SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
- Isaiah 43:1-2
- Philippians 4:6-7,19
Matthew 6:25-34; 2 Kings 4:1-7
As we travel through life, we are called upon to make decisions as to whether we will put our faith and trust in God, or become absorbed in the cares of this life. If we choose God, He will take care of our necessities. In 1 Peter 5:7 we learn that we can cast all our care upon God because He cares for us.
QUESTIONS
- In your own words, tell what is meant by the verse in our text which says, “Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”
- Matthew 6:26 indicates that God provides for the fowls of the air, even though they do not sow or reap. What question is asked in that same verse? Consider Isaiah 43:7 and John 3:16 as you answer that question.
- Jesus tells us, in verse 28, to “consider the lilies of the field . . .” Why do you think He wanted us to focus on these seemingly simple things? What is important about the words, “they toil not, neither do they spin”?
- Do you think the woman in our text (2 Kings 4) did a wise thing to come to Elisha with her problem? Why?
- The sons were required to borrow empty vessels from their neighbors. What spiritual attributes did they exhibit when they did this and how does this parallel our spiritual lives today?
- What did God do to provide for the temporal needs of this family? Relate an instance from your own experience or knowledge where God provided for a need in a miraculous way.
- Verse 31 of our text in Matthew tells us to “take no thought” of what we will eat, drink, or wear. What does that mean? What assurance can we find in verses 32 and 33?
- As we consider Matthew 6:34, we can be assured that God does not condone a lazy, thoughtless, irresponsible attitude toward life. Read Proverbs 6:6-11, Ephesians 4:28, and 2 Thessalonians 3:10. What do these verses tell us about not neglecting hard work and earning a living?
THEME THOUGHTS
The teachings of Jesus comprise the fundamental basis of our Christian beliefs. One of the most familiar accounts of those teachings is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is recorded in chapters five through seven of the Book of Matthew. Shortly after choosing the twelve disciples, who would be His closest followers, Jesus led them to a hillside not far from Capernaum. There, just as God had given the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai to guide His people’s conduct and service, Jesus gave His disciples the Sermon on the Mount to guide their conduct and service to Him and His Father.The purpose of this quarter is to give an overall view of the Sermon on the Mount. There are many different topics mentioned in these three chapters, so the lessons you study will be considered highlights of these chapters.As you go through these lessons, you will notice other Scriptures are given in the text in addition to the portion of Scripture from the Sermon on the Mount. These will reinforce the subject that is being taught, which is also indicated by the lesson title. For example, the first lesson deals with humility and its spiritual value. The first five verses of Matthew 5 deal with more subjects than humility, but other portions of the text will zero in on that topic. May God bless you as you study these lessons, and help you apply what you learn to your own life.