March 2, 2014 - The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Unclean to Clean

March 2, 2014 - The Great Commission - A Study of Matthew – Unclean to Clean

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.”

Unclean to Clean

Matthew 8:1-4 - New International Version (NIV)

“When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Who followed Jesus (verse 1)?

What disease did the man who knelt before Jesus have (verse 2)?

What did the man say that Jesus could do (verse 2)?

In your opinion, why did the man say, “if you are willing” (verse 2)?

How did Jesus physically respond (verse 3)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus say “I am willing” (verse 3)?

What happened when Jesus said “Be clean” (verse 3)?

What did Jesus instruct the man not to do after he was healed (verse 4)?

What did Jesus instruct the man to do after he was healed (verse 4)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus want to have testimony to the priest (verse 4)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 8:1-4 show us about the Great Commission?

Leviticus 13:1-8 and 45-46 - New International Version (NIV)

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. ³ The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean. ⁴ If the shiny spot on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days. ⁵ On the seventh day the priest is to examine them, and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days. ⁶ On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean. ⁷ But if the rash does spread in their skin after they have shown themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, they must appear before the priest again. ⁸ The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.

⁴⁵ “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.”

Who instructed Moses and Aaron (verse 1)?

What is the instruction about (verse 2)?

In your opinion, why should the person be brought to the priest (verse 2)?

What is the priest to do if the hair in the sore turns white and the sore is more than skin deep (verse 3)?

What is the priest to do if the hair in the sore has not turned white and the sore is not more than skin deep (verses 4 and 5 and 6)?

In your opinion, why does the person who is pronounced clean have to wash their clothes (verse 6)?

What is to be done if the person who is had been pronounced clean then has a rash that spreads (verse 7 and 8)?

Who has to wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ (verse 45)?

Where do they have to live (verse 46)?

In your opinion, why do the unclean have to these things (verse 45 and 46)?

How did the behavior of the man in Matthew compare to what Leviticus required?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Leviticus teach us about Matthew 8:1-4?

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

Leviticus 5:2-6 - New International Version (NIV)

² “‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realize their guilt; ³ or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; ⁴ or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— ⁵ when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned. ⁶ As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin.

What word is used to describe the person who touches something or someone that is unclean (verses 2 and 3)?

In your opinion, why would taking an oath make someone unclean (verse 4)?

What is the person who becomes aware they have sinned to do (verse 5)?

What is the lamb or goat to be (verse 6)?

Who will make the atonement for the sin (verse 6)?

In your opinion, does the fact that the priest only makes atonement, but Jesus in Matthew healed, teach us anything?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Leviticus teach us about Matthew 8:1-4?

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

Hebrews 9:6-15 – New International Version (NIV)

^“6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. ⁷ But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. ⁸ The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. ⁹ This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. ¹⁰ They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

What room do the priests enter (verse 6)?

Who entered the inner room (verse 7)?

What did the high priest never enter the inner room without (verse 7)?

Why was the blood necessary (verse 7)?

In your opinion, why was the way into the Most Holy Place not disclosed as “long as the first tabernacle was still functioning” (verse 8)?

What are the gifts and sacrifices not able to do (verse 9)?

What are the gifts and sacrifices a matter of (verse 10)?

What did Jesus go through when he came as high priest (verse 11)?

Through what did Jesus enter the Most Holy Place (verse 12)?

In your opinion, why does Jesus obtain eternal redemption only through entering the Most Holy Place by his own blood (verse 12)?

What part of the ceremonially unclean is made clean by the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer (verses 13)?

How did Jesus offer himself to God (verse 14)?

What does the blood of Jesus do to our consciences (verse 14)?

In your opinion, why does Paul go straight from “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death” to “so that we may serve the living God” (verse 14)?

Why is Christ the mediator of the new covenant (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to be called (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Hebrews teach us about Matthew 8:1-4?

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

1 Peter 1:13-21 - New International Version (NIV)

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

¹⁷ Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

What are we to “set our hope” on (verse 13)?

In your opinion, why are we supposed to “set our hope” with minds that are “alert and fully sober”  (verse 13)?

What are we not to do (verse 14)?

How are we to be (verse 15 and 16)?

How are we to “live out your time as foreigners here” (verse 17)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “live out your time as foreigners here” (verse 17)?

With what were we redeemed (verses 18 and 19)?

When was Jesus chosen to be the “lamb without blemish or defect” (verse 20)?

How do we believe in God (verse 21)?

Where are our faith and hope (verse 21)?

In your opinion, can we make the same plea to Jesus that the man in Matthew 8:2 made?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 1 Peter teach us about Matthew 8:1-4?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 1 Peter show us about the Great Commission?

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