February 23, 2014 - The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Destruction and Life

February 23, 2014 - The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Destruction and Life

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.”

Destruction and Life

Matthew 7:13-29 - New International Version (NIV)

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to                 destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that                     leads to life, and only a few find it.

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,                    ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”

Where are we to enter (verse 13)?

What are the gate and the road that leads to destruction like (verse 13)?

In your opinion, why will many enter through the wide gate (verse 13)?

In your opinion, why will few find the gate and the road that leads to life (verse 14)?

Who should we watch out for (verse 15)?

How will they appear to us (verse 15)?

What are they in reality (verse 15)?

How will we recognize them (verse 16)?

In your opinion, how do we tell good fruit from bad fruit (verses 16 through 20)?

Who will enter into the kingdom of heaven (verse 21)?

In your opinion, why will some who say “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” be called evildoers by Jesus (verses 22 and 23)?

Who is like the wise man who built his house on the rock (verse 24)?

What is that house able to withstand (verse 25)?

In your opinion, how does hearing the words of Jesus and putting them into practice enable us to stand what the world throws at us?

Who is like the foolish man who built his house on the sand (verse 26)?

What happens to his house (verse 27)?

In your opinion, what is different about Jesus teaching that caused the crowds to believe that He taught with authority and not as the teachers of the law (verses 28 and 29)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 7:13-29 show us about the Great Commission?

Joel 2:28-32 - New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ “And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your old men will dream dreams,
    your young men will see visions.
²⁹ Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
³⁰ I will show wonders in the heavens
    and on the earth,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
³¹ The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
³² And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
    there will be deliverance,
    as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors.”

What is God going to pour out on all people (verse 28)?

In your opinion, does all people include you?

What will sons and daughters do (verse 28)?

What will old men do (verse 28)?

What will young men do (verse 28)?

What will happen to servants (verse 29)?

What will be shown in the heavens and on the earth (verse 30)?

What will happen before “the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (verse 31)?

In your opinion, what is “the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (verse 31)?

Who will be saved (verse 32)?

In your opinion, how can the statement that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” be reconciled with “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Joel teach us about Matthew 7:13-29?

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

Acts 2:22-41 – New International Version (NIV)

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. ²⁵ David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
    Because he is at my right hand,
    I will not be shaken.
²⁶ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest in hope,
²⁷ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    you will not let your holy one see decay.
²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. ³¹ Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. ³² God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
³⁵ until I make your enemies
    a footstool for your feet.”’

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified,               both Lord and Messiah.”

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other                     apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from             this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three               thousand were added to their number that day.”

What does Peter, who is being quoted here, say “accredited” Jesus of Nazareth (verse 22)?

How did it happen that Jesus was nailed to the cross (verse 23)?

What did God do once Jesus was dead (verse 24)?

In your opinion, why was it impossible for death to keep a hold on Jesus (verse 24)?

How was David able to remain unshaken (verse 25)?

What does David say about his future in the “realm of the dead” (verses 26 and 27)?

What fills David with joy (verse 28)?

Where does Peter say that David is (verse 29)?

What does Peter say that David was (verse 30)?

So, who does Peter say that David was speaking about (verses 30 and 31)?

Who are witnesses to God raising Jesus to life (verse 32)?

In your opinion, why is it important that Jesus is “Exalted to the right hand of God” (verses 33 through 35)?

What has God made Jesus (verse 36)?

In your opinion, why were the people “cut to the heart” (verse 37)?

What does Peter tell the people to do (verse 38)?

Who is the gift that is “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (verses 38 and 39)?

What was Peter’s plea (verse 40)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Acts teach us about Matthew 7:13-29?

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

2 Peter 3:2-13 - New International Version (NIV)

^“2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command                 given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the               elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

Whose words are we to recall (verse 2)?

Whose command are we to recall (verse 2)?

What are we to understand (verse 3)?

What will scoffers say (verse 4)?

What do scoffers deliberately forget (verses 5 through 7)?

In your opinion, why is it appropriate to say that scoffers “deliberately forget” (verse 5)?

Why is the Lord not slow, but patient (verse 9)?

In your opinion, what is meant by saying “the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (verse 10)?

What will happen when the day of the Lord comes (verse 10)?

Since everything will be destroyed when the day of the Lord comes, what kind of people ought we be (verse 11)?

In your opinion, why would we “look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (verse 12)?

When the heavens are destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat, what will come that we are looking forward to (verses 12 and 13)?

In your opinion, why is it appropriate to say that righteousness dwells in the new heaven and the new earth (verse 13)?

In your opinion, how does this passage in 2 Peter help us understand this quote from Matthew, “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 2 Peter teach us about Matthew 7:13-29?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 2 Peter show us about the Great Commission?

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