October 12, 2025 – A Study of Matthew – Being Restored

 

Being Restored

1 Kings 12:28-13:6 – New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” ²⁹ One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. ³⁰ And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.

³¹ Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. ³² He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. ³³ On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.

13 ¹ By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. ² By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” ³ That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.”

⁴ When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. ⁵ Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord.

⁶ Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.

How did the king justify making the two golden calves (verse 28)?

Where did the king put the two golden calves (verse 29)?

What did the setting up of the golden calves become (verse 30)?

What did the king, Jeroboam, build on the high places (verse 31)?

What did Jeroboam do on the fifteenth day of the eight month (verse 32)?

Where did the king offer sacrifices (verse 33)?

What was Jeroboam doing when the “man of God” came to him (verse 1)?

What does the “man of God” say will be sacrificed on the alter (verse 2)?

What is the “sign the Lord has declared” (verse 3)?

When did king Jeroboham’s hand shrivel up (verse 4)?

What happened to the alter (verse 5)?

How did things change when the “man of God” interceded with the Lord (verse 6)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about restoration?

Matthew 12:9-14 - New International Version (NIV)

⁹ Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, ¹⁰ and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

¹¹ He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹² How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Where did Jesus go (verse 9)?

Who was there (verse 10?

Why did they say, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” (verse 10)?

What did Jesus ask them (verse 11)?

What is more valuable than a sheep (verse 12)?

When does Jesus say it “is lawful to do good” (verse 12)?

What happened when the man stretched out his hand (verse 13)?

How did the Pharisees react to this (verse 14)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about restoration?

In your opinion, how are the Pharisees in Matthew 12:9-14 like the king who had just established two alters to false gods and wanted the prophet of God seized in 1 Kings 12:28-13:6?

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.

Where should Christians humble themselves (verse 6)?

When will God lift Christians up (verse 6)?

Why should Christians “cast all your anxiety” on God (verse 7)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “be alert and of sober mind” (verse 8)?

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

What is “the whole family of believers throughout the world” undergoing (verse 9)?

When will the “God of all grace . . . restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (verse 10)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about restoration?

In your opinion, how is a Christian humbling themselves “under God’s mighty hand” as commanded by 1 Peter 5:6-11 a contrast to King Jeroboam asking the prophet to “intercede” for him in 1 Kings 12:28-13:6?

In your opinion, where in Matthew 12:9-14 do you see the devil “looking for someone to devour” as Peter warns in 1 Peter 5:6-11?

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.

What should a brother or sister do for someone “caught in a sin” (verse 1)?

How can Christians “fulfill the law of Christ” (verse 2)?

When do people “deceive themselves” (verse 3)?

What should each Christian “test” (verse 4)?

What should each Christian “carry” (verse 5)?

Who “cannot be mocked” (verse 7)?

What does a man reap (verse 7)?

Who will “reap eternal life” (verse 8)?

What will Christians reap if they “do not give up” (verse 9)?

What should Christians do if they “have the opportunity” to (verse 10)?

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

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about restoration?

In your opinion, how is the truth “a man reaps what he sows” in Galatians 6:1-10 demonstrated in 1 Kings 12:28-13:6?

In your opinion, who in Matthew 12:9-14 could be an example of the people that Galatians 6:1-10 say may think “they are something when they are not”?  Who is an example of one that carries “each other’s burdens”?

In your opinion, how does Galatians 6:1-10 help us know how to respond when another Christian falls prey to the roaring lion that 1 Peter 5:6-11 talks about?

In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from 1 Kings, Matthew, 1 Peter and Galatians teach us about what to do when we need restoration?

In your opinion, how can we ‘pay forward’ the restoration they have received?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)