May 4, 2014 – The Great Commission –
A Study of Matthew – Fasting to New Self
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.”
Fasting to New
Self
Matthew 9:14-17
– New International Version (NIV)
14 “Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that
we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn
while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken
from them; then they will fast.
16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment,
for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither
do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst;
the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine
into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Who
came to Jesus (verse 14)?
What
were they comparing (verse 4)?
In
your opinion, why would Jesus seem to equate fasting with mourning (verse 15)?
When will the guests of the
bridegroom mourn (verse 15)?
What happens if unshrunk cloth is
sewn into an old garment (verse 16)?
What happens in you pour new wine
into old wineskins (verse 17)?
In your opinion, why did Jesus tell
John’s disciples about patching the old garment and storing new wine?
In your opinion, what does this passage
from Matthew 9:14-17 show us about the Great Commission?
Isaiah 58:1-12
– New International Version (NIV)
1“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’
“Yet
on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If
you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
Who is to be shouted to with a voice
like a trumpet (verse 1)?
What is to be shouted to them (verse 1)?
What do they seem eager to know (verse 2)?
What question is ask of God (verse 3)?
In your opinion, does the question they
ask God make it seem like they viewed fasting as a way to get what they wanted
from God (verse 3)?
In your opinion, why would the fasting
end in quarreling and strife (verse 4)?
Who chooses a kind of fasting that is
loosening chains, untying the cords of the yoke, setting the oppressed free,
sharing food with the hungry and giving shelter to the wanderer, clothing the
naked and not turning away from your own flesh and blood (verses 6 and 7)?
If fasting occurs in this way, what will
go before the people of God (verse 8)?
If fasting occurs in this way, what will
God say when the people of God cry for help (verse 9)?
In your opinion, what is meant by “your light will rise in the darkness” (verse
10)?
When will the Lord guide the people of
God, if they fast appropriately, (verse 11)?
In your opinion, what is the blessing of
being like “a well-watered garden”
(verse 11)?
What will be rebuilt (verse 12)?
What will be raised up (verse 12)?
In your opinion, what does Isaiah’s
discussion of fasting help us understand about Jesus’s response to the question
about fasting in Matthew 9:14-17?
In your opinion, what does this passage
from Isaiah show us about the Great Commission?
Colossians 3:1-16
– New International Version (NIV)
“1Since,
then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where
Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on
things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your
life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is
your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly
nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is
idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You
used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But
now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage,
malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not
lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of
its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in
all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you
has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And
over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect
unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as
members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let
the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one
another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit,
singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever
you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Where, if we have been raised with
Christ, should our hearts be (verse 1)?
Where is Christ seated (verse 1)?
What should our minds be set on (verse 2)?
Since we have died with Christ, where is
our life now (verse 3)?
When Christ, “who is your life” appears, who will also appear with Him (verse 4)?
In your opinion, why should we put to
death “whatever belongs to your earthly
nature” (verse 5)?
What brings “the wrath of God” (verses 5 and 6)?
In your opinion, why does Paul say we “used to walk in these ways” (verse 7)?
What are we to rid ourselves of (verse 8)?
In your opinion, why is “do not lie to each other” separated out
and included in a new sentence (verse 9)?
How is the “new self” that we have put on being renewed (verse 10)?
In your opinion, why does Paul say
Christ “is all, and is in all” (verse 11)?
What are “God’s chosen people, holy and loved” to clothe themselves in
(verse 12)?
How are we, as God’s chosen people, to
act if we have a grievance (verse 13)?
In your opinion, why is love the virtue
that should be put over all other virtues and which “binds them all together in perfect unity” (verse 14)?
What should rule in our hearts (verse
15)?
In your opinion, why would the short
command “And be thankful” follow the
instruction about peace (verse 15)?
What is to dwell among us (verse 16)?
How are we to “teach and admonish one anther” (verse 16)?
In whose name should we do all things
(verse 17)?
To who should we give thanks through the
Lord Jesus (verse 17)?
In your opinion, what does the new life
and instructions of Colossians 3:1-17 help us understand Isaiah’s discussion
about fasting in Isaiah 58?
In your opinion, how does Paul’s new
life discussion help us understand the “new wine” that Jesus discussed in
Matthew 9:14-17?
In your opinion, what does this passage
from Colossians show us about the Great Commission?
13 “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and
sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved
through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He
called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to
the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who
loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage
your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
Who should “we ought
always to thank God for” (verse 13)?
How were these that thanks should offered for saved (verse 13)?
What were these, called through the gospel, to share (verse
14)?
In your opinion, why does Paul indicate that the “brothers and sisters” are to stand firm
and hold fast (verse 15)?
Who “loved us and by
his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope” (verse 16)?
In your opinion, why is the blessing that God “encourage your hearts and strengthen you in
every good deed and word” given (verse 17)?
In your opinion, how does Paul’s instruction in 2 Thessalonians
expand on his teaching in Colossians 3:1-17?
In your opinion, what does this passage from 2 Thessalonians
help us to understand about Isaiah 58 and its teaching about fasting?
In your opinion, what does the 2 Thessalonians brief
instruction to the “brothers and sisters”
help us understand about Jesus response to the questions about the differences
between the various disciples of Matthew 9:14-17?
In your opinion, what does this passage
from 2 Thessalonians show us about the Great Commission?
Next, back to Matthew 9:18 –
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