Have or Have Not (Matthew 13:1-3a; 10-17)
Rejecting the truth leads to a hard heart and inability to hear.
What callouses are on your heart as a result of selective hearing or hearing without doing?
What do you need to do, like the disciples did, in order to come back to the one who can reveal the truth to you?
How have you been bless because you hear and see the truth? Will you thank God for that blessing?
Humus or Hard Pack (Matthew 13:3b-9)
True believers hear the word, understand, and produce a crop.
What is the condition of the soil of your heart? Hard packed, rocky, thorny, or Good?
What spiritual fruit are you producing for God's kingdom?
What can you do to ensure an optimal yield?
If your heart soil is not good, will you ask God to change the condition of your heart from its current state to one that is receptive to Him?
Wheat or Weed (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43)
Only good seed are in God's Kingdom.
What are you doing to reach the weeds around you with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
How is the fact that God is the owner of the field a comfort to you in these days of trouble?
What is it that make you certain you are wheat and not a weed? How did you get planted here?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Matthew 13 Part 2
Humble Beginnings (Matthew 13:31-35)
Jesus' words reveal hidden truth.
What new truths have you gained from our Matthew study this year? And more importantly, what difference is it making in your life?
How are you encouraged by the fact that God can turn the seemingly insignificant into something very significant?
What active part are you taking in the spread of God's kingdom?
Immense Value (Matthew 13:44-50)
Losing everything to be a disciple is an excellent deal.
What cost of discipleship have your experienced?
What part of “everything” are you not willing to give up in order to be a disciple?
What kind of “fish” does God consider you, wicked or righteous?
Revelation Brings Responsibility (Matthew 13:51-58)
All disciples have a mandate to teach what they learn.
Is your conclusion about Jesus based upon a good or a faulty premise? How do you know?
As a disciple, has God given you any understanding? If so, what are you doing with it now?
As a disciple, do you lack any understanding? Who are you asking and where are you searching for revelation?
Jesus' words reveal hidden truth.
What new truths have you gained from our Matthew study this year? And more importantly, what difference is it making in your life?
How are you encouraged by the fact that God can turn the seemingly insignificant into something very significant?
What active part are you taking in the spread of God's kingdom?
Immense Value (Matthew 13:44-50)
Losing everything to be a disciple is an excellent deal.
What cost of discipleship have your experienced?
What part of “everything” are you not willing to give up in order to be a disciple?
What kind of “fish” does God consider you, wicked or righteous?
Revelation Brings Responsibility (Matthew 13:51-58)
All disciples have a mandate to teach what they learn.
Is your conclusion about Jesus based upon a good or a faulty premise? How do you know?
As a disciple, has God given you any understanding? If so, what are you doing with it now?
As a disciple, do you lack any understanding? Who are you asking and where are you searching for revelation?
Matthew 14
John Beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12)
True obedience, not tradition, pleases God.
What good traditions do you observe that are based upon Scripture?
What traditions are you blindly following which really contradict the Scriptures?
What wrong interpretations of Scripture are you using as a pretext for disobeying God?
What words are you using that truly bring praise to God and enable worship?
What empty word are you bringing to God and calling it worship?
Thousands Fed (Matthew 14:13-21)
Genuine faith is strengthened through testing.
How have you experience stronger faith after going through difficult testing?
How are you approaching God with your needs? Is it humble yet expectant? Are you persistent, even when He's silent?
How have you experienced confident persistence in prayer this year and how has God rewarded your persistence?
Peter's Walk (Matthew 14:22-36)
God's work results in God receiving glory.
How are you seeing God praised through the work you do for Him?
How have you experienced the same test over again because you didn't learn the lesson the first time?
What impossible thing are you facing in your own strength that needs to be turned over to Jesus?
True obedience, not tradition, pleases God.
What good traditions do you observe that are based upon Scripture?
What traditions are you blindly following which really contradict the Scriptures?
What wrong interpretations of Scripture are you using as a pretext for disobeying God?
What words are you using that truly bring praise to God and enable worship?
What empty word are you bringing to God and calling it worship?
Thousands Fed (Matthew 14:13-21)
Genuine faith is strengthened through testing.
How have you experience stronger faith after going through difficult testing?
How are you approaching God with your needs? Is it humble yet expectant? Are you persistent, even when He's silent?
How have you experienced confident persistence in prayer this year and how has God rewarded your persistence?
Peter's Walk (Matthew 14:22-36)
God's work results in God receiving glory.
How are you seeing God praised through the work you do for Him?
How have you experienced the same test over again because you didn't learn the lesson the first time?
What impossible thing are you facing in your own strength that needs to be turned over to Jesus?
Matthew 15
False Traditions (Matthew 15:1-20)
True obedience, not tradition, pleases God.
What good traditions do you observe that are based upon Scripture?
What traditions are you blindly following which really contradict the Scriptures?
What wrong interpretations of Scripture are you using as a pretext for disobeying God?
What words are you using that truly bring praise to God and enable worship?
What empty word are you bringing to God and calling it worship?
Faith Tested (Matthew 15:21-28)
Genuine faith is strengthened through testing.
How have you experience stronger faith after going through difficult testing?
How are you approaching God with your needs? Is it humble yet expectant? Are you persistent, even when He's silent?
