Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 6:16–24

1. Of almsgiving, prayer and fasting, which one tends to be the one which Christians use to gauge their own spirituality? Why?

2. Since Jesus includes fasting in His warning to us against using it as an “act of righteousness” (6:1). What then should their attitude concerning fasting be according to Jesus?

3. Pagans also practice fasting. How should ours be different from theirs?

4. Jesus’ teaching of not storing up treasures on earth is a familiar one:

a. How would you define “store up”?

b. Are you then storing up treasures on earth?

c. What is meant by “where your treasure is, there your heart will be”?

d. According to your definition, where then is your heart these days?

5. According to Jesus, what leads to “great” darkness? Why? (Note: Jesus does not say, “the light within you becomes darkness”, but “is darkness”. What does that mean?)

6. How would you define “master”? What might be the signs that something or someone has become your master?

7. Using the signs you have come up with, is God or Money your master?

8. What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 6:25–34

1. What is “life”, physical, emotional and spiritual, to you?

2. What aspect of life was Jesus addressing?

3. How would you define “worry”?

4. What does the example of the birds illustrate? Does it mean that we don’t have to labor and plan ahead?

5. If we have food, drink and clothes, does it mean that you will be free from worries? Why or why not?

6. What does the example of lilies illustrate? What do the birds and the lilies have in common?

7. Why did God make us different from birds and lilies? How different are we?

8. Who are the pagans and what are their characteristics?

9. How should we be different from them?

a. What is meant by “to seek”?

b. In 6:33, what is first and why? What is second?

c. What is meant by seeking His Kingdom?

d. What is meant by seeking His righteousness?

e. How do we know that we are “seeking” something? Do you know or really trust that “these things” will be “added” unto you? If so, why are you still seeking them?

10. Will tomorrow worry about itself? Really? How? Why?

11. Can I worry about today then?

12. How then should you face tomorrow then — family, relationship, career, school or anything that might bring you anxiety, unease, trouble, agitation or a lack of peace?

13. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 7:1–12

To Judge or not to Judge:
1. What is the definition of judging, and how is it different from forming an opinion?

2. Jesus is obviously using an exaggerated analogy. Why would He choose to use such an exaggeration? What is His point?

3. What is the definition of a hypocrite?

4. Jesus does not appear to stop us totally from judging; we may only so long as we remove our “plank” first. What if we really look at ourselves and remove our “plank” first; what would it do to our “judging” of our brothers?

The Warning:
1. Who are the dogs and pigs (v.6)? (See Prov. 26:11 and 11:22.)  What does Jesus mean here?

2. In Jesus’ case, who trampled the sacred and ended up tearing Him to pieces?

Seek and It will be Given:
1. Consider these similar sayings.

a. “What you do not want done to you, do not do it to others.” (Confucius)

b. “What is hateful to yourself, do to no other.” (Rabbi Hillel)

c. “What thou thyself hatest, to no man do.” (Tobit 4:16)

How does what Jesus say in v. 12 differ from the above?

2. V. 12 is linked to the preceding verses on prayer by the word, “therefore”. How does it sum up the Law and the Prophets? How is it tied to our attitude of prayer and the fact that we are “evil”?

[If you have time, you may wish to consider the following as well:

•    What will happen to us, if we are serious in obeying this “sum”?
•    How can we do this?
•    Look up Mark 12:29-31 and Luke 10:27. What aspect of the Law and Prophets is being emphasized? The negative or the positive?
•    Therefore, the Law, if rightly understood is about “relationship”. Do you agree?]

3. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 7:13–29

Matthew concludes the recording of the Sermon on the Mount with a series of analogies based on contrast:

• narrow versus wide gates/roads
• good and bad trees
• good and bad foundations

1. What are the two kinds of people being contrasted by the above?

2. The two kinds of gates/roads:

a. Why does Jesus use gates and roads to describe the fate of the two kinds of people?

b. What does the use of size point to?

c. What does this message mean to you?

3. The two kinds of trees (teachers):

a. From the description of v. 22, can you tell what do not constitute fruits?

b. What then are the fruits that Jesus is talking about based on v. 21?

4. The two kinds of foundations (presumably as a conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount)

a. Try to highlight all the words and phrases repeated here, and also, the words and phrases that denote contrast.

b. What do they tell you about life?

c. “Everyone who hears these words of mine”. Sum up the essence of what they have heard about:

1. The beatitudes and being salt and light
2. The error of outward observance of the law and being perfect as the Father
3. The futility of outward “acts of righteousness”
4. Who their Master is — Money or God.  Is it expressed in their focus of life by worry or seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness? How?
5. Relationship with others — no judging
6. Relationship with God — trust as our Heavenly Father
7. The two ways of life, the two kinds of teachers, and now the two kinds of believers.

Now Jesus urges them to put into practice what they have heard. Could they? Can you?

Can you sum up the Sermon on the Mount in one sentence?

5. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 8:1–13

The healing of the leper:
1. How did the leper come to Jesus?

2. What did he ask for?

3. What might it say about him as a person, physically (health, possession, work etc.), emotionally (relationally-family, friends, dignity, companionship etc.) and spiritually (attitude toward God)?

4. How did Jesus heal him? Were there any other ways that He could have healed him? Why did He choose this particular method?

5. What might be the significance of asking the healed leper to follow the practice of the law?

The healing of the centurion’s servant:
1. What are the differences between the healing of the leper from this healing of the centurion’s servant in terms of

a. Who made the request?

b. Why they made the request?

c. How they made their request?

In what way(s) can you see the greatness of the faith of the centurion?

What truth did Jesus choose to expound on using this occasion? How significant was it to the large crowds (of Jews) that would have heard His words?

2.  What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 8:14–22

1. What has Peter given up in following Jesus (see 19:27)?

2. What impact might it have on his family, including his mother-in-law?

3. What did she do after being healed? What might this fever and its healing mean to Peter’s family, especially his mother-in-law?

4. Again, Matthew seized the opportunity to affirm Who Jesus is by how He fulfilled OT prophecy. Which prophecy did he choose and how might it help you to understand this prophecy from Isaiah 53:4?

5. But why did He choose to leave them in v. 18?

6. If you had been following Jesus, had heard His preaching (in which He claims God as His Father, that He Himself is “righteousness”, and that His Word is to be obeyed the same as the Law and Prophets), and had seen what He did (driving out demons with a word, and healing all who were sick instantly), what might motivate you to follow Him? What would "following Him" mean?

7. Given the positive reactions of some, shouldn’t Jesus be overjoyed? What was He trying to point out about following Him with the following?

a. Comparing Himself to the foxes and birds

1. What is the meaning of “wherever you go”? (v.19)
2. What should His disciples be prepared for?

b. Describing the burying party as the dead

1. Was He not being too harsh?
2. What did He want this would-be follower to understand?

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 8:23–34

Authority over nature:
1. What did the disciples witness so far? Whom did they believe Jesus to be at this point?

2. Why then were they surprised by Jesus? How different would His authority over the winds and waves be from that over demons and sickness?

3. If you were one of the disciples, and saw that Jesus remained asleep during the storm, would you really react differently?

4. In a way, Jesus was demonstrating what might be part of following Him. What might it be?

Authority over demons:
As we have already considered, the land of Galilee was inhabited by both Jews and Gentiles. This explains why pigs were raised.

1. What is life like under demon-possession as depicted by Matthew?

2. How did the demons address Jesus? How did demons understand their eventual fate? Were they not doing Jesus a favor?

3. As they witnessed such an undeniable miracle and heard about who Jesus is, why would the people “plead” for His departure?

4. How does their action reflect the attitude of the world in general, even today?

5. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?