Session 19: Matthew 3:1-4:1-11

Session 19: Matthew 3:1-4:1-11

Summarize:

Analyze:

Read Matthew 3:1-10

1. What was the message John was preaching? How does the message of John prepare the way of Christ?

1. What does it mean to repent?
2. What does John say to the Pharisees and Sadducees?(8) What is fruit consistent with repentance? Why does John warn the people that “the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees?”
3. How have you become complacent in your relationship with God? How are you walking in repentance? What would be the first step?

Read Matthew 3:11-17

2. How does John talk about the One who comes after Him?(11) How does John describe what this One will do?(12)

1. What does John say when Jesus comes to get baptized by him?
2. What happens at Jesus baptism that points to His identity?

Read Matthew 4:1-11

3. Why does Jesus go to the wilderness?

1. How does knowing that Jesus submitted and was led by the Spirit influence your relationship with the Spirit? (1 Thess 5:19-22)
2. How are the temptations Jesus endured different from each other? (Gen 3)(lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life)  
3. As a follower of Christ how does knowing that Christ endured temptation affect how you might pray during your time of testing?(Jas 1:12-15, 1 Cor 10:13, 1 Pet 4:12-19)
4. How did Jesus endure during his time of testing? How does this shape your understanding of the importance of memorizing and meditating on scripture?(Jn 14:26)

Contextualize:

Actualize:

Session 18: Luke 2:1-20

Session 18: Luke 2:1-20

Summarize:

Analyze:

Read Luke 2:1-7

1. Why was Joseph traveling to Bethlehem? (prophetic text about Jesus birth place,  2 Samuel 7)

1. How does these passages about the details of Jesus birth shape your understanding of His Sovereignty? What does this tell you about God’s faithfulness?
2. How does the birth place of Jesus contrast with his kingly lineage?  How does this shape your understanding of God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7?
3. How does this shape your understanding of your purpose as a child of God?  (Phil 2:1-10)

Read Luke 2:8-14

Angel: The Word angel in the Greek simply means messenger or bearer of news.

2. How did the shepherds react to the revelation of the angel of the Lord? (9)

1. What is the first thing the angel says to the shepherds?
2. What is the good news/gospel that the angel gives to the shepherds? Who is the news intended for?(10)
3. What is the gospel/good news that you have in Christ? What kind of good news do you have to share with fellow Christians? Unbelievers?
4. What was the response of the armies of heaven to the good news?(14)  

At the proclamation of the coming of Jesus the Savior, the armies of heaven rejoice! They shout peace on earth and to those He favors. This simple declaration is a reminder that since the Fall mankind has been at war with God. We have rebelled against His rule and reign and are bound for His swift justice. But because of the arrival of Jesus, mankind has hope and can be reconciled to God.

Read Luke 2:15-20

3. What was the shepherds response to hearing the angel’s message?(Ps 34:8, 1 Thess 5:21, 1 Jn 4:1)(15)

1. How do the above verses guide you to respond to the proclamation of God’s message/Word?
2. What keeps you from tasting the truth of God’s Word in your life? How can you
3. How did the shepherds respond to God’s message being true?(17, 20)
4. How does the shepherds example influence your response to God’s Word/message?
5. How can you direct people to the praise of God through your life?

Contextualize:

Actualize:

Session 17: Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 53

Session 17: Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 53

Summarize:

Isaiah 6:1-8

I. Isaiah has a vision of the throne room of God(1-5)

1. The holiness of God terrifies Isaiah and brings humility because of awareness to his sin
2. God sends a seraphim to remove Isaiah’s sin and transgressions
3. Isaiah is aligned to the priorities of the Lord

Isaiah 53

II. A man will come that is despised, rejected, and unvalued

1. This man will serve the people that turn him away
2. This suffering servant will suffer for the sake of those he serves though he is innocent
3. This servant will justify the wicked and they will belong to Him

Philippians 2:1-10

III.

Analyze:

Read Isaiah 6:1-8

1. How does the description of the throne room of God influence your view of God?  Your view of self?

1. How is God described in this scene?  
2. What does being in the presence of God cause Isaiah to say? (Pr. 9:10)
3. How is Isaiah allowed to stand in the presence of God?(Eph 2:8-10) What is the difference between sin and transgressions/iniquity?

Sin is a term that describes our relational position to Holy God. Transgressions/Iniquity are the works that cause us to be sinners, people who run and hide from God because of guilt and shame. When confronted with sin each of us faces the decision to flee God, like Adam and Eve in the garden, or to humbly run to Him. Remaining in the presence of God is scary, but He is the only one who can forgive us and release us from our sin(guilt/shame).

