the way of Jesus | a study in matthew 5–7
Series Overview: The Way of Jesus | a study in Matthew 5-7
What is this series?
Starting Sunday, we turn our attention to Matthew chapters 5-7. Most people know it as the ‘Sermon on the Mount’. It is Jesus’ greatest hits all in one place. “If your hand causes you to sin…” “Love your enemies…” “Build your house on the rock…”
Here is the basic question Jesus is answering with every section of this sermon, “What is life like in the kingdom of God?”
There are no easy answers for Christians who want to follow the way of Jesus in this world. It takes time sitting at the feet of the one who looked at his disciples 2000 years ago and said, “You have heard it said, but I said to you…”
Series Schedule
8/11/24 - Matthew 5:1-12 - Jesus and The Blessed Life
8/18/24 - Matthew 5:13-16 - Jesus and His Followers
8/25/24 - Matthew 5:17-20 - Jesus and the Bible
9/1/24 - Matthew 5:21-30 - Jesus and Our Motives
9/8/24 - Matthew 5:31-37 - Jesus and Commitment
9/15/24 - Matthew 5:38-48 - Jesus and Those We Hate
9/22/24 - Matthew 6:1-4 - Jesus and Virtue Signaling
9/29/24 - Matthew 6:5-15 - Jesus and Dependency
10/6/24 - Matthew 6:16-18 - Jesus and Fasting
10/13/24 - Matthew 6:19-24 - Jesus and Our Money
10/20/24 - Matthew 6:25-34 - Jesus and Our Anxiety
10/27/24 - Matthew 7:1-6 - Jesus and Our Blind Spots
11/3/24 - Matthew 7:7-11 - Jesus and Our Prayer Life
11/10/24 - Matthew 7:12-14 - Jesus and Two Paths
11/17/24 - Matthew 7:15-20 - Jesus and His Followers' Test
11/24/24 - Matthew 7:21-27 - Jesus and Two Foundations
Why this series now?
What is the good life? We are in the middle of a political season when candidates are spending millions of dollars to convince us that our “good life” will happen if they are in office. Is there a standard definition of the good life that any of us agree on? Jesus has some thoughts. This famous teaching of Jesus in the book of Matthew can be viewed as Jesus' summary statement of the “good life.” It is beautiful, surprising, confusing, challenging, and often lost because of its over-familiarity in the Christian subculture. We want a fresh encounter with Jesus’ teaching and His thoughts on the ‘good life.’ So we turn to Matthew 5-7.
Here are 5 recurring phrases in the sermon on the mount that Jesus will have us sit in over the next few months.
“Blessed” - What is the good life?
“Kingdom of heaven” - What do Christians believe about the kingdom of heaven?
“You have heard it said” - What false assumptions are we carrying into our discipleship with Jesus? Jesus had a lot to deconstruct for the disciples then… and He isn’t done yet.
“Your reward” - What is in it for me if I take Jesus’ words seriously?
“Love” - What does the love (by Jesus’ standards) look, feel, and act like?
Recommended Resources
Bible Project Sermon on the Mount Podcast - a series of very helpful podcasts on the sermon on the mount
The Sermon on the Mount - a SHORT but powerful book on the sermon on the mount
The Divine Conspiracy - a LONG and challenging book on Jesus’ teaching in the sermon on the mount
Be like Him - a new song our church will sing together throughout this series
