Stephoni’s Top 12 from Matthew, Chapters 1 – 7

12-12-12

#12 – Ask, Seek, Knock (7:7-8)

Asking, Seeking, Knocking = prayer.  Ask for things, for wisdom and for God’s presence. Pray for your dreams to come true. 

Asking is verbal – speak your prayers

Seeking is visual – watch for answers and watch for guidance

Knocking is physical – make some noise, be persistent, be intentional. Maybe your physical life can be a prayer

#11 – Judging Others (7:1-2) Christ’s instruction to  not judge others is a command that is really a gift of instruction because it allows us to focus our thoughts on what is beautiful instead of worrying about judging others.

#10 – Temptation vs. Test (4:1-11)

#9 – Discipleship is reciprocal. Maybe we have thought of ourselves as wanting to be disciples of Christ – he will disciple us.  Yes, that is true, but in the Great Commission (end of Matthew) and when John the Baptist baptized Christ and others, we were commanded to ‘Go and make disciples.’  That puts us in the middle – being discipled and discipling others.

#8 – Also on baptism – Christ’s baptism was unnecessary according to Jewish leaders because Jesus was already a Jew and did not need to be baptized – a sign of conversion.  By getting baptized, Jesus was demonstrating that he was converting to something different that the way that Jews understood their religion and their commitment to God.

#7 – Joseph was a dreamer.  God spoke to Joseph in dreams (Old Testament Joseph and New Testament Joseph.) Joseph was advised to stay with Mary, he was warned to leave Israel, and he was advised to return to Nazareth – all in dreams.

#6 -  The culture of Israel and Greece and Rome etc… during that time was a culture that saw wandering philosophers who spoke and taught those who would attach themselves to the leader and follow him.  Philosophers were a bit snooty/confident and wouldn’t ask people to follow them; philosophers wanted disciples to ASK to follow them.  Christ, however, asked people to follow Him.  Christ called disciples.

#5 - Unless otherwise noted in scripture, all of Christ’s events occurred on or near the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus was such a lake guy.

#4 – King Herod was insanely jealous, and he even killed his own children if he thought they would be competition to him and his reign.  He put popular people in prison before he died with the orders that upon his death they should be killed.  He knew this would grieve the people and that there would then be tears shed at the time of his death.  He wanted to make sure that people cried when he died.

#3 – The Holy Spirit was in action LONG before Pentecost. (1:20)  The Holy Spirit descended like a dove at Jesus’ baptism, and He moved the baby in Elizabeth’s womb when she met with Mary… and many other ‘appearances’ in the Old Testament.

#2 – The Annunciation occurred in a grotto – a cave.  Jesus was born in a grotto as well.

#1 – Jesus came as a baby– a ‘real’ person.  This old world can be so dark and discouraging; we see evil and violence and degradation. Babies can catch the attention of even the coldest hearts.  They offer peace and a sense of hope in our immediate surrounding and in our larger world.  God’s unique way of sending his son, Jesus into the world and into our lives makes it possible for us to quickly embrace and love Him. 

Matthew 7 & Judging Others

Matthew 7 may seem a bit random compared to the linear, straight forward nature of previous chapters.  The chapter begins with external evaluations of others, then goes on to advice about trusting/not trusting religious claims,  self-examination, behavior revealing character, acknowledging Christ with our lives and our lips and obeying Christ’s teaching.

After Googling ‘How do we judge people?’ I had 64 million hits! Most of the hits on the first two pages were about judging people based on appearances.  Several of the hits were linked to information about how to judge other based on appearances – like it was a good thing!

One particular judgment I made 25 years ago was against bad mothers who schlepped to the grocery store with a baby in tow – a baby that only had  on a diaper. What a terrible thing to do! What a disgrace.  Well, when my oldest was about 5 months old and we had just survived a horrendous night of no sleep.  I was headed to the store and I looked like homemade soup.  I was so tired.  I planned to just get a few essentials and then come home and try to take a nap.  Pushing my grocery cart I looked down into the sweet face of my baby who was now happy and ready to enjoy the world.  And yes, this baby had on a smile and a diaper – that was it! I failed my own test as a decent mom.

