Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 6:25-34

This Tuesday, November 13, we will be having our Matthew bible study. We will be discussing Matthew 6:25-34, though I doubt we will make it through the entire passage. Remember also our new format. Come ready to share what you are learning about God and/or what He has been teaching you. Here are some thoughts/comments/observations to help you prepare for Tuesday night.

1. Verse 25 starts with "for this reason." What is the connection being made between vv 25-34 and vv 19-24?
2. "Worry" is the central theme of this passage. This is evidenced by the fact it is found no less than 6x in this passage (if you are using the NASB you will only count "worry" 5x; this is due to their translating "worry" as "concern" in v. 34). Is Christ prohibiting all "worry"? It would be valuable to look up "worry" in a good bible dictionary and in the concordance.
3. In Matthew 6:29 Solomon is mentioned. Take time now to review the "glory"of Solomon.
4. Another major theme of this passage is the knowledge and sovereignty of God.

Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 6:22-24

Greetings. This Wednesday we will be having our Matthew Bible Study on Matthew 6:22-24. We are in the midst of a section where Jesus uses three metaphors to illustrate the principle of "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." The first metaphor is treasures in heaven versus treasures on earth in Matthew 6:19-21. The second metaphor is the eye and light in Matthew 6:22-23. The third metaphor is two masters in Matthew 6:24. Come ready to discuss these last two metaphors. Here are some comments/thoughts/questions to help you prepare for Wednesday night.

1. The overwhelming theme of this section is wholehearted service to God.
2. What is to be understood about the eye and lamp? What is the point Christ is making by using this metaphor? More specifically, to what does Christ refer when he speaks of "the light within you...."
3. Is Christ condemning rich people or material possession in Matthew 6:24? Why or why not?

Also remember our new format. We will open with prayer requests and then give time for each to share what they are learning and how they are growing more in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:16-18

This Wednesday night, October 10th, we will have our Matthew bible study. Last time we met we wrapped up Matthew 6:5-15. Tomorrow we will be discussing Matthew 6:16-18. This passage gives us instruction upon fasting. As I mentioned Sunday morning, this passage has changed my mind on fasting. I used to believe that fasting was not necessary for NT believers. It is nowhere commanded of us in the NT. However, this passage assumes as a disciple of Jesus Christ you will practice fasting as it says, "when you fast" not "if you fast." It must be observed however that while he expects his disciples to fast, he radically changed the way fasting was to be carried on as well as the relative importance of it. Here are some comments/thoughts/questions to help as you prepare for tomorrow night:

1. What is fasting? Is it ascetic or spiritual?
2. Grab a bible dictionary off your shelf and look up "fasting" in it. It is well worth your time. Or if you have a bible concordance handy, look up all the references to fasting. Then, catalogue why the people fasted. My conclusion from doing this is fasts were generally in response to calamities and to demonstrate humility and repentance.
3. Matthew 9:14-17 is an important cross-reference to study
4. The weight of textual evidence is against the inclusion of references to fasting in Mt. 17:21; Mk. 9:29; Acts 10:30; 1 Cor. 7:5, though the presence of these references in many manuscripts in itself indicates that there was a growing belief in the value of fasting in the early church.

I will see you Wednesday night!

Matthew 6:5-15: Part Three

This Wednesday, September 26, we will be having our Matthew bible study. Come ready to discuss Matthew 6:11-15. Last week we discussed Matthew 6:9-10, the first half of the "Disciple's Prayer." Here are some thoughts, comments, observations, questions to help you prepare for Wednesday.

1. Last week we divided Matthew 6:9-15 into two units. The first unit is Matthew 6:9-10. This unit is concerned with the glory of God. The second unit is Matthew 6:11-15. This unit is concerned with the disciple's needs and his relationship with other persons.
2. What is the significance of the word "daily" in verse 11?
3. To what does "bread" refer in verse 11?
4. When reading verse 12, read vv 14 -15 with it, as they are both teaching the same idea.
5. "and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" at first strikes us as a very strange request. Why should we have to ask God not to lead us into temptation? Isn't that something we can take for granted? What are we to make of such a petition? To help you on your way, may I suggest to you that this is a litotes.

See you Wednesday!

Matthew 6:5-15: Part Two

This Wednesday, September 19th, we will be having our Matthew bible study. Please come ready to discuss Matthew 6:9-10. Jesus, in Matthew 6:5-8, taught us how not to pray. We are not to pray as the hypocrite or as the babbling pagan. Now in Matthew 6:9-15 Christ will teach us how to pray. Matthew 6:9 begins with, "this, then, is how you should pray." Here are some thoughts/comments/observations/questions to help you prepare for this Wednesday.

1. This is a model prayer. It is a guide or pattern for the disciples to use. It is not a prayer that we are to repeat word for word. We would then be guilty of what Christ has forbidden in the preceding verses. “This does not mean that the Lord’s prayer may not usefully and meaningfully be used exactly as it is enunciated, but it points us to the truth that Jesus is giving us a model that may be employed in fashioning other prayers” (Morris, Matthew, 143).
2. Many refer to this passage as the “Lord’s Prayer.” It is not the “Lord’s Prayer,” it is the “Disciple’s Prayer.” If we were to give any prayer in Scripture the title “Lord’s Prayer” it would be John 17.
3. Notice again it is assumed that as a disciple of Jesus Christ you will be regularly committing yourself to the practice of prayer.
4. What is the significance of Jesus telling us to address God with "Our Father in heaven?" More specifically, how do "Father" and "heaven" relate to each other? What do they teach us about God?
5. What does "hallowed" mean? How do we participate in this?

While we are on the subject of prayer, may I strongly recommend these books on prayer – “Teach us to Pray” by DA Carson and “The God Who Hears” by W.B. Hunter.

God Bless and see you Wednesday!

Matthew 6:5-15: Part One

This Wednesday, September 12, we will be begin our study of Matthew 6:5-15. Come prepared to discuss Matthew 6:5-8. Last week we discussed the importance of having a pure motive in our acts of righteousness (Matthew 6:1), specifically as it relates to our giving. That pure motive is one that has God's glory at its center. We must not commit acts of righteousness to be seen by others. This week we will continue with that theme as it applies to our prayer. Here are some thoughts/comments/observations to help you as you prepare for Wednesday.

1. Each of the discourses on giving, prayer, and fasting follow the same essential pattern. The pattern is as follows: 1. Warning concerning motive 2. Reward for false motive 3. Secret actions with a pure motive 4. God sees. Notice however Jesus discourse on prayer breaks this pattern with an extended discussion.
2. Notice the text does not begin with "if you pray" but it says "when you pray." It is assumed that as a disciple of Jesus Christ you will be praying.
3. What does it mean to "babble like a pagan?"
4. Why do we pray to God if he already knows what we need before we ask him?

See you Wednesday!

Matthew 6:1-4

This Wednesday, September 5, we will be studying Matthew 6:1-4. As always, come prepared with observations. Take the time to read all of chapter six to get the context. Here are some comments/thoughts/observations to help as you prepare.

1. Compare Matthew 6:1 with Matthew 5:16. Is Jesus contradicting himself? What are we to make of these seemingly contradictory statements?
2. Compare Matthew 6:1 with Matthew 23:1-12.
3. What is the "reward" that Christ refers to in Matthew 6:2?

See you this Wednesday!

Andrew