Sermon on the Mount: Part 5

Jesus is the new and final covenant! Read Matthew 5:17-20. Christ's affirmation of the New Testament. The Bible is 100% God's word and truth. We cannot pick and choose what we want to believe. Jesus' salvation does not matter if you don't believe that the Scriptures are true. Christ's fulfillment of the Old Testament. Jesus embodied all that the Old Testament foreshadowed. Jesus is the only one who could accomplish all that the Old Testament required. The Bible is not a rulebook for life. It's a way to gather material for worshipping God. Christ's inauguration of the new covenant. Inauguration is a formal beginning or introduction to something. The Old Testament was based on a"you shall.... you shall not" concept. Whereas, the New Testament is based on "I will.." concept. It is not a code to live under, but a person to live through. Read Romans 10:4; this passage tells us that Christ is the end of the law for justification. Read Romans 15:18; God wants people to get out of the way and let Him move through them.

Discussion Questions:
1. What parts of the Bible are most commonly disputed as truth?
2. Are there any parts you have had a difficult time believing?
3. What do you think of the statement: "If the Bible doesn't bother you, then you've never really read it." - Dwight Edwards
4. Where do you see evidence of Christ in the Old Testament?
5. In what ways have you looked to the Bible as a rulebook for life?
6. How has loving Jesus created a new way to enjoy and love God?
7. Do you tend to mix old covenants laws with the new covenant?