NT lesson 9-12

from  https://www.lds.org/manual/new-testament-seminary-teacher-manual?lang=eng

Lesson 9: Matthew 5:1–16

I. Matthew 5:1–12  The Savior begins the Sermon on the Mount by teaching the Beatitudes

---Write the following questions on the board:

Are you happy? Why or why not?

---Read aloud the following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

“So often we get caught up in the illusion that there is something just beyond our reach that would bring us happiness: a better family situation, a better financial situation, or the end of a challenging trial.

“… External circumstances don’t really matter or determine our happiness.

“… We determine our happiness” (“Of Regrets and Resolutions,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 23).

• What do you think it is important to know that we determine our own happiness?

---As the Savior began His ministry, He gave a sermon near the Sea of Galilee. This sermon is often called the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon the Savior explained what we can do to be truly happy, regardless of our external circumstances.

---Read Matthew 5:3, footnote a, and look for what the word blessed means.

• What does the word blessed mean?

---Because blessed translates from the Latin word beatus, meaning to be fortunate or happy, these verses are aka the Beatitudes.

---In addition to the verses containing the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, the chart contains two references to 3 Nephi. These references are part of a sermon Jesus Christ gave during His ministry among the Nephites that is similar to the Sermon on the Mount. The references in 3 Nephi provide greater understanding of the corresponding scripture passages in Matthew 5.

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:3; 3 Nephi 12:3	To be poor in spirit means to be humble and “to recognize gratefully [our] dependence on the Lord—to understand that [we] have constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgment that [our] talents and abilities are gifts from God” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 86).
Matthew 5:4	To mourn is to feel or express sorrow. A person may mourn over the difficulties and trials of mortality, including the death of loved ones. Likewise, a person may also mourn because of sorrow for sin.
Matthew 5:5	“To be meek, as defined in Webster’s dictionary, is ‘manifesting patience and long-suffering: enduring injury without resentment’ [Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1976) ‘meek,’ 1403]. Meekness is not weakness. It is a badge of Christian courage” (Robert D. Hales, “Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 73).
Matthew 5:6; 3 Nephi 12:6	To hunger and thirst after righteousness implies a great desire to know and do the will of God.
Matthew 5:7	“Mercy is the compassionate treatment of a person greater than what is deserved” (“Mercy,” Gospel Topics, lds.org/topics). We are able to receive Heavenly Father’s mercy because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ (see Alma 33:11).
Matthew 5:8	“The pure in heart are those who love the Lord, who seek to follow Him and keep His commandments, who are striving to live virtuous lives and endure faithfully to the end. The pure in heart are those who control their thoughts to keep themselves free from immoral fantasies and deeds” (Sheldon F. Child, “Words of Jesus: Chastity,” Ensign, Jan. 2003, 44).
Matthew 5:9	“[Peacemaking] is the gift to help people find common ground when others are seeing differences” (Henry B. Eyring, “Learning in the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 63).
Matthew 5:10–12	To be “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” means to be willing to obey and defend Jesus Christ and His teachings, even when we may be mocked or mistreated for doing so.

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---List specific ways we can live according to each Beatitude on the board.

---The Beatitudes teach about attributes of Jesus Christ and that by living them we can become more like Him.

• Based on what you have learned in Matthew 5, what will happen to us as we develop these and other Christlike attributes? As we develop Christlike attributes, we will find increased happiness.

---If we seek greater happiness, we can choose one of the attributes listed in the Beatitudes and set a goal to develop that attribute.

II. Matthew 5:13–16  Jesus Christ instructs His disciples to set a righteous example

---Display a container of salt and pour out a small amount into a bowl.

• In what ways can salt be useful?

---Elder Carlos E. Asay of the Seventy --- listen for some of the uses of salt:

“[Good salt] … is clean, pure, uncontaminated, and useful. In this state or condition, salt will preserve, flavor, heal, and perform other useful functions” (“Salt of the Earth: Savor of Men and Saviors of Men,” Ensign, May 1980, 42).

