August 10, 2025 – A Study of Matthew – Set Apart

Set Apart

1 Chronicles 17:1-14 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

² Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

³ But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. ⁵ I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. ⁶ Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

⁷ “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. ⁸ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. ⁹ And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning ¹⁰ and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: ¹¹ When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. ¹⁴ I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”

Where is the “arc of the covenant of the Lord” (verse 1)?

In your opinion, why did Nathan say, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.” (verse 2)?

What came to Nathan “that night” (verse 3)?

What is David “not the one to” do (verse 4)?

Where has the Lord not done “from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day” (verse 5)?

What had the Lord “appointed” David to be (verse 7)?

Who will the Lord “provide a place for” (verse 9)?

What is the Lord going to build for David (verse 10)?

Who will “build a house” for the Lord (verses 11 and 12)?

What will the Lord be for this person (verse 13)?

How long will this person be over the Lord’s house and kingdom (verse14)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being set apart?

Matthew 9:27-34 - New International Version (NIV)

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; ³⁰ and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

³² While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. ³³ And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

What did the two blind men call Jesus (verse 27)?

How did the blind men answer when Jesus ask them “do you believe that I am able to do this” (verse 28)?

What did Jesus say when He “touched their eyes” (verse 29)?

When did Jesus warn them “see that no one knows about this” (verse 30)?

What did the men do (verse 31)?

Who was brought to Jesus (verse 32)?

How did the crowd react when the “man who had been mute spoke” (verse 33)?

What did the Pharisees say (verse 34)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being set apart?

In your opinion, how does 1 Chronicles 17:1-14 help us understand what it means when the two blind men of Matthew 9:27-34 call Jesus “Son of David”?

Romans 1:1-7 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— ² the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures ³ regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, ⁴ and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁵ Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ⁶ And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who was “set apart” for the gospel (verse 1)?

How was the gospel promised (verse 2)?

Who was the Son “as to his earthly life” a descendant of (verse 3)?

What was He appointed by “the Spirit of holiness” (verse 4)?

How has Paul received his “call” (verse 5)?

Who was Paul writing to (verse 6)?

What blessing does Paul give (verse 7)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being set apart?

In your opinion, how does Romans 1:1-7 affirm “the word of God” that came to Nathan in 1 Chronicles 17:1-14?

In your opinion, what does Romans 1:1-7 help us understand about why Jesus in Matthew 9:27-34 was able to do things that caused the crowd to say, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”?

 

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”

¹⁷ Therefore,

“Come out from them
    and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
    and I will receive you.”

¹⁸ And,

“I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

7 ¹ Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Who should Christians not be “yoked together with” (verse 14)?

In your opinion, “What harmony is there between Crist and Belial” (verse 15)?

What are “we” Christians (verse 16)?

Where will God live (verse 16)?

What are Christians to “come out from them and be” (verse 17)?

What will we be to the Lord Almighty (verse 18)?

What should we “purify ourselves from” (verse 1)?

Why should Christians perfect “holiness” (verse 1)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being set apart?

In your opinion, how is God’s call of David from the pasture to being the ruler in 1 Chronicles 17:1-14 an example to Christians of the call to “come out from them and be separate” in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1?

In your opinion, how does the reaction of the Pharisees to Jesus in Matthew 9:27-34 help us understand the reason Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 that believers and unbelievers should not be yoked?

In your opinion, how does Paul’s statement in Romans 1:1-7 about being “called to belong to Jesus Christ” become much more intimate in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1?

In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from 1 Chronicles, Matthew, Romans, and 2 Corinthians reveal about the tensions between those who believe Jesus is “able to do this” and those who don’t?

In your opinion, how do we “separate” ourselves today?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)