What do we often judge others on? 

            Appearance – sloppiness, bad smell, beauty

            How parents treat their children

            Whether or not someone is thinking rationally

            Racist or sexist talk

            Facebook posts

            Work ethic

            Organization skills

            Habits – drinking, smoking, overeating, exercising

Why do we judge?  There are many answers to this question and the psychology behind the reasons are as varied as the reasons.  People who don’t pass our judgment might very well be doing what seems right to them – maybe they think we’re crazy! 

So how do we stop judging?  If you can make a habit of judging people, then I am going to suggest that you can make a habit of NOT judging people.  It would take a decision to take yourself off of the bench and to quit judging and then to reel yourself in each time you fall of the judgment bandwagon.  As you give in to judgmental thoughts about people in your family, businesses you know of, events etc., consciously change your train of thought to something else.  This definitely takes discipline of your self.

The beauty of Christ’s instructions to stop judging others is that it frees up your mind and your thoughts to think about beautiful and happy things.  You can look around for the good and the beautiful and have the space in your thoughts to think on those things instead of deliberating over the degradation of people or places that has consumed you.

Letting go of judgment and being ‘right’ allows you to be happy instead.

Week 9 November 7 Matt 4: 18-22

Bible Study Notes

Most of these notes came from Into Thy Word – a Bible study website. I have highlighted the main points that I made during our time together.  As I have begun to understand the meaning of discipleship and how that fits into my life, I realize that I have always thought of myself as a disciple – sometimes a lousy disciple in practice to be sure, but at least one with a heart for God.  As I study Jesus’ call of his 12 disciples and then as I consider The Great Commission at the end of Matthew, I realize that I too must disciple others.  That’s kind of scary because I don’t feel qualified to disciple others – but it is a command of Christ to all of us, so I can’t just walk away from that.  The term that Dr. Krejcir uses is ‘reciprocal.’ 

We ARE discipled and we DO disciple others.  Then another real question emerges – What does that look like?  Hmmm….

Matthew 4:18-22

By Dr. Richard J. Krejcir

Becoming Fishers of Men

General Idea: An uncommonly incredible, strange, and insightful person approached a small group of young fishermen working in their family fishing business to challenge them to make a life changing decision. They were in wonder of this Man's teaching, and the miracle of the fish as recorded by Luke that was performed for them. Their substance and living depended on fishing. They provided a much needed and vital food to their region-fish--which they caught with nets suspended from the back of their boats. The floats and weights that spread out the nets to catch as many as possible as they rowed in the Sea of Galilee, was done much the same as fishing boats operate today. Then the fish were dried, cured with salt or pickled to preserve them, and then sold. They were perhaps in a business that provided them with a much higher standard of living than many other people around them. A call was extended to them and a response was given, a call without irresistible pressure, yet with passion and conviction. "Follow me." That call was unprecedented in their culture and understanding. Normally a student would seek out a teacher, a Rabbi. A Rabbi would never seek students, as it was a pride issue. Jesus broke the pride and arrogance to model that we are to be seekers of disciples and not just wait for them to come to us. We are to challenge each other to leave our comfort zone and enter the realm of His worship and service.

Jesus' main goal for His interrelations with humanity was "discipling" above any other activity (Matt. 9:9)!

Jesus taught the need for repentance publicly. He further taught and challenged His disciples, both personally and systematically that Christianity does not end at repentance and conversion begins there!

Because of His primary goal of molding disciples, Jesus went directly and personally to call those with whom He wanted to work. He took them from the normal ways of life. He did not go to the universities or synagogues, but literally to the "man on the street."

Jesus built His own group of select "disciples."

1.  He called Peter and Andrew (Matt. 4:18-20)

2   He called James and John (Matt. 4:21-22)

1.   He called Matthew (Matt. 9:9)

2.   The rest are chosen (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-19)

3.   He sent them out (Matt. 10:1-15)

4.   Jesus ended His time on earth with an imperative command for them to make more disciples (Matt. 28:19-20), which is also our call!

