Hello friend! Thank you so much for picking up this resource! Our hope is that over the coming weeks, this will be a tool to help you move closer to God and people.

We will begin each week with the passage from The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7) that goes along with our weekend message at Crossroads. But each weekday, we will read a short passage from the rest of the book of Matthew. And then on the weekend, we’ll jump back into The Sermon on the Mount.

We know opening a Bible can feel overwhelming, so we’d like to give you a few tips to get the most out of your study time. Inside this resource, you will find several components to each day:

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>>Read– Each day you will be reading from the Gospel of Matthew. Find a quiet place where there aren’t many distractions. Focus on listening to God through what

you read.

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>>Reflect– After you read through the passage, take a few minutes and think about what you just read. Ask God to help you hear his voice clearly. Write down your reflections.

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>>Respond – This is the time to obey God and follow Jesus’ example. Ask God to give you the courage to immediately put into practice that which you have learned.

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>>Relationship – God is our Heavenly Father who wants to hear from you. We can do this through prayer, as we talk and listen to God. But he also wants us to share what we have learned with others. This part of your experience is about talking with God and with others.

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>>Real Life– Several times a week, you’ll hear from a real-life friend from the Crossroads family. They are people just like you, learning to listen to and obey Jesus. We are on this journey together!

Have you ever said, “I’m too blessed to be stressed”? This cultural phrase honestly helps us feel just a little bit better about whatever life circumstances we have going on that are putting some pressure on us.

Maybe your toddler has just spilled milk all over you right before you’re about to head into Target. Maybe it’s that sales pitch you have coming up. Maybe it’s that big performance review. Maybe someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer. Even though we have numerous things going on in our lives that are daunting, stressful, and painful to walk through, we simply say, “I’m too blessed to be stressed!”

That word blessed is confusing when we read something like Matthew 5:1-16. We often think blessing in Scripture is when God says or does something that results in things in our lives that make us feel happy or show us that we are doing great. When we are not seeing things in our lives or having that feeling of happiness, we think that God is not blessing us, that we must be doing something wrong, that He must have left us.

In Matthew 5:1-16, you see Jesus doing something pretty radical. In verses 3-11, you see Jesus telling us what blessing truly looks like. That word “blessed” has too many negative connotations with it. Maybe it is more accurate for us to use the word, “flourishing”. I think we would often say we are not flourishing, not happy, not blessed, when terrible things come, but Jesus invites us to see His Kingdom in a new way.

Jesus shows us that we can flourish through mourning, being meek, and even being persecuted. In the beginning of this Sermon, Jesus is taking a bold stance and showing the people then, and us today, that when you experience these things and when you go after some of the virtues listed in these verses, you shouldn’t think that God is not with you or for you. That is simply not the truth.

In Matthew 5:1-16, Jesus is inviting us into a new way of thinking and being with Him regardless of our circumstances. Whether life is good or it’s absolutely terrible, Jesus is saying that the flourishing life in his Kingdom is available for you right here, right now.

>> REFLECT – Ask yourself: “Am I living with this type of mindset towards the Father? Am I ‘flourishing’ even if I’m suffering?” Which of the virtues listed in verses 3 through 11 do you find the most challenging?

>> RESPOND – List one or two spiritual goals for the coming few months.

>> RELATIONSHIP – Write out a prayer to God asking for Him to help you with the goals you just wrote down.

>> REFLECT – As we read through Matthew, one of the themes is: Jesus is King. To show that he is the authentic King of the Jews, Matthew traces Jesus’ heritage all the way back to Abraham. Do you recognize some names? God’s plan to restore a broken world through Jesus unfolded over generations! Think about your life. How have you seen God work out some of his plans for you, perhaps over a long period of time?

>> RESPOND – Before the day is over, thank someone who is part of your spiritual heritage, someone who has helped you move closer to Jesus. You can do that through a text or email. Bonus points if you make a phone call or put a hand-written card in the mail.

