The Sermon on the Mount

Living for God’s Kingdom

Not Your Average Bible Study

Miles Custis

The Sermon on the Mount: Living for God’s Kingdom

Not Your Average Bible Study

Copyright 2014 Lexham Press

Adapted with permission from content originally published in Bible Study Magazine (Issues 6.4–6.5)

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All rights reserved. You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please contact Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-57-799571-5

Table of Contents

How to Use This Resource

Introduction

Part I: What to Expect from a Disciple (Matthew 1:1–6:18)

Lesson 1: The Kingdom of Heaven

Lesson 2: Qualities of the Kingdom

Lesson 3: Being Salt and Light

Lesson 4: Righteousness to Enter the Kingdom

Lesson 5: Anger, Insults, and Reconciliation

Lesson 6: Lust, Sin, and Marriage

Lesson 7: Oaths and Retaliation

Lesson 8: Perfect Love

Conclusion

Part II: The Call of Discipleship (Matthew 5:1–7:29)

Lesson 1: Jesus’ Speeches in Matthew

Lesson 2: Giving without Hypocrisy

Lesson 3: How to Pray

Lesson 4: Two Kinds of Treasure

Lesson 5: Don’t Worry

Lesson 6: Judging, Asking, and the Golden Rule

Lesson 7: The Narrow Path

Lesson 8: A Sure Foundation

Conclusion

How to Use This Resource

Not Your Average Bible Study is a series of in-depth Bible studies that can be used for individual or group study. Depending on your individual needs or your group pace, you may opt to cover one lesson a week or more.

Each lesson prompts you to dig deep into the Word—as such, we recommend you use your preferred translation with this study. The author used his own translation, but included quotations from the English Standard Version. Whatever Bible version you use, please be sure you leave ample time to get into the Bible itself.

To assist you, we recommend using the Faithlife Study Bible. You can download this digital resource for free for your tablet, phone, or personal computer. Go to FaithlifeBible.com to learn more.

May God bless you in the study of His Word.

Introduction

The Great Commission tells us to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19), but what does being a disciple entail? The Sermon on the Mount—Jesus’ first major teaching in Matthew’s Gospel—tells us what it means to be Jesus’ disciple and a member of the kingdom of God.

Part I: What to Expect from a Disciple

Matthew 1:1–6:18

Sitting on the mountainside, Jesus speaks about selflessness, humility and what it means to seek God’s righteousness—what we know as the Beatitudes (5:3–12). His disciples should serve as His witnesses to the world and point others toward God (5:13–16). Their standard of righteousness goes beyond what ...