August 24, 2014 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – New and Old Treasures

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.”

New and Old Treasures

Matthew 13:44-52 – New International Version (NIV)

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

What is the kingdom of heaven like (verse 44)?

How did the man respond when he found the treasure (verse 44)?

In your opinion, what would motivate someone to sell all that they have (verse 44)?

What is the kingdom of heaven like (verse 45)?

Why did the merchant who found the pearl of great value sell everything he had (verse 46)?

In your opinion, why does Jesus use as the first example a treasure found unexpectedly, and the as second example a pearl of great value that is being searched for (verses 44, 45, and 46)?

What is the kingdom of heaven like (verses 47 and 48)?

How does Jesus explain the sorting of the fish in verse 48 (verses 49 and 50)?

In your opinion, why does Jesus make so great a change in the way that He describes the kingdom of heaven from the first two parables to the third (verses 44 through 50)?

How would you respond to the question that Jesus ask “Have you understood all these things?” (verse 51)?

What does the teacher of the law become (verse 52)?

In your opinion, is it assumed that the teacher of the law will continue to teach (verse 52)?

How will the teachings change (verse 52)?

In your opinion, what are the new treasures (verse 52)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 13:44-52 show us about the Great Commission?

Psalm 119:73-80 - New International Version (NIV)

⁷³ “Your hands made me and formed me;
    give me understanding to learn your commands.
⁷⁴ May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
⁷⁵ I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ May your unfailing love be my comfort,
    according to your promise to your servant.
⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
    for your law is my delight.
⁷⁸ May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
    but I will meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹ May those who fear you turn to me,
    those who understand your statutes.
⁸⁰ May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
    that I may not be put to shame.”

Who does the Psalmist recognize made and formed him (verse 73)?

What does the Psalmist ask for from the One who formed him (verse 73)?

In your opinion, why would the Psalmist want those who fear the Lord to rejoice when they see him (verse 74)?

What are the Lord’s laws (verse 75)?

In your opinion, how can the Psalmist say “I know, Lord . . . that in faithfulness you have afflicted me” (verse 75)?

What does the Psalmist ask for as a comfort (verse 76)?

What does the Psalmist ask for “that I may live” (verse 77)?

How does the Psalmist view the law (verse 77)?

In your opinion, why does the Psalmist follow the request that the “arrogant be put to shame for wronging me” with the statement “but I will meditate on your precepts” (verse 78)?

Who does the Psalmist ask to turn to him (verse 79)?

What does the Psalmist ask to “wholeheartedly follow” (verse 80)?

In your opinion, how does depiction in Psalm 119:73-80 of someone who “wholeheartedly” wants to follow the Lord’s decrees so that “those who understand” the Lord’s statutes will turn to him help us understand the teacher of the law that Jesus refers to in Matthew 13:44-52?

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

Romans 4:16-25 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” ²³ The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

How does the promise come (verse 16)?

Who are Abraham’s offspring (verse 16)?

What two things does Paul describe God as doing in verse 17:

1)

2)

How did Abraham believe (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what is significant about the coupling of “without weakening in his faith” and “he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead” (verse 19)?

How did the recognizing that “his body was as good as dead” in verse 19 affect his belief in the promise of God in verse 20?

How did his faith change (verse 20)?

What was Abraham “fully persuaded” about God (verse 21)?

In your opinion, how does the fact Abraham’s faith allowed him it to be “credited to him as righteousness” help us understand not only the salvation of those who lived before Christ, but also our salvation as well (verse 22)?

What do we need to believe for God to credit us with righteousness (verse 24)?

What happened to Christ for our sins (verse 25)?

What happened to Christ for our justification (verse 25)?

In your opinion, how does this discussion of Abraham in Romans 4:16-25 help us to visualize the praise and requests of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:73-80?

In your opinion, how is the Paul’s blending of the Old Testament patriarch of Abraham with the salvation and justification offered by Christ in Romans 4:16-25 help us to understand how every “teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven” is like the “owner of a house who brings out of a storeroom new treasures as well as old” in Matthew 13:44-52?

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

  

2 Peter 3:1-15 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 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.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.”

How many letters has Peter written (verse 1)?

What does Peter want the readers to do with “words spoken in the past” (old treasures from the storeroom) and with “the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles” (new treasures from the storeroom) (verse 2)?

When will scoffers come (verse 3)?

What do scoffers forget (verses 5, 6 and 7)?

What are we not to forget (verse 8)?

How does Peter describe the Lord, not as slow but as _______________ (verse 9)?

How will the day of the Lord come (verse 10)?

What kind of lives should we live (verse 11)?

In your opinion, why should we look forward to and speed the coming of a day that will “bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire” (verse 12)?

What are we to look forward to (verse 13)?

What should we make every effort to be (verse 14)?

Whose patience means salvation (verse 15)?

In your opinion, how does Peter’s instruction to remember in the midst of the scoffer’s derision in 2 Peter 3:1-15 receive reinforcement from Paul’s description of Abraham’s belief not wavering inspite of his body being “as good as dead” while waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled in Romans 4:16-25?

In your opinion, how are Peter’s instructions that we “live holy and godly lives” in 2 Peter 3:1-15 an instruction from Peter that we emulate the Psalmist request to God that he “wholeheartedly follow your decrees” in Psalms 119:73-80?

In your opinion, how should our approach to the repentance that Peter discusses in 2 Peter 3:1-15 be like the approach of the man who found the treasure in the field or the merchant who found the pearl of great value in Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13:44-52?

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

Next, back to Matthew 13:53 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)