6.

The Teachings of the King: Connecting to the Kingdom of God (Part 2)

Matthew 5:25-48

  • Session: 6
  • Week: 1
  • Day: 6
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Introduction

Jesus taught about the pillars of the Kingdom of God: giving to the poor, praying, and fasting. He also taught about the fruit of faith, which is good deeds.

Objectives

By the end of this session, you will have:

  • Understood the doctrine of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting by comparing the wrong, self-centred way from the community around you with the right, God-centred way from the Bible.
  • Reflected on the teachings about good deeds by examining the what, why, and how of good deeds from both the community and the Bible.
  • Appreciated the three possible motivations for good deeds: pleasing or rewarding God, satisfying other people, and pleasing yourself, by considering the word J.O.Y (Jesus, Others, Yourself).

Outline

Jesus was the Expected Messiah as expressed through:

  • The three pillars of the Kingdom (giving to the poor, fasting, and prayer).
  • The difference between the root of faith and the fruit of faith (good deeds).
  • The motivations behind good deeds.

Group Study Time

Matthew 5:25-48

Connecting

  • Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
  • Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
  • Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
  • Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.

Comprehending

What do the verses mean?
(In small groups, attempt the following questions):

  • Read Matthew 5:20 & Matthew 5:48. What comes to mind when you hear these two strong statements from Jesus? Discuss.
  • Observe the community (church, elders, Islam, philanthropists, etc.) around you. What are some good deeds or acts of righteousness (acts of right living)? Why do they engage in these good deeds? How do they perform their good deeds? As a Kingdom citizen, why should we do good deeds? How should we perform our good deeds?
  • Read Matthew 6:1. List at least three truths Jesus reveals about good deeds.
  • Read Matthew 6:2-4. List five things Jesus said about the wrong and the right way of giving.
  • Who is a hypocrite? What harmful things have hypocrites done within the body of Christ?
  • Read Matthew 6:5-8. List at least five truths Jesus revealed about wrong and right acts of prayer. How do Jesus’s teachings on prayer differ from those of the community around you? Compare and contrast.
  • Read Matthew 6:9-13. List five elements of prayer given by Jesus whenever you engage in worship.
  • What did Jesus say about forgiveness? Why did He emphasise forgiveness during the act of prayer? (Matthew 6:14-15).
  • Read Matthew 6:16-18. What is fasting? List at least five truths Jesus revealed about wrong and right acts of fasting. How do Jesus’s teachings on fasting differ from those of the community around you? Compare and contrast.
  • Discuss the two main reasons for biblical fasting with supporting biblical verses: For direction, For liberation. How would you share these with your mentees and friends?

Committing

  • Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
  • List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
  • Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
  • Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
    • Sin to confess
    • Promise to claim
    • Attitude to change
    • Command to keep
    • Error to change
    • Prayer to make
    • Example to copy
    • Truth to obey and
    • Something praiseworthy

Communicating

  • Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
  • Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
  • Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.