Matthew 9 Bible Study 11/9/21

Matthew 9 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. TO TRUST JESUS MORE

2. TO OBEY JESUS MORE 

LEARNING QUESTIONS

1. WHAT IS GOD REVEALING ABOUT WHO HE IS?

2. WHAT AM I LEARNING ABOUT MYSELF?

3. HOW WILL I APPLY WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? 

SUMMARIZE

Section Title:____________________________   

1. Jesus goes to his hometown(1)

2. Jesus forgives the sins of a paralytic man(2)

3. Jesus confronts the scribes who accuse Him of blasphemy(3-4)

4. Jesus demonstrates authority over sin and the effects of sin(5-6)

5. The paralytic man is healed and the crowd glorifies God(7-8)

Section Title:____________________________

6.Jesus calls Matthew to be his disciple(9)

7. The Pharisees show ask Jesus' disciples why he is socializing with tax collectors and sinners(10-11)

8. Jesus reveals his purpose(12)

9. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees(13)

Section Title:____________________________

10. John the Baptizer's disciples ask Jesus why He and his disciples don't fast(14)

11. Jesus tells a parable foreshadowing his role as kinsman redeemer and his coming departure(15)

12. Jesus tells a parable about the need to have a transformation of thinking(16-17)

Section Title:____________________________

13. Jesus departs with a synagogue official that asks Jesus to heal his recently deceased daughter.(18-19)

14. By faith a woman is healed when she touches the edge of Jesus cloak(20-21)

15. Jesus affirms the woman's faith and confirms her healing.(22)

16. The household of the official think Jesus is crazy to say that the girl is only asleep and not dead(23-24)

17.  Jesus brings the girl back to life and cause people to talk about what Jesus had done(25-26)

18. Jesus heals two blind men who had faith that Jesus could give them sight.(28-31)

19. The crowds are amazed when frees a mute man of demon possession and restores his ability to speak.(32-33)

20. The Pharisees try to undermine Jesus authority by saying he is an agent of the devil(34)

Section Title:____________________________

21. Jesus goes throughout Judea proclaiming the gospel and healing because of his compassion for the distressed and dispirited(35-36)

22. Jesus tells his disciples to pray that God send more workers because there are too few for so great a harvest.(37-38) 

REFLECTION

Key Point(s):____________________________(Mt 9:1-8)

1. Jesus has authority to forgive sins

2. Jesus is God

3. God is worthy of our praise/reverence

What do I learn about God?__________________________________

What am I learning about myself?____________________________

How does this apply to me?_________________________________

1. Where was Jesus coming from in chapter 8? Why is it significant to mention that Jesus came to "his own city?"(v1)

One of the themes of Matthew is Jesus' ministry both to the Jews AND the Gentiles. Jesus is returning from a Gentile populated area to minister to the Jews. This communicates that the ministry and message of Jesus is for all people regardless of race/ethnic affiliation.

2. What do the friends of the paralytic man demonstrate in bringing their friend to Jesus?(2)

The friends demonstrate their faith in Jesus. They have heard about Him and what He has done and are acting on it by taking their friend to the one person they believe can do something about his condition. 

2a. How are you acting in faith to show that you believe that Jesus is: (Savior, Redeemer, Good, Great Counselor, etc)?

3. Why did the scribes say that Jesus was a blasphemer?(v3)

Only God is able to forgive sins so when Jesus claims to be able to forgive sins He is also saying that He is God. This is a sin that according to the Law would require the blasphemer to be put to death. 

4. What does Jesus say is the purpose of this interaction? (6)

Jesus says that the purpose is so that the world would know that He is God. He has the authority to forgive sins because He is God. 

4a. Read 1 Jn 1:9. If has the authority to forgive us of our sins, why do we struggle with accepting His righteousness and forgiveness? How are we demonstrating that we trust in Christ for salvation and not our good works?

5. What new aspect of Jesus' character is he revealing in what He says in vs 5? 

6. What was  the result of Jesus' miracle and discussion with the scribes? (8)

People proclaimed what they had seen and heard and gave glory to God

6a. How can you develop a habit of telling others about the things God has and is doing in your life? 

6b. Does your life and the things you share give people reason to give glory to God?  How can we make  this a true statement? 

