OUTLINE FOR HOME BIBLE STUDIES

1. The Birth of Jesus—Matthew 1:18-2:23

  1. Quick review of the story—let the group provide details
  2. Review of some prophecies fulfilled

    Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Micah 5:2 (let group read)

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  3. Purpose of His coming—save his people from their sins
  4. Meaning of incarnation—God with us, divine becomes human
2. The Baptism of Jesus—Matthew 3:1-17
  1. John’s coming—preparation for Messiah
  2. Response to John’s preaching—many come—repentance required
  3. Why Jesus wants to be baptized—fulfill righteousness—do God’s will—associate Himself with John’s disciples
  4. Baptism is, then, an act of obedience and a point of demarcation between the old and the new
3. The Temptation of Jesus—Matthew 4
  1. Jesus was both God and man—had qualities of both
  2. As a man, Jesus had a choice—even as we do
  3. "Make these stones bread"—Will He choose to use his power for selfish and material ends? He rejected this because the spiritual is more important than the material and it was wrong for Him to be diverted from higher to lower purposes.
  4. "Cast thyself down"—Will he choose to presume on God’s good will? God has made promises to us all but we are not deliberately to put ourselves in jeopardy. God is just and will punish wrong doing. We are tempted to do what we know is wrong believing God will pull us out.
  5. "Worship me"—Choose to worship me, Satan said, and I will give you the world you came to win. But Jesus would have been subject to Satan and would have used the wrong mans to gain His end. The end does not justify the means. We must not do so either.
4. Jesus’ Beatitudes—Matthew 5:1-12
  1. Consider each beatitude and show its contrast with the thinking of the world. (Humility is better than power, sorrow for sin is better than joy in sin, etc.)
  2. Emphasize what kind of life Christians live if they follow this teaching. Show the good side of living the Christian life.
5. Jesus’ Teaching About God and Mammon—Matthew 6:19-34
  1. The right priorities are valid—we cannot serve God and mammon, we must make a choice.
  2. Material things are not the most important thing in life.
  3. Christ gives you a great recipe for a happy life—free from anxiety—
1. Value yourself (Are ye not of much more value?)
2. Accept yourself (Who can add one cubit by worry?)
3. Consecrate yourself (Find your highest purpose in life by seeking first His kingdom) 6. Jesus’ Life As Seen Through One Day—Matthew 8:1-22
  1. Several miracles—Jesus had divine power (John 3:2)
  2. Jesus had power over demons

    (At the time God was exercising His greatest power on earth through Christ, He allowed Satan to exercise more power by sending demons to live in people. Satan is not allowed to do this today but he still works through other means to control our lives.) We must make a choice about whom we will serve.

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  3. The price of discipleship. Make the choice to serve Christ knowing what it will cost as well as what it gives.
7. Jesus Teaches About the Kingdom of God—Matthew 13; 16:18
  1. Parable of sower—gospel is the seed; response is up to us
  2. Kingdom is like a treasure—show its importance
  3. Kingdom is like a net—catches all kinds—not all in church will make it at the last—do not be put off by such
  4. I will build my church—kingdom
8. Jesus Teaches About Service and Hypocrisy—Matthew 20:20-28; 23:1-33
  1. Jesus says "service" is the most important
  2. Jesus declares the Jewish leaders to be hypocrites for many different reasons. Review some that might apply to many today.
  3. Are there hypocrites today? What do they do? Are they in the church? Are they out of the church? What should our response to them be?
9. Jesus Teaches About Responsibility and Judgment—Matthew 25:14-46
  1. Parable of the talents—each is responsible before God. There will be a day of reckoning
  2. Judgment will come
  3. The basis for judgment here is how we treat others. Other scriptures give additional bases (John 12:48; Rev. 20:11-15).
  4. The results of the judgment (v. 46)
10. Jesus’ Crucifixion—Matthew 26:36-27:66
  1. Tell the story from Jesus’ prayer, through the trials, to the crucifixion. (Use a map of Old Jerusalem to make this more realistic)
  2. Why did Jesus have to suffer this experience? Why could God not "Let this cup pass?"
  3. What does this mean to us?
11. Jesus’ Resurrection—Matthew 28; Acts 2
  1. The fact of the resurrection

    1. Tomb was sealed and guarded
    2. Eye witnesses told their story in the time and place where it happened. If they had been false, it could easily have been proved.
    3. The tomb was empty. Who took the body? Romans? Jews? Disciples?
    4. The apostles had such a drastic change. Only an event like the resurrection can explain it.
    5. Why lie about something that only brings you persecution and trouble—no money or profit?

  2. Great Commission
  3. Acts 2—Great Commission in operation—response of those people. Response needed today.