Key Words:  Doing/Keeping God’s Word 

Matthew 4:4 - Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 

Matthew 7:26-27, Luke 6:46-49 - And everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a man who builds his house on a solid foundation. 

Matthew 11:25-30 - 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light 

Matthew 12:48-50, Luke 8:21 - For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. 

Luke 11:28 - Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it! 

Luke 16:1-13 – Use the assets given to you faithfully.  Cannot serve God and money. 

John 8:31-32 – If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 

John 12:25-26 - If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 

John 13:15-17 - For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.  

John 13:20 -  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 

John 14:15-24 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  

John 15:1-17 - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  

Discussion Questions: 

Summarize the Jesus commands on obedience. 

Are you obeying the commands of Jesus?  

And if not, what help do you need in order to start obeying his commands? 

Key Words:  Worship, Love, Do not Test, Give it All

Matthew 4:7 - You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.

Matthew 4:10 - You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.

Matthew 5:33-37 – You shall not swear falsely.  Do not take an oath.  Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.

Matthew 12:32 - Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Matthew 22:34-38, Mark 12:28-30 - You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment.

Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-23 – Take the bread and the wine in remembrance of me.

John 2:16 - Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.

John 4:24 - God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

John 12:44-45 - Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.

Discussion Questions:

How do we put God to the test?

Do worship things like cars or a football team? 

Why is does it mean to speak against the Holy Spirit? 

What does it look like to worship in spirit and in truth?

Key Words:  Beware, Careless Speech, Hypocrisy, Coveting, Dissipation

Matthew 7:15-16 - Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits. 

Matthew 12:36 - On the day of judgment, you will give account for every careless word you speak.

Matthew 15:10-11, Mark 7:14-23 - It is what comes out of the mouth; this is what defiles a person.  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 

Mark 8:15, 12:38-40, Luke 12:1, 20:45-47 - Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, the Scribes and the Herodians which is hypocrisy. 

Luke 12:15 - Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Luke 21:34-36 - Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.  But stay awake at all times; pray that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.

 Discussion Questions:

What should we beware of?

How can you guard yourself against these behaviors and actions?

Key Words:  Do not be anxious about the things of this life, rather seek the Kingdom of God, and God will give you what you need.

Matthew 6:19-21 -  Do not lay up for yourself riches on earth, which perish, but lay up for yourself riches in heaven that are eternal.  Where your treasure is, there is your heart also.

Matthew 6:25-27 – Do not be anxious about your life, you cannot add a single hour to your life.  God knows what you need, and he will provide it.

Matthew 6:34 -  Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Luke 12:22-31 - Do not be anxious about what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.  For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 

Luke 12: 32-34 - Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 

Discussion Questions:

Are you anxious about the things of life?

How can we not be anxious for the things of life?

Where is your heart and what are the treasurers that you store up?

Key Words:  Pay taxes, honor authorities

Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:17, Luke 20:21-26

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"  But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.  And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

Matthew 5:41 - And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Mark 1:44 – Go show yourself to the priests.

Matthew 5:17 - “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Discussion Questions: 

Are there any civil laws that we should not obey?

Is it difficult to obey authorities who are themselves not obeying the law?

Are you obeying the commands of Jesus regarding civil authorities?  And if not, what help do you need on order to start obeying these commands?

Leona Helmsley – We don’t pay taxes; taxes are for little people.

Key Words:  Anonymous, Service, Denial, Renounce

Matthew 6:2-8 – Do not let anyone know about your giving or your praying.

Matthew 6:16-18 – Fast in secret.

Matthew 18:4 - Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Mark 10:42-45, Luke 22:24-27 - Whoever would be great among you must be a servant to all.

Mark 10:45 - For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Luke 9:23-27 - And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 

Luke 14:7-11 - For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 14:25-33 - So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Luke 18:9-14 - But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 

John 13:12-17 - When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 

Discussion Questions:

Are the commands of Jesus on humility optional for a Follower-of-Jesus?

Are you obeying the commands of Jesus when it comes to humility? 

And if not, what help do you need in order to start obeying these commands?

Key Words:    Forgive, Mercy, Humility, Reconciliation.

Matthew 5:1-32 – Blessed are the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers.

Matthew 5:38-48, Luke 6:27-37  – Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 6:14 – Forgive others their trespasses against you.

Matthew 7:1-2 - Judge not, that you be not judged. 

Matthew 7:12 – Do unto others what you would have them do to you.

Matthew 15:4 – Honor your father and mother.

Matthew 18:4 – Turn and humble yourself like a child. 

Mathew 18:22 - Forgive your brother 70 x 7 times, as in always forgive.

Mathew 19:3-9 - Do not divorce except for adultery. 

Matthew 19:14 -  Let the little children come to me.

Matthew 20:25-28, Mark 9:35, 10:42-45, Luke 9:46-48, 22:26  – Whoever would be great among must be servant of all.

Matthew 22:39-40 - You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

Matthew 25:31-46 – Feed and cloth the poor among you.

Mark 9:42 – Do not cause a young one who believes to sin.

Mark 10:10-21, Luke 16:18 – Do not divorce and marry another.

Luke 6:38 – The measure you give is the measure you receive.

Luke 10:36-37 -  Show mercy to your enemies.

Luke 12:57-59 – Always try to settle an argument peaceably.  

Luke 14:7-24 – Always choose the lowest place of honor, do not exalt yourself.

Luke 17:1-4 – Do not tempt someone else to sin.  

John 13:31-35 - Love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 

Discussion Questions:

Are the commands of Jesus dealing with others optional for a Follower-of-Jesus?

What are the behaviors and actions that Jesus commands us to do?

What are the behaviors and actions Jesus commands us not to do?

What does Jesus command when someone sins against us?

What does Jesus command when we sin against someone else?

Are you obeying the commands of Jesus when dealing with others?  

And if not, what help do you need in order to start obeying these commands?