Kingdom Confusion, Part 3: The Law
Welcome to the third week of our series Kingdom Confusion. This week, Pastor Pete Stearns describes how Kingdom Confusions distort our understanding of the law.
1. Ice Breaker: What is something that you do, or a rule you follow, but you don’t actually know why you do it (e.g. separate light clothes from dark clothes in laundry, or making sure all the overhead lights are off in the car as you are driving at night)?
2. Going Deeper: Pete shared this weekend that Archer knew to stop and look both ways, but demonstrated that he didn’t know why and still stepped into the busy road anyway. How does that relate with our understanding of Biblical commandments?
3. Hollow Actions: Pete mentioned a few demonstrations of how we have separated God’s wisdom from our “religious practices.” Talk about the ones listed below, or share another that you have been challenged by.
Small Groups: Without Vulnerability and Redemptive Intentionality, these become social circles that create barriers to others.
Prayer: Our prayer is regimented and regular, however we seem to resist prayer during times of anger, broken relationships, and temptation.
Read the Bible Every Day: We read for quantity and yet scripture is not written on our hearts and into our daily lives.
4. Watch: The Primer Podcast
5. Law: Sometimes the alternative to legalism is the temptation to disregard the law. Pete shared that doing so is simply another demonstration of the disconnect between our understanding of God’s Law and God’s wisdom.
Where do you see that disconnect?
What does it look like for us to dwell on God’s law with the intention to understand its Wisdom?
6. Read: Matthew 5:21-42. Jesus Outlines 5 different laws and connects them to Gods wisdom, talk about that shift and what it might mean for us.
Need Help? Check out this Great Video Explanation from Bible Project.
7. Pete shared that when Jesus talks about “cutting off our hand,” he is likely referring to our practice of removing a malignant tumor. How does that shape your understanding? Is there something in your life that needs to be cut out because it is actively causing you pain?
8. Quote: Read and discuss this quote from William Barclay.
“The [Pharisee] aimed to satisfy the law of God; and to the demands of the law there is always a limit. The Christian aims to show gratitude for the love of God; and to the claims of love there is no limit in time or eternity. Jesus set before humankind not the law of God, but the love of God.”
(*Video available after Sunday services)
