Kingdom Alignment Part 1 with Discussion Guide

BySteve

Kingdom Alignment Part 1 Discussion Guide

Summary

This sermon opens a new series on the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Matthew 6 and the theme of “the Father who sees in secret.” The pastor draws a contrast between outward religious performance and genuine, inside-out transformation that flows from a close relationship with God. Using Job’s ancient question about how a mortal can be righteous before God, and Paul’s declaration in 2 Corinthians 5 that righteousness is a gift received in Christ, the message establishes that true righteousness is not earned through rule-following but received through grace and cultivated in relationship with the Father.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you today with open hearts and willing spirits. We ask that you quiet the noise around us and within us so that we can hear what you want to speak to each of us today. As we gather to discuss your Word, remind us that you are not a God of condemnation but of grace and mercy. Help us to be honest with one another and with you, and may your Holy Spirit guide our conversation toward the things you most want us to receive. In Jesus name, Amen.

Ice Breaker

What is one place or time of day where you feel most at peace and able to just be yourself, with no pressure to perform or impress anyone?

Key Verses

  • Job 9:2
  • 2 Corinthians 5:19-21
  • Matthew 6:4
  • Matthew 6:6
  • Matthew 6:18
  • John 15:4-5
  • Galatians 1:10

Questions

  • The pastor described the difference between ‘performing a life’ and ‘living the life we are called to.’ What does that distinction mean to you personally, and which one do you find yourself doing more often?
  • Job asked how a mortal can be righteous before God. How would you have answered that question before hearing this sermon, and has your thinking shifted at all after hearing it?
  • The pastor pointed out that Jesus says ‘be careful’ at the start of Matthew 6, warning that it is possible to do the right things for the wrong reasons. Can you think of a time when your motives behind a good action were more about how others saw you than about honoring God?
  • Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 to let our light shine before others, and then in Matthew 6 He warns us not to practice our righteousness in front of others to be seen. How do you personally navigate that tension in your daily life?
  • The sermon emphasized that transformation happens in relationship with God, not through rule-following. What has your experience been with trying to change through willpower or rules versus through spending time with God?
  • John 15 describes abiding in Christ as the source of bearing fruit. What does abiding actually look like in your daily routine, and what gets in the way of it most often?
  • Paul asks in Galatians 1:10 whether he is trying to win the approval of people or of God. Who do you find yourself most trying to please in your everyday decisions, and what does that reveal about your heart?
  • The pastor mentioned that the hidden life with God, those quiet and unseen moments, is where character is formed and motives are purified. What is one practical step you could take this week to protect or create more of that hidden time with God?

Life Application

This week, set aside at least one intentional block of time each day for just you and God, with no agenda other than being present with Him. During that time, ask yourself two honest questions: Who am I living for? and Why am I doing what I am doing? Bring your answers to God openly, and invite Him to do the inside-out work that only He can do.

Key Takeaways

  • Righteousness is not something we achieve through performance or rule-following. It is a gift of grace that flows out of a transformed heart, as Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5.
  • Jesus is not contradicting Himself between Matthew 5 and Matthew 6. He is clarifying that our visible lives should point people to God, while our private lives must be rooted in genuine relationship with the Father rather than in seeking human approval.
  • The kingdom life is formed in secret. The hidden moments we spend with God are where our character is shaped, our motives are purified, and the fruit that others eventually see is grown.
  • Abiding in Christ, as described in John 15, is the foundation of everything. Transformation happens in the presence of God, not under the pressure of trying to get everything right on our own.
  • Getting the order right matters deeply. We must first live for God and with God, and from that place He empowers us to love and serve people well. Reversing that order leads to exhaustion and empty performance.

Ending Prayer

Father, thank you for this time together and for the reminder that you are not a distant judge but a loving Father who sees us in our most private and honest moments. We confess that we sometimes drift toward performing for others rather than simply walking with you. Forgive us for that, and draw us back into the quiet place of abiding with you. As we go into this week, help each of us to live from the inside out, shaped by your grace and empowered by your Spirit. May the hidden moments we spend with you overflow into lives that naturally point others toward you. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus, who became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. Amen.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

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