February 9, 2014 -
The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Seeking
Matthew 28 - 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.”
Seeking
Matthew 6:16-34 - New International Version (NIV)
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as
the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are
fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you
fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so
that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your
Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you.
19 “Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in
and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and
steal. 21 For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If
your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes
are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light
within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either
you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will
wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the
birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour
to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See
how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you
that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the
field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not
much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So
do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What
shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run
after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
When do those who fast in a way that makes in obvious that
they are fasting receive their reward (verse 16)?
Who will reward those who fast in a way that is not obvious (verse 17)?
In your opinion, what is the motivation for each type of
fasting?
What can happen to earthly treasures (verse 19)?
Can those same things happen to heavenly treasures (verse 20)?
In your words, what does verse 21 say?
What has to be healthy for your whole body to be full of
light (verse 22)?
What happens if the eyes are unhealthy (verse 23)?
In your opinion, what makes an eye healthy or unhealthy?
In your opinion, why would the darkness within be great if
the light within is darkness?
How do you view your masters if you have two masters (verse
24)?
What is the discussion that immediately follows the
statement that “You cannot serve both God and money” about (verses 25, 26 &
27)?
In your opinion, does what we worry about indicate a master
that we are trying to serve?
Can we extend our lives by worrying (verse 27)?
What is the contrast Jesus makes between Solomon’s clothes
and the flowers of the field (verse 28 and 29)?
In your opinion, does the statement at the end of verse 30
mean that the discussion is about faith instead of clothes?
What are we to seek (verse 33)?
In your opinion, what is verse 34 supposed to teach us?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 6:16-34
show us about the Great Commission?
2 Kings 5:15-27 - New International Version (NIV) – It may be helpful to read
2 Kings 5:1-14 as background for this discussion
15 "Then Naaman and all his attendants went
back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is
no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your
servant.”
16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept
a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please
let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for
your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other
god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive
your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to
bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down
in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive
your servant for this.”
19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said.
After
Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God,
said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not
accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When
Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi
answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the
prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give
them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”
23 “By all means, take two talents,” said
Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of
silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his
servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi
came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the
house. He sent the men away and they left.
25 When he went in and stood before his
master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”
“Your
servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my
spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the
time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or
flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? 27 Naaman’s
leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went
from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow."
What did Naaman recognize about God (verse 15)?
How did Elisha, the prophet, respond to Naaman’s offer of a
gift (verse 16)?
In your opinion, what might the significance of Elisha’s
refusal be:
To Naaman?
To Elisha?
What does Naaman ask for (verse 17)?
Why would Naaman make the request found in verse 18?
How did Elisha bless Naaman (verse 19)?
How did Gehazi justify his actions (verse 20)?
How did Gehazi justify his actions (verse 20)?
What did Gehazi tell Namaan (verse 22)?
In your opinion, why did Gehazi phrase his request in this
way?
When Naaman was generous, what did Gehazi do (verse 23 and
24)?
When Elisha inquired where Gehazi had been, how did Gehazi
respond (verse 25)?
In your opinion, why did Elisha’s question ask “Is this the time to take . . . “ (verse 26)?
What happened to Gehazi and his descendants (verse 27)?
In your opinion, what does this passage from 2 Kings teach
us about Matthew 6:16-34?
In your opinion, what does this passage from 2 Kings show us
about the Great Commission?
Acts
5:1-11 – New International Version (NIV)
“Now
a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of
property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of
the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so
filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for
yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t
it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at
your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied
just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great
fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young
men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what
had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price
you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,”
she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the
Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at
the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the
young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside
her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who
heard about these events."
What did Ananias and Sapphira do (verse 1)?
What did Ananias and Sapphira do with the money (verse 2)?
How did Peter respond to the gift (verses 3 and 4)?
In your opinion, why would Ananias and Sapphira keep part of the
money and give the rest to the apostle?
What did Ananias do when Peter told him that “You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (verse 5)?
Who wrapped up Ananias’ body and carried him out and buried him
(verse 6)?
What did Peter ask Sapphira when she came in three hours later
(verse 8)?
How did Sapphira respond to Peter’s question (verse 8)?
What was Peter’s question to Sapphira (verse 9)?
In your opinion, what does it say about the "masters" of Ananias
and Sapphira that they conspired in this way?
What happened to Sapphira (verse 10)?
In your opinion, why would “great
fear” seize the whole church and all who heard?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Acts teach us
about Matthew 6:16-34?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Acts show us
about the Great Commission?
Revelations
3:14-22 - New International
Version (NIV)
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These
are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s
creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor
hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because
you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You
say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do
not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I
counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich;
and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve
to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and
repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and
they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit
with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on
his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.”
Whose words are going to the church of Laodicea
(verse 14)?
In your opinion, what does it means when Jesus
says He is the “Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s
creation?
What does Jesus know about the people of the
church of Laodicea through its deeds (verse 15)?
In your opinion, why would Jesus wish they were
either cold or hot?
Because they are lukewarm, what is Jesus about to
do (verse 16)?
How do the people of the church of Laodicea view
themselves (verse 17)?
How does Jesus view them (verse 17)?
In your opinion, does the difference in views
have anything to do with the “master” the people of the church of Laodicea had
chosen for themselves?
What does Jesus counsel them to do (verse 18)?
In your opinion, what will change if the people
do as Jesus counseled?
What does Jesus do for those He loves (verse
19)?
Where is Jesus (verse 20)?
What does He wait for (verse 20)?
What happens when we respond to Jesus in this
way (verse 20)?
In your opinion, what is the “one who is victorious” in verse 21
victorious over?
What is the reward for the victorious (verse
21)?
Do you think that Jesus instruction to “seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness” would help the people of the church of Laodicea, or us, to
be victorious?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Revelation
teach us about Matthew 6:16-34?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Revelation show
us about the Great Commission?
Next, back to Matthew 7:1 - (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)
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