Key Point(s):____________________________(Mt 9:9-13)

1. God desires our obedience(Jn 14:21)

2. God opposes the proud but draws the humble close 

What do I learn about God?__________________________________

What am I learning about myself?____________________________

How does this apply to me?_________________________________

7. What was the invitation that Jesus presented to Matthew? Is Jesus asking a question or giving a command?(9)

Jesus  is using the imperative when he speaks to Matthew. He isn't making a request or suggestion. Jesus is giving a command. 

8. What was the response of Matthew? When did Mathew decide to act on Jesus' command? (9)

Matthew didn't delay in his response to Jesus. The verb phrase used after Jesus' command indicates immediate action. There was no pause or time to deliberate obedience. Matthew obeyed  right after he received the command from his Lord. Delayed obedience is disobedience. When we know what God has called us to do but fail to act we are disobedient. 

9. What kind of commands of Jesus are we treating as requests? 

10. What are some areas of my life am I waiting to surrender/obey Christ in? 

11. What do the Pharisees criticized Jesus for? (10-11)

Associating with tax collectors and sinners. 

a. Why would pious religious people(Pharisees) be upset about Jesus socializing with tax collectors and sinners? 

Tax collectors are not just sinners in the minds of the Jews. The Jews are under Roman rule and are viewed as an invading force. Tax collectors are seen as collaborators and traitors which explains why the Jews would  be upset. 

13. How does Jesus reply to the Pharisees critique?(12-13)

14. What are the implications of what Jesus says in vs 12 for His followers? 

Jesus didn't shy away from associating or proclaiming the good news to what are considered the social trash of the world.. His followers should remember that we all stand equal at the foot of the cross and that the gift of salvation is for all, even the people we hate/dislike. 

Read: Hosea 6:6; Matthew 22:37-40

15.  What is  God saying is more important than sacrifice? 

Jesus is quoting Hosea 6:6 and rebuking the Pharisees for their piety because in pursuing their own righteousness they've missed out on the purpose God called the Israelites and the commands He has given. God called the Israelites to be a blessing to the nations. All of the Law, worship practices, and feasts are meant to reveal the character of God and direct them to obey/love Him. Later Jesus summarizes the Law by breaking the 10 commandments into two commands. The command to Love God with everything we are; and to Love our neighbors as ourselves.

Key Point(s):____________________________(Mt 9:14-17)

1. Jesus is the bridegroom coming to reclaim his bride

2. To understand Jesus' teaching, we must have a reformatting of the mind. 

What do I learn about God?__________________________________

What am I learning about myself?____________________________

How does this apply to me?_________________________________

16. What do the disciples of John ask Jesus? (14)

17. What does Jesus foreshadow in his response? (15)

Jesus is foreshadowing his coming death on the cross. However what is also implied is that while He is here to rejoice in His presence and not fast or mourn as if He wasn't there. Rejoice in the freedom he brings as he heals the sick, provides food for the hungry, and frees the possessed. 

17a. What are some of the ways that we may be overlooking the joy that Jesus brings? 

17b. Am I glad that I have the Spirit of the Lord on me? Do others see that I know Jesus by the joy I have in him? 

18. What are the common themes in the parables Jesus tells? (16-18)

The common theme between the two parables is that He is bringing a new teaching that requires a new way of thinking and reformatting of the mind. Whereas before the Law is viewed as a list of commands to keep  lest you become the subject of punishment, guilt and ridicule, the teaching Jesus brings reinterprets the Law to see the grace, mercy, forgiveness and joy that those who have trusted in Him. 

18a. Am I so stuck in my ways that I'm not willing to allow God to reshape /retrain my mind? 

18b. What are some habits that I've not allowed God to have control over? 

18c. Are we more committed to methodologies that we are unwilling to explore new ways of reaching the lost? 

Key Point(s):____________________________(Mt 9:18-34)

1. Jesus has authority over all things

2. Those who place their trust in Jesus will not be disappointed

3. Jesus is faithful and worthy of my trust

What do I learn about God?__________________________________

What am I learning about myself?____________________________

How does this apply to me?_________________________________

19. What does the synagogue official demonstrate in the request he makes of Jesus? (18)

The official demonstrates humility and great faith. Jesus is not well liked by his peers and being associated much less inviting Jesus into his home is social suicide. That he is not deterred in asking Jesus to see his daughter despite her having died demonstrates great faith in Jesus authority over death. 

20. What do Jesus disciples do when He gets up to see the man's daughter?(19)

While this may be easily overlooked, Jesus disciples followed Him. Following is an inherent part of being a disciple.

