July 3/4: "Junk in The Trunk"
Big Idea: Jesus revolutionized what it meant to obey the commandment "do not murder" to show that it included being a person of reconciliation and grace in our relationships.
Scripture:
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny." (Matthew 5:21-26)
Summary
We'll help people experience that being connected with God takes us beyond being people who simply don't murder others to being people who refuse to harbor resentment and hostility of any kind toward others. The reference to hell is not about the afterlife as much as it is the kind of life that we lead when we harbor resentment toward others. Resentment and hostility have no place in the life of a Christ-follower, and Jesus wants to set us free from the hell of hostility and resentment and lashing out at people, both in our words and in our hearts and minds.
July 10/11: "Hands Off"
Big Idea: Sexual purity and integrity are not just about not having sex with someone who you're not married to. It's about our thought life as well, and the stakes are high.
Scripture:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." (Matthew 5:27-30)
Summary:
Being truly connected to God affects all of who we are sexually. Not just what we do or don't do when it comes to sexual actions, but the thoughts that we think, too. Jesus is NOT advocating a spirituality that is anti-sex or one that is sexually repressive. It's actually pro- sex and liberating: the person who is constantly lusting after people he/she is not married to is the person who is not free. The strong warning here reminds us to take seriously what goes in on in our thought life when the tendency is to think its not that big of a deal to have certain kinds of sexual thoughts.
July 17/19 – Two Halves
Big Idea: Jesus teaches that to be connected to God means a radical redefinition of faithfulness to your spouse in marriage
Scripture:
"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)
Summary:
We'll help people hear from Christ on marriage and what it really means when you are living connected to God. In Jesus' day, the religious culture had reduced the ethics of marriage to rule-following: if you followed the rules of how to go about divorcing your spouse, that was all that was expected of you. The dominant view in Jesus' day was that it meant almost anything that really bothered the husband, but Jesus made it clear that "something objectionable" meant sexual immorality. Jesus was not trying to make stricter rules for people to follow about divorce and remarriage: He was trying to help people see what God intended.
July 24/25: "Plastic Surgery"
Big Idea: Jesus calls His followers to something beyond keeping promises you've made in God's name. He calls us to be people who cherish and prize their relationship with God so that they only speak God's name when speaking to Him or about Him, and never to use His name for their own purposes.
Scripture:
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:33 - 37)
Summary:
Jesus taught that it wasn't enough to just be a person who kept their word when they had given their word in the form of an oath to God. He said "You've been taught to just keep your oaths to God, BUT I say to you, don't misuse the name of God at all. Don't use God's name for your own purposes." This is about both not swearing (taking God's name in vain) and not being someone who plays the God card in what they say to make themselves look good or to get what they want.
July 31/Aug 1st: "Turn The Other Cheek"
Big Idea: Jesus teaches us that living connected to God releases us from cycles of vengeance and retribution, and frees us up to live generously and creatively in the face of wrongs done to us.
Scripture:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42)
Summary:
The people of Jesus day were taught that fairness in retribution and reprisal was all that God wanted. BUT Jesus taught that God wants to take us beyond fairness to creative generosity with those that mistreat us.
August 6/7: The End
Big Idea: Jesus teaches us to be radically loving and good to the people who treat us the worst. Only God can bring about this major of a shift.
Scripture:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43 - 48)
Summary:
Jesus calls us to an active self-giving in the face of animosity and strife. We are called to not just NOT hurt people back, but to return kindness for evil and mercifulness for mean-ness.
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