Jesus' Trump Card - King of Hearts

For the weekend of October 4th & 5th

Core Scriptures: Matthew 5:17-20

Memory Verse:
Matthew 22:38-40 (NIV) "This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did Jesus come to earth? Why did He teach the way He did?
2. What did Jesus think of the Law? What did Jesus try to do to the Law? How did He do this? Why did He need to do this?
3. How did Jesus fulfill or complete the law not to murder? What did He say was at the root of murder?
4. How did root "smoke" rule in this situation? How did Jesus go beyond the Law to complete it?
5. How can we deal with the root of murder in our lives? What in your life needs to change for you to live in the way Jesus teaches here? How can you follow God's Ultimate Authority and deal with the root of murder?

Bottom Line:

• Jesus was doing radical work on the rules in order to get to the heart of the matter. The word "radical" literally means to get to the root or origin, and Jesus was trying to get to the root of God's ways and of people's intentions.
• This is why Jesus began throwing dynamite at some of religion's most sacred rules. He was showing us that the original root "smokes" the additional rules. In other words, the original design always trumps any unhealthy additions to the Law.
  
• The picture of the king of hearts reminds us of the radical lesson Jesus is showing us today that the original root "smokes" the additional rules. Jesus is always after the heart of the matter, both for the rule and for those of us subject to the rule. Jesus took the rule "Do not murder" and got to the root of the matter when He said, just because you haven't killed anyone, doesn't mean you're off the hook. Jesus tells us that we can murder people with thoughts, words, and hidden grudges.
• What if the most important rule you followed about Chrisitanity (other than loving God) was loving people? That would truly be radical. So let us let the original root "smoke" the additional rules as Jesus plays this smoking ace in our lives.