Following Jesus: Focus On The Message – Matthew 11

Last Updated on March 29, 2023 by Rocklyn Clarke

Description

Welcome to Focus On The Message – the first component of our Following Jesus discipleship program. This web page contains the lessons for:

Matthew 11

Purpose

Follow this link for information about these key aspects of our training: Purpose, Goals, Habits, Ministries, and Assignments.

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Matthew 11

This chapter has 3 lessons. You should ideally cover one chapter (with all of its lessons) in a week, but please don’t let a week go by without completing at least one lesson.

Lesson 1: Jesus and John the Baptizer (John the Baptist)

Main text and related passages:

• Jesus and John the Baptist – Matthew 11:1-19 – Bible Gateway
  • Matthew 11:1-19; Luke 7:18-35; Isaiah 35:1-10; Malachi 2:17 – 3:5; Malachi 4:1-5 
  • Isaiah 35:1-10 – Blind, deaf, lame (vs. 5 – 7)
  • Malachi 2:17 – 3:5 – “I will send my messenger ahead of you . . .”
  • Malachi 4:1-5 – “the Elijah who was to come”

Checkout the following:

• • Why is John in prison? – Matthew 14:1-12
  • Watch: The Messiah Biblical Theme Video | BibleProject™
  • Watch: Gospel of the Kingdom Biblical Theme Video | BibleProject™
  • Watch: Listen (Shema) Shema Word Study Video | BibleProject™  – “He who has ears, let them hear.”
  • Watch: Son of Man Biblical Theme Video | BibleProject™ (00:05:50)

Topics to explore:

• • Why is John unsure about Jesus?
  • How does John deal with ambiguity? How do we deal with ambiguity?
  • What signs does Jesus want John to pay attention to?
  • Why is the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven greater than John?
  • In Luke 4:14-21 Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2 to declare that he has been anointed to proclaim good news to the poor. In this passage Jesus declares that the good news is being proclaimed to the poor and he offers this to John’s disciples as validation of his ministry. How are we doing at proclaiming the good news to the poor?

Additional resources to check out:

• • Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 (The New Testament for Everyone) by Tom Wright – Amazon.com
  • 17. The Hammer that Heals [Matthew] – Tim Mackie (The Bible Project) – YouTube

Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):

• • Read the main passage and related passages above.
  • Watch the Tim Mackie video.

Lesson 2: Woe on Unrepentant Cities

Main text and related passages:

• Woe on Unrepentant Cities – Matthew 11:20-24 – Bible Gateway
  • Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 10:13-15 
  • Tyre – Isaiah 23; Jeremiah 25:15-38; Ezekiel 26-28; Amos 1:9-10; Zechariah 9
  • Sodom – Genesis 18:16 – 19:29; Ezeiel 16:49-52; 2 Peter 2:4-9

Checkout the following:

• • Watch: Day of the Lord Biblical Theme Video | BibleProject™ (00:05:46)

Topics to explore:

• • What was Sodom’s problem?
  • What does this teach us about Jesus’ expectations in the stories we’ve read so far in which he performed miracles?
  • How do you respond to Jesus?

Additional resources to check out:

• • Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 (The New Testament for Everyone) by Tom Wright – Amazon.com
  • 18. One Way To The Grave [Matthew] – Tim Mackie (The Bible Project) – YouTube

Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):

• • Read the main passage and related passages above.
  • Watch the Tim Mackie video.

Lesson 3: The Father Revealed in the Son, Rest for the Weary

Main text and related passages:

• Rest for the Weary – Matthew 11:25-30 – Bible Gateway
  • Matthew 11:25-30; Luke 10:21-22
  • John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-4
  • Isaiah 55:1-3 – “Come, all you who are thirsty . . .”
  • Exodus 33:12-14 – “. . . I will give you rest.”

Checkout the following:

• • Watch: The Messiah Biblical Theme Video | BibleProject™
  • Take my yoke . . .” – 008 DUST – Rob Bell – NOOMA – YouTube (00:15:34)
  • Episode 124: Rabbis and Disciples Pt 8: Jesus’s Yoke – Walking The Text 00:24:22)

Topics to explore:

• • Jesus asserts here that we only know the Father through him.
  • What does this say about people who claim to know God through some path other than Jesus?
  • What’s unique about Jesus? How does he compare to the founders of all other religious systems?

Additional resources to check out:

• • Matthew for Everyone, Part 1 (The New Testament for Everyone) by Tom Wright – Amazon.com
  • Paula Gooder – Session 1 A biblical view of discipleship – YouTube
  • Paula Gooder – All sessions, day two – YouTube
  • Rabbis and Disciples Archives – Walking The Text

Training assignment (do this yourself, and use it to help train someone else):

• • Read the main passage and related passages above.

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Advance to Matthew 12