Sunday, May 11, 2014

May 18, 2014 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – The Kingdom of Heaven

May 18, 2014 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – The Kingdom of Heaven
  
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.”

The Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew 10:1-15 – New International Version (NIV)
1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
What did Jesus give to the twelve disciples (verse 1)?

In your opinion, why would Jesus give Judas “who betrayed him” what he gave to the other eleven (verse 4)?

Where were the twelve to go (verses 5 and 6)?

What were they to proclaim (verse 7)?

What were they to do (verse 8)?

In your opinion, what did Jesus link when he said “Freely you have received; freely give” (verse 8)?
Why were the disciples instructed not to take gold or silver or copper or bag or extra shirt or sandals or staff (verses 9 and 10)?
Who were they to search for when they entered a town or village (verse 11)?
When they entered a home they were to give it a greeting, but what were they to do when they found it was deserving (verses 12 and 13)?
What were the disciples to do if the home was not deserving (verse 13)?
In your opinion, why were they to disciples to shake the dust of the feet when leaving a home or town that would not welcome or listen to them (verse 14)?
In your opinion, what does it mean that “it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town  (verse 15)?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 10:1-15 show us about the Great Commission?

Joel 1:13-20 – New International Version (NIV)
13 “Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn;
    wail, you who minister before the altar.
Come, spend the night in sackcloth,
    you who minister before my God;
for the grain offerings and drink offerings
    are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Declare a holy fast;
    call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders
    and all who live in the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
    and cry out to the Lord.
15 Alas for that day!
    For the day of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction from the Almighty.
16 Has not the food been cut off
    before our very eyes—
joy and gladness
    from the house of our God?
17 The seeds are shriveled
    beneath the clods.
The storehouses are in ruins,
    the granaries have been broken down,
    for the grain has dried up.
18 How the cattle moan!
    The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;
    even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
19 To you, Lord, I call,
    for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness
    and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
20 Even the wild animals pant for you;
    the streams of water have dried up
    and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness.”
Who was supposed to put on sackcloth and mourn (verse 13)?
What were they supposed to do in the holy fast and sacred assembly with the elders and all who live in the land (verse 14)?
In your opinion, why say “Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near” (verse 15)?
What has been “cut off before our very eyes” from the house of God (verse 16)?
What has shriveled “beneath the clods” (verse 17)?
Why do “the cattle moan” (verse 18)?
Why will Joel call on the Lord (verse 19)?
Who will pant for the Lord (verse 20)?
In your opinion, how would knowledge of this statement from Joel that says “Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near” have caused the “lost sheep of Israel” to understand the disciple’s message that “the kingdom of heaven has come near” from Matthew 10:1-15?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Joel show us about the Great Commission?

Romans 13:8-14 – New International Version (NIV)
8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
What is supposed to be the only debt that remains outstanding (verse 8)?
How can the commandments “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not commit murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet” be summed up (verse 9)?
In your opinion, why does Paul say “love is the fulfillment of the law” (verse 10)?
Why has “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber” (verse 11)?
What is nearly over (verse 12)?
What is almost here (verse 12)?
What are we to put aside (verse 12)?
What are we to put on (verse 12)?
In your opinion, why would Paul say “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime” (verse 13)?
How are we to clothe ourselves (verse 14)?
What are we not to think about (verse 14)?
In your opinion, how does this teaching that “salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” contrast with the “Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near” of Joel 1:13-20 and what can we learn from this?
In your opinion, how does Paul’s teaching about “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” help us understand Jesus teaching “Freely you have received; freely give.” From Matthew 10:1-15?
In your opinion, what does this passage from Romans show us about the Great Commission? 
   
1 Peter 4:1-11 – New International Version (NIV)
1 “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Why are we to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ (verse 1)?

What do pagans do (verse 3)?

How will pagans respond when Christians do not join in “their reckless, wild living” (verse 4)?

Who will pagans have to give an account to (verse 5)?

In your opinion, what is the link between “the gospel being preached to those who are now dead” and “live according to God in regard to the spirit” (verse 6)?

What is near (verse 7)?

What should we do “above all” (verse 8)?

How should we offer hospitality (verse 9)?

What should we use to serve others (verse 10)?

How should we speak (verse 11)?

How should we serve (verse 11)?

How should God be praised (verse 11)?

In your opinion, how does Peter’s practical instructions about living knowing that “The end of all things is near” help us to understand Paul saying in Romans 13:8-14 to clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” because “the day is almost here”?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 1 Peter help us to understand about Joel 1:13-20 “day of the Lord”?

In your opinion, what does this 1 Peter teaching about the end of all things help us understand the disciples proclaiming “The kingdom of heaven has come near” in Matthew 10:1-15?
In your opinion, what does this passage from 1 Peter show us about the Great Commission?


Next, back to Matthew 10:16 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

No comments:

Post a Comment