34.

Dealing with Trapping Questions on Marriage, Resurrection, and Love

Matthew 22:23-46

  • Session: 34
  • Week: 5
  • Day: 6
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Introduction

In Matthew 22:23-46, we continue to explore the stumbling blocks that hinder making Christ known, particularly to those imprisoned by religion. This session focuses on the final week of Jesus’ ministry on earth, where the religious leaders persist in inspecting Jesus for any spot or blemish by posing trapping questions in an attempt to find reasons to accuse Him. If the Lamb of God (Jesus) had any sin or spot, He could not be the perfect sacrifice for the people. Jesus successfully defeated their challenges on the topics of marriage, resurrection, and the greatest commandment of love. Additionally, He turned the tables by questioning them about the Messiah, once again proving His authority and wisdom.

Objectives

By the end of this session, you will have:

  • Understood how to answer interrogative questions and how to ask our opponents questions by examining Jesus’ tactical approach.

Outline

  • Interrogative questions to Jesus: Testing your faith (checking for spots on your faith).
  • Jesus’ view on marriage, resurrection, and love.
  • Asking the right questions to those interrogating your faith.
  • Who is the Messiah? Who do you say the Messiah is (Son of Man)?

Group Study Time

Matthew 22:23-46

Connecting

  • Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
  • Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
  • Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
  • Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.

Comprehending

What do the verses mean?
(In small groups, attempt the following questions. Focus on God’s attitudes and the people’s character/attributes.)

  • What is a Kingdom or biblical marriage? How is it different from cultural or religious marriage?
  • Read Matthew 22:23-30. List three truths about Kingdom or biblical marriage and cultural or religious marriage.
  • Read Matthew 22:28-33. What is the resurrection of the dead? Write three truths Jesus revealed about the resurrection of the dead.
  • Read Matthew 22:34-40. What question was Jesus trapped with? Who trapped Him? Why? How did Jesus answer this question? What lessons do you learn about trapped questions from our enemies and how to answer them?
  • If you were allowed to ask your enemies a question, what would that question be?
  • Read Matthew 22:41-46. What question did Jesus ask His enemies? How did He ask it? What three lessons do you learn about asking questions to your enemies?
  • If questions were like arrows, and you and your enemies had equal arrows, how would you organise your arrows to remain a winner? The one who loses either surrenders or retreats.

Committing

  • Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
  • List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
  • Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
  • Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
    • Sin to confess
    • Promise to claim
    • Attitude to change
    • Command to keep
    • Error to change
    • Prayer to make
    • Example to copy
    • Truth to obey and
    • Something praiseworthy

Communicating

  • Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
  • Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
  • Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.