COMPANION RESOURCES
Lesson for Dec. 27, 2020: Fulfilled through Hope (Matthew 12:1-23)
“He’s Got Your Back” by David Faust (Lesson Application)
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Study Questions for Groups
By Michael C. Mack
Leader: Provide extra time for this lesson, especially for question 2 as you recap this past year and question 9 as you plan for next year.
1. What challenge or blessing did you experience last week?
2. What was your biggest challenge and your biggest blessing of 2020?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 12:1-23 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions.
Ask the third person to retell the story in one minute or less.
3. Would anyone else like to change or add to that retelling?
4. Let’s dig more deeply into the passage.
• What in general were the Pharisees accusing Jesus and his disciples of?
• How were the crowds responding to Jesus?
• How would you compare and contrast the focus of the Pharisees with that of Jesus?
• What attributes of Jesus do you glean from this passage?
• Look again at Isaiah’s prophesy about the Messiah in verses 18-20. How specifically do you see these descriptions fulfilled in Jesus in the rest of this passage?
• Reread verse 21. If you were the people being healed, the rest of the crowds, Jesus’ disciples, even the Pharisees, how would Jesus give you hope?
5. What do you learn about God’s love from this passage?
6. What do you learn, both good and bad, about people?
7. As you seek to follow Jesus, which of his attributes, convictions, or actions in this passage will you pursue?
8. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
9. As a group let’s take some time to make (and write down) some plans for 2021. What will we do next year in our community to:
• show mercy?
• bring restoration?
• bring healing?
• proclaim justice?
• bring about hope?
10. What challenges or blessings do you anticipate this week as we begin a new year?
For Next Week: Over the next week, read and reflect on Matthew 5:1-16 as we begin a new unit on the Sermon on the Mount. 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.
