Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 8

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                       Week 8 – 1/16/11

Monday – Read Matthew 6:25-34

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

1. What do you understand to be the meaning of the word “anxious”? The meaning of the word is “worry, anxiety” and from its use in context, it seems to imply “worrying to the point of not paying attention to other things.” We have to give thought to these things, but if the thoughts we are having are distracting us from doing other things, the more important things, it becomes wrong.

2. In the context of these verses, what is the general topic of things that we are told not to be anxious about? Our daily needs, food and clothing.

3. What are the two reasons the author says we should not be anxious? Being anxious does not change anything and God promise to take care of His children.

4. What statement does the author say anxiety makes about you, verse 30? You are not keeping your thoughts on the important things of life.

5. Verse 34 adds something else to the list of things we should not be anxious about. What is verse 34 talking about? The things that are going to happen tomorrow.

6. Thought Question – In context, what does being anxious cause us not to do, verse 33? Seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first.

Prayer:  Ask God to help you keep your focus on the things of the kingdom.

Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 6

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                                    Week 6 – 1/2/11

Monday – Read Matthew 5:21-36

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

1. What do you think Jesus was referring to when He said, “You have heard that it was said...” verse 21? What the people would have been taught by the scribes and teachers of the Law concerning the teachings of the Law.

2. In the time of Jesus, where would you find it written “You shall not murder,” and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgment,” verse 21? In the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments.

3. What do you think the statement “...shall be liable to judgment...” was referring to? In the context, it was talking about the punishment prescribed by the Law; the punishment a person would receive for breaking the Law.

4. What do you think Jesus was saying in verse 22? God’s intent in giving the Law that said “You shall not murder” was more than just keeping people from killing one another.

5. In verses 23 thru 25 Jesus gives two reasons you should make peace with your brother. What are those two reasons? To make your offerings acceptable to God and to escape being brought before the courts and charged with wrong actions.

6. Thought Question – What do you think is the primary message of Jesus in verses 21-26?  God had a higher purpose in giving the Law than just keeping people from taking wrong actions against one another. He was giving a standard of punishment from wrong actions, but His desire was for people to love other people.

Prayer:  Pray for a heart that sees people through the eyes of Jesus so you will always treat them like Jesus.

Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 5

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                                            Week 5 – 12/26/10

Monday – Read Matthew 5:21-26

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

1. What do you think Jesus was referring to when He said, “You have heard that it was said...” verse 21?

2. In the time of Jesus, where would you find it written “You shall not murder,” and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgment,” verse 21?

3. What do you think the statement “...shall be liable to judgment...” was referring to?

4. What do you think Jesus was saying in verse 22?

5. In verses 23 thru 25 Jesus gives two reasons you should make peace with your brother. What are those two reasons?

6. Thought Question – What do you think is the primary message of Jesus in verses 21-26?

Prayer:  Ask God to help you always have right relationships with your brothers.

Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 4

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                                                Week 4 – 12/19/10

Monday – Read Mark 6:14-29

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

Apparently John is arrested by Herod in the early part of the ministry of Jesus but is not put to death for some period after his arrest. You will read Matthew’s account of John’s death later in this study but today read Mark’s account to help paint a complete picture of John’s life.

Prayer: Thank God for John the Baptizer and his faithfulness to his calling and pray for a heart like John’s.

Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 3

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                   Week 3 – 12/12/10

Monday – Read John 1:1 thru 5:47

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

The events of the first 5 chapters of the Gospel of John take place after the temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:11) and before  the report of John being arrested (Matthew 4:12). Also read Luke 3:19-20 which contains the report of the arrest of John. These readings will be your study for today.

Prayer: Thank God for John the Baptizer and his faithfulness to his calling and pray for a heart like John’s.

Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 2

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                          Week 2 – 12/5/10

Monday – Read Matthew 1:1-25

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

1. Why do you think Matthew begins this account of the life of Jesus with a listing of His genealogy? This would be of top importance to his audience, Jews, since their scriptures had prophesied the lineage of the Messiah.

2. Of all the names listed in the genealogy of Jesus, which are the ones that would be important to the Jews? Abraham and David.

3. In the genealogical listing, Jacob and Judah have something in common. What do these two individuals have in common? They are not the firstborn son from their fathers, the ones that normally received the birthright blessings from the father. They are in the lineage of the Messiah even though not the firstborn.

4. Since Jesus was not actually from the seed of Joseph, why is he listed in the genealogy? Seed, or descendants for the Jews, is counted to the man, the father. So since Jesus was born a man, to the Jews, he had to have a physical father.

5. What do you understand “betrothed” to mean? Is it the same as someone in our time being engaged? Why or why not? Betrothed is like our being engaged but it had a much stronger legal meaning as noted that even though Joseph was only betrothed to Mary, he was going to “divorce” her, verse 19.

6. Thought Question – Why do you think it was necessary for Jesus to be born of a virgin? That of course was what was prophesied but Jesus was to live as the Son of God, even though He was born a man. He was born of God, not of man.

Prayer: Thank God for Joseph and Mary who lived by faith and followed the commands of God and thus were used to bring the Savior of man into the world.

Daily Devotional: Matthew - Week 1

Daily Study Guide To Help You Grow In The Lord

Gospel of Matthew                                              Week 1 – 11/28/10

Monday – Read Matthew 1:1-25

Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.

1. Why do you think Matthew begins this account of the life of Jesus with a listing of His genealogy?

2. Of all the names listed in the genealogy of Jesus, which are the ones that would be important to the Jews?

3. In the genealogical listing, Jacob and Judah have something in common. What do these two individuals have in common?

4. Since Jesus was not actually from the seed of Joseph, why is he listed in the genealogy?

5. What do you understand “betrothed” to mean? Is it the same as someone in our time being engaged? Why or why not?

6. Thought Question – Why do you think it was necessary for Jesus to be born of a virgin?

Prayer: Thank God for providing a Savior to save you from your sins.