A Handbook for Modern Rebellion
A line-by-line study of Matthew 5, 6, and 7—the Sermon on the Mount.
Community Practices
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Preparation
Take turns having one person in the community commit to bringing bread and grape juice to share for communion on a given week. If you’re going for authenticity, use matzo (unleavened) bread. But really, any bread that everyone enjoys will do. Your first couple of times taking communion together in community, watch this video together before you take the bread and the cup.
Gather together as a community for dinner as usual, with the bread and the cup on the table alongside the evening meal. Have someone from your community volunteer to lead.
CommunionTo begin the evening meal, the leader will invite everyone to take a piece of bread and a glass of grape juice and will choose one of the following Scriptures to read:
Matthew 26:26–28
Mark 14:22–24
Luke 22:19–20
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
After reading one of the Scriptures, the leader will pray, giving thanks for the body and blood of Jesus. The leader might have everyone take each element individually, reciting the sacramental phrases, “ this is the body of Christ broken for you," and, "this is the blood of Christ shed for you,” before each element. Or, the leader might simply give thanks, then invite the group to eat and drink. With the sacrifice of Jesus in mind, everyone takes the bread and the cup, and then the community meal begins!
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Matthew 5:3-10 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In the opening of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus introduces what amounts to a manifesto for life in the Kingdom of God, what we could call a “handbook for modern rebellion.” While the world defines blessing through power, success, influence, comfort, and achievement, Jesus radically overturns those expectations by announcing blessing over the poor in spirit, the grieving, the oppressed, the overlooked, and those desperate for righteousness. These blessings, or Beatitudes, are not commands to become miserable, nor are they simply virtues to imitate. They are the gospel itself. They are an announcement that God’s Kingdom has arrived for the least expected people first.
Jesus declares that those who feel spiritually empty, burdened by suffering, or excluded from the world’s definition of success are welcomed into God’s Kingdom exactly as they are. In Christ, blessing is no longer reserved for the strong or impressive, but for anyone willing to receive the good news of God’s upside-down Kingdom. First comes welcome and belonging, then comes transformation into a new way of living as apprentices of Jesus.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
What stood out to you from Sunday’s teaching and how is God using it to shape your life this week?
Which of Jesus’s “blessed” statements feels the most surprising or difficult to believe in our culture, and why?
How does Jesus’s definition of blessing challenge the way we normally think about success, happiness, or a meaningful life?
Have you ever experienced God’s presence or goodness in a season where your life felt broken, disappointing, or difficult? What did that teach you about the Kingdom of God?
Practice
This week, set aside 15–20 minutes for a simple practice of silence, Scripture meditation, and reflection centered on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1–12). Begin by finding a quiet place and taking a few slow breaths. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you receive the words of Jesus with openness.
Slowly read through the Beatitudes two or three times. Pay attention to which line stirs something in you. Is it comfort, resistance, grief, hope, confusion, recognition, or something else? Don’t rush past it. Sit with it quietly for a few minutes.
Then spend time journaling or praying through two questions:
Where do I most feel “unblessed” or lacking right now?
What would it mean to believe that Jesus welcomes me there instead of avoiding me there?
Finally, practice a small act of hidden mercy or peacemaking during the week. You could encourage someone overlooked, reconcile with someone, give generously, or quietly serve someone in need without recognition. Let the practice remind you that life in God’s Kingdom is shaped not by status or success, but by trust, humility, and love.
Be ready to share about your experience the next time your community gathers together.
Pray
To end your time, read Matthew 5:14-16 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Matthew 5:11-12 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
As part of the setup for his manifesto on life in the Kingdom of God, Jesus teaches that faithful discipleship to him will often lead to opposition. He wants it to be clear that his way of living challenges culture, ideologies, and human systems. And while many may see persecution as a sign of failure or lack of God’s favor, Jesus says that it’s actually an indication of active participation in God’s Kingdom. So instead of hiding away or becoming combative with the culture around them, Jesus says his disciples are called to remain faithful, joyful, and steadfast in the face of opposition.
