Matthew - Day 22: Faith and False Teachers

Read Matthew 16

Jesus tells his followers to be careful (on guard) against the yeast of the Sadducees and Pharisees. These were religious leaders who opposed Jesus and his teaching because He didn’t line up with their interpreta- tion of Scriptures. Yeast is a rising agent. When it is added to bread it is worked through the entire batch of dough and it influences the whole lump. When the dough is baked, the whole loaf rises uniformly.

Q: Why would he compare them to yeast?

Q: Do you think false leaders today could be yeast? What would it most likely look like?

Q: What is significant about Peter’s confession? How does it compare with the religious leaders and false teachers of the day?

Q: Why is confession of Jesus “as the Christ, the Son of the living God” the first step in living a life of faith?

Q: Have you personally made the confession that Jesus is Christ and Lord of your life? If not, what is keeping you from doing so? (See Romans 10:9-10)

For Further Study: Acts 20:28-30, Romans 10:9-10, Colossians 2:6-8, 1 Timothy 4:1-5, 1 John 4:1-6