavior? What are the differences?

3. Think about the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. In what way are non-Christians like them? Do they understand the Law in a similar way? Explain this. Do you think that people in your church are like this too?

A couple years ago, at a Sister Night Conference, my friend, Tricia Wright, Coined the phrase , “Pass The Salt.” As Christians we are called to bring others to Christ by our actions. Too often we get caught up in focusing on the faults or actions of others. We need to be reminded to be more salty, thus pass the salt.

Matthew 5:13–16

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Jesus explained a Christian’s role in an unbelievers world. He tells us we are salty and a light.

Salts main use is to stop things from going bad. People will become morally rotten without this ‘salt’. The world’s history shows that this is true. There has been a big change in nations and peoples. This has been when real believers have been most noticeable.

When you rub salt into something, you cannot see it. But it still stops things from going bad. You cannot see it, but it still works. Jesus taught that steady disciples can prevent the growth of sin. They can have a powerful effect, even if people cannot see it.

There should be nothing in salt to spoil it. If there is, the salt will not be useful. Real disciples should be like salt in this way. They will keep away from anything that would spoil. Believers will want only what God wants. They will desire only God’s honor in everything. This does not mean that there would be no contact with non-Christians. Disciples can only be like salt if they have contact with non-Christians!

  Salt stops things from going bad, as we saw above.

Salt gives flavor. Steady disciples will have a good quality of life. Other people will not have it. They will see these disciples being joyful, when everything seems to be dreadful. They will wish that they could do the same.

Salt prevents the growth of things that cause disease. Real disciples will try to be pure in every part of their lives.

There is something else to consider. If something spoils salt, it cannot be useful. It even has bad results. If salt gets into the ground, it will stop growth. So, disciples like this are a bad example to other people.

Then, there was a most serious matter. Read Matthew 5:13. Jesus’ words mean that bad salt cannot become salty again and is thrown out and trampled upon. They teach that a real disciple’s life is always of some use. Even in the end. In the Bible times salt that lost its flavor was tossed out onto the roads to keep weed and grass from growing over the road.

Then, Jesus spoke about light. He said, ‘You are the light of the world.’ Real disciples cannot hide that fact. It will show in the way that they live. It is not just their words. It is not just their ‘good deeds’. It is the way in which they do these actions. It is the way in which they say these words. Their lives should be right. They should be beautiful and attractive. They should give honor to God only.

Questions

1.Jesus described the life of a real discipline. This life shows people about God. It cannot avoid doing that. How much do you think that this is true of you? How might you improve?

2. Should people in churches today practice ‘good deeds’? In what ways do you think that they should do this?

3. ‘Good deeds’ cannot save people from their sins. How can we tell people this fact?

Being a Christian ain’t easy. You are going to have people that look down on you, call you names like: bigot or small-minded, be rude to you and at times condemn you for your beliefs. God tells you it is going to be hard at times. However, it won’t last forever.

Matthew 5:10–12

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus emphasized that there would be persecution. He showed how the believer could find comfort at a time like that. The beatitudes all start with “Blessed.” The first sections of the beatitudes are pretty simple or easy things to feel blessed about. The last two here can seem hard or nearly impossible to feel blessed during these things. We live in the world and many other people in the world do not believe. These verses give us a reason to feel blessed in these situations.

There will always be persecution for real believers. Jesus taught this. He emphasized the fact in three ways:

Persecution is the evidence that shows that a person is a citizen of God’s kingdom. Jesus says ‘when’ not ‘if’ persecution will happen.

History proves that persecution is going to happen.

Here, Jesus was speaking about a certain type of persecution. It is when people say bad things against you. All believers must experience it at some time. This is the least form of persecution. Many Christians experience much worse percussion than this.

When we experience persecution because of our beliefs, it is because our behavior. Jesus called these things persecution. Today, non-Christians may laugh at those who practice love. They may call people week when they are ready to forgive. There are Christians at work. They will want to work all day. They will refuse to tell lies. These things may cause other people to laugh or look down on them.

Jesus tells us that we must not just continue. There is something more. When there is persecution, we must rejoice and be glad! There are three reasons for this.

It gives us evidence that we really are Christians.

It helps us to be more sure that we are God’s children.

It means that we will have a reward one day. The reward then will be much greater than any suffering that we have now.

Questions

1. Think about your own life. You may have told someone that you are a Christian. People made things hard for you because of this. What things in this passage could encourage you?

2. Have non-Christians caused difficulties for your local church? If they have, why was this?

3. The Church is under attack and persecuted much more today than 50 years ago. Why do you think that this is true?

The quality of a person’s life will show if they are a disciple. I don’t mean the amount of possessions, popularity or the size of their bank account. I mean the true quality of their life; who they are, how content they are and how fulfilled they are. Jesus was speaking about the character of a real Christian.(v. 1-6) Now Jesus emphasized the character of a person will show in how he or she behaves.

Matthew 5:7–9

⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.

Who show mercy

Mercy means to not get a punishment you deserve. A criminal may “Throw themselves on the mercy of the court.” Begging for the court not to give them the punishment they deserve.

Christians know God’s love and mercy. Jesus teaches us that we should show the same things. When we show mercy, it shows that we have received it ourselves. Only then can we expect God’s mercy for us.

The pure in heart

Verse 8 is most important. It tells us what to do. We must be pure of heart if we want to enjoy God in this life. This is the most important of all. We must be pure of heart and the only way we can be pure is to be covered in the blood of Christ. Which is to be Saved. For they shall see God. Ya’ll know those who are saved will see God.

peacemakers

This type of peacemakers does not only mean the end of war or lawlessness. To be at peace meas to be complete. There is nothing to cause a lack of agreement. They have nothing missing . To have satisfaction, and joy. This Peace comes from knowing Christ and His Gospel of Peace.

So, what do ‘peacemakers’ do? They work hard to cause this kind of peace. They encourage the spread of God’s word. They preach, teach, witness and spread the gospel through the gifts God gave them.

People should see ‘peacemakers’ at work everywhere. They should be trying to bring the gospel of peace in a family. They should be active in the church. They should be working to spread the peace in the world.

These people are following the model of their Father. (Read Hebrews 13:20 and 2 Corinthians 5:20.) They are following the model of their Savior (Jesus). (Read Philippians 2:1–11 and Colossians 1:20.) God will call these people His children. Everyone will know that these people belong to God.

These verses emphasizes a most important Christian truth. It happens when a person really believes. A great change takes place. There is a reason for this. God gives His Holy Spirit to every Christian. The Holy Spirit helps him or her to live a life that will please God.

Questions

1. The Holy Spirit is active in your life. What evidence of this is of most value to you? Is it the evidence that Jesus would most love to see?

2. What ambitions do the people of God have today? It should be the desire to be pure of heart. It should also be the desire for peace. What do Christian people today often put in place of these things?

3. Non-Christians notice the lives of believers. The Holy Spirit is in them. There should be evidence of this. What would help people most to become Christians today?