COMPANION RESOURCES
Lesson for Dec. 6, 2020: Fulfilled through Generations (Matthew 1:1-17)
“Why Begin with Begats?” by David Faust (Lesson Application)
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Study Questions for Groups
By Michael C. Mack
1. What challenges did you face last week?
2. Since we last met, with whom did you personally seek reconciliation or share God’s message of reconciliation?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 1:1-17 aloud,one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions.
Ask the third person to briefly summarize the passage.
3. What stands out to you most in this passage?
4. Let’s dig more deeply into the passage.
• Luke’s genealogy (Luke 3:23-38) went all the way back to Adam. What would Matthew’s choice of starting with Abraham convey to Jewish readers?
• What do the titles for Jesus in this passage tell you about Matthew’s purpose for writing this account?
• Matthew divided his genealogy into three sections. What important events or transitions in Jewish history did this call out?
• Whom do you recognize in this genealogy, and what do you know about him or her?
• While women were rarely listed in most genealogies of that time, five are referred to in this one (Tamar in verse 3; Rahab and Ruth, verse 5; Uriah’s former wife, Bathsheba, verse 6; and Mary, verse 16). What do you find interesting or informative about that?
5. What do you learn about God from this passage?
6. What do you learn about people?
7. What do you learn from the people on this list about the importance of obeying God?
8. God’s people are directed to be fruitful, grow in numbers, and reproduce (Genesis 1:22, 28; 9:1, 7; etc.). How can we do that in a spiritual sense?
• How can we as a group work toward growing in numbers and reproducing?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. What challenges do you anticipate facing this week?
For Next Week: Over the next week, read and reflect on Matthew 1:18-25; 22:34-40. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Michael C. Mack
Michael C. Mack is editor of Christian Standard. He has served in churches in Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky. He has written more than 25 books and discussion guides as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper, and web-based articles.
