November 22, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Humbling and Restoring

  

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.”

Humbling and Restoring

Matthew 26:69-75 – New International Version (NIV)

⁶⁹ “Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

Where was Peter sitting (verse 69)?

Who came to him and said “you also were with Jesus of Galilee” (verse 69)?

How did Peter respond (verse 70)?

In your opinion, why did Peter go out to the gateway (verse 71)?

Who saw him and said “this fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth” (verse 71)?

How was Peter’s denial more emphatic this time that the first time (verse 72)?

Why did “those standing there” think that Peter was one of those with Jesus of Galilee (verse 73)?

How was Peter’s denial even stronger this time (verse 74)?

What happened immediately after Peter said “I don’t know the man” (verse 74)?

What did Peter remember (verse 75)?

In your opinion, why do you think Peter “wept bitterly” (verse 66)?

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

Matthew 10:32-33 - New International Version (NIV)

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”

What does Jesus say He will do for “whoever acknowledges me before others” (verse 32)?

What does Jesus say He will do about “whoever disowns me before others” (verse 33)?

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

In your opinion, how does your understanding of Peter’s bitter weeping in Matthew 26:69-75 change when you remember that Peter heard this instruction about acknowledging and disowning from Jesus in Matthew 10:32-33?

Acts 4:23-31 – New International Version (NIV)

²³ “On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵ You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
²⁶ The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.’

²⁷ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

Where did Peter and John go when they were released from the rulers, the elders, and the teachers of the law (verse 23)?

What did Peter and John report (verse 23)?

How did the people respond (verse 24)?

How did the Sovereign Lord speak through the mouth of David (verse 24)?

In your opinion, why did the people choose this quotation from David to quote (verses 25 and 26)?

Who met together to “conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed” (verse 27)?

What did the conspirators do (verse 28)?

How did they pray that the Sovereign Lord would allow them to meet the present threats (verse 29)?

In your opinion, why did they ask for the Sovereign Lord to “stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus” (verse 30)?

What happened to “the place where they were meeting” after the prayer (verse 31)?

How did God respond their prayers from verse 29 to “speak your word with great boldness” (verse 31)?

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

In your opinion, how is the response of the people to the threats of the rulers, elders and teachers of the law in Acts 4:23-31 so soon after the same people orchestrated the death of Jesus an example of how to respond to Jesus teaching in Matthew 10:32-33 about acknowledging and disowning Him?

In your opinion, what can we learn about ourselves and our relationship with God from Peter’s disowning Jesus in Matthew 26:69-75 to the boldness of Peter in Acts 4:23-31?

1 Peter 5:6-11 – New International Version (NIV)

⁶ “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

What does Peter instruct us to do that God “may lift you up in due time” (verse 6)?

Why should we “cast all your anxiety on him” (verse 7)?

How should we be (verse 8)?

Who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (verse 8)?

How should we resist that enemy (verse 9)?

In your opinion, why does Peter say that “the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (verse 9)?

What has the “God of all grace” done (verse 10)?

What will the “God of all grace” do “after you have suffered a little while” (verse 10)?

To whom will be “the power for ever and ever” (verse 11)?

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

In your opinion, what parts of the passage of Acts 4:23-31 illustrate the various parts of Peter’s instructions in 1 Peter 5:6-11 including 1) the enemy, the devil, prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour; 2) standing firm in the faith; 3) casting anxiety on Him; and 4) God restoring and making strong, firm and steadfast?

In your opinion, how can we who are intimidated by the instructions of Jesus in Matthew 10:32-33 take comfort and instruction from 1 Peter 5:6-11?

In your opinion, how does the failure of Peter to do what he expected of himself in Matthew 26:69-75 add to his compassionate instruction in 1 Peter 5:6-11?

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

Next, back to Matthew 27:1 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)