20a. How am I aligning myself to the plans/priorities of Jesus? 

21. What does the woman demonstrate by what she says in vs 21? 

The woman demonstrates great faith in the authority and power of Jesus to heal her. Her faith is so great that she believes that merely touching the hem of his robe will heal her. It is important to note that Jesus' dialogue with the woman is to affirm her faith in Him and not to regard her healing as something that is the result of magic or superstition. 

22. Why does Jesus tell the woman to have courage? What does he say is the cause of her healing? (22)

Jesus commends the courage the woman had in approaching Jesus in faith and confirms that her faith in Him is what healed her. It's important to remember that faith on its own or for the sake of faith is vain. For believers the object of our faith is Jesus Christ, Jesus is the one who heals and saves and it is by acting in faith in his authority and power that we enjoy the riches of His grace. 

23. Why do the people at the official's house laugh at what Jesus says?(24)

Everyone in the house already knows that the girl has died and is present for our equivalent of a funeral or wake. What Jesus says sounds ludicrous because the girl's status isn't something under question, she's not in a coma or simply sick she was without life. 

24. What does the raising of the dead girl to life reveal about Jesus? (25)

This demonstrates the authority that Jesus has over death and reinforces his identity as God because only He has authority over death and life. 

25. What do the people do after they witness Jesus' miracle? (26)

It shouldn't be taken for granted that after  each of Jesus' miracles that Matthew makes it a point to report that the news of what Jesus did spread and that people talked about what they had seen and heard. 

26. What is my response to the revelations of God? Am I being a witness to the work and life of Jesus Christ? 

27. How is the healing of the blind men similar to the encounters Jesus has with the synagogue official and hemorrhaging woman? 

The key theme in this block of text is faith. Jesus again affirms that it is faith in who He is that grants healing, forgiveness and even victory over death. 

27a. Does the way you live reflect what you profess to believe about Jesus? If Jesus is Lord is He the one you submit all your decisions to before making them? If Jesus is Redeemer do you trust Him to forgive You of your  sins and live free from the sins that once enslaved you? 

28. By what authority do the Pharisees attribute Jesus' ability to cast out demons? 

Rather than attributing Jesus' miracle and exorcism to his identity as God, they accuse him of being an agent of the ruler of demons. They try to undermine His authority by discrediting who He is. 

29. What does Jesus casting out demons reveal about who He is? 

In this section Jesus has demonstrated his authority over everything in the physical world, now through His exorcism He is revealing his authority over the spiritual realm as well. 

Key Point(s):____________________________(Mt 9:35-38)

1. Jesus was compassionate toward the lost.

2. Jesus instructs his followers to pray for more harvesters 

What do I learn about God?__________________________________

What am I learning about myself?____________________________

How does this apply to me?_________________________________

30. What does vs 30 tell us about the attitude Jesus had for the people he was helping? 

Vs 30 tells us that Jesus had compassion for the people and this is what drove him to continue on mission to  preach the good news and set free the oppressed. (Lk 4:18-21)

31. What kind of attitude do you have toward people without Jesus? How does your attitude affect how you influence people toward the Good Shepherd?

32. What did Jesus instruct his disciples to pray for? 

To pray for more harvesters. Jesus' instruction was to pray for more people to help bring in the harvest. This is a change in how the modern church prays for the lost. Much of our emphasis is on the lost, however here Christ is telling us to pray for the workers. It's important to remember that the Holy Spirit convicts and Jesus saves. Our only task is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and assist the Lord with His harvest. 

33. How does Jesus' instruction in vs 37-38 shape your prayer regarding evangelism? (Read Acts 4:29-35)

Jesus' instruction should give us pause in how we approach evangelism. That instead of praying that God prepare the soil that he prepare the Sowers to have courage to share the good news. The soil is ready and the harvest is ripe. Are we bold enough to take the opportunities God gives us to share the good news with the people He is already preparing to receive the gospel?

Individual Challenge

How would your life change if you  surrendered and let  go of the areas of your life that God is convicting you about? How would greater obedience  and faith in Christ affect your relationships at home and at work? What impact would you have on the kingdom if people glorified God because of what you told others about the things God is doing in your life? 

Community Challenge

What kind of impact could our community group make in our church if we were a people who encouraged each other with the things God has done in our lives? How would we spur each other on toward taking steps of obedient faith? What would the impact

Be on our community if they knew Palms Baptist Church to be a community that trusted God to do great and powerful things beyond

our imagination?