SERMON OUTLINE Sunday Sept 27th, 2020
Good Enough (Jesus Is…) – Pastor David Cooke
Matthew 5:21-26
1. The Murderous Heart
2. “You have heard it said…”
3. It’s A Heart Issue
Matthew 5:21–26, NLT
4. Do Not Murder
5. But I Say…
• Resentful Bitter Anger Is Murder
• Discrimination Is Murder
• Racism Is Murder
• Character Assassination Is Murder
– Who Are You Cursing?
6. The Jesus Way
(Matthew 5:23–24, NLT)
• Reconciliation and Forgiveness
• The heart of the Gospel of Jesus
is Reconciliation and Forgiveness
• Steps to Forgiving others. (Lewis
Smedes – The Art of Forgiving)
– We rediscover the humanity of
the person who wronged us
– We surrender the right to get
even.
– We wish them well.
• God’s forgiveness of us
means that we “have a hope
and a future” (Jeremiah 29.11)
• Our forgiveness of others
means that we can begin to
hope for the best for the other
person, not the worst.
7. Surrender – Follow – Listen – Do
(2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)
(John 8:36, NLT)
(Luke 19:10, NLT)
Life Group Study Guide
We meet in Life Groups to: Connect with God and each other. Connect the
Bible to life. Connect with the community through serving together.
ICE BREAKER: What’s some good advice you have been given for handling
anger?
PRAYER: God is worthy to be sought – take time to pray together in your group.
SERMON SERIES: “Unshakeable: Living The Words of Jesus”
In this sermon series we explore how to live according to Jesus’ teachings in
Matthew chapters 5-7. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is something we
are not only to know, but to do, to live. And when we do that, we are immoveable, unshakeable because the foundation is Jesus and he is the Rock of our
salvation that is immoveable and unshakeable.
THIS WEEK: Matthew 5:21-26
Watch the weekend’s sermon here: http://www.coldspringschurch.net/sermons.html.
EXPLORING TOGETHER
There is value in sharing perspectives about the weekend message in community. With dialogue around God’s truths, perspective broadens and impacts transformation.
1. What is something from this weekend’s message that stood out to you? How
so?
TAKING IT HOME
We are not meant to just let life happen to us, conforming rather than transforming (Romans 12:1-2). We can choose to allow God’s transforming power into
our life.
In Jesus’ day, life could be viewed as one big scorecard where you could checkoff all the laws you had not broken or the sins you were not guilty of committing.
For many within the religious leadership community, this approach culminated in
an immense sense of pride.
Jesus’ words brought a radical change to the sense of righteousness. He challenged that while a person may not have committed the actual crime, within the
letter of the law, but what about the spirit of the law? He was saying that the
deed is initiated by the head and the heart.
2. What is your experience with the power of a rumor?
3. Why do you think Jesus linked anger with the crime of murder?
Murder, according to Jesus, is not merely the ending of another person’s physical life. In some respects, that might even be the kinder thing to do. It can be far
more painful and hurtful to be the object of another person’s anger, discrimination, or character assassination.
4. Ephesians 4:26 says, “in your anger do not sin.” When does anger become
sinful?
The Greek language, in which the New Testament was written, had two words
which are translated as anger in English: “Thumos” described anger or wrath
that flares up quickly, and then dies down; it does not last or linger. The other
word, “orgē,” described the kind of anger that is long-lived and cultivated—frequently with a view to revenge. Passive aggression might be a manifestation of
this type of anger. It was this orgē kind of anger that Jesus referred to as being
equivalent to murder.
WEEKLY REFLECTION
Restoration of an individual’s relationship with God (being made righteous) is not
possible until there has been a setting right of broken relationships with other
people. Jesus linked the attitude of a person’s heart toward others with
their attempt to have a right relationship with God.
5. How would you explain the freedom mentioned in following passages to
someone who feels burdened with the pain of unforgiveness? 2 Corinthians
5:21; John 8:36; Luke 19:10.
6. Tell about an experience of reconciliation with someone that brought renewal
in your relationship with God?
The Gospel – the Good News of Jesus – is that we are forgiven by God. Because
we are forgiven, through the Spirit of God we have been given the power to forgive. As Pastor David said this weekend, “No forgiveness, no freedom. In forgiveness, there is freedom. Freedom to love and be loved.”
7. The last few weeks we have been talking about the pathway to living the
words of Jesus as: Surrender – Follow – Listen – Do. Of these 4 areas, which
do you struggle with most? Which is your strongest area? How does it impact
the other areas?
Reference: The Essence: Unpacking Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (2020). Winslade, B. Wipf & Stock Pub.
Reference: The Essence: Unpacking Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (2020). Winslade, B. Wipf & Stock
Pub.