Jesus said that his followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Like salt, they are meant to bring purity, flavor (think goodness and joy), and preservation to a world marked by corruption and rot. Like light, they are called to visibly reveal God’s character through lives shaped by faithfulness to the way of Jesus. If we claim to follow Jesus, we are not meant to hide from the world! Instead, we are invited to live as witnesses to Jesus and to show those around us what it means to have life to the full.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
Last week’s practice was to spend time reflecting on the Beatitudes and then do one small act of mercy or peacemaking. What was that experience like for you?
Jesus says that living as salt and light in the world may lead to persecution because his way challenges the culture around us. Where do you feel the greatest tension between the teachings of Jesus and the values of the world?
If being salt and light means living as a visible, faithful witness to Jesus, what is one specific area of your life (relationships, work, finances, sexuality, generosity, forgiveness, etc.) where God may be inviting you to more courageous obedience this week?
Practice
This week, set aside 10 minutes for prayerful reflection on Matthew 5:13-16, where Jesus calls his followers salt and light.
Begin by slowly reading the passage. Then, ask the Holy Spirit, "Where am I already living as salt and light, and where am I tempted to hide, compromise, or blend in?"
Next, write down one area of your life where Jesus may be inviting you into more visible faithfulness. This could be through generosity, purity, forgiveness, kindness, speaking about your faith, serving someone in need, or something else.
Based on what Jesus says to you, choose one specific action you can take this week that reflects the way of Jesus in a visible or tangible way. Keep it simple, concrete, and humble.
When you’ve chosen that action, share it with your community (a simple text message works). Ask them to check in with you periodically during the week to hold you accountable to following through with your chosen action. At your next community night, take a few minutes to share and celebrate where you saw God at work, to discuss any challenges you faced, and to pray for one another to remain faithful, humble, and courageous as salt and light in your everyday lives.
If it’s helpful, consider praying this simple prayer at the beginning of each day this week: “Jesus, help me to live faithfully, visibly, and lovingly in the places you're sending me today."
Pray
To end your time, read Matthew 5:13-16 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Matthew 5:21-22 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
As Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount, he offers his listeners a bold take on the laws they are already very familiar with. By using the formula “You have heard that it was said… But I tell you…”, Jesus invites his disciples to look closely at their hearts so that they can see the true root of sin in their lives. And first up is anger.
Jesus reveals that anger is more than a passing emotion, and that it can easily become a heart posture leading to destructive consequences. The command that his listeners were familiar with was “Do not murder,” which seems straightforward enough. But again, Jesus is wanting to get at the root of the matter. He says that simply abstaining from murder isn’t the point. Rather, murder begins in the heart with contempt, bitterness, and the habit of judging another person’s worth. In God’s Kingdom, anger becomes sinful not just when it leads to murder, but when it degrades people made in God’s image and places us in the seat of judgment that belongs to God alone.
Jesus challenges us to see that casual insults, deep resentment, and murderous rage all flow from the same poisoned stream. So rather than simply avoiding outward acts of violence, like murder, his followers are called to pursue reconciliation and honor the dignity of others.
As Jesus invites us to consider our hearts when thinking about murder and anger, he is inviting us to look beneath our anger. A lot of times anger masks deeper emotions like fear, shame, or grief. But by bringing our anger into God’s presence, we can allow the Holy Spirit to uncover what that anger is trying to protect, so that we can begin the work of healing, reconciliation, and transformation.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
Last week’s practice was to spend time thinking about our call to be salt and light in the world, then do one specific action to reflect the way of Jesus in a visible or tangible way. What action did you do and how did it impact you?
Our anger becomes sin when it leads us to bitterness, contempt, and the judging of another person’s worth. Think of a recent situation when you felt angry at someone. How did that anger shape the way you viewed or treated the other person?
Often, we turn to anger to protect deeper emotions like fear, shame, sadness, or grief. What emotions do you think your anger might be guarding?
Practice
This week’s practice is based on the closing time of listening prayer during this past Sunday’s gathering. If you were present at the gathering, this practice can be a continuation of anything the Spirit may have been speaking to you about during that time.
Set aside 15 minutes this week to do this simple practice of listening and confessing.
First, find a quiet place, free from distractions, where you can sit in a posture of openness before God. Begin with this simple prayer from the closing lines of Psalm 139:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind one situation from the past week where you felt angry. Without judging yourself, pay attention to what happened and how that anger felt in your body.
