March 29, 2026

UNIT 1: The Sermon on the Mount

LESSON: 5

Study Text: Matthew 7:1-12; 22:34-40

Central Truth: Christians are called to live and love like Jesus.

KEY Verse--Micah 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (KJV).

The LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (NLT).

LET'S GET STARTED

What is love? Answers vary depending on what you ask. Love has been culturally redefined by every generation. But the way we interpret the meaning, of this word can truly change how we trust others.

DISCUSSION STARTER--What Does It Mean?

What are some words that have multiple meanings? (Examples: right, bat, run) _______________________________________________________ ___________.

Love is another word with multiple meanings. And beyond its dictionary definition, it's also interpreted and lived out in countless different ways. As Christians, we must make sure our definition of love lines up with what the Bible says.

                                                  PART 1-Do Not Be a Faultfinder

Judge Not?               Matthew 7:1-2

When someone feels their actions or beliefs are being attacked, they may pull out the phase "judge not" (Mattew 7:1) to prove that no one can judge anyone else. But verse 2  presupposes that Jesus' followers will make judgments and describes how they should be made. Jesus is not saying that no one can ever judge anyone else. Instead, He is calling believers to extend the mercy they have already received from God. When we correct sin, it should be done in love and humility. We can observe people's behavior, but only God can see the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

? How should a Christian respond when someone uses Matthew 7:1 out of context?

Self-Examination and Discernment        Matthew 7:3-6

In Matthew 7:3, Jesus resumes the rhetorical questions that are used as a teaching method throughout His sermon. The two objects Jesus mentions--a speck of sawdust and a plank (NIV)--are both made of wood, a material Jesus would have been very familiar with, having grown up in a carpenter's home. But Jesus uses the difference in their sizes to create an exaggerated image of how ridiculous passing judgment can sometimes be. If a believer points out a tiny fault in someone else's life while ignoring their own blinding flaws, Jesus says they are hypocrite (verse 5). Jesus does not forbid correcting each other. Instead, He tells His disciples to make sure their own lives are pleasing to God before they judge anyone else. People who see their own need for God's grace are more likely to humility extend grace to others.

? How does someone remove the log from their own eye? Once that is done, what is the best way to help someone else remove the speck from their eye? 

PART 2--Persist in Prayer

Keep On Praying          Matthew 7:7-8

Jesus transitioned to a teaching on prayer by telling His followers to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7). These kinds of persistent prayers will be answered, Jesus says (verse 8). It's important that we understand what Jesus is not saying. this is not a promise that people who pray enough will get everything they ask for, find everything they seek, or see every knocked-on door swing open. As we have seen throughout our study of the Sermon on the Mount, a wider view of Scripture helps us understand Jesus' meaning here. James 42 explains that our motives matter when it comes to prayer. Many people view prayer as a way to get God to do something for them. Some is not an incantation or sales pitch. It's a conversation with our loving God. He changes us through prayer, not the others way around.

? How can we be sure that we are praying with the right motives (James 4:2-3)?

Good Gifts from the Father           Matthew 7:9-11

To fully understand the nature of prayer, we must remember that God is our loving Father (1 John 3:1). It is from this position that God answers prayers. Jesus asks if any parent would give their child a rock or a snake if they asked for bread or fish (Matthew 7:10-11). Reasonable parents would not even consider such a reckless response. If flawed, earthly parents find joy in giving good gifts to their children, how much more must our perfect Heavenly Father love to give good gifts to His children? This view of God should affect how we pray. We are not trying to persuade a stranger. Instead, we're asking our Father--the One who loves us most--to take care of us. This is something He already longs to do!

? What are some of the good things that God's children should regularly ask for?

PART 3-Love Others As Yourself

      The Golden Rule             Matthew 7:12

Jesus summarizes the heart of the Law and the Prophets in one sentence that we call the Golden Rule: "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you" ( Matthew 7:12). He was not the first person to make a statement like this. around AD 20, the well-known rabbi Hillel was asked to summarize the Scriptures. In his response, he said. "That which is hateful to you do not do to another

that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation" (Shabbat 31a). Jesus' summary of Scripture may sound similar, but the results are quite different. While Hillel told people to avoid doing evil, Jesus called for His disciples to be proactive and do good.

? What are some ways you can live out the Golden Rule in the coming week?

The Greatest Commandment             Matthew 22:34-40

to better understand the Golden Rule, let's look at the other passage in Matthew where Jesus summarizes the essence of the Law. Matthew 22 records how the pharisees tried to trap Jesus with a trick question about which commandment in the Law was most important (verse 34-36). Jesus explained that the greatest commandment is to love God first and the second greatest is to love your neighbor as yourself (verse 37-38). Just as He had said when giving the golden Rule in Matthew 6, Jesus again explained that love is the essence of the Law and Prophets (22:40).

? Why is it impossible to love God without also loving other people? Why is it impossible to love other people without also loving God?

WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO US?

It matters how Christians treat people. When we examine our own hearts first and refrain from judging harshly, we are able to more effectively speak the truth in love. When we pray persistently and trust that God will answer in His own time, we model faith. When we practice empathy and love others proactively and sacrificially, we show God's heart and testify to the truth of the gospel. In everything we do, our love for others must originate from the love we have received through Jesus.

LIVING IT OUT

Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) in one sitting. Highlight or underline every reference to love. 

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

                  Monday: Love Your Neighbor as Yourself. Lev. 19:9-18

           Tuesday: Example of Faultfinding. 2 Samuel. 6:15-23

                        Wednesday: Example of Persistent Prayer. Psalm 55:16-1    Thursday: Loving Your Neighbor. Luke 10:25-37

Friday: Persistent in Prayer: Luke 11:5-13

                      Saturday: Wrong and Right Judgments: John 9:1-7,24,31-34

RADIANT LIFE

Volume 107 Number 3 Mar. Apr. May 2026

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