Spiritual Exploration Pathway

What are we here for?

What is our purpose in life?

There are so many religions, which one should I follow?

These are questions people ask internally or externally often, and maybe you either are asking them or someone you know is. This "Spiritual Exploration Pathway" guides you through some of the best spiritual resources to bring about "life to the full" in the most holistic sense possible! 

This is not a sprint, but a journey, and we are humbled to companion with you through it. 

(All content below has been graciously created by The Bible Project)

🎚Our Invitation🎚
"If you don't know it, we'll help you learn it. 
If you know it, walk with someone as they learn it."
- CL Music Initiatives
Collapsible Sections

Episode 1: Intro to the Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of Jesus' most famous teachings in the Bible. Learn about its meaning and purpose in this series introduction.

Reflect

  1. Jesus opens his sermon with descriptions of people who are already experiencing the good life of God's Kingdom. What might this tell us about God's nature?
  2. Rather than speaking from the temple to the most powerful Israelites in Jerusalem, Jesus heads into rural Galilee to speak with oppressed, powerless people. Why might he have chosen this location and these people?
  3. Take some time to reflect on any themes or ideas that stood out to you from the video.

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Episode 2: The Beatitudes

Learn the meaning of the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 and how Jesus' surprising statements describe the arrival of God's Kingdom.

Reflect

  1. How is the Jesus-style revolution described in Matthew different from most revolutions?
  2. What does it mean for someone to be pure in heart, and why is it important for Jesus' followers to be pure in heart?
  3. What does it mean to be a peacemaker, according to Jesus?
  4. How are Jesus’ followers similar to Israel’s prophets? What kinds of attitudes and actions do they share?

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Episode 3: Jesus Fulfills the Law

Explore what righteousness means in the Bible and how it applies to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and understand what it means to do right by God and others.

Reflection

  1. How is the video’s description of righteousness similar to or different from the way you’ve typically understood it?
  2. In your own words, how would you describe the Torah and the Prophets as presented in the video?
  3. How might Jesus’ first audience have understood his claim that he was going to fulfill the story of the Hebrew Bible?
  4. What kinds of attitudes or actions could be seen as "doing right by your neighbor" for Jesus followers today?

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Episode 4: Wisdom Within Laws About Murder, Adultery, and Divorce

Explore how Jesus reveals God’s wisdom underneath Old Testament laws about murder, adultery, and divorce in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.

Reflect

  1. Why does Jesus connect anger and name-calling to murder?
  2. How is looking at someone lustfully rooted in the same attitude as adultery?
  3. What does Jesus actually mean when he says to “cut off your hand” and “pluck out your eye”?
  4. When talking about divorce and remarriage, how is Jesus advocating for the fair treatment of women?
  5. When you consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:21-32, what does he seem to be saying about the value of humans?

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Episode 5: Wisdom Within Laws About Oaths, Retaliation, and Enemy Love

Explore how Jesus reveals God’s wisdom underneath Old Testament laws about oaths, revenge, and enemies in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.

Reflect

  1. Why does Jesus tell his followers to never swear oaths?
  2. Referring to retaliation and revenge, Jesus says, “don’t pay back an evil person,” or “do not resist-in-kind an evil person.” How would you summarize what he encourages his followers to do instead (see Matt. 5:37-42)?
  3. According to Jesus, why is it not enough to simply tolerate your enemies? Why is it better to love them?
  4. Jesus commands his followers to love their enemies because God—who is good to everyone, regardless of their behavior—also loves their enemies. What are some ways that God shows kindness to all people, and how can this inspire us to love without partiality?
  5. How does making peace and loving others in these ways make us “whole” or “complete?”
  6. Take some time to reflect on any themes from the video or passage (Matt. 5:33-48) that resonated with you.

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Episode 6: Warnings About Religious Practices

What does religious hypocrisy look like? Explore three examples from Jesus in Matthew 6:1-8 and his warnings about the temptation to become a hypocrite.

Reflect

  1. In Jesus’ day, what did it mean to be a hypocrite? How is this the same or different from what a hypocrite is today?
  2. Why does Jesus encourage private generosity?
  3. Whether we pray alone or with other people, what is the wisdom principle that Jesus is advocating for in his teaching about prayer?
  4. According to the video, what is the ultimate treasure for a human? And when humans receive this treasure, what is their response?
  5. Spend some time reflecting on any other themes from the video that stood out to you.

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Episode 7: The Lord’s Prayer

Watch a short video that gives a line-by-line breakdown of the Lord’s Prayer. Learn how Jesus teaches us to see ourselves in the story of the Bible.

Reflect

  1. Why does Jesus tell his followers to address God as “our Father”?
  2. Why would someone pray for God’s name to be recognized as holy?
  3. When Jesus prays, "Your Kingdom come, and your will be done," what is he asking for?
  4. What does praying “give us today our daily bread” remind us about in the Old Testament, and what might it instill within us?
  5. Why does Jesus so closely connect God’s forgiveness of us to our forgiveness of others?
  6. Jesus prays about temptation, or “testing,” and then prays about deliverance from the evil one. How do these concepts or ideas relate?

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Episode 8: Wealth and Worry

Watch a short animated video that explains what Jesus means in Matthew 6:25-34 when he says not to worry, and discover the solution he offers.

Reflect

  1. What are some of the false promises we’re prone to believe about possessions and wealth?
  2. In Matthew 6:19, what is Jesus trying to communicate about earthly possessions?
  3. According to Jesus, what are some examples of sky stuff (or heavenly treasure)?
  4. According to Matthew 6:22-23, how can our perception of wealth shape us?
  5. How can wealth or possessions be like tyrants?
  6. In Matthew 6:25-34, how does Jesus’ appeal to the birds of the sky and flowers of the field invite us to shift our perspective about worry and possessions?

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Episode 9: Wisdom in Relationships

Watch a short video that explains Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 7:1-12 about not judging others, throwing pearls to pigs, and dealing with the plank in your eye.

Reflect

  1. In this section of teaching, what kind of trap is Jesus warning his followers about?
  2. When we feel the desire to judge others, what two things does Jesus encourage us to do instead? (See Matthew 7:1-5.)
  3. Jesus advises people not to cast “pearls in front of pigs.” How would you describe the wisdom he’s communicating through that metaphor?
  4. Matthew 7:7-8 is sometimes used to support the idea that God gives people anything and everything they ask for. But in the larger context of Matthew 7:1-2, how might we interpret his words?
  5. In Matthew 5:17 and Matthew 7:12, notice the repeated phrase “the Torah and the Prophets.” What might these two bookend verses tell us about Jesus’ message in this section?
  6. Reflect on any other themes or topics that came up after watching the video. Jesus’ Golden Rule is a simple yet challenging way to live. What kinds of situations would make it most difficult to follow Jesus’ instruction?

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