January 25, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Wealth and Contentment

January 25, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Wealth and Contentment

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.”

Wealth and Contentment

Matthew 19:13-30 – New International Version (NIV)

¹³ “Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Who did the disciples rebuke (verse 13)?

What belongs “to such as these” (verse 14)?

When did Jesus go on from there (verse 15)?

In your opinion, why did the man who came up to Jesus ask “what good thing must I do to get eternal life” (verse 16)?

What instruction did Jesus give him (verse 17)?

How did the man attempt to limit the answer Jesus gave him (verse 18)?

What do the commandments that Jesus gave him in common (verses 18 & 19)?

In your opinion, why does the man ask “what do I still lack” (verse 20)?

In your opinion, what does the answer that Jesus gave him reveal (verse 21)?

Why did the man go away sad (verse 22)?

What is it “hard for someone who is rich” to do (verse 23)?

In your opinion, why is it “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (verse 24)?

What did the disciples ask (verse 25)?

How did Jesus respond (verse 26)?

In your opinion, what does Peter’s question show about his thought process (verse 27)?

When will the promise that Jesus makes be fulfilled (verse 28)?

Who will inherit eternal life (verse 29)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that “many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (verse 30)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 19:13-30 show us about the Great Commission?

Deuteronomy 28:9-14 - New International Version (NIV)

⁹ “The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. ¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. ¹¹ The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

¹² The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. ¹³ The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. ¹⁴ Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.”

What do the Israelites need to do to be established by the Lord as “his holy people” (verse 9)?

Why will “all the peoples on earth” fear the Israelites (verse 10)?

Who will grant abundant prosperity (verse 11)?

In your opinion, how does it describe how blessed the Israelites will be that they “will lend to many nations but will borrow from none” (verse 12)?

What do the Israelites have to do to “always be at the top, never at the bottom” (verse 13)?

Where can the Israelites not go (verse 14)?

In your opinion, how does the focus of Deuteronomy 28:9-14 on not turning away from God help explain why the rich young man in Matthew 19:13-30 was so discontent that he ask Jesus what he needed to do?

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

Philippians 4:10-20 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

¹⁴ Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵ Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ¹⁶ for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. ¹⁷ Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. ¹⁸ I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

²⁰ To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Why did Paul rejoice (verse 10)?

How has Paul learned to be “whatever the circumstances” (verse 11)?

What secret has Paul learned (verse 12)?

How can Paul do “all this” (verse 13)?

In your opinion, how did the Philippians “share in my troubles” (verse 14)?

What did the Philippians know (verse 15)?

How often did the Philippians send Paul aid in Thessalonica (verse 16)?

In your opinion, what does Paul mean by “what I desire is that more be credited to your account” (verse 17)?

How does Paul describe the gifts the Philippians sent (verse 18)?

The Philippians needs will be met “according to” what (verse 19)?

What should be “to our God and Father” (verse 20)?

In your opinion, how does the Philippians sharing with Paul in Philippians 4:10-20 an indication that the Philippians were being obedient to the instruction of Deuteronomy 28:9-14 that the people of Israel should not “turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them” ?

In your opinion, how does the sharing with Paul by the Philippians in Philippians 4:10-20 an indication that they have been blessed by God with the miracle that the disciples asked “Who then can be saved” about and about which Jesus said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” in Matthew 19:13-30?

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

   

1 Timothy 6:6-12 – New International Version (NIV)

⁶ “But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

What is great gain (verse 6)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (verse 7)?

How will we be “if we have food and clothing” (verse 8)?

Who will “fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires” (verse 9)?

What “is a root of all kinds of evil” (verse 10)?

Where have “some people, eager for money” wandered (verse 11)?

What does Paul call for Timothy to “take hold of” (verse 12)?

In your opinion, does the generosity demonstrated in Philippians 4:10-20 indicate that the Philippians have taken “hold of the eternal life” as Paul instructs in 1 Timothy 6:6-12?

In your opinion, how is the command in Deuteronomy 28:9-14 to “Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them” similar to the instruction of Paul to Timothy to “flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” in 1 Timothy 6:6-12?

In your opinion, how would the rich young man of Matthew 19:13-30 who walks away sad benefit from the wisdom that Paul gives in 1 Timothy 6:6-12 that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it”?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 1 Timothy show us about the Great Commission?

