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When God set the foundations of the world in place, He made the choice to rest and established the seventh day as a “holy” day (Gen 2:2-3). The people of Israel were mandated to observe this day as a Sabbath unto God, spending their time in corporate worship, praise, singing, meditating on God’s word, enjoying His creation, and ceasing from productive labor. In the New Testament, Jesus’ followers began to take their Sabbath not on the seventh day of the week as previously done; instead, they met on the first day of the week (Sunday) to commemorate His resurrection. Today, we can (and should) participate in weekly spiritual rest as a way to practice our dependence upon and worship of God.

For Group Leaders

1. Begin in prayer. Welcome the Holy Spirit to the group and invite Him to lead, guide, and convict your group as you meet together.
2. Reflect on Sunday’s sermon as a group. What were some highlights? Was anything particularly helpful, convicting, or confusing?
3. Consider the following questions and pick a few to focus your discussion.

Examine the Word

• Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
• Read Psalm 95.
• Read Hebrews 4:1-11.

For Discussion

• How did the Sabbath look in the Old Testament?
• How did the Sabbath look in the New Testament (after Jesus’ resurrection)?
• In your formative years, what were Sundays like and did your family use them as a “Sabbath” time?
• Share what your Sundays look like today. What do you prioritize? How would you like to change the way you spend your time?
• “Sabbath” is less about a specific time and place and more about an attentiveness to God. What are some good ways to remove distractions and cultivate a mind/spirit that are attentive to God’s work?
• What provides spiritual rest for you? Why?
• Community is a large piece of what it means to experience Sabbath. How can you purposely connect with people of faith as part of your time of rest?

Practice

• Make it a priority to worship with other believers on Sunday. Include times of prayer, the reading & teaching of God’s word, the taking of communion, the sharing of praise & testimony, and the singing of songs.
• Keep yourself distraction-free, as much as possible. Set aside time where social media and entertainment are off-limits.
• “Feast” on God’s creation, whether it’s through being in the presence of loved ones, eating good food and drinks, or being out in nature. Celebrate the bounty that God has provided. Enjoy physical rest and physical activity, as you need.
• Remember that Sabbath is an active protest against our fleshly desire to provide for our own (material & financial) needs. Trust that even as you take a break God is in charge and will provide for your needs.

For Family Discussions

• Take some time to talk about the sermon together. What did you learn that was new? Were there any parts that were confusing?
• How can your family create Sunday rhythms of Sabbath together?
• Spend time in prayer, thanking Jesus for all of His provisions in your life and the gift of rest which He graciously gives us.

This week, we’re in Practice #9: Go Do Justice. God’s righteousness and justice are a major theme in both the Old Testament and the New Testament because they are intrinsic to His own character. God’s people are to show the world who God is by being people characterized by righteous living and a pursuit of justice. In Deuteronomy 16:18-20, Moses instructs the leaders of the twelve tribes to make sure that there is justice at the highest level: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

If we fast forward several centuries, the people ruling at the time of Jesus are a sect of Jews known as the Pharisees. They’re highly regarded by the people and have a reputation for holy living. But Jesus exposes them as “white-washed tombs” - men who pervert God’s ways while pretending to be holy. Jesus instructs His disciples to do the opposite of the Pharisees. Jesus’ followers are to be characterized by justice and righteousness, in keeping with Moses’ words in Deuteronomy.

Let’s spend a few minutes examining the text in the Sermon on the Mount as a way to see what righteousness and justice look like when lived out in ordinary human life. Today, we’ll read from Matthew 7:1-6 (NET):

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.”

Some questions and next steps:

• Would you characterize yourself as a judgmental person? Why or why not? What is the difference between making a judgment and being judgmental?
• Are humans prone to partiality or impartiality in their judgments of others? Why? Contrast this with the way that God judges.
• Justice/righteousness require that when a wrong has been done, there is a just punishment. Where else in Scripture do you see evidence that God cares about proper judgment against sin?
• Spend some time in prayer, thanking God for His righteousness, and confessing the areas of hypocrisy in your life. Ask Him to make you more concerned for your own righteousness than quick to judge others’ unrighteousness. Ask Him to make you more like His Son, Jesus.

