January 4, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Sin and Restoration

January 4, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Sin and Restoration

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.”

Sin and Restoration

Matthew 18:15-20 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

How many should go to point out the fault of someone who sins (verse 15)?

What have you done if the person who sins listens to you (verse 15)?

Why should you take one or two others with you if you are returning to someone who did not listen (verse 16)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to treat someone like “a pagan or a tax collector” (verse 17)?

What will happen to “whatever you bind on earth” (verse 18)?

What will happen to “whatever you loose on earth” (verse 18)?

How many need to agree on earth for something to be done for them by the Father in heaven (verse 19)?

Where is God (verse 20)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 18:15-20 show us about the Great Commission?

Deuteronomy 19:15-21 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ “One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

¹⁶ If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, ¹⁷ the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. ¹⁸ The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, ¹⁹ then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. ²⁰ The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. ²¹ Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

What is one witness not enough to do (verse 15)?

How many witnesses must there be to establish a matter (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what is a “malicious witness” (verse 16)?

Who do the two people involved in the dispute stand in the presence of (verse 17)?

What are the judges to do (verse 18)?

How is the false witness to be treated (verse 19)?

Why are the Israelites to do these things (verse 19)?

In your opinion, why will “the rest of the people. . . hear of this and be afraid” (verse 20)?

How much pity should be shown (verse 21)?

What are the penalty examples that are given (verse 21)?

In your opinion, why does Deuteronomy 19:15-21 seem to be devoted to purging “the evil from among you” and Jesus seem to be encouraging believers to win over believers who have lost their way in Matthew 18:15-20?

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

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 – New International Version (NIV)

⁶ “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

¹¹ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. ¹² Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. ¹³ And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

¹⁴ Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. ¹⁵ Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.”

In your opinion, why does Paul, Silas and Timothy command the church of the Thessalonians to “keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you have received from us” (verse 6)?

Why did Paul, Silas and Timothy work “night and day, laboring and toiling” (verse 8)?

When did Paul, Silas and Timothy give the rule “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (verse 10)?

In your opinion, why do Paul, Silas and Timothy say that the ones who are not busy are “busybodies” (verse 11)?

What does Paul, Silas and Timothy command and urge the idle and disruptive to do in the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus (verse 12)?

Who are urged to “never tire of doing what is good” (verse 13)?

Why should the ones who do not obey the instruction in this letter not be associated with (verse 14)?

How are those who do not obey the instruction in the letter not to be regarded as (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “warn them as you would a fellow believer” (verse 15)?

In your opinion, why does Deuteronomy 19:15-21 say “you must purge the evil from among you” and 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 say “yet do not regard them as an enemy”?

In your opinion, how does the discussion in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 about why those who “do not obey our instruction in this letter” should not be associated with help us understand the instruction of Jesus in Matthew 18:15-20 to treat those who will not listen to the church as a “pagan or a tax collector”?

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

Galatians 6:1-10 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴ Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load. ⁶ Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

How should those caught in a sin be treated (verse 1)?

What is the danger to the “brothers and sisters” who do this (verse 1)?

Why should we “carry each other’s burdens” (verse 2)?

In your opinion, why should “each one” “test their own actions” (verse 4)?

Why is the instruction that “each one should carry own load” in verse 5 not in conflict with the instruction that we should “carry each other’s burdens” in verse 2?

In your opinion, why should “the one who receives instruction in the word” “share all good things with the instructor” (verse 6)?

What does a man reap (verse 7)?

Who will reap destruction (verse 8)?

Who will reap eternal life (verse 8)?

When will we reap a harvest if we do not become weary of doing good (verse 9)?

Who should we “do good to” (verse 10)?

Who should we “do good” “especially to” (verse 10)?

In your opinion, how do you reconcile the instruction in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 that we are to follow the example of Paul, Silas and Timothy and work, labor and toil so that we do not become a burden to anyone with the teaching in Galatians 6:1-10 that we are to “carry each other’s burdens”?

In your opinion, how does the command in Deuteronomy 19:15-21 “do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party” an imperfect anticipation of the statement of Paul in Galatians 6:1-10 that “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”?

In your opinion, how does Paul’s instruction in Galatians 6:1-10 that “if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently” help us to understand how to implement the instruction of Jesus in Matthew 18:15-20 about what to do if a “brother or sister sins”?

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

Next, back to Matthew 18:21 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)