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Read Matthew Chapters 19 through 21 and consider the following:

1. In Matthew 19:1-12, what is Christ’s message? How does it apply to us today?
   1. ANSWER: Jesus teaches us that we were created to marry once for life. We shouldn't divorce, but if we do, it should only be for infidelity. He also teaches us that ,some may not choose marriage, choosing instead to live as a single person. This is also good as long as we live that life in glory to God, keeping ourselves pure from improper sexual relations.
2. In Matthew 19:4-6, what do these verses teach us about "same-sex unions" or "marriages"?
   1. ANSWER: He shows us that marriage was always intended to be between a man and a woman, and that same sex unions are not what God intended.
3. In Matthew 19:16-30, of the Ten Commandments, which ones did Christ not specifically mention? (See Exodus Chapter 20 for the original giving of the Ten Commandments, if you don’t remember them.)
   1. ANSWER: In answering the rich young ruler, Christ did not specifically mention the four commandments about God: (1) we are to have no other gods before us, (2) we are not to worship idols or images, (3) we are not to misuse God’s holy name, and (4) we are to keep the Sabbath holy. Christ did not mention these because he knew the ruler had broken all of them. Christ knew that at the core of the ruler’s heart was a love of money, power, and possessions. God was not the center of his life. This is why the ruler left grieving, because he knew that as well.
4. Which of the Ten Commandments could the Rich Man not keep?
   1. ANSWER: He could not keep those about God himself, i.e., the four that Christ did not mention.
5. Can people of wealth be saved?
   1. ANSWER: Yes. Note what Jesus says in verse 23, "...it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." He did not say that it was impossible. Wealth can easily get between us and God; it can be a very powerful influence for evil in our lives, and yet we have plenty of examples in the Bible of righteous, wealthy people such as Job, Abraham, David, and Solomon—just to name a few. Wealth in and of itself is not sin; rather, it is how we treat it that is the real danger of wealth.
6. In Matthew 19:28, what two things does Christ reveal which will happen when he returns?
   1. ANSWER: He reveals that there will be a "restoration", or a "renewal". A resurrection will occur when he returns, and he will put the twelve Apostles on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
7. Read Matthew 20:1-16. What truths are we taught about Christ’s second coming? (There are many.)
   1. ANSWER: He teaches us that whether we get to work in His kingdom for a day, a week, or a lifetime, all of us will get the same reward in heaven—spending an eternity with Him. He also tells us that being great in life does not equal being great in heaven. And He teaches us that the last to arrive in heaven will be equal with those who arrived first. We are all God’s children; none of us is to seek to be elevated above the rest. God sees us all equally as His children, and we should do the same.
8. Read Matthew 20:20-28. Compare this passage with the parable that you just read about the vineyard. What can we observe that is common in both of them?
   1. ANSWER: We observe that we are not to seek authority over one another; we are saved to serve and to be served. We should be willing to give our lives for Jesus, just as he gave his life for us. If we are concerned about who gets the honor and the power when we are all in heaven, then our heart is in the wrong place, and it will keep us from being the servants that Christ wants us to be.
9. In Matthew 21:1-17, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem is recounted, an event we today call Palm Sunday. What does Jesus reveal to the Jews regarding God’s intended purpose for the Temple? Instead, what purpose had the Jews turned God’s Temple into? Can you cite an example of this occurring today in the "Church"?
   1. ANSWER: God intended for the Temple to be a house of prayer, but it had been turned into a market place. Even worse, it was full of crooked and dishonest merchants with bad scales or weights, and thieving money changers. They had completely prostituted the Temple and defiled it, keeping it from becoming what God intended, i.e., a house of prayer. Clearly today, we can see examples of this everywhere: churches and para-church organizations who use the name of God to make money—completely perverting Christ’s intended purpose for the church.
10. Read Matthew 21:18-21. What can we learn about ourselves from this illustration?
    1. ANSWER: Jesus is showing us the great power that is available to a faithful believer. He is also showing us that doubt is the opposite of faith, and it will prevent us from doing all that we are called to do.. We have to have faith with no doubt if we want to move mountains.
11. In Matthew 21:28-31, who do the two sons represent?
    1. ANSWER: The sons represent those who serve Jesus, and those who will not (even thought they said that they will). Specifically, here we see the Jews (the Pharisees, the Chief Priests and Elders who claim to be following God but are not), compared to those who believed John The Baptist and repented, and now believe on Jesus as their Savior.
12. Read Matthew 21:33-46. Is there a connection here (see especially verse 43) with Matthew 18-21? Explain.
    1. ANSWER: Clearly here Christ condemns the Pharisees, the Elders and the Chief Priests, just as he condemned the fig tree that did not bear any fruit. Now he is taking that away from them—the ability to bear fruit in the Kingdom, and he is giving it to the Apostles, fisherman, tax collectors, and so on.

As Christ’s earthly ministry comes to a close, he still has much to teach the Disciples, and the world, about what it means to follow Him and to live and work in His kingdom. He also begins to provide a glimpse of what will happen when he returns. Jesus warns us even today, as he did then, that we must be careful not to judge in the same way that the world judges, not to act the way that the world acts, and not to live our lives the way that the world lives.

To follow Christ is to live apart from the ways and thoughts of this world. We are to be in the world, but not of it. Unfortunately, for many of the people and situations that we studied in this lesson, they had lost sight of this; and, unwilling to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior, they turned their backs on him.

In the previous lesson, we answered the question "who do people say that Christ is?", and in this lesson, we answered the question "how are we as followers of the Messiah, Jesus, our Savior to act and think?" I pray the Lord will once again shed great wisdom on you as you diligently seek and study His Holy Word.

Have a great and blessed week everyone.

In Christ,

Wes

[2017]