Motley Crew – November 18, 2009
No Class Next Week
Happy Thanksgiving!
Read Matthew 8:14-17
1. Have you ever thought about the apostles being married?
2. I find it intriguing
that the first pope was married. Have you heard any explanations to
this oxymoron of a married pope?
3. What was Jesus'
primary way of healing? See Matthew 8:8, 16
4. What does this say
about the recorded Words of Jesus we have before us today? See John
1:1, Romans 1:16, and Hebrews 4:12.
5. What Word are you
memorizing this week? Better go buy some canned goods!
Note:
The following doesn't count:
John
11:35 (“Jesus wept.”)
Read Matthew 8:18-22
6. Jesus already had a
crowd – why would He want to go to the other side of the lake?
7. What does this tell
us about Jesus?
8. What does Jesus mean
by the designation “Son of Man?”
9. Did this teacher of
the law follow Jesus?
10. Why would Jesus
speak so harshly to a disciple?
11. Did the disciple
mentioned in verse 21 follow Jesus?
12. What would you have
done?
Read Matthew 8:23-27
13. How could Jesus
sleep in a furious storm?
14. Why would fishermen
ask a carpenter to save them?
15. Why did they have
so little faith? Why do we?
16. What kind of a man is this?
Motley Crew – November 18, 2009
No Class Next Week
Happy Thanksgiving!
Some Answers
Read Matthew 8:14-17
Matthew 8:14-17 (New International Version)
Jesus Heals Many
14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
16 When
evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and
he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This
was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
"He
took up our infirmities
and
carried our diseases."[a]
Footnotes:
Matthew 8:17 Isaiah 53:4
1. Have you ever
thought about the apostles being married?
It seems very
appropriate to me. They were regular men with regular jobs and with
regular wi, … I mean, very special wives!
Concerning
celibacy, St. Paul wrote “I
wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from
God; one has this gift, another has that.” (1 Cor. 7:7)
2. I find it intriguing
that the first pope was married. Have you heard any explanations to
this oxymoron of a married pope?
I haven't.
One
of our members pointed out that the Catholic Church had a married
clergy until 1074 when Pope Gregory VII ordered the largest mass
divorce in history: the clergy of the Catholic Church.
3. What was Jesus'
primary way of healing? See Matthew 8:8, 16
Matthew 8:8 (New
International Version)
The
centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come
under my roof. But just say
the word,
and my servant will be healed.
Matthew 8:16 (New
International Version)
When
evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and
he drove out the spirits with
a word
and healed all the sick.
Matthew 8:26 (New
International Version)
He
replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then
he got up and rebuked
the winds
and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 8:32 (New
International Version)
He
said to them, "Go!"
So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed
down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.
He spoke the Word.
“Sometimes
he healed by a Word, as the centurion's servant; and sometimes by a
touch, as here [Peter's mother-in-law]; and sometimes by both, as the
leper.”
John
Gill's Exposition of the Bible.
4. What does this say
about the recorded Words of Jesus we have before us today? See John
1:1, Romans 1:16, and Hebrews 4:12.
John
1:1 - The Word Became Flesh
In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God.
Romans 1:16 (New
International Version)
I
am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the
power
of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then
for the Gentile.
Hebrews 4:12 (New
International Version)
For
the word of God is living
and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing
soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart.
The Word of powerful
and authoritative.
Pastor Eddie pointed
out that the Greek word for “power” in Romans 1:16 is
δγναμις, that
is dynamis from which we get the word dynamic and
dynamite.
5. What Word are you
memorizing this week? Better go buy some canned goods!
Note:
The following doesn't count:
John
11:35 (“Jesus wept.”)
Pastor Eddie is working on Colossians 4:5 and Daniel 3:17
Colossians 4:5 (New
International Version)
Be
wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every
opportunity.
Daniel 3:17 (New
International Version)
If
we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to
save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.
Read Matthew 8:18-22
Matthew 8:18-22 (New International Version)
The Cost of Following Jesus
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
22 But
Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own
dead."
6. Jesus already had a
crowd – why would He want to go to the other side of the lake?
Either he was tired or
he was a missionary – probably both.
Maybe
the fishing was better on the other side of the lake …"Come,
follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19)
7. What does this tell
us about Jesus?
