A Deeper Look at the Sermon on the Mount

A deep look at Scripture—God's very words—is never wasted. In fact, not only is it never wasted; it's richly rewarded. The more deeply we dive into the riches of the Bible, the more deeply we can experience and serve God, the giver of all truth, wisdom, love and understanding.The new LifeGuide® in Depth Bible Studies help you do just that, taking you further into themes and books of Scripture than you might have gone before. As you see new connections between the Old and New Testament, gain an understanding of the historical and cultural background of passages, engage in creative exercises, and concretely apply what you've learned, you'll be amazed at the breadth of the knowledge and wisdom you gain and the transformation God can work in you as you meet him in his Word. Each session provides enough material for a week's worth of Scripture study along with a weekly group discussion guide that pulls all of the elements together.This guide is based on and includes the inductive Bible study Sermon on the Mount from the bestselling LifeGuide® Bible Study Series--only now it has been expanded for a new kind of study experience.Drawn from John Stott's Sermon on the Mount LifeGuide Bible Study and his The Message of the Sermon on the Mount commentary, A Deeper Look at the Sermon on the Mount will help you discover



- how powerful meekness is

- how you can influence the desolate places of society (hint: it has to do with character)

- how to experience God's law as delightful

- how to treat your enemiesand much more.If you're longing to go deeper in your understanding of God and his Word, LifeGuide® in Depth Bible Studies are for you. These new studies will meet your need for both rich, solidly researched content and personal application. They'll meet your need for Bible study that challenges your head and your heart. Most of all, we pray you'll meet God in them.



Sandy Larsen is a writer living in Rochester, Minnesota. She and her husband, Dale, have written more than thirty books and Bible studies together including Living Your Legacy and more than ten LifeGuide® Bible studies. They have also coauthored eight N.T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides with Wright.



John R. W. Stott (1921-2011) has been known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. Stott's best-known work, Basic Christianity, has sold two million copies and has been translated into more than 60 languages. Other titles include The Cross of Christ, Understanding the Bible, The Contemporary Christian, Evangelical Truth, Issues Facing Christians Today, The Incomparable Christ, Why I Am a Christian and Through the Bible Through the Year, a daily devotional. He has also written eight volumes in The Bible Speaks Today series of New Testament expositions.Whether in the West or in the Two-Thirds World, a hallmark of Stott's ministry has been expository preaching that addresses the hearts and minds of contemporary men and women. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" and was named in the Queen?s New Years Honours list as Commander of the Order of the British Empire.In 1969, Stott founded the Langham Trust to fund scholarships for young evangelical leaders from the Majority World. He then founded the Evangelical Literature Trust, which provided books for students, pastors and theological libraries in the Majority World. These two trusts continued as independent charities until 2001, when they were joined as a single charity: the Langham Partnership. Langham's vision continues today to see churches in the Majority World equipped for mission and growing to maturity in Christ through nurturing national movements for biblical preaching, fostering the creation and distribution of evangelical literature, and enhancing evangelical theological education.



Dale Larsen is a writer living in Rochester, Minnesota. He and his wife, Sandy, have written more than thirty books and Bible studies together including Living Your Legacy and more than ten LifeGuide® Bible studies. They have also coauthored eight N.T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides with Wright.

Preface


Introduction: Living Out the Way of Jesus


1. Unexpected Blessings - Matthew 5:1-12


2. God's Way to Make a Difference - Matthew 5:13-16


3. The Importance of Obeying God's Law - Matthew 5:17-20


4. What's Wrong with Private Sins? - Matthew 5:21-30


5. Faithfulness in Marriage Speech - Matthew 5:31-37; 19:3-9


6. How to Really Love Your Enemies - Matthew 5:38-48


7. How Not to Be Religious - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18


8. A Pattern for Dynamic Prayer - Matthew 6:7-15


9. What God Thinks of My Ambitions - Matthew 6:19-34


10. Relationships That Encourage - Matthew 7:1-12


11. Detecting the Lies of Our World - Matthew 7:13-20


12. Making the Choice of a Lifetime - Matthew 7:21-29


Guidelines for Leaders


Bibliography