Happy Monday Saints! Praise God we made it through the 4th Week of reading the Gospel of Matthew. We find that this week Jesus is telling his disciples that he’s the Messiah. He also began telling them how to live their lives and having faith in order to have eternal life. He said that he would soon die and be raised again in three days from the dead.
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Here’s my recap for our Bible Study Week 4 challenge….
Matthew 16:1-28
What did I learn from today’s word?
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus by asking him to show a sign from Heaven. He told them that they can’t interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for signs, but none will be given except the sign of Jonah. Then Jesus told his disciples to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples thought he was talking about bread, but Jesus was referring to their teachings.
Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi and asked the disciples, “who do people say that he is?” After they replied, Jesus asked “who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered by saying “The Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”Jesus blessed him because he knew that God revealed it to him in heaven. He than told Peter that he would build his church upon him and nothing would overcome it. Whatever he did on earth would be done in Heaven and whatever he loosed on earth would be loosed in Heaven. But he told his disciples not to tell anyone He was the Messiah. Then Jesus began explaining his death and Peter told him it wouldn’t happen. Jesus told Satan to get behind him as a stumbling block.
Jesus told them that whoever wanted to be his disciple had to deny themselves and take up their cross to follow him. Whoever wants to save their life will lose it and whoever loses their life for Him would find it. What good is it to gain the world and lose your soul? God will reward each person according to what they have done. Some people will not die before they see Jesus coming in his Kingdom.
Matthew 17:1-27
What did I learn from today’s word?
Jesus took Peter, James and John (James brother) to a high mountain than transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and clothes white as the light. Then Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus. When Peter asked Jesus to put up three shelters, God said from a bright cloud, that Jesus is his son, whom he loved and was well pleased. God said to listen to Him! The disciples were afraid, but Jesus touched them and said to get up and not to be afraid. Jesus tells them again that He will die and be raised from the dead. The disciples questioned the scriptures about Elijah coming first. Jesus said that he already came in the form of John the Baptist and they didn’t recognize him.
Jesus then heals a demon-possessed boy because the disciples couldn’t do it. When they asked why they couldn’t do it, Jesus said that their faith was too little. He said if they had the faith the size of a mustard seed, they could have moved mountains and nothing would be impossible for them.
When they arrived in Capernaum, the tax collectors asked Peter why Jesus didn’t pay the temple tax? Peter said Jesus does. Jesus asked Peter if the tax collectors collected from their own children or others? Peter answered, “from others.” And Jesus said, “then children are exempt.” He then told Peter to catch the first fish in the lake and a four-drachma coin would be in his mouth. Jesus wanted Peter to take it to the tax collector to pay for their taxes.
Matthew 18:1-35
What did I learn from today’s word?
The disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in Heaven? Jesus told them to change and become like children or we would never enter. Whoever takes the position of a child is the greatest in the Kingdom. Whoever welcomes a child, does so in Jesus name. If anyone causes a child to stumble, they will suffer the most for it. If any part of your body causes you to stumble it’s better to cut if off before entering the Kingdom. The children’s Angels always see God face so we are not to despise a child.
If a man owns a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, the man will search for it. Our God is not willing that any one should perish.
If anyone in the church points out your flaws and won’t listen to you, take one or two as a testimony witness. If they refuse to listen, go to the church, if the church refuses, treat them as a pagan or tax collector. If two or three gather together in Jesus name he’s with them. How many times should we forgive? Jesus says seventy times seven times. We must have mercy on one another from the heart and forgive or our Father will not forgive us.
Matthew 19:1-30
What did I learn from today’s word?
Jesus left Galilee and went into the region of Judea. Large crowds followed Him and He continued to heal them there. Some Pharisees asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason? Jesus said that from the beginning God created male and female. Man should leave his parents and become as one with his wife. They are no longer two and what God has joined together no one can separate. They asked why Moses had permitted to divorce? Jesus said it was not this way from the beginning and anyone who divorces, except for sexual immorality, and marries again commits adultery. The disciples thought it best not to marry. Jesus said if you choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom, it’s good.
Jesus said let children come to Him for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.
A man asked Jesus what must he do to have eternal life? Jesus said to keep the commandments and in order to be perfect to sell all possessions and give to the poor and follow him. The man went away sad because he was rich. Jesus said it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. With man it’s impossible, but with God all things are possible. Anyone who leaves everything behind will receive a hundred times as much and inherit eternal life.
Matthew 20:1-34
What did I learn from today’s word?
The Kingdom of God is like a landowner who paid his last workers a denarius just as he did his first workers. The first workers became angry expecting to be paid more, but Jesus told them that they received what they excepted. The last will be first and the first last. All are treated the same. Jesus predicted his death a third time to his disciples.
The mother of Zebedee’s sons asked Jesus if her two sons could sit on the right and left of him in his Kingdom. Jesus told her that God has already prepared these places and he couldn’t grant them. Jesus said whoever wants to be great must become a slave just as he had. He came to serve and give his life as a ransom.
Two blind men sat by the road and shouted to Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus asked what they wanted him to do and they wanted their sight. Jesus touched their eyes and they could immediately see. Then they followed Him.
Matthew 21:1-46
What did I learn from today’s word?
Jesus told two disciples to go to the village to get a colt and bring it back to him. Jesus rode the colt into Jerusalem and the large crowd shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Jesus entered the temple and drove out the people selling goods by overturning their tables. He told them that his house was for prayer and not a den of robbers. When the chief priests and teachers saw the children shouting praise in this temple, they became angry.
The next morning, Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree with no fruit. The tree withered away when Jesus cursed it, by saying it wouldn’t bear fruit again! The disciples wondered how he was able to do that. Jesus told them that if they had faith and did not doubt they could do it too. If you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
The teachers asked Jesus, “who gave him authority to do the things he was doing?” Jesus refused to tell them. Jesus tells his disciples parables by saying that tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the Kingdom ahead of the teachers and priests. He said that John came to show the way and they didn’t believe, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even when they saw the miracles Jesus performed they still didn’t believe. The Kingdom will be taken away from them and given to a people who will produce its fruit. The priests and Pharisees know Jesus was talking about them and looked for a way to kill him, but was afraid because the people believed he was a prophet.
Tell us your thoughts about Week 4 in the comments below! We would love to hear from you 🙂
Don’t forget to meet me back here next Monday (God willing) for our Week 5 challenge recap!
God loves you and so do I,
Wanda
Related materials
- Following Jesus 101: Gospel of Matthew – Bible Study Challenge – Intro & FREE Stuff
- Following Jesus 101: Matthew – Bible Study Challenge – Week 1 Recap
- Following Jesus 101: Matthew – Bible Study Challenge – Week 2 Recap
- Following Jesus 101: Matthew – Bible Study Challenge – Week 3 Recap