John the Baptist did the same with his disciples (Matt. 9:14)

Having disciples was a normal way for Rabbis to train and develop the people who would follow them in leadership. Even the Pharisees had disciples (Matt. 22:15-16)

Before WWII, this was the primary way ministers received their training in the U.S. They still went to a divinity school for formal teaching, but personal instruction from someone who is well experienced and versed was the best way to learn and develop ministry skills, and it still is! Sadly, few will undertake this because of pride, lack of time, and/or misplaced priorities. Thus, many young pastors will make many mistakes at the expense of their congregation because there was too little supervised experience beforehand.

What is a disciple?

1.   Jesus said, Follow Me (Matt. 4:19; 9:9). Jesus did not mean that they should just physically follow Him on the road. Just as they had worked at catching fish, now they would be catching men (Luke 6:39-40)!

2.   The word "disciple" literally means someone who pledges to be a "learner." Moreover, it is someone who follows another's teaching, and adheres to it. It is a commitment and a process. It involves commitment, and time to undertake the learning, and, as a Christian, a yearning to imitate Jesus!

3.   Discipleship is also reciprocal, that is, when one learns, he/she makes the commitment to train someone else. That is what Jesus meant by, "I will make you fishers of men." It is not just catching them and then storing them (fish were processed and sold for the betterment and use of the community), it is training, and placing, so they, too, can catch, train, and place!

4.   Discipleship is the primary earthly goal of the Church as a whole, and the Christian as an individual. It is our duty, and the one thing Christ directly commands us to do (Matt. 28:19-20). In so doing, we will become like Him in character and share His outlook and concerns (Luke 6:39-40). We are never to make disciples in our image, like whom we are, how we think, feel, and act, but like Christ!

              i.         We are to become His disciple!  

              ii.         We are to be discipled!

              iii.         We are to disciple others so they can in turn disciple others.

        "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Are you doing that? Let us allow the power of the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, and break our will, so we can be receptive to our Lord and Savior, and so we can do as He called!

Questions:

1. How can you embrace what discipleship means?

2. Jesus broke the pride and arrogance to model that we are to be seekers of disciples and not just waiting for them to come to us. What is in your way from being discipled, and/or taking in someone to disciple?

  

 3. Jesus ended His time on earth with an imperative command for us as individuals, and as a Church, to make more disciples (Matt. 28:19-20). Consequently, what has been your church's response to this? At Lake O we are giving birth to disciples!

4.  What does discipleship look like for you? For our church?

Week 5 October 3, 2012

Matthew 3

 

 General Idea: A man goes out to baptize and preach the coming of the Lord, to “prepare ye the path.” Obedience, willingness to go all out in faith, and a willingness to endure extreme persecution for the Lord characterized John the Baptist. He was the road builder laying the path for the Lord. He removed the rocks of 1. What does it say?

 

A. “Preparing The Way Of The Lord” (3:1-12) (Also in Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:1-22; John 3:22-36)

 

He denounced people for what they had done. 

He summoned them for what they ought to do.

True preachers point at God, not themselves.

Holy Spirit - here He is again.

Holy Spirit meant life, power and creation

Rabbis said Great is Repentance for it brings healing to the world.

Definition of repentance: Ris that the sinner forsakes his sin and puts it away out of his thoughts and fully resolves in his mind that he will not do it again Medieval jewish scholar - Maimonides

Jews held that true repentance brings for fruits which demonstrate the reality of the repentance - and so do Christians.

My story of repentance - Scott saying he's sorry.  

Repenting for lying Cal State B and the DMV

The true penitent is he who has the opportunity to do the same sin again, in the same circumstances, and who does not do it.

2. What does it mean?

 

3. What is God telling me?

 

4. How can I be changed so I can learn and grow?

      

5. What is in the way from these precepts affecting me? What is in the way

 

Week 6 October 10, 2012

Matthew 3

In Matthew 3 we see John the Baptist out near the Jordan River, baptising people who came to repent and demonstrate their believe Jesus as the Messiah - the son of God.   John even rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to the river because he knew they were hypocrites. As we focus here on the message of John the Baptist, let's look at the importance of repentance.  If we repent, is that all that we have to do?  Does it matter how we live as long as we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God?  I think that the repent-confess-baptize process is also a reflection of thought AND action.  As Christians we must express our change of heart, but then we must act on that change of heart by the way we live our lives.

