Intro and Prayer
Describe a difficult situation in which you were tempted to wonder how much God was really with you?
Pray
Read Matthew 11:1
1When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.
What are some examples of “these instructions” that Jesus mentioned in chapter 10?
Just like a great mentor, what was Jesus constantly doing?
Read Matthew 11:2-3
2John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”
Where was John at this point?
What was the relationship that John the Baptist had to Jesus?
Do you think the family relations with Jesus made it easier to believe or more difficult?
What are some reasons John the Baptist may have been asking this question?
Can you describe a moment when you felt abandoned by God?
Read Matthew 11:4-5
4Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—5the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”
How does Jesus answer John’s question?
Jesus responds by telling identifying 5 miracles about healing. Why does Jesus use miraculous healing as the primary certification of His Messiahship?
What is the final sign Jesus states to certify His identity as Messiah?
Why would have preaching Good new to the poor be a sign?
How do you/would you respond to encountering a physically miraculous moment with God?
Read Matthew 11:6
6And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”
Read Matthew 5:3
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Compare this to what Jesus says in Matthew 11:5-6. Was Jesus referring to the poor in Spirit?
Read Matthew 11:7
7As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’
What is a prophet?
John was described as someone who wasn’t weak. He spoke God’s Word. How would people describe you?
How do John prepare for Christ’s coming?
How do we prepare for Christ’s coming?
11“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!
Why is John considered to be great?
What does this passage tell us about being in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Think about this…If faith is the substance of what we hope for and the evidence of things unseen and if we truly live by faith in God, then how should our feelings or situations impact our relationship with God?