Welcome to the Gospel of Matthew!
July 15, 2009
1. When was Matthew written?
2. To whom was it written?
3. What is its primary purpose or message?
4. Who wrote it?
Read Matthew 1:1-17
5. Why were all these names recorded?
6. Why would Matthew want to include “son of David and son of Abraham?”
7. Did you notice the adultery and harlotry and murder in this linage?
8. What does this mean?
9. Did you notice it all starts with women who are barren?
10. What does this mean?
11. Matthew doesn’t say Joseph was the father of Jesus. What does this mean?
12. There are 28 generations. What does this mean?
13. God’s people spent 400 years in exile. What does this mean?
14. Pray hard and hold on! What does that mean?
Motley Crew Matthew Study
July 22, 2009
Let’s read Matthew 1:18-24
1. What did “pledged to be married” mean to this couple and this community?
2. So what was left to make the marriage official?
3. Does anybody else besides me feel uneasy about how badly we have altered God’s plan for marriage?
4. What does Matthew mean that Joseph did not want to expose her to public disgrace?
5. What is the significance of being with child through the Holy Spirit?
6. What do we really know about Joseph?
7. True or False Jesus (’Iesou) is the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua (Jehosuah) which means the Lord saves.
8. To what is verse 22 and 23 referring?
9. The word “fulfill” is used 12 times in Matthew. What does this mean?
10. How did Matthew know about these dreams?
11. What do you think about verse 24?
12. Did Mary remain a virgin forever?
13. There Bible critics today who would deny the virgin birth of Jesus. Some would say this places them outside the boundaries of Christianity. What do you think?
Motley Crew ideas for July 29
Thanks Gene!
Chapter 2 in Lenski is very good. Notice where I have one check and especially where I checked something twice in the margin…
I will simply point out what I would draw to their attention and you can formulate questions from there.
1. Page 57 – Jesus was adored by the Gentiles as the King of the Jews and the “king” of the Jews tried to murder Him…
2. Page 58 – What were the magi? Why would they travel so far? How far did they travel? How would Gentiles know about the Jewish Messiah?
3. Page 60-61&68 – How could a star lead them?
4. Page 61 – Why would Herod be so troubled?
5. Page 70-71 – What were the gifts and what did they signify?
6. Page 74 – Do you think Joseph is getting good at listening to angels?
7. Page 76 – How does Hosea 11:1 apply to the return from Egypt?
8. Page 81 – How many baby boys do we believe were in Bethlehem at this point? Who are the first Christian martyrs?
9. Page 88 – 89 – Verse 23 has another fulfilled - what is important about Jesus being from Nazareth?
Motley Crew
August 5, 2009
Matthew 3
Read verses 1-17
1. Why do you think Matthew would jump from a baby Jesus to John the Baptist and a baptized Jesus?
2. What kind of repentance is John preaching?
3. Why was John sent to preach in the desert?
(By the way – I wonder where John would be sent if he were sent to our nation today?)
4. What are some possible messages in regards to John’s dress and diet?
5. What do you think about locusts on the menu of your favorite restaurant?
6. According to what we have read so far did John dip them or dunk them or sprinkle them in the Jordan River?
7. Why would Matthew throw in “unquenchable fire?”
8. Why do you think the Pharisees and Sadducees would make an appearance?
9. Is there any record of Jesus and John meeting before this?
10. Why was Jesus baptized?
11. Can you find the Trinity in these verses?
12. Did John see all of this or was it just for Jesus’ eye?
13. According to what we have read did Jesus go up from “out” of the water or from “under” the water?
Motley Crew in Matthew
August 12, 2009
Matthew 4:1-11
1. Can you remember another time when Satan tried to trick someone with smooth and slick ideas?
2. What made the difference?
3. Did the devil give up on Jesus after this?
4. What does that mean for us?
5. What does Ephesians 6:16 teach us?
Matthew 4:12-25
6. How is Jesus and John’s message similar?
7. How do the Gospel writers differ and agree on their recording of the calling of the apostles?
8. What does it take to be a follower of Jesus?
9. Did John the Baptist do any miracles that are recorded?
10. How do we know that demon possession is real?
Motley Crew
August 19, 2009
Matthew 5:1-12
1. What does Jesus mean by “blessed?” Are you?
2. What does Jesus mean by “poor in Spirit?” Are you?
3. Can you remember a time when you were comforted during mourning?
4. Ya’ll know I love it when the Old Testament and the New Testament clearly compliment each other - so see if Psalm 37:11 sounds familiar.
5. How did Jesus - in His human - nature know the Psalms?
6. What kind of peacemaker should we be?
7. Who is signing up for insults and persecution?
Verses 13-16
8. “Loses its saltiness” = morantha = tainted, or to play the fool or to become foolish. Maybe Jesus was thinking a little more than just losing a little saltiness…
9. How is your light bulb?
10. Here is one way to check - how many of your neighbors do you know and what are there prayer needs?
Verses 17-20
11. What does Jesus mean when He says, “I tell you the truth?”
12. What does this say to people who thought the Scribes the Pharisees were spiritual giants?
13. What does this say to people who knew the Scribes and Pharisees were a bunch of pompous, arrogant, selfish, greedy, hypocrites?
Motley Crew Time!
August 26, 2009
Matthew 5:21-26
1. What is the fifth commandment?
2. What’s the difference in “don’t murder” and “don’t kill?”
3. Is hell a real place? Check out Matthew 5:29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15; 23:33
4. What does Jesus look at when we come to worship?
5. Did Jesus really mean to leave you gift and go be reconciled with your brother?
Matthew 5:27-30
6. Is Jesus teaching self-mutilation?
7. Are women off the hook?
8. What is the 6th Commandment?
9. How does God feel about homosexuality?
Matthew 5:31-32
10. Why the exception?