New Hope High School – Lesson 10 - The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Blessed Are the Persecuted

New Hope High School – Lesson 10 - The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Blessed Are the Persecuted

Matthew 28:18-20 - New International Version (NIV) – The Great Commission

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 5:10-12 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Who is blessed (verse 10)?

How will they be blessed (verse 10)?

In your opinion, why is this an appropriate blessing?

In your opinion, is it a coincidence that “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” is the blessing of the first and the last beatitude?

Who is the “because of me” that we are blessed if people insult, persecute and falsely say evil things against us because of (verse 11)?

Why should we rejoice and be glad (verse 12)?

Who was persecuted in the same way (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 5:10-12 show us about the Great Commission?

Genesis 3:1-7 New International Version (NIV)

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He                 said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God                 did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must             not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when                 you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

In your opinion, who was the serpent (verse 1)?

What did it say to Eve (verse 1)?

In your opinion, how is this question deceptive?

How did the woman answer (verse 2 and 3)?

In your opinion, when you compare Eve’s answer to God’s command “¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”Genesis 2:16 and 17 does it seem that Eve was already heading down the path to disobedience?

What was the serpent’s answer to Eve (verse 4 and 5)?

In your opinion, how much of the serpent’s answer is true?

In your opinion, what is the biggest lie in this answer?

What did the woman do (verse 6)?

In your opinion, where was Adam?

What did Adam do (verse 6)?

After they both ate, what did they realize (verse 7)?

In your opinion, would the words of the serpent be considered persecution?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Genesis teach us about Matthew 5:10-12?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Genesis show us about the Great Commission?

Job 1 New International Version (NIV)

“In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

⁴ His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

⁶ One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with               them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on                     earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

⁹ “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. ¹⁰ “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

¹² The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the                   man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

¹³ One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from                 the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has                         escaped to tell you!”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in                     worship ²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

How is Job from the land of Uz personally described (verse 1)?

How are the children and holdings of Job described (verses 2 and 3)?

In your opinion, what is the significance of the offering after the period of feasting for each of his children (verses 4 and 5)?

Who came to present themselves before the Lord (verse 6)?

Where has Satan been (verse 7)?

What does the Lord say about Job (verse 8)?

In your opinion, what does Satan’s statement “Does Job fear God for nothing?” say about Satan?

What did Satan say would change Job’s attitude toward God (verse 11)?

How does the Lord respond to Satan’s statement (verse 12)?

What are the bad things that were reported to Job in one day (verses 13-19:

            1)____________________________________________________

            2)____________________________________________________

            3)____________________________________________________

            4)____________________________________________________

What did Job do when these were reported to him (verse 20)?

What did Job say when he fell to the ground in worship (verse 21)?

In your opinion, how difficult would it be to praise the name of God when disaster like this has happened?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Job teach us about Matthew 5:10-12?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Job teach us about the Great Commission?

Ephesians 6:10-20 New International Version (NIV)

^“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

How are we to be strong (verse 10)?

Why do we put on the full armor of God (verse 11)?

Who is our struggle with (verse 12):

            1)_____________________________________

            2)_____________________________________

            3)_____________________________________

            4)_____________________________________

In your opinion, why are other people left off of this list?

How are we to respond to those we struggle with (verse 13)?

What does putting on the full armor of God enable us to do in the “day of evil” (verse 13)?

What goes around our waists (verse 14)?

What is the breastplate of (verse 14)?

What are our feet fitted with (verse 15)?

What can we do with the shield of faith (verse 16)?

What is the helmet (verse 17)?

What is the sword (verse 17)?

How are we to pray (verse 18)?

When are we to pray (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what is the source of our persecution?

In your opinion, does this mean that we have something in common with Eve and with Job?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Ephesians teach us about Matthew 5:10-12?

           In your opinion, what does this passage from Ephesians teach us about the Great Commission?

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