Although I setup this blog back in January, I was procrastinating until I heard from someone who felt the content was somewhat lacking. Last Monday night, 2/18/2008, was such a night. Thanks Charles.
If, in the process of reading, you find something that you feel was misstated, please feel free to add a comment and I will do one of the following: make changes accordingly, answer your comment, or both.
Blogs tend to be a chronology such that the sequence of each posting follows linearly from that of the previous post. However, since this blog's genesis finds itself more than half way through the book of Matthew, I will add posts that proceed in both directions (forward and backward) starting with Matthew chapter 17.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Matthew 26:1-46
Preparation For Death (Matthew 26:1-16)
God's plans always succeed.
Is the value you place on Christ closer to that of Mary or of Judas?
How does your life reflect that value?
Whose plans are more important to you, your or God's? How might your actions be a contradiction to your answer?
Preparation For Passover (Matthew 26:17-30)
All Christians should partake of communion regularly.
Where is your focus when you partake of the Lord's supper?
Has the remembrance become more important to you than the event it remembers?
How diligent are you at removing the yeast before communion?
Preparation In Prayer (Matthew 26:31-46)
Turning to God provides strength to endure any difficulty.
How are you like the disciples in your prayer life?
How have you seen your right motives fail due to lack of prayer?
Is God's will the most important aspect of your approach to prayer?
God's plans always succeed.
Is the value you place on Christ closer to that of Mary or of Judas?
How does your life reflect that value?
Whose plans are more important to you, your or God's? How might your actions be a contradiction to your answer?
Preparation For Passover (Matthew 26:17-30)
All Christians should partake of communion regularly.
Where is your focus when you partake of the Lord's supper?
Has the remembrance become more important to you than the event it remembers?
How diligent are you at removing the yeast before communion?
Preparation In Prayer (Matthew 26:31-46)
Turning to God provides strength to endure any difficulty.
How are you like the disciples in your prayer life?
How have you seen your right motives fail due to lack of prayer?
Is God's will the most important aspect of your approach to prayer?
Matthew 25
Anticipating Delay? (Matthew 25:1-13)
Future preparation for the future is not possible.
What makes you certain that Christ will welcome you into his kingdom one day?
Do you have any oil or are you hoping to get some later in life?
What is the basis for your relationship with God? Something you do or strictly something that He has done for you?
How are you relying upon another Christian and your association with him to give you a right status with the king?
How are you perhaps basing your readiness on some past experience? Might you be fooled or lulled to sleep?
Faithfully Occupied? (Matthew 25:14-30)
Only faithfulness is rewarded by God.
What is your honest opinion of the Master? Are you afraid of Him? Do you think He is unjust?
What misunderstanding of God's true character is keeping you from being a true servant?
Regardless of your abilities, what are you honestly doing with God's resources?
How are you dwelling too much on your abilities instead of taking seriously your responsibilities to God?
What will you hear the Master say on the Day of Accountability?
Whose Inheritance? (Matthew 25:27-35)
God's love is the basis for our ability to love as God requires.
How would you rate your love and concern for other Christians?
What does this tell you about yourself?
Are the things you do for others out of guilt, coercion, and fear, or do they stem from God's love inside you?
If you were to stand before God tonight, which side would He place you on, the right or the left? Are you absolutely sure?
Future preparation for the future is not possible.
What makes you certain that Christ will welcome you into his kingdom one day?
Do you have any oil or are you hoping to get some later in life?
What is the basis for your relationship with God? Something you do or strictly something that He has done for you?
How are you relying upon another Christian and your association with him to give you a right status with the king?
How are you perhaps basing your readiness on some past experience? Might you be fooled or lulled to sleep?
Faithfully Occupied? (Matthew 25:14-30)
Only faithfulness is rewarded by God.
What is your honest opinion of the Master? Are you afraid of Him? Do you think He is unjust?
What misunderstanding of God's true character is keeping you from being a true servant?
Regardless of your abilities, what are you honestly doing with God's resources?
How are you dwelling too much on your abilities instead of taking seriously your responsibilities to God?
What will you hear the Master say on the Day of Accountability?
Whose Inheritance? (Matthew 25:27-35)
God's love is the basis for our ability to love as God requires.
How would you rate your love and concern for other Christians?