This week, we’re in Practice #9: Go Do Justice. God’s righteousness and justice are a major theme in both the Old Testament and the New Testament because they are intrinsic to His own character. God’s people are to show the world who God is by being people characterized by righteous living and a pursuit of justice. In Deuteronomy 16:18-20, Moses instructs the leaders of the twelve tribes to make sure that there is justice at the highest level: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

If we fast forward several centuries, the people ruling at the time of Jesus are a sect of Jews known as the Pharisees. They’re highly regarded by the people and have a reputation for holy living. But Jesus exposes them as “white-washed tombs” - men who pervert God’s ways while pretending to be holy. Jesus instructs His disciples to do the opposite of the Pharisees. Jesus’ followers are to be characterized by justice and righteousness, in keeping with Moses’ words in Deuteronomy.

Let’s spend a few minutes examining the text in the Sermon on the Mount as a way to see what righteousness and justice look like when lived out in ordinary human life. Today, we’ll read from Matthew 5:43-48 (NET):

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Some questions and next steps:

• What radical instructions does Jesus give His followers in this portion of the Sermon on the Mount? How do you think they would have received His words?
• How does God’s righteousness show itself to both believers and unbelievers?
• What would it look like in your life if you loved your enemy and prayed for your persecutors?
• The word “perfect” is even better translated as “whole” in the sense of holistic righteousness. What do you think it means for you to be whole as your heavenly Father is whole?
• Spend some time in prayer, thanking God for his righteousness, and praying that His Holy Spirit would create a generosity within you that produces righteousness not just for those who like you and treat you well but for even your “enemies.” Ask God to make you more like Himself, perfectly righteous in all ways. Rest in the knowledge that Jesus has made you righteous by virtue of your faith in Him.

This week, we’re in Practice #9: Go Do Justice. God’s righteousness and justice are a major theme in both the Old Testament and the New Testament because they are intrinsic to His own character. God’s people are to show the world who God is by being people characterized by righteous living and a pursuit of justice. In Deuteronomy 16:18-20, Moses instructs the leaders of the twelve tribes to make sure that there is justice at the highest level: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

If we fast forward several centuries, the people ruling at the time of Jesus are a sect of Jews known as the Pharisees. They’re highly regarded by the people and have a reputation for holy living. But Jesus exposes them as “white-washed tombs” - men who pervert God’s ways while pretending to be holy. Jesus instructs His disciples to do the opposite of the Pharisees. Jesus’ followers are to be characterized by justice and righteousness, in keeping with Moses’ words in Deuteronomy.

Let’s spend a few minutes examining the text in the Sermon on the Mount as a way to see what righteousness and justice look like when lived out in ordinary human life. Today, we’ll read from Matthew 5:21-24 (NET):

“You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you 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 and then come and present your gift.”

Some questions and next steps:

• Humans often categorize sins into “bad” and “less bad.” But what does Jesus think about the difference between anger, angry words, and murder? Does God care just as much about our internal dispositions as our external behavior?
• God says judgment (justice) is coming for people who do what? Consider why this might be.
• How is Jesus contradicting the lifestyle of the Pharisees in this passage (remember, Pharisees pretended to be holy but really were self-seeking)?
• Spend some time in prayer, thanking God for his righteousness, and confessing the ways that you fall short of Jesus’ standard of righteousness.

This week, we’re in Practice #9: Go Do Justice. God’s righteousness and justice are a major theme in both the Old Testament and the New Testament because they are intrinsic to His own character. God’s people are to show the world who God is by being people characterized by righteous living and a pursuit of justice. In Deuteronomy 16:18-20, Moses instructs the leaders of the twelve tribes to make sure that there is justice at the highest level: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

If we fast forward several centuries, the people ruling at the time of Jesus are a sect of Jews known as the Pharisees. They’re highly regarded by the people and have a reputation for holy living. But Jesus exposes them as “white-washed tombs” - men who pervert God’s ways while pretending to be holy. Jesus instructs His disciples to do the opposite of the Pharisees. Jesus’ followers are to be characterized by justice and righteousness, in keeping with Moses’ words in Deuteronomy.

Let’s spend a few minutes examining the text in the Sermon on the Mount as a way to see what righteousness and justice look like when lived out in ordinary human life. Today, we’ll read from Matthew 5:3-11 (NET):

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.”

Some questions and next steps:

• List out the attributes of a righteous person, according to Jesus in this text. Define each of these attributes and spend a few minutes thinking about what a person would look like if he/she were characterized by them.
• What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do you see that kind of hunger in yourself?
• What is the connection between righteousness and peacemaking?
• Pick one of the attributes. Spend time in prayer, thanking God for His righteousness and asking Him to help you exhibit ____________ as you become more like Jesus.