Message Notes
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. —Matthew 23:13 ESV
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! —Matthew 23:23-24 ESV
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. —1 John 4:20 ESV
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. —Mark 10:13-14 ESV
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. —Matthew 18:6 ESV
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. —Matthew 18:10 ESV
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me —Matthew 18:4-5 ESV
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. —Matthew 18:6 ESV
Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ —Matthew 25:44-45 ESV
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. —James 2:14-17 ESV
So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. —Matthew 18:14 ESV
But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. —Luke 10:33 ESV
Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” —Luke 10:36-37 ESV
Digging Deeper: LIVE IT OUT!
1) What makes Jesus mad?
2) What stuck with you from the last two weeks?
3) What stood out to you in the message this week?
-Blocking access to God
-Legalism (Rules over relationship)
-Indifference
4)This week we look at Jesus’ anger over indifference to the needs of others.
Were these characters (those sparking anger in Jesus) intentionally evil or just missing something? What were they missing?
5) How did they (Pharisees/religious leaders) get so far off base? Can/Does this happen to us? Can you give some examples?
Love God, and love your neighbor—the most important commandments, according to Jesus.
Read 1 John 4:20
*Read: Mark 10:13—14*
6) Do you hear Jesus’ anger in his remarks? What stirs Him to anger? Who is He angry with? What have they done?
Read: Matthew 18:6
“…but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea…” Yikes!
7) Is the message clear?
8) Pastor Ted says “Jesus seems especially angry about blocking access to the kingdom for those furthest away”
Who are the “furthest away” from the kingdom today?
9) Explain the “why” of your answer.
10) What most often hinders their progress? How do you think we reach them?
11) Would kids fall into this category? Why or why not?
12) How are the kids in your life receiving Truth into their lives? What hindrances do they face?
13) So, what do we do with this message today?
14) “Seems the only time we see Jesus angry in Scripture He is mad at people inside the church”. Agree or disagree? Why or why not?
15) Pastor Ted made references to the Good Samaritan story. “Who is your neighbor?”
16) Are there others in your life with needs you’ve been ignoring? Avoiding? Whose name comes to mind when you hear this question?
Read Matthew 25:42—46
17) What is Jesus asking us to do?
18) Why does it matter?
19) Respond to the Dallas Willard quote:
“We don’t believe something by saying we believe it, or even when we believe we believe it. We believe in something when we act as if it were true…”
Faith in action.
What can others say you believe to be true? What are your actions saying that you believe?
20) What will you do differently this week because of this message?