5×5 readings for this week: Matthew 11-15

Warm-up: Where is the first place you want to go after things return to normal?

Read:  Matthew 11:1-6, 12:1-8, 13:31-33, 14:22-33, 15:21-28

Background: The early church unanimously affirmed that the apostle Matthew authored the Gospel of Matthew. It was written in the first century, around AD 60, before the fall of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. The Gospel of Matthew serves as a gateway between the old and new testaments. Matthew makes the most direct connections to the Old Testament than any other gospel, giving us God’s entire plan from Genesis to Revelation, referring to the Hebrew prophecies about 60 times.

Discussion/Application:

1. Matthew 11:1-6 | We know the John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, why do you think John is now asking if Jesus is “the one who is to come?”
2. Matthew 12:1-8 | What do you think Jesus means when He quotes “I desire mercy and not sacrifice?”
3. Matthew 13:31-33 | What is Jesus trying to teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven in these two parables (the mustard seed and leaven)?
4. Matthew 14: 22-33 | 2020 has felt a little (or a lot) stormy. How have you seen God calm the storms around you during this time?
5. Matthew 15:21-28 | How does our inability to see our own sin possibly prevent blessings in our lives?

Close in prayer: How can we pray for, encourage, and support each other this week? In what tangible ways can we love the members of this group this week? Our neighbors? Our family?

5×5 readings for next week: Matthew 16-20