Ladies Bible Study – Page 16

Previous Lessons: 1, 2

Matthew 5:1-12

Questions to Consider

1. Briefly review the background to the Sermon on the Mount in Lesson 2 (link above).

2. Read Matthew 5:1-12. This passage is usually called “The Beatitudes”. How did it happen that Jesus had crowds (v.1) following Him? How did John the Baptist’s ministry (see Lesson 2, link above) help prepare the hearts of the people to hear the Beatitudes? What was the thrust of his message, and what is the thrust of the Beatitudes?

3. Carefully examine verses 3-12. Each Beatitude is written in a three part format. Identify and describe each of the three parts.

4. What word do verses 3-11 start with? What does it mean to be blessed? Who is doing the blessing, who is receiving the blessing, and how does being blessed impact a Christian’s life? (Hint: Use your cross references, and search the word “blessed” in a good concordance.)

5. Make a list of the middle part (the state of being or heart attitude) of each Beatitude (poor in spirit, merciful, etc.). What do each of these words or phrases mean? Use your cross-references and make every effort to define each term yourself first, but if you’re a new Christian or new to the Bible, here’s a little help if you get stuck (scroll down to “Related Topics”).

Read, examine, and consider all of the “middle parts” of the Beatitudes together as a unit. Write a 2-3 sentence synopsis of the middle parts. Are the Beatitudes like the spiritual gifts in that everybody gets at least one, but nobody gets all of them (ex: You’re a peacemaker, but I’m meek.)? Or art the Beatitudes more like the Fruit of the Spirit in that all Christians are supposed to embody everything on the list? Explain your answer. If you answered that the Beatitudes are like the spiritual gifts, list the Beatitudes that only some Christians are meant to embody, and explain why that Beatitude doesn’t apply to all Christians.

6. Make a list of the “third part” (the consequence or blessing) of each Beatitude (receive mercy, called sons of God, etc.). What do each of these words or phrases mean? (Use your cross-references.) Would you characterize these consequences as similar to one another, or very different from one another?

Read, examine, and consider all of the consequences of the Beatitudes together as a unit. Write a 2-3 sentence synopsis of the consequences. Do all of these consequences apply to all Christians who pursue holiness? Why or why not?

7. How many Beatitudes (3-12) are there? If I said to you, “In some ways, the Beatitudes are to the New Testament / New Covenant what the 10 Commandments were to the Old Testament / Old Covenant,” would you agree or disagree? Why? Consider the content, context, and audience of both Christ’s preaching of the Beatitudes and Moses delivering the 10 Commandments to God’s people. Compare the way God’s people in the Old Testament regarded the 10 Commandments with the way Christians regard the teachings contained in the Beatitudes. Think about these passages as you answer these questions. How might Jesus delivering the Sermon on the Mount have reminded the people that God had promised to raise up for them a prophet like Moses?

Homework

Once you have finished the lesson, you may wish to listen to this series of sermons on the Beatitudes by John MacArthur.

Use the Beatitudes as a prayer guide this week, asking God to increase your Christlikeness in the state of being / heart attitude parts, and thanking Him for blessing you with the consequences of each.

Suggested Memory Verse

Normally, in this section, I will provide you with a suggested verse from that day’s passage to memorize. But today, I want you to pick. Was there a certain verse that particularly impacted you, comforted you, or that deals with a heart attitude you’re praying God will grow you in? Work on memorizing that verse this week. If you’re more advanced in Scripture memory work, or if you just want to challenge yourself, consider memorizing verses 3-12.

Starting with our next lesson, all suggested memory verses will be superimposed on the image above. If you like everything to match (like I do!), you’re welcome to grab the image above and put this week’s memory verse (of your choosing) on it using a photo editor. (And if you’re really obsessive about matching – again, like I am – I’ll be using “Syncopate” font in grey.) Use it for your screensaver or wallpaper, your social media cover photo, or print it out and stick it somewhere you’ll see it often.

Sermon on the Mount Bible Study

The Sermon on the Mount ~ Lesson 2

January 27, 2021January 26, 2021 Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1

Matthew 1-4

Questions to Consider

1. Briefly review the the introductory questions and materials in Lesson 1 (link above).

2. Read Matthew 1-4. How do the events in these chapters lay the groundwork for Jesus to preach the Sermon on the Mount? What sort of overall context do chapters 1-4 provide for the Sermon?

3. As you read chapters 1-4, notice Matthew’s emphasis on prophecy fulfilled. Make a note of each fulfilled prophecy mentioned and think of them as points on Jesus’ “résumé”. How do each of these fulfilled prophecies point to Jesus’ qualifications to fill the position of Messiah, thus giving Him the divine authority to deliver the Sermon on the Mount?