How have you experienced confident persistence in prayer this year and how has God rewarded your persistence?
Thousands Fed (Matthew 15:29-39)
God's work results in God receiving glory.
How are you seeing God praised through the work you do for Him?
How have you experienced the same test over again because you didn't learn the lesson the first time?
What impossible thing are you facing in your own strength that needs to be turned over to Jesus?
True obedience, not tradition, pleases God.
What good traditions do you observe that are based upon Scripture?
What traditions are you blindly following which really contradict the Scriptures?
What wrong interpretations of Scripture are you using as a pretext for disobeying God?
What words are you using that truly bring praise to God and enable worship?
What empty word are you bringing to God and calling it worship?
Faith Tested (Matthew 15:21-28)
Genuine faith is strengthened through testing.
How have you experience stronger faith after going through difficult testing?
How are you approaching God with your needs? Is it humble yet expectant? Are you persistent, even when He's silent?
How have you experienced confident persistence in prayer this year and how has God rewarded your persistence?
Thousands Fed (Matthew 15:29-39)
God's work results in God receiving glory.
How are you seeing God praised through the work you do for Him?
How have you experienced the same test over again because you didn't learn the lesson the first time?
What impossible thing are you facing in your own strength that needs to be turned over to Jesus?
Matthew 16
A Sign or a Savior (Matthew 16:1-12)
God doesn't give special signs to skeptics.
What false teachers or teachings are you listening to?
What do you need to stop ignoring from God's word so He can move you into a relationship with Him?
What do you need to stop ignoring from God's word so He can move you into a deeper walk with Him?
How are the questions you're asking really hypocritical, since you wouldn't believe the answer if you were told?
The Essential Question (Matthew 16:13-20)
Everyone must answer the question, 'Who is Jesus'?
Who do you say Jesus is?
What difference has your answer made in your day to day life?
What are you doing with the key God has given you (the Gospel)?
The Key Revealed (Matthew 16:21-28)
True life is only possible through the cross.
Have you found real life, or are you still living your old life?
What are you afraid of losing by following Jesus?
How are you trying to earn your way into God's good graces? Don't you know that's impossible?
What cross do you need to start picking up daily in order to follow Jesus?
God doesn't give special signs to skeptics.
What false teachers or teachings are you listening to?
What do you need to stop ignoring from God's word so He can move you into a relationship with Him?
What do you need to stop ignoring from God's word so He can move you into a deeper walk with Him?
How are the questions you're asking really hypocritical, since you wouldn't believe the answer if you were told?
The Essential Question (Matthew 16:13-20)
Everyone must answer the question, 'Who is Jesus'?
Who do you say Jesus is?
What difference has your answer made in your day to day life?
What are you doing with the key God has given you (the Gospel)?
The Key Revealed (Matthew 16:21-28)
True life is only possible through the cross.
Have you found real life, or are you still living your old life?
What are you afraid of losing by following Jesus?
How are you trying to earn your way into God's good graces? Don't you know that's impossible?
What cross do you need to start picking up daily in order to follow Jesus?
Matthew 17
Jesus Transfigured (Matthew 17:1-13)
Experience is no substitute for, but instead must reinforce, the truth.
Do you know Jesus any better now than when we started this Matthew study? If not, why not?
How have you experienced a nearness to Jesus lately and how has it changed your perspective?
How much time are you taking out of your busy life to spend in concentrated prayer?
What changes are you going to make to spend more time alone in prayer?
When was the last time your fell on your face before God and marveled at His Majesty?
Little or No Faith (Matthew 17:14-23)
The object of faith is more important than the quantity of faith.
What mountains are you facing in your life that seem impossible? Have you brought them in prayer to Jesus lately?
How has God growing your faith recently? If it's not growing, why not?
What work have you started in God's power, but are no longer relying on Him but on your own ability? Without faith, it is impossible to please God!
Tax From a Fish's Mouth (Matthew 17:24-27)
Jesus is the true temple of God.
Are you part of the body of Christ? What evidence is there to that fact?
What are you trusting in for your eternal destiny? Is it your works? Is it your church? Or is it the glorified Christ who died and rose again?
In light of God redeeming you, what are you offering Him in return?
Experience is no substitute for, but instead must reinforce, the truth.
Do you know Jesus any better now than when we started this Matthew study? If not, why not?
How have you experienced a nearness to Jesus lately and how has it changed your perspective?
How much time are you taking out of your busy life to spend in concentrated prayer?
What changes are you going to make to spend more time alone in prayer?
When was the last time your fell on your face before God and marveled at His Majesty?
Little or No Faith (Matthew 17:14-23)
The object of faith is more important than the quantity of faith.
What mountains are you facing in your life that seem impossible? Have you brought them in prayer to Jesus lately?
How has God growing your faith recently? If it's not growing, why not?
What work have you started in God's power, but are no longer relying on Him but on your own ability? Without faith, it is impossible to please God!
Tax From a Fish's Mouth (Matthew 17:24-27)
Jesus is the true temple of God.
Are you part of the body of Christ? What evidence is there to that fact?
What are you trusting in for your eternal destiny? Is it your works? Is it your church? Or is it the glorified Christ who died and rose again?
In light of God redeeming you, what are you offering Him in return?
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