I like an article by Billy Graham for two reasons.  One, I like it because it is from Billy Graham. I am so thankful for Billy Graham, and I hate to imagine a world without his evangelistic influence and his wisdom.  I still remember him sharing from the Cox Convention Center at the memorial service for the bombing victims. One of his points was that all of the children were certainly in heaven because they had not reached the age of accountability.

In the article about adults who were questioning their need to do anything more than ‘believe’ in Jesus,  he first said that hopefully all of the adults had accepted Christ as their savior and were saved.  So Billy Graham understands and promotes the significance of repentance -- like we discussed last week.  John the Baptist had called people to Repent and to Confess and to be baptized.  He was saying that people need to repent – admit their sin and then  turn from their evil ways and accept the Messiah and then turn TO Christ and live for him.  All of this turning is action – action that will look like being in an active relationship with Jesus.

This article represents the very real dilemma we might face if someone we know -- often someone we care about very much -- says words of belief in Jesus but doesn't live in relationship with Jesus.  And some people in our lives might have such a philosophy and still be very loving and pleasant to live with.  We might know or experience others who are antagonistic as they live like the devil but claim to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. 

Believe and Repent  and Save are VERBS -- they suggest action.  I would offer to you that we must believe and then live in relationship with our savior.  However, to know how to be patient with those who are pulling against a relationship with Christ and who are challenging what we know to be true will require us to do just as Billy Graham advises.  We must consistently pray - for the person as well as for ourselves.  To know how to live with and be someone we love (or want to love) who rejects what we know to be true will take grace - grace from God.  So BG's advice is good.

Week 8 October 24, 2012

Matthew 4:12 – 17

Jesus made a clean break from Nazareth when he began his ministry.  He left Nazareth and went to Capernaum, in the fertile Galilee region – very populated and people were likely to hear him and hear about him.  204 villages with 15,000+ people. 

Places are characterized in various ways.  I just taught a class in Del City and most of my students were military or former military and worked at Tinker.  It’s generalizing, but most (all?) people there are open to protecting the second amendment (right to bear arms) and are politically conservative.  Laguna Beach in Southern California?  Artsy; people there are very open to various forms of beauty reflected from life and nature. 

People in Galilee were open to new ideas.  Characteristics of Galileans:

·      “Fond of innovations, and by nature disposed to changes, and delighted in seditions” _Josephus

·       

o   Who was Josephus? Josephus was born in Jerusalem in A.D. 37/38 and became a historian writing principally about the Jewish people up until his death ca. 100. Four of his works are extant: 1) The Jewish War; 2) The Jewish Antiquities; 3) Vita (life) and 4) Against Apion. These works provide us with knowledge of the New Testament era which we otherwise would not possess. In short, Josephus has contributed to our understanding of the social, political, historical (incl. chronological data) and religious backgrounds of the New Testament.

·      ready to follow a leader

·      ready to begin an insurrection

·      quick in temper

·      given to quarreling

·      brave

·      honorable

·      courageous

·      wanted honor more than gain/wealth

Jesus considered his audience. He went to a highly populated area where his message would disseminate quickly.  

I think about people who just throw that message out there and do it in the name of being courageous or obedient.  For example, Windsor Hills Baptist preachers or walk-ups. I have had a walk-up witnesser.  I was the witnessee.  In a mall, when I had a stomach virus and had had too much coffee to drink while studying. I am sure the Evangelism Explosion person did not believe me when he asked if I knew where my soul would go if I died that very night.  I really thought that dying that very night was a distinct possibility, so I truthfully answered that I would go to heaven.  I could tell he didn’t believe me, but I was too sick and tired to convince him otherwise.

What do we learn about Jesus as God? Jesus as man? in this passage?

Matthew 4:18-22

Jesus called these men to be his disciples – to be fishers of MEN.  What were their characteristics? NOT scholarship, wealth, social status or influence. They were not poor but were simple, hard working, but with no great future ahead of them. The qualities that made them good at catching fish also made them good at catching people.