4. How does this influence your understanding of biblical fear of the Lord? When was the last time your vision/understanding of God brought you to your knees?  
5. How does God respond to Isaiah’s humility(Ps. 51:17,2 Chron 7:14 )

When we recognize the burden of our sin,  there is no room for anything else.  We can have no peace and no hope to be saved from our sin so long as we shoulder the burden.  When we lay our burden at the feet of Jesus,  only then are we saved,  cleansed,  and purified.  Then instead of our vision being filled with the guilt and shame of our sin,  we begin to have a burden that God gives us as a result of our vision of Him.  

6. What does God say that causes Isaiah to respond? How does godly perspective prepare and shape you to do His will?

Read Isaiah 53

2. Who is this passage talking about?

1. What are some clues to the identity of this person?

This is a prophetic messianic text. The servant or man of suffering described in Isaiah 53 is a reference to the Messiah to come, Jesus. the text tells us that this suffering servant wasn’t physically exceptional or charismatic, these are not the traits that make him worth mentioning. Rather the fact that this servant continues to serve despite rejection, ridicule and punishment from the very people He serves is what makes Him unique.

2. How is this servant described?  What are the things this man does?
3. What are two descriptions this passage uses for the people the man serves? (6, 12) How does the text describe how the people have treated the servant?
4. Where do you see yourself in this passage?  How have you not valued,  despised,  gone astray,  or rebelled against Jesus?
5. How does this passage affect your attitude toward Jesus?  

Read Philippians 2:1-10

3. Who does this passage tell us to emulate/be like?

1. What are some specific examples of how we can be servants like Christ? How does this affect our relationship with God? with others?
2. What keeps you from serving others? What keeps you from humbling yourself like Christ?
3. How can you continually keep an attitude like Christ?

Contextualize

1. The presence(holiness) of God drives man to his knees
2. Humility leads man to submit and surrender our burdens to God
3. God fills up and uses people who have emptied themselves before Him

Actualize:

Meditate on the readings for this week and spend time in quiet contemplation of who God. Ask God to meet You and reveal His presence to you powerfully this week.

Session 16: Daniel 3

Session 16: Daniel 3

Summarize:

I. (1-7)

II. (8-15)

III. (16-23)

IV. (24-27)

V. (28-30)

Read Daniel 3:1-7

1. What does the King build? Why do people build monuments to themselves?

Monument: a statue, building or other structure erected to commemorate a famous or notable person or event.

In the garden man originally sinned by parting ways with God. Mankind parted from God because he thought that he should be co-equal to God and share in His glory. Each one of us struggles with "the pride of life" the monuments/structures we've built into our life that make us feel important but at the same time undermine the authority of God in our lives because we refuse to relinquish control of that area of our life to God.

a. What kind of monuments do you have set up in your life?

b. What does the King command people to do in vs 5? How does this offend God and His people?(Ex 20: 3-4)

c. What are the ways you try to get people to worship or praise you?  Is it bad to seek praise or recognition?

d. How can we safeguard ourselves and in our good attributes direct people to the Lord?(1 Cor 10:31,Col 3:17)

Read Daniel 3:8-15

2. What do people accuse Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of? (1 Peter 4:16)

a. Who are your enemies and why do they not like/hate you? Can you say that you have a clear conscience before both God and men?(Acts 24:16)

b. What commands or requirements of your bosses/supervisors may conflict with the commands of God? How do you honor the people in authority over you while still obeying God? (Acts 5:27-29)

Read Daniel 3:16-23

3. How do Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego respond to the accusation?(16)

Evangelism: Leaving someone with a better understanding of God than if they hadn't met me.

a. How is their response evangelistic?  How does their response demonstrate their trust in God?

Read Daniel 3:24-30

4. What happens that causes the King to be alarmed?

Christophany: An appearing/revelation of God that points to the Messiah

a. What does the work of God in the lives of Shadrach,  Meshach,  and Abednego cause the King to say?

Contextualize: Whenever we study scripture we need to remember that we are communicating with God. We are learning things about God, things about ourselves/humanity, and how God relates to us. These principles are also true in our relationships with people. For some unchurched people, your life might be all the bible they will ever read. So we need to be aware of how our testimony communicates things about God, things about humanity, and how God relates to humanity.

a. How can your life serve as a testimony that directs people to the things God does/is doing in your life?

Contextualize:

Actualize: