Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (Matthew 5:21-26), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• [21-22] Jesus says that God’s commandments can’t be truly obeyed at a merely superficial, external level, but that God considers the secret motives and affections of the heart to be just as important, if not more so. Does it make sense to you that the one who is “only” angry in his heart, or the one who “only” insults others, stands under the same judgment as the one who does the act of murder? What’s your response to Jesus’ teaching here? Fear? Guilt? Shame? Relief that God knows your heart better than you do, yet still loves you?

• The righteous requirements of God’s law are impossible for sinners to fulfill. Do you realize that you cannot make yourself right at the level of your heart motives? That you cannot fix the problem of your own sinful anger? How do you deal with that reality? Can you think of a specific relationship where you have been angry with another person, where you are maintaining a broken relationship with that person by nursing your anger? What’s wrong with your anger in this case? Is that person to blame for your anger? What does that anger reveal about your relationship with God? Have you confessed your anger? How has Jesus perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of God’s law on your behalf? Do you believe that, because of Jesus, you are forgiven and freed from sinful anger? Have you experienced a little bit of this freedom through the power of the Holy Spirit?

• [23-26] We are not only to address the sinful anger in our own hearts with the Gospel, but we are to pursue relational healing with those who might be angry with us. This is integral to the spiritual life of those who would worship the Triune God of love. You cannot truly worship this God without caring about reconciliation with others, even when reconciliation is difficult or costly. (You cannot always achieve reconciliation with others, but you are called to pursue it whenever possible.) Are you aware of a broken relationship where another person “has something against you” or is upset with you for some reason? Does ignoring the problem make it go away? Is it difficult to set aside pride and humbly approach that person to try to restore the relationship? Can you express a true desire for reconciliation? Can you ask forgiveness for something you’ve done? How does knowing Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and humble sacrifice help you move toward the other person?

• FOR THE CHILDREN: Think of a time when you’ve been angry with someone. Maybe you would say you were angry with that person because of something he or she did. But anger is a problem in your own heart. Why are you angry? Do you like being angry? Does being angry at someone help you to have a good relationship with that person? Do you think that people who enjoy God’s presence in heaven will be angry with others? Do you know that Jesus can help you to love others, even if they do things that might normally make you angry?