 Example of Socrates from Barclay p.90.  A poor man said to Socrates that he was poor and could only offer himself.  Socrates responded the poor man was giving his most precious gift of all.  That is exactly what God needs of us --  ourselves. Our very self.]

Whether you are a good fisher of men or a good fisher of fish, you need:

o   Patience

o   Perseverance

o   Courage

o   Eye for the right moment

o   Bait to fit the fish (often we cannot be the bait for our own family)

o   Keep self out of sight

Do you have a story – an example of any of good fisherman characteristics?

Week 7 October 17, 2012

Matthew 4: 1-11

The question that faced Jesus in his temptations was how would he lead people to God?

            Would he be a mighty conqueror?

                        As mighty conqueror, he could force people to serve him – or lure them into service with impressive acts or with force.

Would he adopt the method of patient, sacrificial love? 

As a patient teacher, he would speak to others and answer their questions and address their needs. As one who loved sacrificially, he would give of himself – his power for healing, his energy and time, and ultimately his life.

Read 4:1-11

About the text :

œ The Greek word used is peirazein means to TEST.  The scriptures we read uses the word TEMPT, which has somewhat of a negative connotation – temptation is associated with an option to entice people into sin or to do wrong. 

            For example, think about when Abraham took Isaac to the altar to sacrifice him. Abraham was not TEMPTED to sacrifice his son.  God was testing Abraham, so peirazein meaning makes a difference. 

Let’s look at the events in the dessert as a TEST of Jesus rather than a TEMPTATION.  How does that change things?  I don’t know if it changes things, except that it might change how we know and understand Jesus.  As I consider this as a temptation, I realize that it must really be a temptation for Jesus – in other words: Jesus could actually consider making the other choice.  He was truly tempted to change the stones into bread.  If it wasn’t a possibility, then it wouldn’t have been a temptation.  It is not a temptation for me to decline mangos.  I don’t like mangos, so I can’t be tempted with them.

            When I think of the events in the dessert as TESTS, then I realize that Jesus could succeed or fail in response to the questions.  Again, it wouldn’t have been a test if there wasn’t the potential for him to choose either option.

œ This test occurred in the wilderness.  Jesus was totally alone. Interesting to note,  Christ himself must have been the source of information to others about this event in the desert he was completely alone.  So the disciples that wrote about it in the gospels had heard Jesus share his experiences.  A primary source to be sure! Christ had to be the one to tell anyone about his struggle in the wilderness.

Please consider your tendencies in relating to others and in how you spend your time.  Do we ever resist being alone and facing our thoughts or tests?   Why would we do that?  What does being alone look like in our world today?  What are our temptations and tests today? Maybe you have a child that just does not like to be alone. Or maybe you know someone who admits that he/she does not like to ever be alone.  One of  my former students was talking to me one time about her mission trip to India, and how the toughest part of the whole project was overcoming her fear of being alone.  Not fear for her safety, but just fear at having to stay alone in a missionary house, fear of not being able to communicate and being so alone with herself. 

œ Christ was tempted through his strengths.  He had miraculous powers, he controlled life and he was a ruler. 

·      We will be tempted through our strengths. For example - grace, charm, generosity, work ethic.  So how can these positive qualities be twisted into something that could be negative… a temptation? When I am teaching literature, and we are studying characters, we talk about the virtue/vice paradox.  The very thing that is your virtue (your strength) can also be your vice (your temptation.)  For example, to have a positive work ethic is considered a very good thing, but what if your drive to work hard overtakes you and you become a workaholic and you neglect God and your family?  Or what if you are a very generous person, but after others comment on your generosity you begin to act a bit smug or condescending to others whom you gift or whom you want to impress?

1^st temptation. The devil appears to a tired Jesus after 40 days of fasting.  And he suggests to Jesus that he should change the nearby stones to bread.  This would gratify Christ’s need for food to end his fast. And… think about this.  Christ could then also use bread to draw hungry people to him, and they would worship him and thank him for the gift of bread.  However, this doesn’t work because then people would be bribed to Christianity. And Christianity should be about giving and not getting.When Christ responds to Satan and says that ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,’ he not only resisted the temptation and passed the test, but he was explaining that others should be attracted to him for the spiritual life that he had to offer them. 