---Read Matthew 5:13 silently

• According to verse 13, what happens when salt loses its savor?

---The word savor refers not only to salt’s flavor but also to its unique qualities that make it a healing and preserving agent.

• What causes salt to lose its savor? (Salt loses its savor when it mixes with other materials and becomes contaminated.)

---Pour other material, such as dirt, into the bowl, and mix the salt and other elements together.

• What happens to the salt’s usefulness when it is mixed with other materials?
• As disciples of Jesus Christ, what can cause us to lose our savor, or the Christlike qualities that allow us to be a blessing to others? (Becoming contaminated by the sins of the world can prevent us from being a blessing to others.)
• What can we do to retain or regain our savor?

---Display a candle.

---Read Matthew 5:14–16  looking for how the Savior compared His disciples to a candle.

• What are Christ’s disciples asked to do with their light?
• What does it mean to let your light shine? (See 3 Nephi 18:24.)
• What will our good works lead others to do?

---Among other things, the phrase “to glorify your Father which is in Heaven” (verse 16) means to give praise and honor to God through word or action.

• What principle can we learn from verses 14–16, about how our righteous example can influence others? (Our righteous example can encourage others to draw nearer to Heavenly Father.)
• When has someone set a righteous example that has helped you draw nearer to Heavenly Father?

---Write the words Start, Stop, and Continue on the board.

---Evaluate your lives and choose one thing you could start doing, one thing you could stop doing, and one thing you could continue doing to apply these principles in your lives. JOURNAL

Lesson 10: Matthew 5:17–48

I. Matthew 5:17–48  Jesus Christ teaches His disciples how to become perfect like Heavenly Father

---Before class, write the following question on the board:

Which commandment do you think is the most difficult for people to keep?

---When class begins, ask students to respond to the question. List their answers on the board.

---Read Matthew 5:48 looking for a commandment that is difficult to keep.

---Mark the Joseph Smith Translation in Matthew 5:48, footnote a.

• How does the commandment to be perfect make you feel?
• What do you think it means to be perfect?

---Read Matthew 5:48, footnote b, silently, looking for the meaning of the word perfect,

---Report what you find.

---To become complete or fully developed means to become like Heavenly Father.

---As we continue to study of the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount, look for principles you need to follow in order to progress toward becoming perfect like our Father in Heaven.

---In Matthew 5:17–20 the Savior taught that He came to fulfill the law of Moses, not to destroy, or do away with, any of the eternal truths in the law of Moses. Jesus Christ restored the fulness of the gospel that had been lost due to wickedness and apostasy, corrected false teachings, and fulfilled the prophecies made by Old Testament prophets. Eventually, as part of the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel, some aspects of the law of Moses were discontinued, such as circumcision and animal sacrifice.

---Matthew 5:21–48 includes the Savior’s teachings about various laws and traditions the Jews had developed or added under the law of Moses. As Jesus Christ explained the true meaning of the laws, He taught a higher way of righteousness. Members of His kingdom must live this higher law. These higher laws provided guidance to help disciples of Jesus Christ avoid breaking God’s commandments.

---Think of a time when you were angry with someone.

• What are some dangers of not controlling our anger?

---Read Matthew 5:21–22 looking for what the law of Moses taught about violence and anger and what additional truths the Lord taught about anger as part of the higher law.

• What did the Savior teach about violence and anger? (the term Raca in verse 22 means imbecile, fool, or empty-headed person.)

Matthew 5:22. What does the term Raca mean?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained a broader meaning of the term Raca:

“Profane and vulgar expressions vary from nation to nation and age to age, but the intent of this passage is to condemn any language which conveys improper feelings about another”

• According to these verses, what will happen if we do not learn to control our anger?

---Read aloud the Joseph Smith Translation change in Matthew 5:22, footnote b.

• Why is it significant that the phrase “without a cause” is omitted from this verse?
• How does controlling our anger help us progress toward becoming perfect?