Besides these instances of fulfilled prophecy, list any other verses that demonstrate Jesus’ qualifications – as God, Messiah, holy, etc. – to authoritatively deliver the Sermon on the Mount. (Hint: Here are a few to get you started.)

4. Explain the various ways God protected and preserved Jesus’ life and safety in chapters 1-4 so that He would be able to fulfill His earthly ministry (chapter 5 and beyond).

5. Why, besides the fact that it fulfilled prophecy, was it necessary for John the Baptist (chapter 3) to “prepare the way of the Lord”? What were some of the things he did to herald and introduce Jesus’ coming, and how did this prepare the hearts of the people to receive Him? What was John’s message to the Pharisees and the people?

Carefully examine 3:7-10. Do any of these ideas or phrases sound familiar as something Jesus Himself later said? Use your cross-references and look up the passages in which Jesus said or taught the same things.

6. How were each of the following significant in laying the foundation for Jesus’ earthly ministry?

Jesus’ baptism
Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness
Jesus relocating to Capernaum
Jesus calling the disciples

Homework

Carefully examine 4:1-11. Which Scriptures does Satan quote to Jesus? Does he rightly handle those Scriptures or use them out of context to further his own agenda? Why is it wrong to use Scripture this way? How does Jesus combat Satan’s temptations and Bible twistings? What is significant about Jesus’ use of the phrase “It is written”? Think of a situation in your life in which you could use rightly handled, in context Scripture to fight temptation or to stand against false teaching. Find a way to put that into practice this week. Use Scripture like Jesus used Scripture, not like Satan used Scripture.

Sermon on the Mount Bible Study

The Sermon on the Mount: Lesson 1- Introduction

January 20, 2021January 19, 2021 Michelle Lesley

Welcome to our new study, The Sermon on the Mount!

What does God’s Word teach us about thinking biblically and developing Christian character? Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew starts off with a list of character traits God blesses (the Beatitudes), then fleshes out how to submit to Scripture in real life scenarios in order for the Holy Spirit to grow us in those godly character traits. For the next several weeks, we’ll be working our way through the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

Our lovely title pic for the study was designed by Tammy Athey. The photo is her own, captured in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Many thanks to all of those who worked so hard on your entries for our title pic contest. You ladies were very creative and did some outstanding work!

There were too many entries to share all of them with you, but here are a few “honorable mentions”:

If you’re new to using my Bible studies, just a few housekeeping items and helpful hints:

The studies I’ve written (you can find all of them at the Bible Studies tab in the blue menu bar at the top of this page) are like “training wheels”. They’re designed to teach you how to study the Bible for yourself and what kinds of questions to ask of the text so that, when you get the hang of it, you won’t have to depend on other people’s books and materials – even mine – any more. To that end, I do not provide answers for the study questions in the studies I’ve written.

My studies are meant to be extremely flexible and self-paced so that you can use them in the way that works best for you. You can do an entire lesson in one day or work on the questions over the course of the week (or longer). You do not need to feel obligated to answer all (or any) of the questions. If the Holy Spirit parks you on one question for several days, enjoy digging deep into that one aspect of the lesson. If He shows you something I haven’t written a question about that captures your attention, dive in and study it! Those are ways the Holy Spirit speaks to us through His Word. This is your time to commune with the Lord, not a school assignment or work project you are beholden to complete in a certain way by a certain deadline.

I will post a new lesson on the blog every Wednesday, so there is nothing to sign up for or commit to. Simply stop by the blog each week, or subscribe to the blog via e-mail to have the lessons delivered to your inbox.

I use hyperlinks liberally. The Scriptures for each lesson will be linked at the beginning of the lesson and in the lesson questions. As you’re reading the lesson, whenever you see a word in a different color text, click on it, and it will take you to a Scripture, article, or other resource that will help as you study.

All of the studies I’ve written are suitable for groups or individuals. You are welcome to use them as a Sunday school or Bible study class curriculum (for free) with proper attribution.

You are also welcome to print out any of my Bible studies (or any article I’ve written) for free and make as many copies as you’d like, again, with proper attribution. I’ve explained more about that in this article (3rd section).

Introduction to The Sermon on the Mount

Before we begin studying a book of the Bible, it’s very important that we understand some things about that book. But even though we’re not going to be studying the whole book this time, we still need to know…

Who the author was and anything we might be able to find out about him or his background.

Who the audience of the book is: Jews or Gentiles? Old Testament Israelites or New Testament Christians? This will help us understand the author’s purpose and approach to what he’s writing.

What kind of biblical literature we’re looking at. We approach books of history differently than books of wisdom, books of wisdom differently than books of prophecy, etc.

What the purpose of the book is. Was it written to encourage? Rebuke? Warn?

