November 8, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Dying by the Sword and Redeemed by the Blood

  

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.”

Dying by the Sword and Redeemed by the Blood

Matthew 26:47-56 – New International Version (NIV)

⁴⁷ “While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.”

Who came while Jesus was speaking (verse 47)?

Who sent the “large crowd armed with swords and clubs” to Jesus (verse 47)?

What was the signal that “the betrayer had arranged” (verse 48)?

In your opinion, why did Judas say “Greetings, Rabbi” (verse 49)?

What did the men with Judas do (verse 50)?

Who “reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear” (verse 51)?

What will happen to “all who draw the sword” (verse 52)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus say “do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels” (verse 53)?

What said that “it must happen in this way” (verse 54)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus ask about leading a rebellion and then say that “every day I sat in the temple courts teaching” (verse 55)?

Whose writings would be fulfilled by all that had taken place (verse 56)?

What did the disciples do (verse 56)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Genesis 9:1-7 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. ² The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. ³ Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

⁴ “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. ⁵ And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

⁶ “Whoever sheds human blood,
    by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God
    has God made mankind.

⁷ As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

Who did God bless and say “be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (verse 1)?

What is “given into your hands” (verse 2)?

What is “everything that lives and moves” to be (verse 3)?

What kind of meat must not be eaten (verse 4)?

In your opinion, why will an accounting be demanded “for your lifeblood” (verse 5)?

Who will shed the blood of those who shed human blood (verse 6)?

In whose image is mankind made (verse 6)?

What instruction is given (verse 7)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how are the statement in Genesis 9:1-7 that “and from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being” and the statement of Jesus in Matthew 26:47-56 that “all who draw the sword will die by the sword” similar?

James 2:8-13 – New International Version (NIV)

⁸ “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

What “royal law” does James mention (verse 8)?

How are we convicted if we show favoritism (verse 9)?

Who is guilty of breaking the whole law (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what point is James trying to make when he says that “if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker” (verse 11)?

How should we “speak and act” (verse 12)?

What triumphs over judgment (verse 13)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, if an accounting is demanded for anyone who sheds human blood as is stated in Genesis 9:1-7 and if the person who “keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” as James says in James 2:8-13 then is the same accounting demanded of the one who does not honor the Sabbath and keep it holy and of the one who commits murder?

In your opinion, how does the decision of Jesus in Matthew 26:47-56 to not call the “twelve legions of angels” to rescue Him from the arrest show His obedience to James 2:8-13 where it says to “love your neighbor as yourself”?

1 Peter 1:17-21 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”

How should Christians live out their time in the world (verse 17)?

What were Christians redeemed from (verse 18)?

What did redeem Christians (verses 18 and 19)?

When was Jesus chosen (verse 20)?

Who do Christians believe in because of Jesus (verse 21)?

What did God do for Jesus (verse 21)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is the scary knowledge that if we have committed any sin make us guilty of breaking all the law according to James 2:8-13 become changed to hope when we understand that our redemption from all those sins is “the precious blood of Christ” that Peter discusses in 1 Peter 1:17-21?

In your opinion, how does “the precious blood of Christ” that Peter discusses in 1 Peter 1:17-21 become our answer for the “accounting” that God demands in Genesis 9:1-7?

In your opinion, how do you think that the fact that Peter was the one who Jesus told in Matthew 26:47-56 that “all who draw the sword will die by the sword” effected his understanding of being “redeemed from the empty way of life” and the “precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” in 1 Peter 1:17-21?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Matthew, Genesis, James and 1 Peter show us about the Great Commission?

Next, back to Matthew 26:57 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)