---Read Matthew 5:23–24 aloud, including the added phrase from the Joseph Smith Translation. Follow along, looking for what the Savior taught we must do with our anger toward others if we desire to come unto Him.

• According to verse 24, what must we do if we desire to come unto Christ? (If we desire to come unto Jesus Christ, we must first do our part to be reconciled with others.)

---Remember to settle your disputes with others so you can progress toward becoming perfect like our Father in Heaven.

---Show students a weed (or a picture of a weed).

• What might happen if weeds are not removed from a garden?
• How might weeds be like sins?

---Read Matthew 5:27–28 looking for a sin the Savior warned against and the higher law He expects His disciples to live.

• What did the Savior teach about those who entertain lustful thoughts or desires? (If we choose to entertain lustful thoughts or desires, it is like committing adultery in our hearts.)

---While we cannot always prevent impure thoughts from entering our minds, we can prevent them from staying there.

---Read Matthew 5:29–30 looking for what the Savior taught about removing impure thoughts.

• What did the Savior say we must do to remove impure thoughts?
• What do you think it means to pluck out one’s eye and cut off one’s hand in these verses?

---Read Matthew 5:30, footnote b, and look for how the Joseph Smith Translation helps us understand what it means.

• Based on what the Lord taught in Matthew 5:29–30, what might happen if we do not remove sins from our lives? (If we choose not to remove sin from our lives, it will destroy us spiritually.)
• What can we do to remove sins from our lives?
• What must we do to remove sins from our lives and to make sure we do not commit those sins again?

---Think about a sin you’d like to remove from your lives then set a goal to do so by repenting and replacing it with righteous actions.

---Read Matthew 5:45 aloud looking for what will happen if we love our enemies and do good to those who hate us.

• What will happen if we love our enemies and do good to those who hate us?
• Knowing that we are all spirit children of God, what do you think it means in this verse to be children of our Father in Heaven? (It means to be like Him and become heirs of His kingdom.)
• How did the Savior exemplify loving His enemies and doing good to others during His life?

---Reflect on what you have learned in Matthew 5 about what we need to do to become perfect like Heavenly Father.

• What are some things we need to do to become perfect like our Father in Heaven? (As we follow the Savior’s teachings and commandments, we can become perfect like our Father in Heaven.)

---Remember that it is only through Jesus Christ and by His grace that we can become perfected (see Moroni 10:32).

---Read aloud the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:

“We need not be dismayed if our earnest efforts toward perfection now seem so arduous [difficult] and endless. Perfection is pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only through the Lord. It awaits all who love him and keep his commandments” (“Perfection Pending,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 88).

• According to President Nelson, when will we reach perfection?
• How might this statement help someone who feels overwhelmed and discouraged by his or her imperfections?

---Encourage students to continue to obey God’s commandments so that they can eventually become like our Heavenly Father.

Commentary and Background Information

Matthew 5:27–28. “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed the seriousness of the sin of lust:

“Why is lust such a deadly sin? Well, in addition to the completely Spirit-destroying impact it has upon our souls, I think it is a sin because it defiles the highest and holiest relationship God gives us in mortality—the love that a man and a woman have for each other and the desire that couple has to bring children into a family intended to be forever. … Love makes us instinctively reach out to God and other people. Lust, on the other hand, is anything but godly and celebrates self-indulgence. Love comes with open hands and open heart; lust comes with only an open appetite” (“Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 44–45).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the effects of pornography on those who use it:

“Pornography impairs one’s ability to enjoy a normal emotional, romantic, and spiritual relationship with a person of the opposite sex. It erodes the moral barriers that stand against inappropriate, abnormal, or illegal behavior. As conscience is desensitized, patrons of pornography are led to act out what they have witnessed, regardless of its effects on their life and the lives of others” (“Pornography,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2005, 89).