Next, prayerfully reflect on these questions:
What was I angry about?
What might my anger be protecting?
Is there grief, fear, shame, disappointment, hurt, or something else underneath it?
Write down anything the Spirit is speaking to you about.
If the Spirit brings something to mind, practice confessing your anger in two steps.
First, by honestly naming both your anger and the deeper emotions beneath it before God. When you confess to God, receive his grace, remembering that confession is not about condemnation but transformation.
Second, confess your anger and emotions to a trusted friend or community member (this could be in person, or through a phone call or text). Sometimes confessing to a person can be more scary than confessing to God, because their presence can seem more tangible to us. But James says to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” After confessing, ask the person receiving your confession to pray for you.
Finally, if needed in your situation, also ask the Spirit to show you one step toward reconciliation. This could be through a conversation, an apology, forgiveness, or a change of heart. Write down that step and share it with the person you are confessing to, so that they can pray for you and help you follow through.
Be ready to share about your experience the next time your community meets.
Pray
To end your time, read Psalm 139:1-6 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read James 5:16 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus continues to teach his disciples what it means to move beyond the outward prohibition of the Old Testament law and into the heart of God. While avoiding adultery is certainly the correct thing to do, Jesus wants to look past that to address the deeper issue of lust. He teaches that God’s concern is not merely behavior modification, but heart transformation. But, it’s so easy for lust to begin in our hearts when attraction is fed and nurtured until it becomes the objectification of people, where we treat them as tools for personal gratification rather than image-bearers of God.
And while lust starts in the heart, it is far from a private matter. Yes, it harms us internally, but it also spills out into a hurting word, doing damage to relationships and communities, while also contributing to systems of exploitation and injustice all around the world. Because of this, Jesus calls his followers to take sexual sin seriously. To get his point across clearly, he uses vivid hyperbole about taking extreme measures, like gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand, to emphasize the need for decisive repentance and radical action.
Still, while safeguards to protect our hearts and minds from lust are good and necessary, freedom ultimately comes not through willpower alone, but through confession, accountability, community, and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, who reshapes our desires to reflect God’s good design for human flourishing.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
*Note to Community Leaders: If helpful and possible, you can break into gender specific groups to discuss the following questions, particularly 3-6.
What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
How did last week’s practice centered around anger, confession, reconciliation, and accountability go for you? Share about your experience with your community.
Where in your life are you most tempted to settle for outward obedience while ignoring the deeper desires, habits, or thought patterns that are shaping your heart?
What might Jesus be inviting you to honestly confess and repent of?
What practical steps of accountability could help you move toward greater freedom and integrity in this area?
Who is a trusted person you can invite into this conversation this week, and what might keep you from reaching out to them?
Practice
Many practices during this teaching series will be centered around the spiritual disciplines of confession, repentance, and accountability, as we seek to live out the way of Jesus as taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
If helpful for accountability, have each member of your community share when and how they will make space to do this week’s practice, and then set up a system to check in with one another over the coming days.
This week, set aside 10-15 minutes for prayerful reflection centered on Matthew 5:27-30.
Begin by reading Matthew 5:27-30 slowly, then ask the Holy Spirit, “Show me any area of my heart where desire, temptation, or hidden sin is taking root.” Next, spend a few moments in silence, paying attention to any thoughts, habits, relationships, or patterns that come to mind.
Write down what the Spirit brings to your attention, then honestly confess these things to God, thanking him that he is not leading you to condemnation, but to freedom and healing. Ask him to renew your desires and transform your heart.
Next, identify one practical step of repentance. What “radical action” might help you remove a source of temptation or create space for greater faithfulness in your walk with Jesus?
Finally, share honestly with a trusted person (such as a friend, mentor, pastor, spouse, or community group member). Confess what you are struggling with, ask for prayer, and invite them to check in with you over the next few weeks. Healing often begins when hidden things are brought into the light.
As you close your time, reflect on this question: What would it look like for me to pursue freedom and transformation in my life, rather than to simply manage my behavior?
If appropriate, share about your experience with members of your community group the next time you meet.
