September 28: Matthew 11-13 1. In 11:20-24, Jesus announces judgement on the cities which had the greatest exposure to Him, but refused to believe in Him. What kind of spiritual privileges do you enjoy? Are you faithfully taking advantage of these amazing opportunities or squandering them?
2. Take a look at 11:25-30. Did you notice how Jesus affirms both divine sovereignty (God saves whomever He chooses) and human responsibility (everyone has the opportunity to make a choice)? What does it mean to “rest” in Christ?
3. Jesus uses parables in chapter 13 to reveal truth to the believing and obscure it to the skeptical. A parable is a physical illustration of spiritual truth.
September 29: Matthew 14-16 1. How do the disciples initially react to the storm in 14:31? How do the disciples react when Jesus calms the storm in 14:33? What’s your attitude toward Jesus?
2. In ch. 15:1-9, Jesus denounces man-made traditions that get elevated to the level of divine commands. What are some examples of this happening in your life and church?
3. What’s the foundational confession of the Christian faith, according to Matthew 16:16? What’s central call of Christian living in Matthew 16:24-26? What does this mean?
September 30: Matthew 17-19 1. Matthew 18:15-20 lays out the process of restoration for estranged brothers (and sisters) in Christ. Who in your life do you need reach out to (18:15)? What should you do if you’ve been deeply and repeatedly wronged (18:22-35)?
2. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to keep the commandments to get eternal life (19:17-19). Is Jesus teaching works salvation? Why or why not? If not, what is Jesus doing?
October 1: Matthew 20-22 1. What seems to be the main lesson from Jesus’ parable in 20:1-16?
2. In Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus tells a parable about two sons. Which son do you identify with? In what ways do you find yourself “saying” but not “doing?”
October 2: Matthew 23-25 1. In Matthew 23, Jesus exposes the Pharisees and condemns them through eight “woe” declarations. Which of these rebukes hits home in your own life? 2. Matthew 24-25 records the Olivet Discourse, Jesus’ teaching about the future. What is the practical application for us, 24:42?
October 3: Matthew 26-28 1. Chapters 26-28 form the climax to the book of Matthew: Jesus is betrayed, condemned, crucified, buried, and then He rises from the dead, victorious.
2. In this story, Judas emerges as one of the greatest villains of all time. Why wasn’t his remorse (the meaning of the Greek word is “remorse,” though the KJV renders it “repent”) enough (27:3-5)? How is remorse different than repentance?
3. In 28:18-20, Jesus leaves His disciples with marching orders: make disciples of all nations. How are you going about obeying this Great Commission? What does it mean to “make disciples” (translated “teach” in the KJV)?
Introduction to Mark:
Author: Although Mark was not one of the Twelve Apostles, he enjoyed a long relationship with the Apostle Peter (I Peter 5:13) and likely wrote this book while with Peter in Rome, just prior to the persecution unleashed by Nero. Mark appears in the book Acts, going by his first name, “John.” Apparently, his family was of some means, owning a house large enough for the church to meet in (Acts 12:12; note the early connection with Peter). A cousin or nephew of Barnabas, he accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, before quitting in Perga and going home (Acts 13:13). This defection destroyed the partnership between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:38-40) when Barnabas argued for the inclusion of Mark on their second journey.
Years later, Mark eventually regained Paul’s trust, becoming a close companion of Paul (Col. 4:10; Philemon 24; 2 Tim. 4:11). It does not seem impossible to surmise that Peter’s faithful mentorship served to restore Mark and make him useful for ministry. Peter would, after all, well understand the dynamics of failure and restoration.
Background: If Mark indeed was a companion of Peter in Rome (code-named “Babylon” in I Peter 5:13), then it would make sense that his gospel is aimed at a Roman audience. Several clues within the gospel itself point in this direction. For example, Mark translates Aramaic terms for his readers, uses Latin terms instead of Greek ones, follows the Roman time-keeping system, and generally avoids discussing Jewish customs and Scriptures without explanation.
Theme/Message: Mark’s point is to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (1:1), a reality that is declared positively and explicitly only by God the Father (1:11) and a Roman Centurion (15:39). The latter is quite significant, considering the fact that Mark’s audience is Roman. Throughout the book, Mark portrays Jesus as the Suffering Servant (10:45; cf. Isaiah 53), emphasizing the deeds and miracles of Jesus more than the teachings of Jesus, a reality that would be important to action-oriented Romans. At the heart of the gospel is Jesus’ three-fold prediction of His coming death and resurrection (ch. 8-10).
Outline: I. Jesus as Servant (1-10). A. Introduction in the Wilderness (1:1-13). B. Ministry in Galilee (1:14-6:29). C. Withdrawal from Galilee (6:30-8:21). D. Journey to Jerusalem (8:22-10:52). II. Jesus as Suffering Servant (11-16). A. Conflict over the Temple (11-13). B. Death & Resurrection (14-16).
October 4: Mark 1-3 1. In Mark 1, Jesus silences a demon (1:25), walks away from popularity (1:35-38), and tells a healed leper to not talk about it (1:43-45). Why do you think Jesus tells people to be quiet about who He was and what He’d done for them?
2. 2:1-3:6 presents a series of controversies between Jesus and the religious leaders. What is it that they don’t like about Jesus? How does Jesus respond to the controversy, 3:7?
3. How do people respond to Jesus’ ministry in 3:13-35? Compare and contrast the disciples (3:13-19), his family (3:20-21), and the scribes (3:22-30). Which group do you fall in with?