Primary Text: Mark 3:13-19; 5:1-6
Memory Verse: And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:1-3
Introduction:
Jesus carefully selected men whom He could teach and endue with power to carry on the ministry and gospel of God’s kingdom to the needy multitudes. But these weren’t men chosen only to do a job, but men in whom Christ planned to show the character of God’s kingdom. The Lord intended to reproduce in these men His own spiritual nature. The greatest ability they would have to carry out meaningful ministry would be born out of their new spiritual nature.
Sadly, it is all too common to find people who have made the study of God’s Word into a hobby of trivial knowledge. It is possible to “know” much of the information found in the Word of God without knowing the God of the Word, and without experiencing any real transformation: seeing but blind, hearing but deaf, ever learning but entirely missing the revelation of divine truth.
Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus stood before the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, and revealed that His primary mission was to “bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). Knowing the truth transforms us and makes us free (John 8:32). However, one can choose to merely be “religious,” avoiding the lordship of Jesus Christ and the change of life it requires.
The transformed life is the one God uses to carry the divine mystery of His kingdom and the power of the gospel to the world. Life-changing power is bestowed upon those who receive Christ, that they would become fully mature sons of God (John 1:12). Matthew 5 shows that Jesus taught four categories of right attitudes that God’s people should have: (1) toward ourselves (Matthew 5:3); (2) toward our sins (Matthew 5:4-6); (3) toward the Lord (Matthew 5:7-9); and (4) toward the world (Matthew 5:10-16). This week’s lesson focuses primarily on the first two categories. What are the proper attitudes we should maintain toward ourselves and toward our sins?
Studying the Word
Lesson Study
- Why did Jesus spend an entire night in prayer before He chose and commissioned His twelve disciples? Mark 3:13; Luke 6:12
- Why do you believe it was important that Jesus selected exactly 12 men as the original core group of apostles?
[Note: this was important enough that in the first chapter of Acts, the apostolic position left vacated by the death of Judas Iscariot was refilled.] - What four primary tasks would the twelve be commissioned to fulfill? Mark 3:15-19
- What did Jesus do in Matthew 5:1-2 and Luke 6:17-19 when the multitude needing ministry thronged Him?
- Describe what it means to be “poor in spirit.” Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20
- What attitude will citizens of God’s kingdom retain toward their old, fleshly nature? Matthew 5:4; Luke 6:21
- Explain what it means to be meek, and why this is essential for a citizen of God’s kingdom. Matthew 5:5
- What should be the essential desire of God’s true children? Matthew 5:6; Luke 6:21