He was a true man –
He was true God – He had a missionary's heart.
His
missionary need was on-going,
and there were others that need to be saved.
“Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them
to obey everything I have commanded you.
And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20
8. What does Jesus mean
by the designation “Son of Man?”
Jesus is quoting Daniel
7:13 with the meaning of universality. In other words, the Son of Man
rules all people – all nations. By this new title –
because Jesus was the first one to call Himself by this title –
he denationalized His Messiahship and lifted it above the narrow view
of the Jewish people! Now Jesus is saying He is the redeemer of all
men! Thank-you Jesus!
Daniel 7:13-14 (New
International Version)
"In
my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son
of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient
of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory
and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language
worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not
pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
The
Lutheran
Study Bible
(2009) indicates that “This vision describes the commissioning
of the Christ as our Lord and Saviour” (p. 1410).The editors
also note that “[it] indicates that though Jesus is fully man,
He is much more. As a messianic title, it combines the ideas of a
servant who will suffer and die for all people and the exalted Son of
Man, whose reign is everlasting.” (p. 2098)
One
of our group noted that the expression “Son of Man” was
used only by Jesus 81 times in the Gospels. This is the first
occurrence.
9. Did this teacher of
the law follow Jesus?
The Bible doesn't say.
I don't think so because the old traditions are so strong.
He is described as “the
rash disciple;” one who, moved with emotion, has made an
impulsive offer to follow. Christ does not reject the offer, but in
verse 20 is counseling him to consider the consequences of his
action. “... He
rejects not this man's offer, nor refuses him the liberty to follow
Him. Only He will have him know what he is doing, and "count the
cost." He will have him weigh well the real nature and the
strength of his attachment, whether it be such as will abide in the
day of trial.”
Jamieson,
Faussett, Brown.
10. Why would Jesus
speak so harshly to a disciple (in verse 21)?
Jesus was simply
pointing out that there was nothing his disciple could do for the
soul of his father. Luke helps us a little in Luke 9:60: “Go
and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” Which is more important than
anything else?
Luke
9:60 (New International Version)
Jesus
said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and
proclaim the kingdom of God."
The second man is described as “The Procrastinating Disciple”: “the kingdom of God lies now all neglected and needy: ... thou art [called to preach the Kingdom]: The Lord therefore hath need of thee: Leave, then, those claims of nature, high though they be, to those who are dead to the still higher claims of the kingdom of grace, which God is now erecting upon earth – Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” Jamieson, Faussett, Brown.
Luke 10:2 - "He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.' "
Several possible interpretations [of verse
22]; one frequent interpretation is that
this is a
figurative reference meaning, “Let the spiritually dead bury
the physically dead.” The
NET Bible.
Also in John
Gill's Exposition of the Bible.
11. Did the disciple
mentioned in verse 21 follow Jesus?
The Bible doesn't say.
I have spent my entire life thinking neither of these men followed
Jesus. But one of my confirmation kids this year pointed out that
maybe this disciple did. Compare verses 21 and 23.
21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." ...
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
Note that verse 23 says “and his disciples” and not “all
of his disciples except one.”
12. What would you have
done?
I hope I would have
tried.
Read Matthew 8:23-27
Matthew 8:23-27 (New International Version)
Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The
men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the
winds and the waves obey him!"
13. How could Jesus
sleep in a furious storm?
He probably was tired –
but He is after all the Prince of Peace.
1.
He was tired.
2. He knew that when the storm arose, He could save
them by “rebuking” the winds and waves.
14. Why would fishermen
ask a carpenter to save them?
They were starting to
recognize His power. They were yet to recognize they had it, too.
15. Why did they have
so little faith? Why do we?
The storms are so big.
And
I am so small.
“Faith
they had, for they applied to Christ for relief: but little, for
they were afraid, though Christ was in the ship. Faith dispels fear,
but only in proportion to its strength.”
Jamieson,
Faussett, Brown.
16. What kind of a man
is this?
Even the winds and the
waves obey Him. He is truly the Son of God and the Son of Man. God
grant we obey Him, too.
Again,
we see the action of His Word alone. Recalling the Centurion: "Lord,
I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
But
just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
Again:
No
Class Next Week
Happy Thanksgiving!