This Fall Coastline Bible Church started preaching through the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount was preached by Jesus to the disciples and a larger crowd of people. If you have a physical Bible, I want you to notice that every word we’ll be studying for the next couple of months is red. The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew chapters 5-7. It is arguably the most famous sermon ever preached. It wasn’t filmed but preached in a way the crowd could understand, retain, and apply it to their lives. Jesus preached this sermon on the North Shore of the Sea of Galilee in the region where His public ministry began. It’s called the Sermon on the Mount because it was preached on the side of the hill here.
Small Group Questions | Inside Out | Matthew 5:21-32
In Matthew 5:21–32, Jesus moves beyond outward behavior to expose what is happening inside the human heart. He addresses anger, lust, adultery, and divorce, not to shame broken people, but to show us the kind of healing and transformation His Kingdom brings. Jesus calls His followers to pursue reconciliation, practice integrity, and honor covenant relationships. These topics may touch deeply personal experiences, so approach the conversation with humility, confidentiality, and grace. No one should feel pressured to share more than they are comfortable sharing. As you talk, remember the big idea from Sunday: Kingdom life begins in the heart and reshapes every relationship.
1) The sermon began with the damage termites can cause behind the walls of a home. Why can relational or spiritual problems remain hidden for so long? Share about a time when hidden damage ended up causing more pain in your life.
2) Read Matthew 5:21–26 and Ephesians 4:26–32. Jesus connects anger, contempt, and broken relationships to the condition of our hearts. What can happen when resentment, bitterness, and anger is left unresolved?
3) Read Romans 12:17–21. What does it mean to pursue peace “as far as it depends on you”? How are forgiveness, reconciliation, and restored trust different? Is there a relationship where God may be asking you to take a faithful step toward peace?
4) Read Matthew 5:27–30 and Job 31:1. Jesus teaches that sexual sin begins before a physical act takes place. How does lust reduce another person from someone made in God’s image to someone we consume or use?
5) Read 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 and 2 Timothy 2:22. What boundaries, habits, relationships, or forms of accountability can help us pursue integrity? Where might you need to “cut off access” to something that is damaging your heart?
6) Read Matthew 5:31–32 and Genesis 2:18–24. How does God’s design for marriage differ from a view of marriage based primarily on personal convenience or temporary happiness? What do these passages teach us about covenant commitment?
7) Read Galatians 6:1–2, Romans 8:1, and Psalm 82:3–4. What would it look like for our church to honor God’s design for marriage while also becoming a place of grace and healing for people who have experienced abandonment, adultery, or divorce?
Close your time praying for the strength to seek the Lord this week.
