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.
Tuesday – Read Matthew 7:1-6
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
7. What do you understand the admonition “Judge not that you be not judged” to mean? The judgment under consideration seems to be an unrighteous judgment.
8. What does verse 2 teach you about judgment? God is going to look at how you judge others and judge you with that standard. If you are merciful in your judgments of others, God will be merciful in His judgment of you.
9. Does verse 3 say you cannot point out to others things that are wrong in their life until you get everything in your life in order? Why or why not? No, it teaches we should not try to hide our own faults by judging others.
10. What basic principle do these verses teach about the actions of men and judging others? Often men judge others, make judgments about others to avoid looking at their own faults and struggles. They take the attention off of self and try to focus it on others so others will not see their faults.
11. Thought Question – If these verses say you are never to judge anyone, how then do you follow the admonition of verse 6? This verse shows that the intent of these verses is not to tell you not to judge others; rather it speaks of your attitude as you judge others. You have to make some judgment of others to follow the admonition of this verse, but your always need to offer mercy, not judgment to others.
Prayer: Ask God to help you not to try to hide your faults and shortcomings by pointing at the faults of others.
Wednesday – Read Matthew 7:7-10
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
12. What do you understand these verses about asking God for things to be teaching? Verse 11 says if you ask God for “good things,” it will be given to you.
13. How do you know these verses are not teaching you can ask God for anything you want and it will be given to you? Because God only gives the “good” things to His children and sometimes we ask for things that are not really good for us.
14. What is the point of verses 9 thru 11? If man is capable of giving good things to others, how much more is God capable of giving good things since all of His actions are guided by good motives.
15. Thought Question – What is our general problem when we are asking God for things? We often struggle with our thinking, asking for things that appear good for us but won’t help us do the will of God.
Prayer: Thank God for all the good things He has given you.
Thursday – Read Matthew 7:12-20
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
16. What do you think the statement “for this is the Law and the Prophets,” verse 12, means? This was the basic teaching of what was written in the Law and by the Prophets.
17. Why do you think God made the way of righteousness narrow? Even though God wants all men to be saved, He wants them to seek His ways, not just happen into it without it really being the desire of their heart.
18. In the New Testament, who generally were the false prophets? In the time of Jesus, they were Jews, those who proclaimed to be in a relationship with God and after the time of Jesus they were usually brethren, people who had obeyed the Gospel.
19. Why do false prophets disguise themselves with sheep’s clothing? To make themselves attractive to those they are trying to reach. Sheep are not attracted to wolves.
20. What does verses 17-20 teach you about accepting the teaching of others? Take some time and observe the fruit of their life before you accept their teaching.
21. Thought Question – What is the primary reason that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us? Because then we would be acting like God.
Prayer: Ask God to help you always do good unto others.
Friday – Read Matthew 7:21-29
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
22. What do you think the statement “...says unto Me, “Lord, Lord,” verse 21, means? It is speaking of people who do acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
23. What do verses 22 and 23 teach you is going to happen at judgment? Some people who thought they were right with the Lord because of their actions are going to be disappointed.
24. What does verse 23 teach you about some of the people who are going to be surprised at judgment? They believed they were right with God because they were doing good things.
25. What do verses 24 thru 27 teach you about having a relationship with Christ? The Lord will protect and keep those who truly trust Him.
26. Thought Question – What do you think verse 29, “for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes,” means? The scribes always quoted someone else as their authority. Jesus did not do that.
Prayer: Ask God to help you to always examine your relationship with Him from the status of your heart, not just your actions.
Saturday – Read Matthew 8:1-17
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared from you during your study.
27. What do you think the statement of the leper, verse 2, is saying about the leper? He recognized that Jesus was the Messiah and had the power to heal him.
28. Since Jesus healed the leper, why did he need to go show himself to the priest, verse 4? Only the priest had the authority to pronounce anyone clean and reintroduce them into society.
29. What were centurions and why was this man’s approaching Jesus so unusual? They were commanders of a hundred or more men in the Roman army. Since he was a Gentile, it would be unusual to acknowledge that any Jew had the power he believed Jesus had.
30. Why did the centurion not want Jesus to come to his house, verse 8? He did not think he was worthy to have the one who he recognized to have such power, take His time to come to his house.
31. Why does Jesus commend the actions of this centurion? Because of his faith. He asked on the basis of faith in who Jesus was, not because he believed he deserved anything from Jesus.
32. What do you think Jesus meant when He spoke of reclining at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? This was the Jew’s concept of what it would be like in eternity, dining with the patriarchs.
33. Thought Question – What do you think verses 10 thru 12 means? Many Jews who believed they were in a right relationship with God were going to be disappointed at judgment and many who were not Jews, not God’s chosen people, were going to be accepted for eternity.
Prayer: Ask God to help you always remember you are not worthy of His blessings, but He gives them to you because of His mercy.
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