Matthew 5:31–37. “Whosoever shall put away his wife”

In the days of Jesus, one school of Jewish thought had come to interpret the Mosaic standard (see Deuteronomy 24:1–2) in a way that allowed divorce for frivolous reasons. For example, if a man desired a younger or more attractive wife or if a man’s wife ruined his dinner, appeared in public with her head uncovered, or was disagreeable, it was permissible for him to seek a divorce. As recorded in Matthew 5:31–37, as in other places in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sought to call his followers to a higher standard of righteousness and to have them understand that marriage was an institution that should be honored and maintained according to the pattern established by God with the eternal marriage of Adam and Eve. (See Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. [1979–81], 3:291–97; see also Matthew 19:3–9.)

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Lesson 11: Matthew 6

GROUP 1

Matthew 6:1–18  The Savior teaches His disciples to do righteous works

---Read Matthew 6:1–2 looking for what the Savior said was an improper motive for doing righteous acts. (Point out that alms are acts of religious devotion, such as giving to the poor [see verse 1, footnote b].)

• According to these verses why do some people perform alms?
• What did the Savior call these people? (the Greek word translated as “hypocrites” refers to those who are pretenders [see verse 2, footnote a].) [actors]

---Read Matthew 6:3–4 looking for what the Savior taught about how His disciples should perform righteous acts.

• Why do you think the Lord would want His disciples to perform acts of service “in secret”?
• What does doing righteous acts in secret suggest about a person’s motivation for doing them? (He or she wants to please Heavenly Father and serve others rather than seek attention from others.)
• What did the Savior promise to those who performed righteous acts for the right reasons?

• What principle can we learn from the Savior’s teachings about performing acts of devotion? (Help students identify the following principle: If we perform acts of devotion to please Heavenly Father rather than to seek the attention of others, then He will reward us openly.)
• What does it mean to you that Heavenly Father will reward us openly?

---Have half the class read Matthew 6:5–6 and the other read Matthew 6:16–18.

---Look for an example the Savior used to illustrate the principle of performing righteous acts to please Heavenly Father.

---Share what you found.

• In these two passages, which religious practices did Jesus emphasize should be performed in secret?

---Public prayer is not wrong simply because it is not done in secret. Prayer and other religious practices can be performed publicly if they are performed with sincerity and devotion.

• According to the verses you studied, why do hypocrites pray and fast?

---Think of a time when you performed acts of devotion—such as praying or fasting—in order to please Heavenly Father.

---Ponder ways you felt blessed for your sincere worship.

GROUP 2

Matthew 6:19–24  Jesus Christ teaches the multitude to lay up treasures in heaven

---Display a picture of a treasure chest.

---A treasure is anything that we value greatly.

• What is something you consider to be a treasure?

---Read Matthew 6:19–21 looking for what the Savior taught about treasures.

• What type of treasures did the Savior teach His disciples to seek?
• What did the Savior say the difference was between treasures stored up on earth and treasures stored up in heaven?

---Write the following on the board:

Treasures on earth

Treasures in heaven

---Have students list examples of treasures on earth and treasures in heaven and write them on the board.

---Read Matthew 6:22–24 and look for what the Savior taught that can help us lay up treasures in heaven.

• What did the Savior teach in verses 22–23 that can help us lay up treasures in heaven? (Point out that the Joseph Smith Translation of verse 22 reads “if therefore thine eye be single to the glory of God” [in Matthew 6:22, footnote b]. God’s work and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” [Moses 1:39].)
• What can we do to keep our eye single to the glory of God?
• What truth did the Savior teach at the end of verse 24 that can help us remember to lay up treasures in heaven? (We cannot serve both God and mammon. The word mammon refers to riches.)
• What do you think it means to “serve” mammon? (To set our hearts on worldly things in a way leads us away from God.)

---STRAW DEMO

• Why were you unable to drink the water efficiently?

Ask the class:

• If the straws represent us, what might the water represent? (Our efforts to serve God.)
• Why do you think we can’t serve God and mammon at the same time? (See also James 1:8.)
• What must we do with the straws in order to drink the water? How does this relate to our efforts to serve God?

