• What are the four ordinary means of grace?
• How does he make these sacraments effective?
• How does God use baptism and the Lord’s Supper to strengthen his people? In other words, what do they symbolize or communicate?
• Do baptism and the Supper merely symbolize things, or does God work through them powerfully by his Spirit? Discuss?

1. When Jesus forbids judging, does he mean that his disciples are never to judge? How would you argue for your view?
2. What kind of judgment does Jesus have in view? How would you argue for this from the context?
3. Five words starting with the letter “P” we given to clarify Jesus’ teaching about judgement: Pharisee, position or place, proportionate, pleasing, and perception. Can you recall the clarifying points that were made using each of these words?
4. What does Jesus have to say in verses 39-42 about perception? Why is it important for us to have a clear view of sin if we hope to judge justly? Why must start by seeing our own sin? How will this help us to judge mercifully?
5. What is the meaning of the passage about trees and their fruit? What does this teaching have to do with the theme of judging?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

The sermon manuscript is available at emmausrbc.org/category/sermons

• Why is it important to correctly identify the audience of Jesus’ sermon on the plane?
• Jesus does not command his disciples to be blessed, he declares them to be blessed. Why is this an important observation?
• There is a string of commandments in this passage. What does Christ command his disciples to do?
• What is to be the basis for the Christian’s rejoicing?   
• Why is this perspective vital for us to have if we are to faithfully and happily walk with Jesus in the Way?

1. What are the four ordinary means of grace?
2. How does God use his word to bring us to faith and to grow us in the faith?
3. Why is it necessary for the Spirit to work within us to make these means of grace effective?
4. Will the reading and preaching of the word benefit us at all if there is no faith? Discuss.
5. Discuss some ways that a person can prepare their minds and heart to receive the word of God as it is read and preached.
6. Should Christians read the Bible for themselves? Discuss how to do that well. 

Questions For Discussion At Home Or In Gospel Community Groups

• What does the title “Messiah” mean?
• Why did Jesus simply read from Isaiah 61 and sit down without comment? What was his message?
• What was it that so infuriated the Jews from Jesus’ hometown?
• Why should the Jews not have been surprised the Gentiles would be blessed through Israel’s Messiah?
• Where in the Old Testament is it communicated that God’s plan was to bring salvation through the Messiah, not to the Jews only, but also to the Gentiles?
• How might we apply this text to our lives today?

Questions For Discussion At Home Or In Gospel Community Groups

• Why is it important to view the story of Jesus’ temptation, not primarily as an example for us to follow, but as a record of what Christ accomplished? Try to use the terms “law” and “gospel” to describe the two views. 
• Who from the Old Testament should we compare and contrast Jesus with as we consider the story of his temptation? Hint: There are two answers. Discuss the similarities and differences between Jesus and these. What is the meaning of the comparison?
• Discuss the three temptations one at a time. Did Satan know who Jesus was and what he came to do? What was the devil tempting Jesus to do? How did Jesus respond? 
• What did Jesus accomplish in the wilderness?
• Does Jesus also provide us with an example for how to resist temptation?