>> RELATIONSHIP – Write a prayer of thanks to God for working through history to bring Jesus into the world, and for working through your own life’s story to bring about his amazing plans.

>> REFLECT – When have you been surprised by God?

What do the words “God with us” mean to you?

>> RESPOND – The miraculous pregnancy of Mary must have been a huge surprise to this young engaged couple. But they each did what God asked of them. Write down one thing you believe that God is asking of you.

>> RELATIONSHIP – Take a few minutes and pray about what you just wrote. Are you afraid or hesitant? Admit it and ask for help. Is this beyond your own ability to make it happen? Pray for God to do what you cannot.

>> REFLECT – The wise men came to worship Jesus, even at great cost. How does the busyness of life sometimes turn your attention away from worshiping Jesus?

>> RESPOND – Worship isn’t just about music. It’s our allof-life response to who Jesus is and what he has done. What is one way you will worship Jesus as you go about your day?

>> RELATIONSHIP – Complete this sentence several times: Jesus, I worship you today because… Who is one person you can tell what you have learned today?

>> RELATIONSHIP – “Father, help me to develop the discipline and habits of listening to your voice every day. I want to know you. I want my life to be pleasing to you as I seek to obey you. Help me to overcome any worry or to-do list that is fighting for my attention right now. Help me to hear from you very clearly as I read your word today.”

Have you ever experienced a traffic detour? Often times, the reasons for such a detour include restoring roads or bridges. The signs for the detour are meant for your safety and protection as you move toward your destination.

In Matthew 2:13, we read about a detour that Joseph was prompted to take by the angel of the Lord. In the midst of a targeted evil scheme by Herod the Great, to end the prophecy of a coming Messiah by killing all young males in Bethlehem under the age of 2 years, God was revealing a number of important truths about Himself and His people.

Consider how the Sovereignty of God is displayed in this passage. By definition, God’s Sovereignty is His ability to accomplish His purposes, promises, and prophecies in and through people and circumstances, even detours, ultimately for their good and His glory. This is evidenced in passages like Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Matthew quotes the prophet Hosea saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Here, Matthew uses the reference of “God’s son” to relate the saving of Israel out of Egypt to the ultimate Savior, Jesus Christ, who would be temporarily sheltered in Egypt and then later fully revealed as God’s true Son.

Matthew further quotes the prophet Jeremiah in verse 18, drawing a parallel between the nation of Israel mourning as they were carried off into exile in the Old Testament with the mourning that occurred as a result of Herod killing the young children in Bethlehem. Both were attempts to snuff out God’s Chosen, but God was and is Sovereign and His plans prevailed.

Secondly, consider the protection and blessing of immediate obedience to the Lord’s prompting. Joseph provides a great example of one who trusts God and obeys Him. He also displays submission and patience as he waits on the Lord for further instructions to know when to leave Egypt.

>> REFLECT – What is an interruption or “detour” you are experiencing?

Consider how you can trust God through this circumstance.

Can you see how God might work this out for your good and his glory?

>> RESPOND – Write down your “detour” on a note card and then add two column headings: “My Good” and “God’s Glory”. Keep the card handy and over the next week, record any ways you see God at work.

REFLECT – Write down several things that stand out to you from this chapter.

>> RESPOND – The Pharisees and Sadducees were religious leaders. Many of them loved the admiration that came with their position, but their hearts were far from God. John the Baptist urged them to repent and change their lives. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action. What is an area of your life where you are struggling with sin? Repent and invite God into this part of your story

>> RELATIONSHIP – In this chapter, the people came confessing their sins (verse 6). There’s something powerful about bringing a trusted friend into your sin struggle. Who can you confess to so that they can come alongside you with prayer and encouragement?

To continue this walk through the Book of Matthew, go to the next event in this series. There will be a new event each weekend throughout our current sermon series, "The Sermon On The Mount."