Next, back to Matthew 20:1 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

January 18, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Divorce and Salvation

January 18, 2015 – The Great Commission – A Study of Matthew – Divorce and Salvation

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.”

Divorce and Salvation

Matthew 19:1-12 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Where did Jesus go after he “had finished saying these things” (verse 1)?

Who followed Him (verse 2)?

In your opinion, what is the testing that comes in the question “is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason” (verse 3)?

What question did Jesus ask the Pharisees (verses 4 and 5)?

Who joined the two together (verse 6)?

Who can separate (verse 6)?

How did the Pharisees try to make Jesus an opponent of Moses (verse 7)?

In your opinion, what was “not this way from the beginning” (verse 8)?

What does a man “who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman” do (verse 9)?

Who ask “if this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry” (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what does Jesus mean by “not everyone can accept this word” (verse 11)?

Who should accept this word (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does this passage from Matthew 19:1-12 show us about the Great Commission?

Malachi 2:10-16 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?

¹¹ Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. ¹² As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob—even though he brings an offering to the Lord Almighty.

¹³ Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. ¹⁴ You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.

¹⁵ Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

¹⁶ “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.”

How does Malachi establish our similarity (verse 10)?

Who has been unfaithful (verse 11)?

How was the “sanctuary the Lord loves” desecrated (verse 11)?

In your opinion, why would bringing offerings to the Lord Almighty not prevent punishment of the man who married a woman who worshiped a foreign god (verse 12)?

Why do people “weep and wail” (verse 13)?

Who is the Lord a “witness between” (verse 14)?

How is the “wife of your youth” additionally described (verse 14)?

What “does the one God seek” (verse 15)?

In your opinion, how does the “man who hates and divorces his wife” do “violence to the one he should protect” (verse 16)?

What is Malachi’s final instruction (verse 16)?

In your opinion, how does Jesus, in His statement about divorce in Matthew 19:1-12, build upon the position that Malachi established in Malachi 2:10-16?

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

1 Corinthians 7:10-17 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. ¹¹ But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹² To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. ¹⁶ How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.”

What command is given (verse 10)?

How should a wife who is separated from her husband act (verse 11)?

What is commanded of husbands (verse 11)?

In your opinion, why does Paul say “I, not the Lord” (verse 12)?

In Paul’s instruction, who should determine if the believing husband and the unbelieving wife should continue to be married (verse 12)?

In Paul’s instruction, who should determine if the believing wife and the unbelieving husband should continue to be married (verse 13)?

What is the result for the children if the believing and unbelieving spouses continue in marriage (verse 14)?

How has God called us to live (verse 15)?

What might the believing spouses accomplish (verse 16)?

How should each person live in “whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them” (verse 17)?

In your opinion, what is the difference in the way that you understand the message about marriage that is presented in the negative (don’t do) in Malachi 2:10-16 and in the positive (do do) in 1 Corinthians 7:10-17?

In your opinion, how does Paul giving the choice of whether or not there should be a divorce or not to the unbeliever in the marriage in 1 Corinthians 7:10-17 help us to understand about the people who Jesus said had “hard hearts” in Matthew 19:1-12?

In your opinion, what does this passage from 1 Corinthians show us about the Great Commission?

    

2 Peter 3:10-18 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. ¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

What will come like a thief (verse 10)?

How should we live (verse 11)?

What should we look forward to (verse 12)?

Where does righteousness dwell (verse 13)?

In your opinion, why should we make every effort to “be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (verse 14)?

What does “our Lord’s patience” mean (verse 15)?

How did Paul write (verse 15)?

What do the “ignorant and unstable people distort” (verse 16)?

Where do we want to “be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from” (verse 17)?

What should we grow in (verse 18)?

In your opinion, how does the believing spouse staying with the unbelieving spouse as instructed in 1 Corinthians 7:10-17 a demonstration by the people of God of the patience of the Lord means salvation that Peter talks about in 2 Peter 3:10-18?

In your opinion, how is Malachi saying to “be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth” in Malachi 2:10-16 expanded on by Peter when he says “be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless” in 2 Peter 3:10-18?

In your opinion, how does is Peter talking about the “Lord’s patience” and “salvation” in 2 Peter 3:10-18 help those who have had difficulty with command of Jesus “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” in Matthew 19:1-12 or any other command find hope and peace?

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

Next, back to Matthew 19:13 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)