Now, as we discussed in our time together on Wednesday night, I am not sure how this shakes out with the feeding of the 5000 on the shores of Galilee.  Jesus basically ‘invented’ bread for all of those hungry people.  But as Barbara pointed out, when he left and then came back across the lake, he did not multiply bread for the people again when they asked. The two differences that I thought about are (1) the stones to bread was in a solitary situation and (2) the devil was the one asking him to change the stones to bread.  The feeding of the 5000 was in response to a physical need the people had and he multiplied bread from bread.

2^nd temptation: Satan suggests that Jesus could throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple but then save himself from death.  This would have been impressive for people to see – very sensational.  However, sensationalism does not last, and people would just want more and more to continue their belief in Jesus.  So Jesus cites another scripture (Duet 6:16) and reminds Satan that we should not put God to the test on our behalf.

3^rd temptation: Satan offers that if Jesus will fall down and workshop him, that he would give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.  Jesus wanted followers.  He wanted everyone in the world to see The Truth and to accept him as the Son of God and to inherit eternal life.  So, it must have been a temptation for Jesus to decline this offer of compromise from Satan.  As I think about the temptation, it seems audacious that the devil would suppose to offer Jesus a throne! Jesus is THE one with the power and omnipotence, but Satan was trying to confuse him in his weakness and get him to compromise his deity by worshipping Satan instead of God the Father. 

[This makes me wonder what we compromise in our lives/world today…] 

September 26 Week 4

Testimony - Chrystal shared her testimony.

Prayer - for families, for the closeness of God, for wisdom

Matthew 1:18 - 25 and Matthew 2

The reading for this week covered the visit of the angel to Mary, the dream and commitment of Joseph, birth of Jesus, the visit of the Magi, the escape to Egypt and the return to Nazareth. A story we have read many, many times.  Searching for a 'new' twist or some hidden theme to this story is not gonna happen ;-)  But it is an incredibly beautiful story - and a gift of relationship and eternity I am not wanting to take for granted.

In discussion, I shared the info that Michelle had looked up about the name for Jesus - 'Son of David.' That name came about from 2 Samuel 7:12: "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you and I will establish his kingdom."

Also, Jesus is the Greek form of the Jewish name Joshua.  Jesus actually means Yahweh is Salvation" -- God is salvation.  He was born in a grotto (cave) in Bethlehem, which was six miles south of Jerusalem. A suburb.  The word Bethlehem means 'house of bread' and was the place where Jacob's Rachel was buried, the place where Ruth lived when married to Boaz, and also the place David wanted to drink from the well when he was in hiding.  Now there is a church built over the grotto where Jesus was born.  It is called the Church of the Nativity.

In the protestant tradition, Mary the Mother of Christ is seen as someone we adore, a blessed woman and mother.  We respect her and honor her, but we do not consider her as a deity. We don't pray to Mary as Catholics do.

Joseph was a carpenter by trade, and was sensitive and wise as a husband to Mary.  His trusted in the dreams that God sent to him. He and Mary had seven other sons and daughters after Jesus' birth, and Joseph had probably died when Jesus was on the cross since Jesus asked John to care for his mother.

The Magi came to worship the newborn king.  It might be easy at first to think of 'worshipping the newborn king' as a spiritual thing, but in history and in other countries where royals rule, kings and queens are worshipped.  In our 21st century Christian culture, we associate the word 'worship' with God and praise and church, but in another place and time, subjects worshipped their ruler.  So did the Magi know that they were worshipping God, the Messiah?  They had not worshipped Herod when they met with him, but they were searching for the King of the Jews.  If indeed they did not know that Jesus was Messiah, they must have sensed that there was something very intense and special about this baby king.  They also responded to the dreams that God sent to them and avoided King Herod when they left.

Their gifts were symbolic for the life of Christ: gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, and myrrh for one who dies.  These gifts may also have been what financed the young family's flight to Egypt and back.

