Forgiving as God's People

                                                                     Sunday School Lesson
                                                                         November 6,2011

Lesson Focus:
Practice and teach the laws of the kingdom
Lesson Scripture:
Matthew 5:17-26

Introduction:

Jesus completes God's law; At this point in Jesus' ministry some of the jewish leaders accused Him of being a destructive force against the Old Testament laws.Jesus set the record straight,His ministry and teaching was a continuation of God's revelation(Romans 10:4).God had provided the law so the Jewish nation would run to Jesus,realizing they could not keep all the law and needed God's grace.Instead they criticized Jesus and missed God's point entirely.Jesus is God's free gift of Salvation and the way into the Kingdom.

      

 The Jewish people were used to quoting the law and then rigidly following it.But Jesus brought out the compassion and the heart of the law.We should not brag or feel smug and say,"I never murdered anyone".If you are angry with people or hold grudges against others,it's just as bad as murder. Murdering an innocent bystander or slandering your neighbor are both sins.Jesus wants people to see that their negative relationships with each other hinder their relationship with God.Being at peace with all people is essential to being at peace with God.Jesus emphasizes that reconcilliation in a small or large matter needs to be done quickly.If a person drags his or her feet in taking care of conflicts it could end up in a big mess.

Jesus Fulfills the Law of the Kingdom

Matthew 5:17-20KJV

¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

   ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
   ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
   ²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

footnotes:

In this section of the sermon on the mount, Jesus explains His relationship to the law of Moses.He first asserts that He did not come to destroy or replace the law or the prophets,but to fulfill them. During His earthly ministry,Jesus often encountered and condemned hypocrisy.There were some  whose public displays of piety was done  to gain the praises of men rather than a sincere desire to do the will of God.They played the part of godliness,but were in reality blind to devine truth, including the true nature of the righteous God requires to be a citizen in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus told them that their righteousness,their conduct of life required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.

Jesus Explains the Laws of the Kingdom

Matthew 5:21-26KJV

   ²¹Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
   ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
   ²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
   ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
   ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
   ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

footnotes:

Here Jesus begin to explain how genuine Kingdom righteousness and true fulfillment of the Law contrasted with the false righteousness and self serving legalistics practices of the scribes and pharisees.He showed His disciples how the righteousness of the Jewish leaders fell short of the righteousness God requires.The first example was "do not murder",here Jesus teaches that just being angry with a brother is equal to committing murder in the Kingdom.The kind of sinful attitudes Jesus described clearly required repentance on the part of the offending person. Jesus addresses the need for reconcilliation,as before we can present a offering at God's altar that will be acceptable to Him,we should first seek reconcilliation with our brother before hand.Forgiveness is a huge act of Kingdom living.Unforgiveness can hover over your life like a dark cloud.So can unresolved anger toward another person.We are called to practice the KIngdom life and show that our righteousness is not self centered and self serving.