2003 Fall Bible Conference

Bible Study #1

FOLLOW ME!PRIVATE 

Matthew 9:1-17

Key Verse 9:9

1. Read vs. 1-2a. Put yourself in the position of the paralytic lying on a mat. What do you think it was like? Yet what did "some men" do for him? What can we learn from these men?

2. Read v. 2b. What do the following words teach us in coping with spiritual "paralysis" built inside of men: 1) "When Jesus saw their faith"; 2) "he said to the paralytic"; 3) "son"; 4) "take heart"; and 5) "your sins are forgiven"? 

3. Read vs. 3-8. How were the teachers of the law different from "some men" who brought the paralytic to Jesus? Yet what did Jesus do for the teachers of the law? What does the crowd's response to this miracle show us about Jesus?

4. Read v. 9 and put yourself in the position of Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth. What do you think it was like? Why do you think no one brought him to Jesus? Yet what did Jesus do for him? 

5. Read v. 9 again. To the paralytic Jesus said, "Get up, take your mat and go home." But to Matthew Jesus said, "Follow me!" Why? Think about the way Matthew responded to Jesus' call. What does this tell us about Matthew?

6. Read vs. 9-13. Why did Jesus "eat" with tax collectors and sinners? What can we learn from Jesus (1Jo 1:1-11)?

7. Read vs. 14-17. There are three analogies: 1) the bridegroom; 2) the unshrunk cloth; and 3) new wine. How are they each related to one another? What do they refer to? What do they indicate about the purpose of Jesus' calling? What do they teach us about the obstacles we need to overcome in following Jesus? 

 

 

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