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Chapter 1- v. 1-17
Genealogy
41 names written
in the greek & hebrew there are no numbers, letters or names
Questions
1. What was God’s purpose for starting the New Testament with a genealogy? Read John 6:42, Jn 7:27, 40-43, 52. Did the Pharisees know who Jesus was? (Look at what we learned in Matthew 2)
2. The genealogy doesn’t use perfect men or women to prove that Jesus is the savior. Why would God use very flawed people in the Genealogy of Christ? Matt 1:3,5 with Josh 2:1 and Gen 38.
A. Because there are no perfect people.
if God wanted to use perfect people, He wouldn’t be able to use any of us. We are not perfect but we continue to pursue the Lord that he would create in us what He has desired.
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
imperfect people used
. Judah - a man who was deceptive
. Perez - a man born out of incest
. Rehab- a prostitUte
. david - an adulter and murder
. Solomon - had a ton of women who turned his heart from god
. Reheboam - split the nation of israel
. Joram- killed his 6 brothers
a picture that god can use men and women with a past.
B. In order for us to completely depend on Him.
Imperfect people are forced to depend on a perfect God. When are understand our limitations and inabilities, it causes us to lean into the Lord and to rely on Him to sustain us.
“Imperfect people who are called by a perfect God to a task beyond them discover the life-altering truth Paul learned, But He said to me , “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness:. Therefore, i will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, i delight in my weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when i am weak, then i am strong ( 2 Cor. 12:9-10)
C. In order that God would get the glory
If God chose extraordinary people and they did extraordinary things, everyone would think, “of course that person accomplished that”. But when God uses imperfect people, when He chooses those who are very ordinary, and they accomplish the extraordinary , everyone is amazed. They realize it had to be God, and so He gets the glory.
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
3. Read Malachi 3:1. What does this refer to? How did this promise feel after waiting 400 years? What about our waiting for the rapture?
Malachi quotes this verse that Isaiah used before him.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
this is in reference to the promise of the coming Messiah, and the forerunner who would come before Him to prepare the way, John the baptist. He was sent to prepare the hearts of men to receive the salvation God was providing.
God is a patient God who longs for all men to come to repentance. So He makes a way for men’s hearts to be turned to Him.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Chapter - V. 1 :18- 25
Questions
1. God’s purpose in sending the Son of God into this earth was to save the world because we could not save ourselves. Read the following verses and discuss why this is important to understand.
As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
“Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
2. God brought Comfort to Joseph through the reassurance of His Presence, with reassurance of His Purpose and the reassurance of His promises.
Why are these truths important to my life? Read the following verse and discuss.
1. Reassurance of God’s Presence
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.
The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2.Reassurance of His Purpose
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
3.Reassurance of His Promises
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Chapter 2
Interesting the different responses we see here.
Wisemen Worshiped (v. 1-2)
These men came to Jerusalem to worship the new born king. They had a heart to worship.
Herod was Troubled (v. 3)
he was trouble by the thought of their being another king. Trouble by his authority taken away. Harold ordered the babies from Bethlehem who were 2 years and younger to be killed. (v. 16) Jerusalem was troubled.
The Religious leaders (v.4-6)
we are told that Jerusalem was troubled as well. So the word was out about a new king. Here these men were experts in the law. You think after they heard these things, they would be moved based on their knowledge of the scriptures to see if this is true. yet we see that they are indifferent to the news.
They are not moved by what they have heard or what they have read.
Insight
you find that in our current world even today, , you have much of the same thing. You have some that will pursue Jesus in order to worship Him. They will pursue HIm regardless of the cost.
you will have those who are absolutely terrified or offended by Him. They go to extreme lengths to deny him or to surpress the truth about Him.
You will also have those who are indifferent to Him. The things they have heard, or the things that they have read no longer have a grab of their hearts. The words no longer have an affect on them. They have become so accustom to hearing the same thing that they are apathetic to the things of God. Apathy has set in. This is a dangerous place to be.
To become apathetic to the word of God or the things of God.
Questions
1. Why is our understanding of the Magi so important? (Think about Who, What, When, Where) What character qualities do we see at work?
2. God warned Joseph 3 times in chapter 2. How did Joseph respond? God provided direction in a dream, not in response to a prayer. Does God still lead us even when we aren’t asking?
Yes. God will often direct our steps as we make a conscience effort to follow His will, to out Him at the forefront of our lives.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Story of the June Bug
“ A dear friend of mine always said he felt like God directed his steps like a June bug. That might sound a little unusual until you hear his reasoning. When my friend was a little boy , he and his friends would have June bug races. They had a start line and finish line and would cup their hands around the sides of the June bugs to direct them to the finish line. The June bugs were guided by the presence of their hands. My friend always saw that God directed his steps just as he guided his June bug in the race.”
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
3. After finishing Chapter 2, Matthew starts chapter 3 with the preaching of John the Baptist. Why leave out the important time of his youth? Read Luke 2:39-50. How does the audience of the Gospels help our understanding?