A. “Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21; Amos 1:3,6,9,11,13; Job 33:29-30)
B. Context (Matthew 18:15-17)
C. The spirit of forgiveness is rooted in love (1 Corinthians 13:5)
1. Love “thinks no evil” (NKJV)
2. Love “does not take into account a wrong suffered” (NASB)
3. Love “keeps no records of wrongs” (NIV)
II. GOD’S ENORMOUS GRACE
A. The first part of the parable (Matthew 18:23-27)
B. The compassion and grace that God offers (Psalm 103:8-13; Exodus 34:6-7; Ephesians 1:7-8; Colossians 1:13-14)
III. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD EACH OTHER
A. Keep forgiving as long as you have something to forgive (Matthew 18:22)
B. God’s forgiveness is conditional (Matthew 18:28-35; Matthew 6:14-15)
C. Imitate the Lord (Colossians 3:12-13)
A. Corrupted Judaism (Matthew 15:8-9)
B. Corrupted Christianity (1 Corinthians 1:10; John 17:20-21)
C. Man-made religion (Buddhism, Islam, Scientology, Atheism)
II. ONLY JESUS HAS THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE
A. Perversions of the gospel are not another gospel (Galatians 1:6-8)
B. Affirmed by Jesus (John 12:48; Matthew 7:24-27)
C. The example of Peter and John (Acts 4:8-20)
III. JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD
A. We must not ignore His revealed will in favor of our own desires
B. Living in such a way that shows your faith (James 2:14-24)
C. Obedience is prompted by faith (Hebrews 11)
A. Literal storms
B. Figurative storms (2 Corinthians 11:24-28)
C. God DOES care!
1. Children of God are not exempt from suffering (Matthew 5:45; John 16:33; 1 Peter 4:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:10-12)
2. These afflictions serve to strengthen us (Romans 5:1-4)
II. JESUS’ QUESTIONS TO THE DISCIPLES (MARK 4:40)
A. “Why are you so fearful?” (Philippians 4:6-7; 2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 10:28)
B. “How is it that you have no faith?” (2 Peter 1:5-11; Romans 10:17; Matthew 7:24-27; Psalm 46)
III. THE DISCIPLES’ QUESTION TO EACH OTHER (MARK 4:41)
A. He is the Creator of all (Psalm 33:6-9; Colossians 1:15-16)
B. He is the Master of all (Colossians 1:17; Matthew 28:18)
C. He is our sympathetic High Priest (Hebrews 4:15)
A. What Jesus taught (Matthew 16:16-19)
B. The disciples’ misunderstanding (Matthew 20:20-23)
C. The church is the kingdom (Mark 9:1; Acts 2; Colossians 1:13)
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE, NOT POSITION
A. “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35; Matthew 20:25-28; 1 Peter 5:1-3)
B. Warnings against a power-hungry attitude (Romans 12:16 vs. Colossians 3:1-2; 3 John 9-11)
C. Positive example of service (Philippians 2:5-8; John1 3:4-5,12-16)
III. BE CONVERTED AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN (MATTHEW 18:3)
A. Innocence (Matthew 5:8; 1 Timothy 4:12; 5:22)
B. Trustfulness (2 Corinthians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:11-14)
C. Lack of prejudice (Acts 10:34-35)
D. Teachableness (2 Peter 3:18)
A. The Jews refused to believe (John 6:41-42)
B. We can partake of the bread of life because of His sacrifice on the cross (John 6:48-51; Philippians 2:5-8)
C. The literal interpretation (John 6:52)
D. Complete commitment: 24/7/365 (John 6:53-58)
II. THE DISCIPLES ASK A DANGEROUS QUESTION
A. “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” (John 6:60)
1. “Who can hear it?” (KJV)
2. “Who can listen to it?” (ESV)
3. “Who can accept it?” (NIV)
B. A discouraging question – what’s the point in even trying? (Ezekiel 33:8-9; Galatians 6:1-10; James 5:19-20)
III. THE WORDS OF JESUS CAN SAVE
A. Our responsibility to evangelize (John 6:63; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2)
B. It is not our ability, but God’s power (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 3:7)
C. Consider what the Word does
1. “Build you up and give you an inheritance” (Acts 20:32)
2. We are “born again…through the word of God” (1 Peter 1:22-23)
3. “Able to save your souls” (James 1:21)
D. Is anyone too corrupt to be saved? (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
A. Jesus’ startling revelation (Matthew 26:21)
