PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR THE SERMON BY LOOKING THROUGH THESE SUGGESTIONS THAT WILL ASSIST YOU IN MAKING THE MOST OF OUR TIME TOGETHER HEARING GOD'S WORD.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• What is the Old Testament passage that Jesus is quoting/expounding in vs 21? Use the cross references in a study bible for help.
• Who are Jesus’ words in verse 22 describing?
• What heart attitude is Jesus correlating murder to according to verse 26?
• Verse 22 gives 3 examples/illustrations that show the divine definition of murder. What are the 3 illustrations?
• What is the function of the “therefore” in verse 23? What is it connecting back to?
• What does the Lord command us to do when we have wronged someone, specifically in regard to our anger according to these verses?
• What is the reason given in verse 25 for why you should “make friends quickly?”

Prayerfully Meditate

• Where does our passage fall in relation to the larger context of Matthew? What is Matthew 5-7 commonly referred to as? What just happened prior? Who is speaking? Location? Time? Etc.
• What is the main point or truth being taught in chapters 5-7? What truth is Jesus pointing to with everything He is saying?
• In Matthew 5:17-47 Jesus goes into a discourse where He interprets and corrects wrong thinking of 6 different commands in the Old Testament. List out these Old Testament passages? What is the repetitive truth Jesus is expressing?
• How are the three examples/illustrations in verse 22 progressing? Are they intensifying or are they getting less serious from first to last? Why might this be the case? Support your answer with proof from the text.
• In verses 25-26 Jesus uses a common illustration of the time of 2 people with a disagreement going to court. He is using this to help explain verses 23-24. What is Jesus emphasizing in verses 25-26 to help explain the truths in verses 23-24?
• How is the anger described here different from the anger Jesus expressed cleansing the temple in Matthew 21:12-13?