Matthew 5:38-6:15 – February 27

Our online study in the Gospel of Matthew will last 6 weeks and is intended to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection on Easter. Read today’s scripture, journal on it using SOAP, then please share as we encourage one another in this one thing. Below is the NIV version of today’s reading, then below that is a SOAP from one of our study leaders. The Comments section on our website is an open forum for sharing, requesting prayer, and asking questions.

Matthew 5

Eye for Eye

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 6 – Giving to the Needy

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgiveness | Rebecca Hoyt

Scripture

Matthew 6:14

Observation

Go the extra mile, love your enemies, do good only to please God not for the response of people, and the Lord’s prayer showing us how we should pray:

• “Our Father in heaven” – Recognize who God is.
• “Hallowed be Your name” – Worship Him because of who He is.
• “Your kingdom come. Your will be done” – Seek the will of God and do it. His Word is the path to finding His will.
• “Give us this day our daily bread” – Ask God to meet even your most mundane needs to accomplish your spiritual duties.
• “And forgive us our debts” – Ask God to forgive your sins and failures to obey Him.
• “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” – Seek a way of escape from the evil of temptation – protection, not removal from any trials but rather from judgement that comes when you are overcome by trials.
• “For yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever” – Praise God

Application

I love all these verses; they were all speaking to me. But forgiveness seems to be part of all of it. Anyone can love nice people, it’s easy to do, but to love people who have wronged you is a lot harder, and we need to forgive them before we can love them. It just feels good to me if I’m kind even if they’re not kind to me. I like verse 8 — you don’t have to use a lot of words or be loud about praying; He knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. And then the biggest one for me is verse 14 – Forgive others before asking God’s forgiveness. I tell my kids alot you need to forgive others when they ask because God forgives us. Of course it’s not easy for me to forgive someone who hurt me. But that’s what we are asking God to do for us.

Prayer

Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for teaching me alot today. It just shows me more how good and wonderful You are. It shows me even in our messed up world, we can be kind and forgive.

The Discover One Thing main website continues to follow the Life Journal Reading Plan which covers the whole Bible in one year. Click HERE to check out today’s Discover One Thing post.