Pray
To end your time, read Romans 12:1-2 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Deuteronomy 7:9 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus continues to explore the heart of God that lies behind the Old Testament Law. So his teaching on divorce in this passage is not primarily a legal discussion about loopholes or the permissible grounds for ending a marriage. Instead, it’s about revealing God’s heart for covenant faithfulness. In a culture much like our own, where men could divorce their wives for any number of trivial reasons, Jesus challenges popular interpretations of the law that viewed marriage as disposable and women as expendable. He teaches that marriage is a covenant meant to reflect God’s never-ending faithfulness, rather than a contract maintained only while it remains convenient.
At the same time, it’s important for us to remember the reality of human brokenness. Yes, God’s desire is always for reconciliation and covenant faithfulness, but Scripture also recognizes that some covenants are tragically shattered. But even if we experience the breaking of a marriage covenant, it doesn’t mean our identity as a son or daughter of God is compromised. For followers of Jesus, the call is absolutely to reject the objectification and oppression of others and to fight for healing and restoration whenever possible. But it’s also to extend grace, hope, and redemption to those who have experienced the pain of divorce and a broken covenant.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
How did last week’s practice centered around repentance, confession, and accountability go for you? Share about your experience with your community.
Are there times you tend to approach important relationships more like a contract than a covenant? If so, how does that shape the way you respond when people disappoint or hurt you?
Jesus calls his followers to pursue reconciliation while also recognizing the reality of our brokenness. Is there a relationship in your life that needs to experience repentance, forgiveness, healing, or a renewed commitment? What would a faithful next step look like?
Practice
*Many practices during this teaching series will be centered around the spiritual disciplines of confession, repentance, and accountability, as we seek to live out the way of Jesus as taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
If helpful for accountability, have each member of your community share when and how they will make space to do this week’s practice, and then set up a system to check in with one another over the coming days.
This week, set aside 10-15 minutes for prayer and reflection.
Begin by slowly reading these two passages:
Matthew 5:31-32
Romans 8:38-39
As you do, reflect on God's faithfulness to his covenant people. Remember that God always remains committed to you, even when you have been imperfect, distracted, or unfaithful.
Next, pray and invite the Holy Spirit to examine your heart, asking him the following questions:
Where am I treating relationships like contracts rather than covenants?
Where have I become quick to withdraw, keep score, or give up on people?
Is there a relationship that needs repentance, forgiveness, or renewed effort?
If God brings something to mind, confess it honestly to him, receive his forgiveness, and ask for grace to reflect his faithfulness in your relationships. Then, make a plan to confess to a trusted friend or community member and ask them to pray for you.
Finally, pursue accountability. The next time your community meets, share one thing God revealed during your reflection and one practical step you will take toward faithfulness, reconciliation, or healing.
Pray
To end your time, read Jeremiah 31:31-34 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Matthew 5:33-37 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus’s command against oaths isn’t simply a strict rule about religious language. Instead, it’s a call to radical integrity! The Old Testament laws about vows sought to manage human failure, but Jesus points beyond them to God’s original intent to have a people whose words are so trustworthy that no oath is necessary. Followers of Jesus, like all humans, can struggle with loyalty, truthfulness, and commitment, and it’s easy to think that an oath can lend us credibility. But ultimately, Jesus’s desire is that his followers become people whose simple “yes” and “no” can be trusted, and who don’t need to use superfluous language to help bolster their claims of integrity. In a culture marked by flakiness, excuses, and broken commitments, Christian faithfulness and integrity become a powerful witness to the honesty and reliability of God himself.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
How did last week’s practice centered around covenant faithfulness go for you? Share about your experience with your community.
What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
Jesus teaches that our “yes” should mean yes and our “no” should mean no. When you think about your commitments, relationships, schedule, and responsibilities, where are you most tempted to overcommit, cancel, delay, or fail to follow through? What might it look like to grow in integrity in that area?
When we are faithful in small commitments, it reflects the faithfulness of God to the world around us. Who has modeled this kind of reliability in your life, and what practical changes could help you become a person whose words and actions are consistently trustworthy?
Practice
*Many practices during this teaching series will be centered around the spiritual disciplines of confession, repentance, and accountability, as we seek to live out the way of Jesus as taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
If helpful for accountability, have each member of your community share when and how they will make space to do this week’s practice, and then set up a system to check in with one another over the coming days.
