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Daniel

Chloe (Josh’s daughter): One guy ran away without his clothes.

Nathan: They didn’t have to sell the perfume to give money to the poor. If they cared that much, they should have just given their money.

Saralynn: Would Peter’s story have changed if he had stayed awake and prayed in the garden instead of sleeping?

Dan’l:

• God is not the God of the dead but of the living. This should give us great comfort when people who love God have died and moved on.
• I wonder what it was that caused Judas to finally turn in Jesus. What was the final straw before he cracked?
• Why didn’t Mark name Peter as the one who cut off the servant’s ear?
• What was Jesus doing in the days after his resurrection between popping up to the disciples? Where did he go? Whom did he see?
• The purpose of the sign gifts was to prove that their message was true.

Micah: The disciples didn’t know what God meant when he said he would die and rise again in 3 days

Dan’l:

• It’s useless to worship God when we are following human religious traditions
• Long before the Old Testament law was put out of commission, Jesus said that all foods are fit to eat
• Why did this healing take two steps instead of just one?
• Jesus said that only prayer can force out that type of demon? So, when did Jesus pray about it?
• We must freely give forgiveness to others before we can pray to God.

Saralynn:

• Did everyone see heaven open and hear God or just Jesus?
• Why didn’t Mark mention Peter walking on the water? (Note: I have my answer. Anyone else want to share a thought? – Dan’l)

Nathan:

• Jesus and the disciples used a boat a lot, and they wanted to be alone several times
• Instead of just having the people sit down, they put them in groups of 100s and 50s

David:

• “I remember the story of 2 fish and 5 breads.”
• “The people were surrounding God like crazy.”
• “I heard Satan talking, the green snake that made Even eat the apple off the bad tree!”

Dan’l:

• What would it look like if we talked about Jesus as much as this guy?
• Why don’t people beg us to let them come to Jesus and touch him?
• Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 in his answer for why he taught in parables. I think the note in the NET Study Bible is right on: “Parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.”
• Why would 2000 demons even want to be in just one man?
• Jesus raised a girl from the dead, and then told them to not tell anyone! Sure, nobody will notice that. I love his order: “Give her something to eat.” Makes you wonder why she died.
• “He was surprised that the people did not have any faith.” What a great comment on Jesus’ humanity and love for people!
• Interesting that the apostles used olive oil to heal people instead of just saying so.
• So, what did they do with all of the leftover food?
• I have always thought this was a great line: “He was walking on the water and was about to pass the boat.” There’s just something cool about the idea that Jesus was actually going to beat them across the lake on foot, while they were struggling against the waves. This is another great example of his deity.

Micah:

• Jesus said he was going to blow up a city
• A disciple asked for Jesus’ body to bury it

Nathan: Jesus said he would break down the temple and rebuild it in three days, but he was talking about his body

Rachael:

• They said they would nail Jesus to a cross
• They took off all his clothes

Saralynn:

• After the gospel has been preached all over the world, the end will come
• “The Jews still tell the story [that Jesus' body was stolen while the guards slept] to this day.” How many lies do we believe just because they fit into our picture of what we want the truth to look like?

Dan’l:

• I find it interesting that the disciples assumed that Jesus’ coming had would initiate the end of the world. What was the basis of that concept?
• Not everyone in Noah’s time knew that the flood was coming, even though Noah preached to them. Does this somehow make God unfair that people died without a specific warning from Noah?
• Again we find descriptions about hell (or Sheol), but they’re in parables. Does this affect how literal we understand the description to be?
• The religious leaders were so concerned about the sacredness of the Passover ritual that they looked right past the God of the Passover and the Ultimate Passover Lamb.
• Who was the “certain man in the city” in whose home Jesus celebrated Passover? And why did Jesus assume that he would be able to use his home?
• How many of the trees and rocks that Jesus and the disciples used in Gethsemane that night are still there today?
• This makes five days in a row that we find Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. It is a recurring theme in Matthew. In fact, there are more OT quotes in Matthew than any other NT book.
• You know, there’s just something about a woman’s intuition!
• Weird timeline in Matthew 27:52-53. The people came back to life while Jesus was still on the cross after he died, but they didn’t go into the city until after he was resurrected three days later? What were they doing in the meantime? (Picnic in the cemetery!)

Saralynn

• had never noticed Matthew 19:12 referencing eunuchs by force verses eunuchs by choice as a physical issue
• In chapter 23, Jesus attributed all of those murders to the Pharisees of that generation?

Micah – twice Jesus said that the first would be last and the last first

Dan’l (these are getting longer):

• In the account of the rich young ruler, Jesus’ point was not that giving his money away would make points with God but that it would free the man to follow Christ – which is the ultimate goal
• I have always enjoyed the story of the workers who worked different times but got paid the same (Matthew 20:1-15). From an economic perspective it stinks, but it shows that God’s grace is complete, no matter the person or circumstances.
• I love that Jesus continually pointed people back to the Father, showing his work within God’s overall agenda, and the unity of the godhead.
• Again, more references of Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies
• What I want to know is how the man know that the Lord would need his donkeys? Did God tell him that before?
• The story of the fig tree is a great example of Jesus’ humanity – he was hungry and didn’t know that there were no figs. It’s also a great example of his deity – all creation is supposed to offer their best to God, and he controls even life and death.
• Jesus’ question about John’s authority was a classic rabbinical teaching method. Rabbis would ask their students hard questions in order to get them to think for themselves, instead of just giving them the answers. When Jesus asked the religious experts his question about John and they refused to answer (because he had cornered them), Jesus was showing his superiority over them, like a teacher with a room full of preschoolers.
• Real leaders aren’t afraid of the people’s response; they do what’s right regardless of their popularity.
• Jesus didn’t come to set up a Christian government; he worked within the system that was there. Genuine Christianity can function under any government, economy, etc. It is to be our entire lifestyle, regardless of the external situation in which we find ourselves.
• Isn’t funny how we try to trip up God on his own turf and then are surprised when it doesn’t work?
• Religious fakes actually keep people from a relationship with God, and that ticks him off.
• The reference to Abel and Zechariah is pretty important. In the Hebrew Bible, Genesis is the first book (like in ours), but 2 Chronicles is the last. If you were to take the time and look it up, you’d find that Abel and Zechariah were the first and last murders Old Testament prophets. Basically, Jesus was laying the murder of every godly person up to that point upon those scribes and Pharisees.

