May 18, 2025 – A Study of Matthew – Big Problems – Bigger God

Big Problems – Bigger God

Psalm 147:2-11 – New International Version (NIV)

 

² The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the exiles of Israel.
³ He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.
⁵ Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
⁶ The Lord sustains the humble
    but casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
    make music to our God on the harp.

⁸ He covers the sky with clouds;
    he supplies the earth with rain
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He provides food for the cattle
    and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰ His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
¹¹ the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Who “gathers the exiles of Israel” (verse 2)?

What does the Lord do for “the brokenhearted” (verse 3)?

How does the Lord call each star (verse 4)?

What “has no limit” (verse 5)?

Who does the Lord sustain (verse 6)?

How should we “sing to the Lord” (verse 7)?

What does the Lord supply to “the earth” (verse 8)?

When does the Lord provide food “for the young ravens” (verse 9)?

What is the Lord’s pleasure “not in” (verse 10)?

Who does the Lord delight in (verse 11)?

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

In your opinion, how does this passage demonstrate that we can rely on our God?

Matthew 6:25-34 - New International Version (NIV)

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

What does Jesus tell us not to “worry about” (verse 25)?

Who takes care of “the birds of the air” (verse 26)?

What can we not accomplish by worrying (verse 27)?

What could “Solomon in all his splendor” not do as well as flowers (verses 28 and 29)?

In your opinion, what does Jesus mean when He says “if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you” (verse 30)?

What should we not worry about and say (verse 31)?

Who knows the things that we need (verse 32)?

When will “all these things” be given (verse 33)?

What does each day have (verse 34)?

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

In your opinion, how does this passage demonstrate that we can rely on our God?

In your opinion, how does the might of God, revealed in Psalm 147:2-11, help us be more comfortable with Jesus’s message in Matthew 6:25-34 to not worry but seek His kingdom?

Philippians 4:4-9 - New International Version (NIV)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

When should Christians “rejoice in the Lord” (verse 4)?

What should “be evident to all” (verse 5)?

How should Christians replace anxiousness (verse 6)?

In your opinion, what does Paul mean when he says that the peace of God “transcends all understanding” (verse 7)?

What should Christians think about (verse 8)?

Who will be with Christians who put into practice what Paul teaches (verse 9)?

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

In your opinion, how does this passage demonstrate that we can rely on our God?

In your opinion, how does the gentleness of God demonstrated by the healing of the brokenhearted and the binding of their wounds in Psalm 147:2-11 encourage us as we deal with anxiousness by casting our cares on the Lord in Philippians 4:4-9?

In your opinion, how do Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:4-9 agree in what we should do and not do?

Revelation 7:9-14 - New International Version (NIV)

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Who was “standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (verse 9)?

What did they cry “out in a loud voice” (verse 10)?

Who “fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God” (verse 11)?

What do they pray will be “to our God for ever and ever (verse 12)?

Who are the people “in white robes” (verses 13 and 14)?

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

In your opinion, how does this passage demonstrate that we can rely on our God?

In your opinion, how are the gathering of the exiles in Psalm 147:2-11 and the gathering of those who come out of the great tribulation in Revelation 7:9-14 similar?

In your opinion, how does Revelation 7:9-14 help us understand the end result of following Jesus’s command to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” in Matthew 6:25-43?

In your opinion, how can the vision of Revelation 7:9-14 help us begin to live in the  “peace of God, which transcends all understanding” of Philippians 4:4-9?

In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from Psalms, Matthew, Philippians, and Revelation teach us about how to respond to our problems?

In your opinion, what do we need to do to transform into people who “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” today?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

April 11, 2021 - Mark’s Good News about Jesus – Shouting and Salvation

 

Shouting and Salvation

Joshua 6:6-16 - New International Version (NIV)

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” ⁷ And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

⁸ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ⁹ The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ¹⁰ But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” ¹¹ So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

¹² Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. ¹³ The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. ¹⁴ So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. ¹⁶ The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 

What are the priests to do (verse 6)?

Where is the army to march (verse 7)?

What went ahead of the ark (verse 8)?

When did the trumpets sound (verse 9)?

In your opinion, why was the army not to “give a war cry” or raise their voices or say a work (verse 10)?

How many times did the ark circle the city (verse 11)?

When did Joshua get up (verse 12)?

How many days did the ark circle the city once (verse 14)?

How many times did the ark circle the city on the seventh day (verse 15)?

What did Joshua command the army (verse 16)?

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

Mark 10:46-52 - New International Version (NIV)

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

What was Bartimaeus doing as Jesus, his disciples, and a large crowd were leaving Jericho (verse 46)?

When did he begin to shout “Jesus, Son of David” have mercy on me” (verse 47)?

In your opinion, why did people rebuke him and tell him to be quiet (verse 48)?

How did Jesus respond (verse 49)?

What did Bartimaeus do (verse 50)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus ask “what do you want me to do for you” (verse 51)?

How did the blind man answer (verse 51)?

What did Jesus say (verse 52)?

What did Bartimaeus do after he received his sight (verse 52)?

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

In your opinion, how are the shouting of the army around Jericho in Joshua 6:6-16 and Bartimaeus shouting as Jesus was leaving Jericho in Mark 10:46-52 similar? 

Acts 23:6-11 – New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” ⁷ When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

⁹ There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰ The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

What did Paul know about the people (verse 6)?

Why did Paul say he was standing on trial (verse 6)?

What broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees (verse 7)?

Who believed “that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits” (verse 8)?

Who argued “we find nothing wrong with this man” (verse 9)? 

What was the commander afraid of (verse 10)?

Who told Paul to “take courage” (verse 11)?

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

In your opinion, what is similar between Joshua having the ark circle the city of Jericho in Joshua 6:6-16 and Paul shouting “I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead” in Acts 23:6-11?

In your opinion, how is Bartimaeus crying “Jesus, Son of David” in Mark 10:46-52 similar to Paul crying out about “the hope of the resurrection of the dead” in Acts 23:6-11? 

In your opinion, how is Bartimaeus following Jesus at the end of Mark 10:46-52 and Paul testifying about Jesus in Jerusalem and Rome alike?

Revelation 7:9-14 – New International Version (NIV)

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Who was in the “great multitude that no one could count” (verse 9)?

What did they cry “out in a loud voice” (verse 10)?

What did the angels standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures do (verse 11)?

In your opinion, what does the first Amen mean (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does the second Amen mean (verse 12)?

Who ask, “these in white robes-who are they and where did they come from” (verse 13)?

How did John answer (verse 14)?

Who are “these in white robes” (verses 14 and 15)?

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

In your opinion, how are the shout of the army in Joshua 6:6-16 because “the Lord has given you the city” and the crying out with a loud voice that ““Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” by the people in white robes in Revelation 7:9-14 similar?

In your opinion, why would the call of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52 “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” have to proceed the call of those robed in white in Revelation 7:9-14 that “Salvation belongs to our God”? 

In your opinion, how might what Paul testified about the Lord in Jerusalem and in Rome according to Acts 23:6-11 and what the people in the white robes are testifying to in Revelation 7:9-14 be the same?  How might they be different?

In your opinion, what do these passages from Joshua, Mark, Acts and Revelation teach us about testifying for the Lord?

In your opinion, how can we testify to Jesus today?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)