This week, set aside 10-15 minutes for prayer and reflection, followed by an action of confession and accountability.
First, find a comfortable, distraction-free space, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you. As you listen, ask the Spirit to bring to mind any commitments, promises, or responsibilities you have failed to honor recently, whether large or small. This could be missed appointments, unfulfilled promises, habitual lateness, last-minute cancellations, or commitments you made casually but did not keep.
Remember, asking the Spirit to bring something like this to mind is not about feeling a sense of guilt or shame, but it is about being open to his loving conviction.
If the Spirit brings something to mind, spend a few moments in confession. Be specific with God about where your words and actions have not aligned. Ask for forgiveness and for the Spirit's help to grow in integrity and faithfulness.
Then, ask Jesus to help you identify one person in your life who has been affected by your lack of follow-through.
If Jesus brings someone to mind, and if it’s appropriate, reach out to them this week. It may be challenging, but ask Jesus to help you acknowledge what happened, ask for forgiveness, and make any necessary amends with that person.
Finally, ask the Spirit to help you identify one area where you can grow in integrity when it comes to your words and actions. If he brings something to mind, share it with your spouse, a trusted friend, or community member. Ask them to check in with you over the next week and help you become someone whose simple “yes” and “no” can be trusted. As you do this, remember that Christian integrity is not merely about keeping promises, it’s about reflecting the faithfulness of Jesus in everyday life.
Be prepared to share about your experience with your community the next time you gather.
Pray
To end your time, read James 5:12 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
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Pray
Gather together as a community in a comfortable setting, then have one person read Matthew 5:38-42 and invite the Holy Spirit to guide your time.
Recap
In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus confronts one of humanity’s deepest instincts: retaliation. Here, he reinterprets the Old Testament principle of “eye for eye” that was meant to limit revenge, and instead calls his followers to reject vengeance and violence altogether as responses to evil. But Jesus isn’t just calling his followers to passivity. Rather, he calls us to a creative and active form of nonviolent love that overcomes evil with good. He says we are to turn the other cheek, give more than is demanded of us, and go the extra mile. And when we do this, we are living into a “third way” that goes beyond fight or flight. We are following the example of Jesus himself, who trusted the Father with justice, embodied mercy, and became a peacemaker who broke cycles of violence through self-sacrificial love. That is the cross-shaped life of Jesus that we are invited to participate in.
Discuss
Discuss the following prompts as a group.
How did last week’s practice centered around integrity with your words and actions go? Share about your experience with your community.
What is one thing that stood out to you from the most recent teaching?
Jesus calls his followers to reject both retaliation and passivity, choosing instead a creative and grace-filled response to conflict. When you face hurt, criticism, or injustice, which response do you tend to default to: fighting back, withdrawing, or seeking a Christlike “third way”?
Think of a current relationship or conflict where you feel justified in holding onto resentment, anger, or the desire to get even. What might it look like to actively and creatively overcome evil with good in that situation?
Practice
*Many practices during this teaching series will be centered around the spiritual disciplines of confession, repentance, and accountability, as we seek to live out the way of Jesus as taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
If helpful for accountability, have each member of your community share when and how they will make space to do this week’s practice, and then set up a system to check in with one another over the coming days.
This week, set aside 10 minutes to spend with God in quiet reflection.
Begin by asking him: “Where in life am I holding onto the desire to get even, prove myself right, or withhold grace?”
Write down whatever person, situation, or conflict comes to mind.
If something comes to mind, take time to do the following -
Confession: Bring the situation honestly before God and confess any resentment, bitterness, desire for retaliation, or refusal to forgive. Then, ask the Father to help you entrust justice to him rather than taking it into your own hands.
Repentance: Identify one small way you can move toward the way of Jesus instead of toward the way of retaliation. This could be through prayer, forgiveness, a kind word, a conversation, a deliberate act of grace, or something else. Ask the Spirit to help you creatively think of a way to pursue love and reconciliation.
Accountability: Share what you sensed from God and any next steps you will take with a trusted friend, family member, or community member. Ask them to check in with you this week by asking: “How did you practice overcoming evil with good in that situation?”
Be prepared to share about your experience with your community the next time you gather.
Pray
To end your time, read Romans 12:17-21 as a group and then have someone close in prayer.
