Story 57 • Matthew 5–7

The Sermon That Was



Gospel Connection

Show how the story points to Jesus and his rescue mission as the snake crusher. {5 minutes}


A lot of people think that religion is all about keeping rules. Be good. Avoid these sins. Do these good deeds. Sometimes even Christians can think this way. If we just go to church, don’t swear, and pray before bed, then we’re good. But Jesus’s sermon shows how silly that kind of thinking is. Jesus says that in his kingdom, righteousness has to flow from our hearts. It has to flow out of who we are. But there’s a problem with that. It’s one thing to expect us to do good things. We can try to do that. But how can I change my heart? How can I change who I am? Only God can do that! And that’s exactly why Jesus came. To die for our sins and allow us to receive new hearts—to be “born again” (John 3:3). When we trust Jesus, he changes our hearts. People who trust King Jesus are changed from within. Now that’s the kind of people God wants in his kingdom. Not self-righteous people who think they’ve done enough good works, but meek people who mourn over their sin and love Jesus with all their hearts.


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3 Engage

Use the following questions, activities, and crafts to help kids engage with the story.

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Try out the Biggest Story Curriculum. A new lesson will be available here each week.

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