Matthew - Next Steps

Message Summary

Many go their own way in pursuit of fame or fortune. Sometimes these people don’t truly understand the consequences of their actions. The Bible is full of stories of individuals who tried to do life on their own, that is until they had an encounter with God. When our lives are touched by God, he changes everything. This week, we focused on Matthew, learning a little bit about his background, and how, through his writings, he continues to shape what it means to follow Jesus.

• What are things, apart from God, that many chase after?

• Why do you think these things have such a draw?

• What are the things you are pursuing?

A Little Bit About Matthew

We all know Matthew, also known as Levi, as one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. He is responsible for writing the gospel of Matthew. Before meeting Jesus, Matthew was a tax collector (Mathew 9:9). Tax collectors were not esteemed in those days. They were often seen as traitors because they had gone to work for the Roman Empire, and often cheated and swindled their fellow Jews to line their own pockets. While we don’t know if Matthew participated in this practice, we do know that from the moment Jesus called him, Matthew was introducing his friends to Jesus (Matthew 9:10). Matthew was a social influencer, desiring that all within his circle of influence were able to meet Jesus. His gospel takes on the style of Hebrew, or Jewish, writings. He emphasized Jesus as Messiah (1:1, 16-18; 11:2-3; 16:16, 20; 23:10), the kingdom of Heaven (4:17, 11:2-6, 11-15; 13:24-30; 16:28 25:31-46; 26:29), discipleship, or our call to follow after Jesus, (10:1-42, 16:24-26), fulfillment of OT (Matthew 5-7), and the universal outlook of the Gospel, the Gospel is for everyone, (28:18-20).Some have suggested that after he wrote the Gospel, he traveled as a missionary throughout the known world, although his travels are not recorded in the Bible. We do believe that his travels may have taken him east into Ethiopia, where he most likely died.

• What stands out to you about Matthew’s story?

• Why is his focus on Jesus as the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of the OT, important for us to understand?

• Does any of the other themes Matthew emphasized resonate with you? Why?

Read Matthew 9:9-13
1) Why is it significant that Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him?

2) Where did Matthew invite Jesus and the other disciples to go? Why was this so “scandalous” in the eyes of the religious leaders?

3) What was Jesus’ response to them?

4) If you were to assign yourself a role in this story, who would you be? (Matthew inviting others; the sinners and tax collectors at the party; Jesus’ disciples along for the ride; or the Pharisees critical of the appearance of what was happening) Why?

5) What does it look like for us to be people who show mercy?

Read Matthew 28:16-20
6) Where were the disciples going?

7) What was there reaction when they got there? Why is it important to note that they all didn’t have the same reaction?

8) What was Jesus’ final charge to his disciples? What was the promise He made to them?

9) What does it mean for us to make disciples?

10) How do you prioritize this charge in your life?

Moving Forward
The Sermon of the Mount
In quite possibly the seminal teaching on the OT, Jesus in Matthew 5-7, explained what it means to live for God. This week, focus time on the following selections from this teaching, letting them guide you into a deeper relationship with God.

The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12
Concerning the Law: Matthew 5:17-20
Revenge and Your Enemy: Matthew 5:38-48
Prayer and Fasting: Matthew 6:5-18
On Worry: Matthew 6:25-34
Persistence in Prayer: Matthew 7:7-11
Trees, their Fruit and True Disciples: Matthew 7:15-23