GROUP 3

Matthew 6:25–34  The Savior instructs His disciples to seek first the kingdom of God

---In Matthew 6:25–34 the Savior instructed His disciples to not be excessively anxious about providing for their basic needs. The Joseph Smith Translation for Matthew 6:25–27 helps us understand that the Savior was speaking specifically to those who would go forth to preach His gospel.

---Read Matthew 6:31–34 looking for what the Savior taught His disciples to seek first in their lives. (Point out the wording from the Joseph Smith Translation in verse 33, footnote a.)

• What did the Savior teach His disciples to seek first in their lives?
• What did Jesus Christ promise those who are seeking to build up the kingdom of God (or His Church) rather than seeking to attain the things of the world? (If we seek first to build up the kingdom of God, then He will bless us with what He knows we need.)

---Read aloud the following statement by President Ezra Taft Benson:

“We must put God in the forefront of everything else in our lives. …

“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.

“We should put God ahead of everyone else in our lives” (“The Great Commandment—Love the Lord,” Ensign, May 1988, 4).

• When have you experienced Heavenly Father’s blessings as you have sought to put Him first in your life?

---Briefly consider how you might be tempted to set your hearts on worldliness.

---Set a goal to overcome this temptation by writing in your class notebooks one way you will seek to place your Heavenly Father first in your lives.

GROUP 4

Matthew 7:1–5  As part of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ teaches His disciples about judging righteously

---Ask the class the following question and invite the students to respond:

Should we or should we not judge others?

---Read Matthew 7:1 looking for what the Savior taught about judging. Verse 1 is often misunderstood to mean that we should never judge.

---Read Matthew 7:1, footnote a.

• What did the Savior teach about judging?
• What do you think it means to judge righteously?

---Read Matthew 7:2 looking for what will happen to us based on the way we judge others.

---Report what you find.

• What will happen if we judge others righteously? (After students respond, help them identify the following principle: If we judge others righteously, God will extend the same mercy and fairness to us.)

---Distribute copies of the following statement from True to the Faith. Read it aloud. Ask half of the class to follow along, looking for the types of judgment we should and should not make. Ask the other half of the class to look for how we can judge righteously.

 “Sometimes people feel that it is wrong to judge others in any way. While it is true that you should not condemn others or judge them unrighteously, you will need to make judgments of ideas, situations, and people throughout your life. …

“Judgment is an important use of your agency and requires great care, especially when you make judgments about other people. All your judgments must be guided by righteous standards. Remember that only God, who knows each individual’s heart, can make final judgments of individuals (see Revelation 20:12; 3 Nephi 27:14; D&C 137:9). …

“… As much as you can, judge people’s situations rather than judging the people themselves. Whenever possible, refrain from making judgments until you have an adequate knowledge of the facts. Always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who can guide your decisions” (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 90–91).

• What types of judgments should we make?
• How can we judge righteously?

---Display a small sliver of wood and a long, thick piece of wood.

---As the Savior taught His disciples about judging, He referred to a small sliver of wood as a mote and a large piece of wood as a beam.

---Read Matthew 7:3 and look for what the Savior taught about judging others.

• What might the mote and beam represent in the Savior’s analogy?
• How would you restate the Savior’s teaching in verse 3?

---Read the following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency:

“This business of beams and motes seems to be closely related to our inability to see ourselves clearly. I’m not sure why we are able to diagnose and recommend remedies for other people’s ills so well, while we often have difficulty seeing our own” (“Lord, Is It I?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 56).

---Ponder the sins or weaknesses you could remove from your own lives. Ask the Lord for help to remove your own flaws instead of judging others unrighteously.

