KINGDOM MANIFESTO a study of matthew 5-7 echo spring 2007 Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission kingdom manifesto A Spring 2007 study for Echo, the College Ministry of First Evangelical Free Church. Reprint by permission only. Sermons associated with this study can be found on Echo’s website- www.echoaustin.com in the Resources section. Echo, the College Ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 4220 Monterey Oaks Blvd Austin, TX 78749 512-891-1600 [email protected] www.echoaustin.com Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 2 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission contents 13 Week Study Plan of Matthew 5-7 Week 1) Beatitudes Part 1.................................. 9 Week 2) Beatitudes Part 2................................. 14 Week 3) Salt & Light (Law)............................... 19 Week 4) Murder / Anger.................................... 24 Week 5) Adultery / Lust.................................... 29 Week 6) Divorce / Oaths.................................... 34 Week 7) Giving / Generosity / Love for enemies............. 40 Week 8) Prayer............................................. 45 Week 9) Fasting / Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness...... 50 Week 10) Treasures in Heaven............................... 55 Week 11) Worry/ Anxiety.................................... 60 Week 12) Judging Others.................................... 69 Week 13) Seek God 1st Priority ............................. 75 Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 3 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission introduction Over the next 13 weeks we will be studying the Sermon on the Mount. We will be exploring the meanings of Christ’s words, putting these words to practice & committing portions to memory. Our method of study is systematic and intense but very productive. It is called inductive bible study. It is a way of studying the scriptures to get the most out of them. If you are new to this type of study here is a brief description of what to expect: 1. Observation - What do I see? 2. Interpretation - What does it mean? 3. Application - What do I do? Step One: Observation (What do I see?) The hardest part about the observation stage is not jumping too quickly to interpreta- tion. When making observations you record exactly what you see in the text. When making observations, look for: People Places Times Promises Commands Relationships Contrasts Context Key Words Progressions Questions Answers Details Warnings Repeating words Cause/Effect Comparisons Verb Tense Themes Lists Emphasis Exhortations What’s not said Always ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? Step Two: Interpretation (What does it mean?) Correct interpretation begins with a commitment to fact that there can only be one right interpretation. There can be many applications but only one correct interpreta- tion. This requires thorough observation. Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 4 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission introduction continued In the interpretation stage you look for the following: Cross-references: These are the little numbers or letters that appear next to a word in the passage. In the margin or at the bottom of the page you will see that this letter is leading you to look up other passages. Look these up to see what other passages in the Bible say about this word/concept/teaching. Context: The context is the text that surrounds the passage. What precedes and fol- lows your reading? Scripture should always be interpreted in light of the context of the entire Bible. Definitions: Look up the meaning of words in a dictionary. If you have a Dictionary of New and Old Testament words you will get an even better understanding. Outside insight: At this stage you can use outside resources to help you gain great understanding. Here are few sources to consider: 1. Commentaries -- it’s best to look at least two so that you have multiple perspectives. Check out www.soniclight.com for a commentary on every book of the Bible. 2. Bible Dictionaries: The New International Dictionary of the Bible, 3. Word Studies: The Complete Word Study New Testament, Zodhiates and the Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words/Old Testament Words 4. Theological works: New Dictionary of Theology, IVP; Systematic Theol- ogy, Wayne Grudem; The Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 5. A Concordance: Strong’s Exhaustive or go to www.biblegateway.com -- a concordance allows you to see every time a particular word appears in the Bible. 6. Internet: You can find most of the tools listed above on the www. Some really helpful sites: biblegateway.com; bible.crosswalk.com; seekgod.org; bible.org; soniclight.com Step Three: Application (What do I do?) This is the most important step of Inductive Bible Study. What good is studying the Bible if we don’t apply it to our lives? Helpful applications will always be measurable and doable. An unhelpful application: “I’m going to love more.” A helpful application: “By Friday I will clean the apartment for my room- mates.” Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 5 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission suggestions for group study In order to make sure that we all get the most out of God’s word in our time together, here are a few suggestions for your time in group study: Pray that the Lord would teach you through the Word and the people in your group. Come to each study prepared to discuss the weeks study. Understand that the group time is a discussion and not a lecture so be will- ing to share your thoughts, & listen attentively to others ideas. Remember that things shared in the group need to be held in confidenti ality. Stick to the text. Let the conversation flow out of God’s Word. In order to honor one another’s time, be sure to be on time to each meet- ing. Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 6 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission background of matthew Author: The Apostle Matthew, a tax collector before he became a follower of Christ. Date: Probably between 60 - 65 A.D. Setting (of the sermon): The exact location is not specified, but tradition has it at this hill called the “Mount of Beatitudes” Major Theme: Matthew’s message centers on Jesus’ Kingship. Jesus is presented as the King who is revealed, rejected, and who will return. “The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, & certainly it is the least obeyed. It is the nearest thing to a manifesto that he ever uttered, for it is his own description of what he wanted his followers to be and to do.” - John Stott Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 7 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission outline of sermon on the mount Character 5:3-12 The beatitudes emphasize 8 marks of the Christians character. They focus on man’s relationship to God and man’s relationship with others. These verses also reveal the divine blessings that come to a person who embodies these character traits. Influence 5:13-16 If a Christian maintains the character from the beatitudes he/she will positively influence his/her community by being salt and light. Righteousness 5:17-48 The Christians moral code is fulfilled in Christ & expanded into 6 spe- cific areas common to all men; anger, lust, divorce, oaths, revenge and love. Practical Religion 6:1-18 The Christian is not to live by the hypocritical formulas of the Pharisee, but by authentic and sincere desire for the good of others and the pleas- ure of God. Ambition 6:19-34 Christians are to be different than the world around them. Many in the world exist to acquire more money and possessions, but the ambition of the Christian is the Kingdom & Glory of God. Relationships 7:1-20 The Christian is living in a web of relationships. To properly relate to others the Christian must 1st be rightly related to God. Through prayer the Christian is able to entrust judgment to He who is Just. Commitment 7:21-29 Beliefs drive behavior. If the Christian takes Christ at His Word he/she will build their foundation on truth. Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 8 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission WEEK 1 Character: The Beatitudes Part 1 Matthew 5:1-6 This section of the sermon is called the Beatitudes which is the Latin word for ‘happiness.’ Jesus refers to eight character traits that He calls all His followers to embody. This week we will be studying four of those character traits of Christ & their corresponding promises. Pray that the Lord will allow you to understand how you might grow in each of these areas. Read Matthew 5:1-12. Matthew 5:1-12 Making Notes Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountain- side and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he be- gan to teach them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteous- ness, for they will be filled. OBSERVE observe 1. Who is Jesus talking to? 2. What is the setting? 3. Underline the character traits that Christ says are blessed. 4. Circle the reward for that corresponds to each character trait. WEEK 1 DAY 1 Echo, the college ministry of First Evangelical Free Church 9 www.echoaustin.com please do not reprint without permission INTERPRET interpret listening in to…John MacArthur: Commentary on Matthew To be blessed is not a superficial feeling of well being based on circumstance, but a deep supernatural experience of contentedness based on the fact that one’s life is right with God.