FOR DISCUSSION IN SMALL GROUPS
THE KINGDOM OF GOD: Citizenship
What it looked like to live out citizenship in the Kingdom of God was first described by Jesus in the sermon on the mount. If you wanted to belong to His Kingdom then you had to live a different way than the world. His way was a completely different, upside down way of living.
- Why does the world trust in power, pride, and selfish gain?
- Why should we instead trust in self sacrifice, humility, and selfless love in the Kingdom?
Matthew 5:4 - “Blessed are those who mourn…”
Matthew 6:24 - “You cannot serve both God and money”
Matthew 6:25 - “Do not worry about your life”
Matthew 5:44 - “Love your enemies”
- Pick a couple of these teachings from the sermon on the mount. If you were following Jesus in the first century, when would you have seen Him live out this teaching and not just preach it?
- Imagine being there when it happened, how would it have affected you to see citizenship to the Kingdom lived out for the first time?
- Whether it’s one of these teachings or another, what teaching of Jesus’ Kingdom is hardest for you to truly accept and trust? Why?
- What steps can you take to adopt Jesus’ thinking in that area?
Matthew 13:44-46
- Do you still value the Kingdom of God like the treasure in the field?
- If not what is standing in your way?
Practicals:
- Slowly read Matthew 5-7 this week.
- Pick several teachings that stand out to you and write out how different the values are between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God.
- Have a conversation with a friend about a teaching you still wrestle with accepting, trusting, and truly holding to.