What the historical backdrop is for the book. Is Israel at war? At peace? In exile? Under a bad king? Good king? Understanding the historical events surrounding a piece of writing help us understand what was written and why it was written.

When the book was written. Where does the book fall on the timeline of biblical history? This is especially important for Old Testament books which are not always arranged in chronological order.

So this week, before we start studying the actual text of the Sermon on the Mount, we need to lay the foundation to understanding the book by finding the answers to these questions.

Read the following overviews of the book of Matthew, taking notes on anything that might aid your understanding of the book, and, particularly the Sermon on the Mount and answer the questions below:

Bible Introductions: Matthew at Grace to You

Overview of the Book of Matthew at Reformed Answers

Summary of the Gospel of Matthew at Got Questions

1. Who wrote the book of Matthew? How do we know this?

2. Approximately when was Matthew written? What is the geographical setting of the book of Matthew? Here are some maps (scroll down to “Matthew”) that may be helpful as you study through the book of Matthew.

3. Who is the original, intended audience of the book of Matthew? Describe the historical setting (historic events, politics, sociology of the time, etc.) of Matthew.

4. Which genre of biblical literature is the book of Matthew: law, history, wisdom, poetry, narrative, epistles, or prophecy/apocalyptic? What does this tell us about the approach we should take when studying this book versus our approach to books of other genres?

5. What is the theme or purpose of the book of Matthew?

6. What are some of the major topics of instruction in the book of Matthew? How do these topics relate to the theme of Matthew?

7. What are some ways Matthew points to and connects to Jesus?

8. What else did you learn about Matthew or the setting of this book that might help you understand the Sermon on the Mount better?

Take some time in prayer this week to begin preparing your heart for this study. Ask God to grow you in holiness and in following the exhortations of Christ as we study together The Sermon on the Mount.

Ezekiel Bible Study

Ezekiel ~ Lesson 21- Wrap Up

November 25, 2020December 30, 2020 Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Wrap Up

As we wrap up our study today, think about the things God has taught you through His Word and how you might apply them to your life.

Questions to Consider

1. Was there anything new God taught you in this study that particularly impacted you? What was it, and why was it so significant?

2. How is your walk with the Lord different after this study than it was before?

3. How has this study helped you think about living as a doctrinally sound Believer in the midst of false converts, false teachers, heretical “churches,” and all manner of ungodliness in evangelicalism today?

4. What have you learned from this study about God’s wrath against sin and sinners? How will you apply this to your personal spiritual life or to your church life?

5. What have you learned from this study about God’s desire for His wayward people to be reconciled to Him?

6. Have there been any passages or concepts in this study that God used to convict you of disobedience and lead you to repentance? How will you walk differently in this area from now on?

7. What have you learned about God and His nature and character from this study?

Homework

Spend some time in prayer this week asking God to show you how to put into practice one thing you learned from this study.

Recite all of your memory verses from this study. Which one is most meaningful to you right now?

Ezekiel Bible Study

Ezekiel ~ Lesson 20

November 18, 2020November 17, 2020 Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Read Ezekiel 46-48

Next week will be our final – “wrap up” – lesson of Ezekiel.

Questions to Consider

1. Review your notes from our last lesson and be reminded of the things that lead into, and set the stage for, this week’s passage.

2. Read chapters 46-48.

Consider lessons 18-19 (links above) alongside today’s passage. Does today’s passage seem to be a “near” prophecy (for Ezekiel’s immediate audience) or a “far” prophecy (for an audience far in the future), or both? Why?

If 46-48 is a “far,” perhaps even an eschatological (end times / eternity) prophecy, what is the significance of the emphasis on the temple, Old Testament style offerings and sacrifices, and land allotment for the twelve tribes? What about Christians and the church?

3. Explain how God’s specificity in chapter 46 about the entrances and exits, and the offerings and sacrifices, points to His specificity about how He is to be worshiped. Is it OK with God if we approach Him in worship in any old way we choose? How does this passage undergird the regulative principle of worship?

4. How does God’s precision in the measurements and the boundaries of chapters 47-48 demonstrate His attributes of precision and perfection in Creation and in the details of our daily lives? What does this attribute tell you about His knowledge, His power, and His authority over all of Creation, including people?

Compare 47:12 with Revelation 22:1-2. What similarities or differences do you see? What do these similarities and/or differences tell you?

5. In 48:11, God makes a special note of “the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did”. How does this reflect God’s attribute of justice – that He knows exactly who has done exactly what and will recompense each person accordingly?

6. Explain why today’s passage might have been a little easier to understand if you lived at the time of Ezekiel and were familiar with the temple’s structure, the sacrificial / offering system, and the geography of Israel. Why do you think God put certain things in the Bible that are difficult for us to understand conclusively? How can this help us to develop humility before God and trust in God?