What does this tell you about yourself?
Are the things you do for others out of guilt, coercion, and fear, or do they stem from God's love inside you?
If you were to stand before God tonight, which side would He place you on, the right or the left? Are you absolutely sure?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Matthew 24:1-51
Prelude: Two Questions (Matthew 24:1-3)
Jesus honors honest questions about the future.
Who are you taking your honest question about the future to?
Are you looking to the sages of our day? Or you looking to the one who has the answers for all time?
Are you taking more of your queues about the uncertainty of our day from the pessimistic media outlets or from the infallible word of God?
Premonition: The Birth Pains (Matthew 24:4-26)
Tribulation will precede Christ's second coming.
How are you equipping yourself to deal with the tribulation to come?
Are you spending time studying the word so that you won't fall prey to false teachers and be led away from the faith?
What are you doing to get to know the author of this Book more intimately?
How will you be able to distinguish between the true Christ and a counterfeit? They will be convincing!
Are you prepared to give your life for your faith if that's what God requires of you?
Παρουσία: Redemption's Consummation (Matthew 24:27-35)
Jesus' coming brings fear to the lost and hope to the elect.
Are the events of Jesus coming something you dread or something you long for?
Will you be a mourner or be rejoicing when Jesus returns?
Are you excited about Jesus return or neutral? Why?
Jesus honors honest questions about the future.
Who are you taking your honest question about the future to?
Are you looking to the sages of our day? Or you looking to the one who has the answers for all time?
Are you taking more of your queues about the uncertainty of our day from the pessimistic media outlets or from the infallible word of God?
Premonition: The Birth Pains (Matthew 24:4-26)
Tribulation will precede Christ's second coming.
How are you equipping yourself to deal with the tribulation to come?
Are you spending time studying the word so that you won't fall prey to false teachers and be led away from the faith?
What are you doing to get to know the author of this Book more intimately?
How will you be able to distinguish between the true Christ and a counterfeit? They will be convincing!
Are you prepared to give your life for your faith if that's what God requires of you?
Παρουσία: Redemption's Consummation (Matthew 24:27-35)
Jesus' coming brings fear to the lost and hope to the elect.
Are the events of Jesus coming something you dread or something you long for?
Will you be a mourner or be rejoicing when Jesus returns?
Are you excited about Jesus return or neutral? Why?
Matthew 22:15-23:39
Three Deceptive Questions (Matthew 22:15-40)
God made man so everything man is belongs to God.
What areas of your life lack evidence of a love for God?
Do you consider God in all your motives, thoughts, energies, emotions, etc.?
Do you ask God for direction or do you ask God to bless your current direction?
Is obeying God more important to you than personal goals?
How are you guilty of being ignorant of Scripture and of God's power?
When convicted by what you read do you ignore it or do you ask God to apply it or do you think of someone you know who could use that Scripture?
How are you doing as a citizen of this country?
Are you paying the respect, acting upon your civic duties, and paying what you owe to those in authority?
Could anyone close to you legitimately call you a hypocrite?
Three Revealing Questions (Matthew 22:41-46)
Jesus is both the Son of David and the Son of God.
Why is it important to you that Jesus is not merely the son of David?
What does the fact that Jesus is Lord mean to you?
By definition, Jesus is Lord, but is He just Lord to you or is He your Lord?
Seven Deserved Denunciations (Matthew 23:1-39)
God condemns spiritual hypocrisy.
In which of the seven woes do you see a bit of yourself and what are you going to do to deal with it?
Where do your words and your actions diverge?
Are all of your actions worth following? Why or why not?
Are all of your words worth following? Why or why not?
How are you sporting a superior attitude in relation to other kingdom members?
How might you be elevating a spiritual leader in your mind to a position reserved only for God?
God made man so everything man is belongs to God.
What areas of your life lack evidence of a love for God?
Do you consider God in all your motives, thoughts, energies, emotions, etc.?
Do you ask God for direction or do you ask God to bless your current direction?
Is obeying God more important to you than personal goals?
How are you guilty of being ignorant of Scripture and of God's power?
When convicted by what you read do you ignore it or do you ask God to apply it or do you think of someone you know who could use that Scripture?
How are you doing as a citizen of this country?
Are you paying the respect, acting upon your civic duties, and paying what you owe to those in authority?