GROUP 5

II. Matthew 7:6–14  The Savior teaches about seeking personal revelation

---Read Matthew 7:6 then read the following statement:

---The Joseph Smith Translation of this verse helps us understand that Jesus Christ called His disciples to go into the world to preach. They were to teach repentance but keep the mysteries of the kingdom to themselves. In other words, they were not to discuss sacred subjects with people who were not ready to receive them. (See Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 7:9–11 [in the Bible appendix].)

---According to the Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 7:7 begins with the phrase “Say unto them, Ask of God.”

---Read verse 7 aloud beginning with this phrase (“Say unto them, Ask of God”). Have the class follow along, looking for what the Savior told His disciples to teach.

• What were the disciples told to say to people who wanted to receive knowledge from God?
• What principle can we learn from verse 7 about how we can come to understand sacred knowledge from God? (After students respond, help them identify the following principle: As we ask, seek, and knock in our search for truth, Heavenly Father will answer and bless us with personal revelation.)
• What do the words ask, seek, and knock indicate we must do to receive personal revelation?

---Ask: Does anyone want to share a time when your asking, seeking, and knocking invited personal revelation?

---In Matthew 7:9–11 the Savior taught that just as a loving father would not give a stone or a snake when his son asks for bread or fish, Heavenly Father will not deny the gift of personal revelation to His children who ask for it.

---Exercise faith by asking, seeking, and knocking to invite personal revelation and understanding of the gospel.

---Testify that as they do this in faith and patience, Heavenly Father will answer.

---Read Matthew 7:12–14 looking for additional truths the Savior told His disciples to teach.

---Have them report what they find. Discussion of topics, if there is time.

               

FOR WEDNESDAY

III. Matthew 7:15–27  The Savior promises salvation to those who do the Father’s will

---List on the board some ideas that are commonly accepted by the world but that are contrary to Heavenly Father’s plan.

• Why is it important to be able to discern if an individual or a group is promoting an idea that is contrary to Heavenly Father’s plan?

---Read Matthew 7:15 aloud. Then ask:

• What did the Lord warn the disciples of? How did He say these false prophets might be disguised?

---Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum on the Twelve Apostles warned of false prophets in our day that include “both men and women, who are self-appointed declarers of the doctrines of the Church” as well as “those who speak and publish in opposition to God’s true prophets and who actively proselyte others with reckless disregard for the eternal well-being of those whom they seduce” (“Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 63).

---Read Matthew 7:16–20 looking for one way we can discern whether someone is a false prophet or false teacher.

• What is one way we can discern whether someone is a false prophet or false teacher? (After students respond, write the following truth on the board: We can discern false prophets by their fruits.)

---Show students two types of fruit. Ask students which kinds of plants produce each fruit. Explain that similar to identifying plants by their fruits, we can identify false prophets and false teachers by their teachings, actions, and ideas.

• Based on this truth, how can we recognize individuals and groups we should beware of?
• How does the list of ideas on the board relate to this truth?

---Matthew 7:21–23 teaches that not everyone who declares belief in Jesus Christ will enter His kingdom, but those who do the will of Heavenly Father and come to know Him will enter the kingdom of heaven.

---Display a rock and a tray of sand.

---Would you prefer to build your home on rock or on sand? Why?

---Read Matthew 7:24–27

• According to verse 24, what actions did the Savior say would make someone like a wise man who built on rock?
• According to verse 26, what actions did the Savior say would make someone like a foolish man who built on sand?
• What do you think the rain, floods, and wind represent in these analogies (see verse 27; see also Helaman 5:12)?
• What principles about acting on the Lord’s teachings can we learn from these analogies? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principles: If we hear and act on the Lord’s teachings, then He will strengthen us to endure our trials. If we hear the Lord’s teachings but do not follow them, then we will not have the support we need when trials come.)

---Consider what the Lord taught in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5–7). Be like the wise man by deciding to act on the principles the Savior taught.

---Write how you will apply one or more of the principles from this lesson or the previous three lessons.

