“February 13–19. Matthew 5; Luke 6: ‘Blessed Are Ye,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: New Testament 2023 (2022)
“February 13–19. Matthew 5; Luke 6,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2023
Jesus Preaching Sermon on the Mount, by Gustave Doré
February 13–19
Matthew 5; Luke 6
“Blessed Are Ye”
Record your spiritual impressions as you study Matthew 5 and Luke 6. Revelation will come as you seek to meet the needs of your class.
Invite Sharing
President Joseph Fielding Smith said that the Sermon on the Mount is “the greatest [sermon] that was ever preached, so far as we know” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith [2013], 234). Invite class members to share their feelings about why this is true.
Teach the Doctrine
Lasting happiness comes from living the way Jesus Christ taught.
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In the Sermon on the Mount, the Savior invited His disciples to rethink what it means to live a blessed life—a life of lasting happiness. To begin a discussion about lasting happiness, you could ask class members to share what makes them happy. According to Matthew 5:1–12, what did Jesus say makes a person “blessed,” or eternally happy? How are Jesus’s teachings different from other ways people try to find happiness?
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Consider listing on the board some attributes or qualities from verses 3–12, like “pure in heart” or “peacemakers.” Then invite class members to suggest the opposite of each term. What do we learn about these qualities by considering their opposites? Ask class members to ponder what they could change in order to be the type of person described in these verses. What does 3 Nephi 12:3, 6 add to our understanding of Matthew 5:3, 6?
The Savior taught how to live happily and become like our Father in Heaven.
The Savior’s disciples are to be the light of the world.
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What does it mean to be “the light of the world”? (verse 14). What does it mean to hide our light “under a bushel”(verse 15), and why might we be tempted to do this? The statement by President Bonnie H. Cordon in “Additional Resources” and 3 Nephi 18:24 might help class members be more intentional about being a light to others. They could also talk about people who have been a light to them and led them toward Jesus Christ. How can we emulate these people?
Jesus Christ taught a higher law that can lead us toward perfection.
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Some of the situations described in Matthew 5 were specific to the Savior’s day, but the principles He taught are universal. To help class members see the applications to their lives, invite them to select one of the following passages and think of a modern-day example that illustrates what the Savior was teaching: verses 21–24; 27–30; 33–37; 38–39; 40–42; and 43–44. They could do this individually or in small groups and share their examples with the class.
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How can you help class members see that the Savior’s command to be “perfect” (Matthew 5:48) means, as President Russell M. Nelson explained, to be “complete” or “finished”? (“Perfection Pending,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 86–88). You could cut a picture of Jesus into a puzzle, and invite class members to write on the back of each piece a teaching from Matthew 5 that they feel inspired to apply to their life. Let them work together to complete the puzzle. How does Jesus Christ’s Atonement help us become “complete” or “finished”? (see Bible Dictionary, “Grace”). What do President Joy D. Jones’s words in “Additional Resources” add to our understanding of this process?
Additional Resources
Being a light.
President Bonnie H. Cordon taught: “The Lord’s invitation to let our light so shine is not just about randomly waving a beam of light and making the world generally brighter. It is about focusing our light so others may see the way to Christ. It is gathering Israel on this side of the veil—helping others see the next step forward in making and keeping sacred covenants with God” (“That They May See,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 79).
Seeking perfection.
President Joy D. Jones explained:
“The Lord loves effort, and effort brings rewards. We keep practicing. We are always progressing as long as we are striving to follow the Lord. He doesn’t expect perfection today. We keep climbing our personal Mount Sinai. As in times past, our journey does indeed take effort, hard work, and study, but our commitment to progress brings eternal rewards. …
“Let us boldly declare our devotion to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, ‘with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save’ [2 Nephi 31:19]. Let us joyfully continue this journey toward our highest spiritual potential” (“An Especially Noble Calling,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 16–17).
Improving Our Teaching
Increase the participation of class members. Many activities can be done as a class, in small groups, in pairs, or as a panel discussion. Use a variety of methods to allow people to participate who might not otherwise have a chance. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 33.)