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Matthew 18: a Humble King Gives Instructions to His Church

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Matthew 18: a Humble King Gives Instructions to His Church “The one thing I ask of the Lord - the thing I seek most - is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES DAY 1: Humility Welcomes Matthew 18: A Humble King Gives Instructions To His Church We live in a world that measures success and greatness by getting ahead, climbing the corporate ladder, having wealth and many possessions and displaying that for all to see. It is a society marked by and large by aggression, self-promotion, and looking out for yourself. When it comes to relationships with other people, often it is who you know and how those people can help you. And when we are at the center, everyone else is on the fringe. The world’s climb to the top, often steps on others to get there. Warren Wiersbe said this, “By nature, all of us are rebels who want to be celebrities instead of servants. It takes a great deal of teaching for us to learn the lessons of humil- ity.” Is this a world you have bought into? Jesus offers so much more. He offers eternal life. He offers peace, love, grace, joy, forgiveness, strength and more. At the heart of it all is humility. It is a word not often used in our culture and among the unbelieving world, but a word precious to God’s heart. A word essential in His kingdom. A word that cannot remain a word, but must be put into action in each of our lives permeating our choice, our goals and our relationships. In this chapter of Matthew, we are going to God’s heart regarding humility. We begin as the disciples learn to grasp this very piece of God’s nature. May humility no longer be a word associated with weakness, but associated with greatness! R RECEIVING God’s Word Open in Prayer Read Matthew 18:1-35 Today’s Scripture Focus: Matthew 18:1-5: Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48 E EXPERIENCING God’s Word 1. In verse 1, what question do the disciples ask Jesus? 2. Read this same account in Mark and Luke. What was happening that led to the disciples asking this question? Where was the disciples’ focus? Where should it have been? (Matthew 18:5 will also help you with this answer) © Calvary Chapel Chester Springs Matthew • Chapter 18 • Day 1 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES 3. Luke records a beautiful truth regarding Jesus Christ. What is that truth as we see it in Luke 9:47. How does this speak to your heart today? 4. In verse 2 & 3, we see Jesus call a child to come to Himself, set the child “in the midst” of the disciples, and then use the child as a powerful example. He certainly could have used Himself as an example, but He didn’t. How does Jesus use this child as an example to answer the disciples question? How does this point to the nature of Jesus? 5. Look up the word convert in a dictionary and write the definition. This would have rocked the disciples thinking in that moment. There probably was a collision between what they had been taught for so many years and now, something new to grasp. Children were regarded in that day more as property than as individuals. Society said that children were to be seen and not heard. It has been said that in Jewish society, a child was a person of no importance and was subject to the authority of his elders. A child was a responsibility and by no means someone to esteem, but yet, Jesus calls this child to Himself and brings him into the inner circle of His beloved disciples taking them deeper to His heart. a. What was Jesus saying to His disciples by using the word “convert” in His response? Note: NIV uses the word “change.” What did the disciples need to do with their thinking? © Calvary Chapel Chester Springs Matthew • Chapter 18 • Day 1 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES 6. According to verse 4, how is greatness in God’s Kingdom measured? 7. Look up the word humble in the dictionary and write the definition. 8. Why is humility essential for God’s children? What is the opposite of humility? How does this stunt a believers growth? 9. Look closely at verse 5. How are you to receive other people, especially children? Who then are we ultimately receiving? Summarize what this means. A ACTING on God’s Word We just learned the value and importance that Jesus places on humility. It isn’t just some- thing needed to be great in God’s kingdom, but essential to even enter God’s eternal king- dom. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “if My people who are called by my name will humble them- selves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” How do you humble yourself before God daily? How do you humble yourself before others? © Calvary Chapel Chester Springs Matthew • Chapter 18 • Day 1 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES Before today’s lesson, how did you view humility? How has God changed your thinking through what you learned today in God’s Word? Who is God calling you to “receive” with humility today? D DELIGHTING in God’s Word Psalm 149:4 says, “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” The Lord takes pleasure in You as His precious child. Praise God that as we humble ourselves under His mighty hand, not only does He lift us up, but He makes us beautiful and gives us His precious gift of life eternal. Close in Prayer NOTES © Calvary Chapel Chester Springs Matthew • Chapter 18 • Day 1 “The one thing I ask of the Lord - the thing I seek most - is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES DAY 2: Humility Examines Matthew 18: A Humble King Gives Instructions To His Church Yesterday we looked at receiving or welcoming a child of God, today we are looking at causing that child of God to sin. Jesus doesn’t mince words regarding this offense. Oh girls, when we offend God’s children and cause them to stumble or sin, we are offending God! Once again, the humble heart is necessary in dealing both with offenses in us as well as those who bring offenses against us. How much better it is to examine ourselves before God and allow Him to cut to our hearts and remove the sin. We only have a few verses to cover today, but these verses are packed with truths that our hearts need to hear regarding relationships. R RECEIVING God’s Word Open in Prayer Read Matthew 18:1-35 Today’s Scripture Focus: Matthew 18:6-9 E EXPERIENCING God’s Word 1. We move from receiving God’s children in verse 5 to causing them to sin in verse 6. What does it mean to “offend” or cause someone to sin? How do we do this? Give an example. a. A millstone was a large stone used to grind grain. They often weighed well over 100lbs. With this in mind, what point was Jesus making in verse 6? © Calvary Chapel Chester Springs Matthew • Chapter 18 • Day 2 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES b. When you see the word “Woe” in God’s Word, we are to sit up and take notice! In verses 6-7, what is Jesus saying to the world? What is He saying to believers? We see two woes in verse 7. The first woe is a cry of pity for a world in danger of offenses. The second woe is a warning to the one who brings or introduces evil to others. D. Guzik 2. When we offend a child of God’s in anyway, or cause them to stumble in sin, who are we actually offending? How does this understanding cause you to examine your role in the relationships that God has brought you into? 3. Read verses 7-9, when we bring about an offense either to ourselves or others, as a believer or unbeliever, we are G__________ before God. 4. In verses 8 & 9, Jesus is not talking in literal terms. What is Jesus saying regarding offenses in these verses and our response? 5. In verse 9 we see a major contrast by the use of two words. What is the contrast? What is the point being made? © Calvary Chapel Chester Springs Matthew • Chapter 18 • Day 2 DELIGHTING in the LORD BIBLE STUDY SERIES 6. Read Matthew 15:18-19. What is the source of our offenses? How does this tie into humility and pride and all we learned in these verses? A ACTING on God’s Word We know that offenses will come in relationships. Some relationships are riddled with them, and others, the offenses come and go, hopefully with healing and reconciliation. Pride is often at the center of these offenses. What does pride say regarding another person? How does pride often cause offenses? Where there is pride, spiritual surgery is necessary! The pride must be cut out and replaced with humility.
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