September 7, 2014 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Death and Being with God

  

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.”

Death and Being with God

Matthew 14:1-12 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, ² and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.”

Who heard reports about Jesus (verse 1)?

Why was Jesus believed to be John the Baptist raised from the dead (verse 2)?

What did Herod have done to John the Baptist (verse 3)?

Why had Herod acted (verse 4)?

In your opinion, why did the people consider John the Baptist a prophet (verse 5)?

Who danced for Herod (verse 6)?

What reward did Herod promise (verse 7)?

What reward was requested (verse 8)?

In your opinion, why was King Herod distressed (verse 9)?

Why did King Herod honor the request (verse 9)?

What did King Herod order (verse 9)?

When the reward was given to the dancer, what did she do with it (verse 11)?

What did John’s disciples do (verse 12)?

In your opinion, why did they then go and tell Jesus (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 14:1-12 show us about the Great Commission?

Genesis 5:18-24 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁸ “When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. ¹⁹ After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰ Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

²¹ When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. ²² After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. ²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

Who was Enoch’s father (verse 18)?

Did Enoch have other brothers and sisters (verse 19)?

Who was Enoch the father of (verse 21)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that “Enoch walked faithfully with God” (verse 22)?

How long did Enoch live (verse 23)?

What happened to Enoch (verse 24)?

In your opinion, what are the similarities and what are the differences between what happened to Enoch in Genesis 5:18-24 and John the Baptist in Matthew 14:1-12?

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

Acts 7:51-60 – New International Version (NIV)

 ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

In your opinion, what does it mean to be a “stiff-necked people” (verse 51)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to have “hearts and ears” that are “uncircumcised” (verse 51)?

Who did the ancestors of the “stiff-necked people” persecute (verse 52)?

What had the “stiff-necked people” do to the “Righteous One” (verse 52)?

Who became “furious and gnashed their teeth at him” (verse 54)?

Who filled Stephen (verse 55)?

Where did Stephen look to see the “glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (verse 55)?

In your opinion, why did Stephen say “I see heaven open” (verse 56)?

How did the members of the Sanhedrin respond to Stephen’s statements (verse 57)?

In your opinion, why did they drag Stephen “out of the city” before they began to stone him (verse 58)?

What did Stephen pray (verse 59)?

How did Stephen respond to the people who were stoning him (verse 60)?

In your opinion, how does Stephen’s being taken to God in this way in Acts 7:51-60 differ from Enoch’s being taken to God in Genesis 5:18-24 and John the Baptist being taken in Matthew 14:1-12?

In your opinion, why would the people of Jerusalem take the life of Stephen in Acts 7:51-60 when just a short time earlier in Matthew 14:1-12  Herod was afraid to kill John the Baptist, who they considered a prophet, when John was proclaiming Jesus in advance and Stephen is also proclaiming Jesus?

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

  

Revelation 11:1-14 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. ² But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. ³ And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” ⁴ They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” ⁵ If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. ⁶ They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

⁷ Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. ¹⁰ The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

¹¹ But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. ¹² Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

¹³ At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon."

What was John given and what was he to do with it (verse 1)?

Why is the outer court to be excluded (verse 2)?

Who is God appointing (verse 3)?

In your opinion, what is the relationship between the 42 months that the Gentiles will trample the holy city and the 1,260 days that the two witnesses will prophesy (verses 2 & 3)?

Where do the two witnesses (olive trees or lamp stands) stand (verse 4)?

What happens to those who want to harm the two witnesses (verse 5)?

In your opinion, what is significant about the powers of the two witnesses (prevent rain, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with every kind of plague) (verse 6)?

When will the beast from the Abyss overpower and kill them (verse 7)?

What is the name of the city where “their Lord was crucified” that is “figuratively called Sodom and Egypt” (verse 8)?

In your opinion, why would people gaze on their bodies and refuse to bury them (verse 9)?

Why will the “inhabitants of the earth” . . . “gloat over them” and “celebrate by sending each other gifts” (verse 10)?

Why will terror strike the people who see the two witnesses “after three and a half days” (verse 11)?

What will the voice from heaven say to the two witnesses (verse 12)?

Where will the two witnesses go “while their enemies looked on” (verse 12)?

What happened “at that very hour” (verse 13)?

What did the survivors do (verse 13)?

What is coming soon (verse 14)?

In your opinion, why are the two witnesses in Revelation 11:1-14 protected for three and a half years and Stephen in Acts 7:51-60 allowed to be stoned immediately after talking to the Sanhedrin?

In your opinion, how is God taking the two witnesses to heaven in a cloud in Revelation 11:1-14 similar to and different from Enoch in Genesis 5:18-24 “then he was no more, because God took him away”?

In your opinion, how is God allowing the two witnesses to be killed and gloated over Revelation 11:1-14 similar to and different from John the Baptist being killed to fulfill the promise to a dancing girl in Matthew 14:1-12?

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

Next, back to Matthew 14:13 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)