• so many people flocked to Jesus (Matthew 13); what would our churches look like if we were actually imitating him the way he wants?
• Jesus used lots of parables because of Israel’s national rejection of him; it says that he didn’t speak in anything but parables to the people
• more references to Jesus fulfilling OT prophecies
• believers are not immune to being “not good soil”; I think this is a misunderstood concept. There are many times my heart is not “good soil” to received God’s message. How’s your heart?
• Question: Since Jesus is speaking in parables, is the description of Sheol (weeping, gnashing of teeth, etc.) literal at this point or just part of a parable?
• people refuse to believe what they can’t understand; Jesus didn’t do a lot of miracles where they didn’t already have faith. This is a great example of how God obligates himself to show himself to those who are seeking him.
• Jesus used the Jonah sign again (Matthew 16; see chapter 12)
• How dense did Jesus think the disciples were at times? How dense does he think I am?
• it’s not nearly as important what other people believe – God wants a personal relationship with me; he cares what I believe and what he is going to do with me (see John 21)
• God doesn’t take lightly those who mislead his people
• Jesus uses the same hand, foot, eye illustration in chapter 18 that he did in chapter 5; he must really mean it
• again he says that the Father will treat us the way we treat others

Nathan: “The people who obey my father are my brothers and sisters” (Matthew 12:50)

Saralynn:

• Jesus gave the same quote twice in this section – “Mercy is greater than sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7; see Hosea 6:6)
• Don’t be afraid of anyone (Matthew 10:28)

Micah: When a demon leaves a person, it brings back more (Matthew 12:43-45)

Dan’l:

• Matthew’s goal in writing was to show the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah-Savior they had been looking for; I don’t think any section of his book does it better than this section.
• How many miracles did Jesus perform in these five chapters?
• How many times did Matthew tie those miracles back to the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah?
• When John the Baptizer – who was telling everyone that Jesus was Messiah – began having doubts and asked Jesus if he really was Messiah, Jesus didn’t say yes or no – he reminded John about the miracles he had done (Matthew 11:2-6).
• After all of that, when the religious leaders asked for a[nother] sign, Jesus said they would get one more – the sign of Jonah the prophet who was in the belly of the fish for 3 days and nights. Jesus, too, would be in the belly of the grave, but he is better than Jonah because he’ll come back from death. That would be their most obvious sign (Matthew 12:38-42).
• Some of Jesus’ instructions to the apostles in chapter 10 are applicable to us today, but some are not. If Jesus were giving you instructions similar to chapter 10, what would he say to you?
• Three times Jesus compared certain people to wicked cities and referenced the day of judgment (those who reject the apostles / Sodom and Gomorrah, 10:14-15; Chorazin and Bethsaid / Tyre and Sidon, 11:20-22; Capernaum / Sodom, 11:23-24)
• I find it fascinating that Jesus’ opponents did not try to minimize his healing powers; in fact, they embraced them and tried to use his own powers against Jesus to trick him (Matthew 12:10). No one can refute your personal experience, but they may try to use it against you.
• Did anyone else see the complete irony of the confrontation beginning Matthew 12:22, especially verses 27-28? Apparently, Jesus was not the only one casting out demons at this point – some of his opponents own colleagues were doing it as well. But they were so blinded by their hatred toward Jesus, that they actually ended up condemning their own people! “You can’t cast out demons without the power of Satan.” “Oh, yeah? Well, how are you doing it then?” OUCH! Whenever we come face to face with Jesus, we’ll be shown for who we really are.

After we listened I asked if there was anything that jumped out at anyone. Here is what we heard in today’s listening:

Micah: Don’t test God (chapter 4)

Saralynn: Didn’t remember that there were sets of 14 generations; can help with dating historical events (chapter 1)

Nathan: Serve only God (chapter 4)

David & Rachael: Heard the names of most of our kids

Dan’l:

• Three of our four kids’ namesakes are referred to in chapters 1-2; two are by name (David, Rachael); Micah is the prophet who said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
• How many times was something done or said in chapters 1-4 “in order to fulfill the [Old Testament] Scriptures”?
• “The eyes are the windows to the soul” (Matthew 6:22-23)
• God will treat me the way I treat others (Matthew 7:1-2)
• God is more concerned about “being” than about “doing” (Matthew 7:22-23; listen to today’s message for more on that)

Over the last couple of days, Perry Noble (known affectionately in our church as “the biscuit guy” from the One Prayer series), did a series of posts on the four questions in Romans 10:14-15:

How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

I recommend that you read his posts as part of your preparation for our “Listen” series beginning this weekend:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3