Commentary and Background Information

Matthew 7:1–2. Making righteous judgments

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the principles that help us make righteous judgments rather than final judgments:

“There are two kinds of judging: final judgments, which we are forbidden to make, and intermediate judgments, which we are directed to make, but upon righteous principles. …

“… Why did the Savior command that we not judge final judgments? I believe this commandment was given because we presume to make final judgments whenever we proclaim that any particular person is going to hell (or to heaven) for a particular act or as of a particular time. …

“We all make judgments in choosing our friends, in choosing how we will spend our time and our money, and, of course, in choosing an eternal companion. Some of these intermediate judgments are surely among those the Savior referenced when He taught that ‘the weightier matters of the law’ include judgment (Matt. 23:23). …

“In the intermediate judgments we must make, we should take care to judge righteously. We should seek the guidance of the Spirit in our decisions. We should limit our judgments to our own stewardships. Whenever possible we should refrain from judging people until we have an adequate knowledge of the facts. So far as possible, we should judge circumstances rather than people. In all our judgments we should apply righteous standards. And, in all of this we must remember the command to forgive” (“‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug. 1999, 7, 9, 13).

Matthew 7:15–20. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing”

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:

“When we think of false prophets and false teachers, we tend to think of those who espouse an obviously false doctrine or presume to have authority to teach the true gospel of Christ according to their own interpretation. We often assume that such individuals are associated with small radical groups on the fringes of society. However, I reiterate: there are false prophets and false teachers who have or at least claim to have membership in the Church. There are those who, without authority, claim Church endorsement to their products and practices. Beware of such. …

“… Beware of those who speak and publish in opposition to God’s true prophets and who actively proselyte others with reckless disregard for the eternal well-being of those whom they seduce” (“Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 62–63).

Supplemental Teaching Idea

Matthew 7:1–2. Video presentation—“Looking through Windows”

To help students understand the importance of focusing on our own weaknesses before criticizing the weaknesses of others, you may want to show the video “Looking through Windows” (2:19). This video is available on LDS.org. Invite students to watch for how the story in the video relates to the following principle: If we focus on removing our own sins and weaknesses, then we will be less likely to judge others unrighteously. After they watch the video, ask them to report what they found.

Play

Right margin extras:

Understand the meaning of doctrines and principles

As students identify doctrines and principles in the scriptures, you can guide them through discussions that will help them analyze and better understand the meaning of these truths. When students understand a gospel doctrine or principle, it means they comprehend the identified truth, its relationship with other doctrines and principles in the Lord’s plan, and the circumstances in which it might be applied in their lives.

Definitions:

alms are acts of religious devotion, such as giving to the poor

that the Greek word translated as “hypocrites” refers to those who are pretenders [see verse 2, footnote a].) [actors]

A treasure is anything that we value greatly

mammon refers to riches

The Lord’s warning against “vain repetitions” is not necessarily a prohibition against using the same or similar words each time we pray. Thus, it is not inherently wrong to use oft repeated words or phrases when praying. Rather, what matters is the sincerity and devotion with which the prayer is given. The Lord warns against prayers that are mechanical, shallow, or empty. Our prayers should be humble, heartfelt, and expressed with faith.

---In  Matthew 6:7–15 the Savior provided instruction and a pattern for the proper way to pray. His own example of prayer is known as the Lord’s Prayer.

---Briefly review these verses looking for what we can learn about prayer from the Lord’s example.

---Report what you find.

---The Lord’s warning against “vain repetitions” is not necessarily a prohibition against using the same or similar words each time we pray. The Lord is also warning against prayers that are mechanical, shallow, or empty. Our prayers should be humble, heartfelt, and expressed with faith.

---Read Matthew 7:4–5 and look for whose faults the Savior said we should worry about.

• Should our concern and correction be focused on others’ faults or on our own? Why?
• What principle can we learn from these verses that can help us avoid judging others unrighteously? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: If we focus on removing our own sins and weaknesses, then we will be less likely to judge others unrighteously.)
• How can this principle help us when we see a flaw in someone else?

---You could give students a small piece of wood to keep to remind them of this principle.