
Jesus and the Law II
Matt 5:17-20
Surpassing the Scribes & The Pharisees
- Who the Pharisees were
- The kind of righteousness they had
- Why we must surpass it
3 Ways to View the Law
- Legalism - I obey, therefore Jesus saves me
- License - Jesus saves me, therefore I don’t have to obey
- Gospel - Jesus saves me, therefore I get to obey
Jesus fulfills the law.
- The law was our guardian to bring us to Christ (Gal. 3:22-26)
- Jesus changes our relationship with the God of the law (Rom. 8:14-16, Eph. 5:1)
Jesus changes our view of the law
- The law is now a way to enjoy His love, not earn it.
- Jesus invites us to rest in Him (Matt. 11:28-30)
T.A.G Questions
(try these with new friends you meet after our service is done)
1. Icebreaker: Describe a time when you “broke the rules.” How did you feel?
2. What has been helpful in guiding you toward obeying God’s law?\
3. Where do you still need God’s help?
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Say this five times fast: “The Law is God’s love letter to lead us into liberty, instead of legalism and license.
- How has God changed your conception of what is right and wrong over the years?
- Who do you know who is caught up in legalism or license (don’t share names)? How does God want you to pray for them? How does he want you to come alongside them?
- How are you enjoying your freedom and obedience in Jesus?
- Create a psalm of praise for the Law and Grace, using the first letter of each letter to start your psalm.
L
A
W
&
G
R
A
C
E
Group Leader Tips
- Pray for your group before and after you meet. Prayerfully work through the questions and bible passage yourself before you meet.
- At the beginning of your first time together, explain that these groups are meant to be discussions not lectures. Encourage the members of the group to participate. However, do not put pressure on those who may be hesitant to speak during the first few sessions.
- Avoid answering your own questions. However, leaders may set the tone by occasionally sharing their own answers without dominating the time or the discussion.
- Learn to accept silence in the group while they process your questions.
- Appropriately call upon quieter members when they seem to have something to share.
- Acknowledge and thank group members for their sharing. Redirect the group if they get off-topic too much.
- Don’t be afraid of controversy. It can be very stimulating. If you don’t resolve an issue completely, don’t be frustrated. Move on and keep it in mind for later. A subsequent study may solve the problem.
- You may need to divide the group into smaller subsets (men, women, pairs, etc.) to help the time and participation to flow.
- If possible, the group host should not also be the group shepherd/facilitator. This helps the group to eventually multiply as it grows larger.
- Look for ways to share the tasks in the group to help build a healthy discipleship culture. Look for the persons God may be leading to serve as apprentice hosts or shepherds.