Could anyone close to you legitimately call you a hypocrite?
Three Revealing Questions (Matthew 22:41-46)
Jesus is both the Son of David and the Son of God.
Why is it important to you that Jesus is not merely the son of David?
What does the fact that Jesus is Lord mean to you?
By definition, Jesus is Lord, but is He just Lord to you or is He your Lord?
Seven Deserved Denunciations (Matthew 23:1-39)
God condemns spiritual hypocrisy.
In which of the seven woes do you see a bit of yourself and what are you going to do to deal with it?
Where do your words and your actions diverge?
Are all of your actions worth following? Why or why not?
Are all of your words worth following? Why or why not?
How are you sporting a superior attitude in relation to other kingdom members?
How might you be elevating a spiritual leader in your mind to a position reserved only for God?
Matthew 21:18 - 22:14
Rejection - Opposition -- But FAITH (Matthew 21:18-22)
Believing in Christ and actions aligned with His will shows true faithfulness.What area in your life seems like a mountain and how can your prayer life better address that mountain?
Rejection - Opposition -- But Belief and Action (Matthew 21:23-32)
We cannot learn new truth if we disobey what God has already told us.
What area in your life have your said "I Don't Know" but need to re-evaluate?
Rejection - Opposition -- Then Judgment (Matthew 21:33-46)
If you reject Jesus as savior then you will face him as judge.
What fruit is coming from your vineyard and what active steps are you taking to have a bumper crop this year?
Rejection - Opposition -- But Clothed in Jesus (Matthew 22:1-14)
Our self-righteousness must be exchanged for Jesus' righteousness.
What clothes will you be wearing to the banquet?
Believing in Christ and actions aligned with His will shows true faithfulness.What area in your life seems like a mountain and how can your prayer life better address that mountain?
Rejection - Opposition -- But Belief and Action (Matthew 21:23-32)
We cannot learn new truth if we disobey what God has already told us.
What area in your life have your said "I Don't Know" but need to re-evaluate?
Rejection - Opposition -- Then Judgment (Matthew 21:33-46)
If you reject Jesus as savior then you will face him as judge.
What fruit is coming from your vineyard and what active steps are you taking to have a bumper crop this year?
Rejection - Opposition -- But Clothed in Jesus (Matthew 22:1-14)
Our self-righteousness must be exchanged for Jesus' righteousness.
What clothes will you be wearing to the banquet?
Matthew 19:23 - 21:17
The Value of Discipleship (Matthew 19:23-20:16)
The Christian reaps rewards in eternity.What attitude of superiority do you need to renounce in relation to others in God's vineyard?
How are you forgetting that none of us deserve God's grace and that He owes us nothing?
What have you had to give up to follow Jesus? And how does it compare to Eternal life?
The Value of Service (Matthew 20:17-34)
God values service, not slothfulness.
How have you been the recipient of a Christian brother serving you?
What has God given you that you can use in service to others?
How are you using your spiritual gifts for others in your church?
Who do you find hard to serve for one reason or other? Will you ask God for the opportunity and ability to obey His mandate?
The Value of the Savior (Matthew 21:1-17)
God values pure motives and obedience.
What do you need cleaned out of your life?
Are you willing to risk asking God to show you what is displeasing in your life?
If He shows you, are you willing to ask Him to remove it?
How is your life making the statement the children made regarding Jesus' ability to save?
The Christian reaps rewards in eternity.What attitude of superiority do you need to renounce in relation to others in God's vineyard?
How are you forgetting that none of us deserve God's grace and that He owes us nothing?
What have you had to give up to follow Jesus? And how does it compare to Eternal life?
The Value of Service (Matthew 20:17-34)
God values service, not slothfulness.
How have you been the recipient of a Christian brother serving you?
What has God given you that you can use in service to others?
How are you using your spiritual gifts for others in your church?
Who do you find hard to serve for one reason or other? Will you ask God for the opportunity and ability to obey His mandate?
The Value of the Savior (Matthew 21:1-17)
God values pure motives and obedience.
What do you need cleaned out of your life?
Are you willing to risk asking God to show you what is displeasing in your life?
If He shows you, are you willing to ask Him to remove it?
How is your life making the statement the children made regarding Jesus' ability to save?
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