Bible Reading
Matthew 11:16-19 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
[15:42]Matthew 19:16-22 “And behold, a man came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
[32:28]1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
[34:31]Observation questions
- In Matthew 11:16–19, how do the accusations against John and Jesus differ, and what do those accusations have in common? [27:57]
- What was John’s call to repentance preparing people to receive, and how was Jesus’ work different from John’s? [30:54]
- In Matthew 19:16–22, what contrast appears between the young man’s claim about keeping the commandments and his response to Jesus’ instruction? [33:17]
- What connection is made between bringing personal struggles to God in prayer and what Jesus accomplished at the cross? [34:28]
Interpretation questions
- How does rejecting both John’s restraint and Jesus’ eating and drinking reveal a desire to receive God’s Word only on one’s own terms? [28:11]
- Why does the young man’s unwillingness to part with his possessions reveal more than a problem with money? What does it show about the difference between outward obedience and love for others? [32:47]
- Why does admitting failure before God prepare a person to receive forgiveness rather than earn that forgiveness? [30:54]
- In light of 1 Peter 5:7, how does Christ’s rescue at the cross give a struggling believer confidence to bring personal burdens to God, even when those struggles remain unresolved? [34:11]
Application questions
- When you recognize that you have sinned, do you tend to excuse it, promise to try harder, or turn to Christ for forgiveness? What might help you confess honestly without making your improvement the basis of God’s acceptance? [30:19]
- Is there a command of God that you find yourself softening because it challenges something you want to keep? What would it look like to let that command expose your need for Christ rather than explain it away? [29:43]
- Like the young man with his possessions, where do you notice a reluctance to put someone else’s needs ahead of your own comfort, time, or money? What is one concrete way you could care for that person this week in response to God’s grace? [33:02]
- Without sharing more than you are comfortable sharing, what personal burden have you been trying to carry alone? How might knowing that Christ knows and cares about that struggle shape your prayers this week? [34:14]
- Think of a recent act of service or obedience. Were you trying to prove yourself to God, responding to his love, or experiencing a mixture of both? How might Christ’s finished rescue help you serve with greater freedom and gratitude? [28:47]
- God continues his gracious work as his people gather to hear his Word, pray, and receive his meal. Which of these do you find yourself approaching as a duty rather than a gift, and what might help you receive it with renewed trust in his grace? [36:05]