The Herod that the Magi visited is also the Herod that was so jealous and suspicious that he ordered all of the baby boys under two years of age killed in Bethlehem because the Magi had not returned to tell him where the baby king was.  This Herod the Great was the one who made certain the Jewish temple was completed, but he is also the one who had his wife, mother in law, oldest son and two other sons killed so that he could remove the threat of being overthrown. He died at 70, and had Jerusalem dignitaries imprisoned who were executed as soon as Herod died so that there would be tears shed at the time of his death.

The Holy Spirit was mentioned specifically in 1:20 as "..what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit may have been the likely visitor to the Magi  -- leading them to search for and worship Jesus.  The Holy Spirit's role as a member of the Trinity and as a deity noted in the Bible is evident long before Pentecost.  And we can also consider the role of the Holy Spirit in the choices of the prodigal son.

Throughout all of the events of these verses, we see Jesus and we we the reactions of others to him.  Some responded with hatred and hostility.  They wanted to destroy Jesus.  Some responded with no response -- with indifference.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were initially indifferent to the entry of Jesus  into the world, but would later join the group who reacted to Christ with hatred and hostility.  And fear.  

The last group reacted to Jesus in adoring worship.  They knew he was the Messiah and the answer to their dreams of a Messiah for Israel.

And maybe it is still the same today, in the 21st century.  We have one of those reactions to Christ.  I know Christians adore Christ, but the ones that concern me are the ones who are indifferent.  I worry that we live in such a time of tolerance that we don't think twice about those who don't this Jesus is bad and they don't think he is good -- they just don't even think about Him.  Maybe they just consider themselves as good people and don't really see the need for salvation.

Robert Frost's poem, Fire and Ice illustrates the intensity of love and hate -- that does show passion of one kind or another.  Indifference is really worse than love or hate -- if you love or hate it does show that you care about the person or the issue.  If you are indifferent, then there is no passion - there is no concern.

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
some say in ice.
from what i've tasted of desire
i hold those who favor fire.
but if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate to say
that for destruction, ice
is also great and would suffice.
-----by Robert Frost

And as we react to Jesus with adoration, how do we react to those who are indifferent or who are blatantly hateful toward Jesus or his ways?   That is the question....

September 19 Week 3

Testimony - Michelle shared her testimony. We talked and we prayed.

We re-scheduled the last half of Matthew 1 and all of Matthew 2 for next week.

September 12, Week 2

Testimony - What do you think a Bible study should look like?  (At both the group level and the individual level.)

Matthew 1:1-18

• A little bit more about Matthew
• Read around
• Discuss/share highlights
• Importance of genealogy
• The three stages of the genealogy
• The dream of the Jews
• The women mentioned

Homework question(3) for Week 3:

1. Why did it matter that Jesus was the 'Son of David?'
2. The Jews dreamt of a Messiah.  What are 21st century Christians dreaming of? Dreaming for?
3. Read Matthew 1:18-25 and Chapter 2

September 5, 2012 Week 1

Introduction to Matthew - 

Our Bible study may have its own flavor and characteristics.  We are going to read the Bible, a little bit at a time, talk about what we read, answer a few questions and pray.  And we'll pray before we begin as well -- for the Lord to prepare our hearts and minds as we consider the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew was written for Jews by a Jew.  He depicts Jesus as one who has high expectations for followers but that people are free to reject Him.  This first gospel of the New Testament also shows Jesus teaching his followers about forgiveness and serving.

Other topics include:

• Faith - little faith & great faith
• Hypocrites & Hypocrisy
• Lifestyle
• Miracles
• Parables - truth
• Priorities
• Tradition or Practice
• Two greatest commandments
• Women

Ideas and preferences:
Cookies
Accountability Partners
Study notes or questions
Testimony introductions
Prayer
Support each other
Simple

Prayer for this week:
Terre Webber - friend of Phyllis Hadley and SNU softball coach has been diagnosed with breast cancer
Friends of Cris Eskew  - last ditch effort to save their marrage
New mommies - patience and strength as they await the arrival of their new little ones
Bible study - God to prepare our hearts and minds as we study together

Testimony next week: Marsha
Scripture next week: Ch 1:1-18