COMPANION RESOURCES
Study for Jan. 17, 2021: Reverse Rewards (Matthew 6:1-18)
“For Mine Is the Kingdom?” by David Faust (Lesson Application)
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Study Questions for Groups
1. What new challenge did you face last week?
2. In what specific way did you live by Jesus’ higher standards over the past week?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 6:1-18 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions.
Ask the third person to summarize the teaching in one minute or less. (After the reteller finishes, others can fill in any parts the person may have missed.)
3. In what ways are a person’s motives important to how they practice their faith?
4. Let’s dig deeper into this passage:
• What is Jesus’ main point in this passage?
• The three practices Jesus used to illustrate his main point—giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting—were common spiritual practices for Jewish people of that day. Why are these practices vital for living out one’s faith?
• Other spiritual practices that are important for Christ followers include (but are not limited to) worship and Bible study. What role do your motives play as you engage (privately or publicly) in these?
• Look through the passage for repeated phrases. What do they teach you?
• Note the use of second-person plural pronouns (our, us, we) in the model prayer. What does that signify about the importance of community?
5. What do you learn about God from this passage?
6. What do you learn about people?
7. Serving others and sharing our faith are outward-focused spiritual practices for Christ followers. As you engage in these practices (either personally or as a group) how will you do them with the right motives?
8. Jesus gave several “how-to” directives in this passage. Which one do you sense you most need to focus on obeying now?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. What challenge do you anticipate as you seek to live your life for Christ this week?
For Next Week: Over the next week, read and reflect on Matthew 6:19-34 as we continue studying the Sermon on the Mount. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Michael C. Mack
Michael C. Mack is editor of Christian Standard. He has served in churches in Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky. He has written more than 25 books and discussion guides as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper, and web-based articles.
