1. Chapter 5 “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

2.  Jesus’ disciples remembered his promise to return  i.e., the second coming: parousia  50 years, and Jesus’ coming “soon” hasn’t happened  Jesus’ followers gathered stories and traditions around Jesus   teaching of the ”church”

3.  Read over the section on page 90.  What are the highlights?

4.  Aramaic was the language of the time  Out of respect for God’s name, phrases like:  “God reigns,” “the LORD is King” were avoided  Instead: “the kingdom of God has come”  Ergo: “kingdom of heaven / God” is not a place but a symbol or metaphor for God!

5.  The central image of Jesus’ message  remember:  “Kingdom of God = God” for Jesus  “The kingdom of God is among you” (Lk. 17.21) or “the kingdom of God has come to you” (Mt. 12.28) really means:  “God is now acting among you!”  God is not distant, but near

6.  Revealed in the person of Jesus  In his teachings  And in his actions  The end is not in some future  Jesus is one in whom the kingdom has taken on flesh and bones  Jesus had an authority about him that drew people to him

7.  Matt. Doesn’t use “kingdom of God”  He uses “kingdom of heaven.”  Remember : the terms are interchangeable  They highlight: awe and respect owed to the holy name of God.

8.  The Church Matthew speaks of is not the same as the kingdom of God  The Church  The people who follow Jesus’ way  Accept the free gift of God’s salvation  Paul calls those gathered in the Church the “first fruits” (1. Cor.15.20)  The community in whom God is at work

9.  Matthew 5-7  Pages 92 to 98  Let’s read through and discuss!