B. The fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 41:9; cf. John 13:18)
II. THE REACTION OF THE DISCIPLES
A. The innocent eleven were “exceedingly sorrowful” (Matthew 26:22; cf. John 13:22; Luke 22:23)
1. Humble self-examination (Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19)
2. Reaction to “this night” (Matthew 26:31, 33, 35)
B. Judas was neither innocent nor humble (Matthew 26:14-16, 25)
III. APPLICATION FOR TODAY
A. The duty of elders (Acts 20:28-30; Titus 1:10-11)
B. The preaching of sound doctrine (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
C. The obligation of the entire church (Matthew 28:19-20)
A. The Feast of the Tabernacles (Luke 9:51-52)
B. The refusal of the Samaritans (Luke 9:52-53; contrasted with John 4:39-41)
II. THE REACTION OF JAMES AND JOHN (Luke 9:54)
A. Their question shows their attitude (Luke 9:54; Proverbs 14:29; Mark 3:17)
B. Positives
1. They ask permission
2. They know their history (2 Kings 1:2-12)
C. However, they misapplied the history
1. The Samaritans were not idolatrous
2. The Samaritans still had potential (Acts 8:1,4-8,14-17)
III. THE RESPONSE OF JESUS (Luke 9:55-56)
A. The Lord’s mission (Luke 9:55-56 KJV/NKJV; John 3:16-17; Luke 19:1-10)
B. Our mission must be the same as Christ’s – whether face-to-face or on Facebook
C. When rejected, “they went to another village” (Luke 9:56)
D. Be prepared when someone comes around and is later ready to hear the truth (1 Peter 3:15)
A. “O faithless generation” (Mark 9:19; cf. Matthew 17:20)
B. True, Biblical faith is based on the Word of God (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:17)
C. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
II. THE POWER OF PRAYER
A. We can, by God’s will, reach more people with God’s truth, so long as we continue to kneel before God’s throne (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 3:6)
B. Do not ask God to answer a prayer that violates His Word or His character (1 John 5:14-15)
C. Exhibit humility in prayer (James 4:3,6)
III. THE HUMILITY OF FASTING
A. Old Testament examples (Ezra 8:21,23; Psalm 35:13)
B. New Testament examples (Acts 13:2-3; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27)
C. Proper motivation (Matthew 6:16-18)
A. The temple would be destroyed (Matthew 24:2)
B. The troubled disciples ask, “When?” (Matthew 24:3)
II. “WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE?” THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
A. A lot of things will happen that are not signs (Matthew 24:4-14)
B. There will be a sign to flee (Matthew 24:15-28; cf. Luke 21:20)
C. The fall of the Jewish state (Matthew 24:29-31)
D. The parable of the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-35)
III. WHAT ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD?
A. Of that day and hour – no signs or warnings (Matthew 24:36)
B. Similar to the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39)
C. Are you ready, or have you become distracted? (Matthew 24:40-44)
D. The faithful and wise servant (Matthew 24:45-47)
E. The evil servant (Matthew 24:48-51)
A. His confusion (John 1:46)
B. His character (John 1:47; cf. Matthew 3:8-9; Mark 7:20-23)
C. His question and Christ’s answer (John 1:48; cf. Matthew 6:3-4,6,17-18)
II. GOD KNOWS ALL HIS CHILDREN
A. In the Old Testament
1. He knows those who trust Him (Nahum 1:7)
2. “Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:1-10)
B. In the New Testament
1. God cares for His creation (Matthew 6:25-30; Hebrews 13:5-6)
2. Christ knows us; He knows what we are doing (Revelation 2:2,9,13,19; 3:8)
III. THE THINGS WE DO IN THIS LIFE MATTER — BOTH GOOD AND BAD
A. Do we really understand this? (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 3:15-17)
B. There are some that God will not know
1. “You who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23)
2. “Workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27)
3. “The face of the LORD is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12)
[This is the first in a series of lessons focusing on “Questions the Disciples Asked.”]
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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