Study Questions for Groups
By Michael C. Mack
1. How were you able to live out your purpose in making disciples last week?
2. What was the biggest challenge you faced over the past week?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 9:1-17 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions.
Ask the third person to retell the story from this passage.
3. In each of the three sections of this Bible passage (vv. 1-8, 9-13, 14-17), what contrasts do you see between the different groups of people?
4. Let’s dig deeper:
• What do you notice about how various people responded to Jesus?
• What do you learn about Jesus’ authority?
• What does this passage demonstrate about who Jesus values?
• What does this passage demonstrate about what God values most?
• What do you learn about Jesus’ purpose and mission?
• What is the difference between being devoted to Jesus and being devoted to religious forms and practices?
• How might legalistic attitudes (and a focus on our own self-righteousness) get in the way of loving God and carrying out his mission?
5. What do you learn about God from this passage?
6. What do you learn about yourself?
7. Who are the obedient people in each section of this passage and who are the disobedient?
• What do you learn about living in obedience to Jesus?
8. A challenge for some of us is to cultivate relationships with non-Christians whose worldviews and lifestyles differ from our own rather than socializing only with other believers. This week, with whom from outside your circle of church friends will you spend some time, perhaps over lunch or coffee?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. What challenge do you anticipate this week as you move forward in obedience to Christ?
For Next Week: Read and reflect on Matthew 22:15-33. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
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