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Matthew-12_46-13_23 PDF

For discussion:

Sermon: Choose to be Thankful in Everything

 

  • When did someone thank you for something? How did their thankfulness impact your relationship with them?

 

  • How does being thankful in everything draw you closer to Jesus and help you align with God's will?

 

 

Matt 12:46-50 Jesus’ Earthly Family

 

We see in John 7:5 that Jesus' (half) brothers did not believe in him till after the resurrection. So we know in this passage that his family was dubitable about his ministry.

 

  • What do you suppose Jesus family wanted to see him for?

 

  • We know from John that Jesus' half-brothers did not believe in him till after the resurrection. What do you think Mary was thinking in light of what she knew about Jesus?

 

  • How do you feel knowing that Jesus regards you as closer than mother and brothers? What does this tell us about the kingdom of heaven?

 

Matt 13:1-17 Teaching in Parables

Here we will discuss Jesus’ explanation about his teaching in parables, we will discuss the parable of the sower with Jesus explanation in the next section.

 

  • Why did the disciples come to Jesus at this point and ask why he was teaching in parables?

 

  • See Isaiah 6:8-13, this is when Isaiah sees the throne room of God and is commissioned for his life's work as a prophet. It appears that God didn't want to heed the warning only to avoid the consequences, but he wanted an earnest spirit of renewal. How does this difficult aspect of Isaiah's ministry help us understand why Jesus taught in parables?

 

  • When we discussed Matt 12:38, we saw that Jesus didn't argue with the Pharisees when they ignored his great signs. How does this help us understand why Jesus didn't offer more explanation to the Pharisees?

 

  • How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus explained to them that many would never be able to see or hear? What does that mean for us?

 

  • Verses 16 and 17 help us understand the blessing given to us. How can we celebrate this blessing?

 

Matt 13:18-23 and 3-9 The Sower

 

  • Describe an example of a situation where you observed seed on the:

 

  • On the path - taken away by birds

  • On rocky ground - has no root

  • Among thorns - choked out by cares of the world

  • Good soil -- bears fruit 100-fold, 60-fold, or 30-fold

 

  • As redeemed Christians we are free from the three failures of the seed! but which do you find you need to most guard against in your life?